Taylor River Drive

Taylor Park Reservoir

Pothole Reservoir #2...our lunch spot

The right side of the Pothole Reservoir #2

The Open Road....

Oh how I wish I was brave enough to do this

Danny exploring across the River

Upper part of the Taylor River

Large network of beaver dams

Really large beaver dam. Detail in the center of the photo

The Continental Divide in the distance

Danny and I realized before we came here that the only time we have been to Crested Butte alone was when we came in June of last year to look at this house. We love sharing our home with our friends and family, but this has been really neat to be here just the two of us. Danny is having knee trouble and undergoing therapy for them so we didn't plan to do any hiking on this trip. Instead, we packed a picnic and took a long drive along the Taylor River toward the Taylor Park Reservoir. The water was pretty low but the view was still beautiful. We bought a topographical map when we were here this summer and used it all day for directions. We drove on up past the Reservoir and stopped for lunch at the Pothole Reservoir #2. Yes, there is a #1, but it wasn't that interesting to look at. Also, there was a Park Service bathroom (hole in the ground but clean) at our picnic spot which was a blessing. It was about 48 degrees outside and windy so we sat in the car where it was warmer and ate our lunch. After lunch, we continued driving until the road came to a dead end. Along the way we scared up a flock of bluebirds which were beautifully brilliant blue and also watched a Bald Eagle soaring majestically on thermals. We were expecting the dead end because of the map, but it gave us the perfect opportunity to get out and explore a little. I have discovered that I am about as nimble as a guinea pig and Danny must have mountain climbers somewhere in his family. This is not a good thing when Danny can walk across a log over a creek, and I'm too scared to even try because I just KNOW that I'm going to fall in. Luckily for me, he doesn't need me to be with him to explore and I am perfectly content to stay behind and take pictures. There was a good bit of snow on the ground where we stopped and lots of rushing water. The beavers had created quite a series of dams in the valley. To go home, we took a different route that took us along Spring Creek, which dumps into the Taylor River, eventually arriving back in Almont and then home to Crested Butte (15 miles away). We will eat dinner tonight at Maxwell's in town. Neither one of us have eaten there so we are excited to try it out.