A COLORADO SUNSET OVER THE COLLEGIATE PEAKS
I had a feeling this evening's sunset (May 16, 2008) would be a good one because of spots of clouds over the Collegiate Peaks. I was not disappointed at all with the "color show" with pretty colors happening over Mt. Princeton and Mt. Yale in particular ... View Photos

"S" MOUNTAIN IN SALIDA - Scenic Views At The Summit!
I just wanted to do a leisurely walk somewhere and thought "S" Mountain (Tenderfoot Mountain) in Salida would be a good idea. When I realized the gate was open, I drove way up near the top. I gained little exercise, but the photos of the grand mountain views and the town of Salida below balanced things out ... View Photos

Snowy Photos - MT. PRINCETON, MT. YALE And MT. ANTERO
With all the snow we have received during the month of December, it was a perfect morning to take pictures of the Collegiate Peaks blanketed in snowy white from Chaffee County Road 162 near Nathrop. Get your "Colorado fix" right here! ... View Photos

A Nice Little Hike - RUBY MOUNTAIN NEAR NATHROP, CO
On Saturday morning, I ventured towards Nathrop to summit Ruby Mountain, a relatively small mountain with grand views of the Collegiate Peaks. The trail is accessible near the Ruby Mountain Campground area ... View Photos

THE GHOST TOWNS OF VICKSBURG AND WINFIELD
The autumn colors are at their peak on Chaffee County Road 390, which leads inside the canyon to the ghost towns of Vicksburg and Winfield. On top of the bright fall foliage throughout, the history of these two former bustling mining towns is very interesting ... View Photos

JUMPIN' JULIE VISITS CHAFFEE COUNTY FOR THE DAY!
Jumpin' Julie, who lives in rural Saguache County, visited Buena Vista with her daughter and friend today. With a half day, we drove to Cottonwood Pass, visited St. Elmo and dined at the Evergreen Cafe. I think I came up with some good pictures ... View Photos

The Continental Divide Trail at Cottonwood Pass!
Ron in Colorado Springs was in town and wanted to do a moderate hike in the Buena Vista area. I took him to Cottonwood Pass and walked along the Continental Divide Trail to the unnamed peak just south of the pass ... View Photos

A 4-Wheeling Adventure Into South Cottonwood Canyon!
South Cottonwood Canyon (where Cottonwood Lake is situated) is a very scenic and mountainous area that offers great opportunities for camping and 4-wheeling. Shannon took me along in his Land Cruiser for quite an adventure ... View Photos

Mountain Views - A Hike Along An Old Railroad Grade
Inside Chalk Creek Canyon is an old railroad grade which once served as the main artery of transportation to St. Elmo, Romley, Hancock and points west. Today, the grade has become a popular trail for hiking and mountain biking ... View Photos

Smoking A Cigar And Bored At The Mt. Princeton Trailhead!
I needed to get out of the house and was in the mood to smoke a cigar, and after a short drive I found myself as the only person at the Mt. Princeton Trailhead near the entrance to Frontier Ranch. I struggled greatly with boredom, but managed to take some nice scenery photos ... View Photos

Morning Visit To The Mt. Princeton Hot Springs
I had much of the morning off and made a quick visit to the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. The hot springs is a geological wonder as the edges of the creek are heated underground which make for wonderful places to sit and soak in the springs ... View Pictures

A Beautiful Rainbow Spotted In Buena Vista, Colorado
We were coming down from Cottonwood Pass and driving along Chaffee County Road 306 into Buena Vista and we spotted this amazing rainbow. It was a low rainbow and was actually appearing to touch the ground on each side. Definitely check out this photo if you love rainbows! ... View Photo

Scenic Bike Ride Among Mountains In CHALK CREEK CANYON
I was looking to do a short bike ride, but still wanted to get a decent work out. So I chose to peddle up the very scenic 6.5 miles of paved road inside Chalk Creek Canyon starting at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. Taking in the scenery alone made it well worth it ... View Pictures

If You Love Mt. Princeton ... A Photo Each Day of Mt. Princeton
Steve Garufi in Buena Vista has a very unique web site with a simple theme. He photographs neighboring Mt. Princeton everyday from a different angle and time of day. Here are some of his favorite photos of this 14er mountain ... View Pictures

The Views At Chaffee County Road 356 And State Highway 24
The weather is getting warmer and today I bicycled to a point north of Buena Vista that had great views of Mt. Harvard, Mt. Princeton and the Sangre De Cristo Mountains way south past Salida and Poncha Springs ... View Pictures

Lazy Afternoon At Riverside Park In Downtown Salida!
Riverside Park in downtown Salida is a really popular park The "play area" of the Arkansas River for kayakers is probably the park's largest draw, but there is something for everyone with large oak trees, views of the Collegiate Peaks, interesting downtown art and more ... View Pictures

NOW THIS IS COLORADO! More Beautiful Rocky Mountain Photos!
In March 2005, I spent a day wandering throughout Chaffee County photographing these beautiful Rocky Mountains. I traveled from Granite to Buena Vista to Salida and finished at the Chalk Cliffs near the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs ... View Pictures

Sunny Saturday: Wintery Colorado Pictures At Cottonwood Lake
It was yet another sunny day in the upper 40's in Buena Vista, and since it has not snowed much this month, I thought a hike around Cottonwood Lake inside Spring Canyon might be enjoyable. I was indeed correct ... Read More

Fiesta Mexicana - GREAT MEXICAN FOOD IN SALIDA!
Yesterday my friend Tanya and I enjoyed some good Mexican food at Fiesta Mexicana on Highway 50 in Salida. The food was amazing, the service was quick and we got a kick out of the cactus-themed table at our booth ... View Pictures

Ghost Town In The Mountains: St. Elmo In Chalk Creek Canyon
Formerly a bustling mining town in the late 19th century, St. Elmo is known as one of the most interesting and well-restored "ghost towns" in all of Colorado. From Nathrop, go west on Chaffee County Road 162 inside Chalk Creek Canyon ... View Pictures

PICTURE COLLECTION: Beautiful Mt. Princeton (alt. 14,198 Feet)
Mt. Princeton is one of many "14ers" in Chaffee County, but it is probably the most recognizable peak with its three "humps" facing Buena Vista and the Arkansas Valley. This collection of three pictures were taken from different vantage points ... View Pictures

The County's Northern Most Town: Granite (Population 9)
The town of Granite formerly served as the county seat for Lake County before Chaffee County had been formed. It was originally a bustling mining town, but today is considered a "ghost town" with a year-round population of nine ... View Pictures

Downtown Salida: Pictures Of Historic Buildings Around Town
An afternoon walk throughout downtown Salida provides plenty of interesting historic architecture to look at. This pictorial shows some of Salida's Victorian-style buildings in the downtown area. The Coca-Cola mural on the side of this particular building on F Street ... View Pictures

Shimmering Fall Colors & Mountain Views At Boss Lake Trail
The Boss Lake Trail is a scenic hike near Ski Monarch that is considered a well-kept secret in the region. Located just off of Highway 50 in southern Chaffee County, the hike provides thick forest, pockets of aspen trees, Boss Lake itself and beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains ... View Pictures

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: Chaffee County's Many 14ers!
If Chaffee County is known for anything, it would have to be its amazing Rocky Mountain views. Our county is home to 15 "fourteeners" - mountains where the summit is over 14,000 feet in altitude. Enjoy these pictures of nearby 14ers and other scenic Rocky Mountains ... View Pictures

October Drive Up Cottonwood Pass (Fall Colors *AND* Snow Pics)
An October drive to the summit of Cottonwood Pass offers beautiful autumn colors and snowy winter pictures near the top. There are many impressive passes that comprise the Continental Divide that act as Chaffee County's border to the west ... View Pictures

Mountains Galore! Assorted Scenic Pictures In Chaffee County
Enjoy this collection of six scenic photos of Chaffee County's mountain views. There are two pictures near the top of the Monarch Pass summit, a shot of the Chalk Cliffs, Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale and an interesting view of Salida in front of the Sangre De Cristo range ... View Pictures

Spots In The County: "S" Mountain, Monarch Pass & Hot Springs
This collection of pictures covers some of the well-known spots in Chaffee County, including the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, Monarch Pass, Tenderfoot Mountain in Salida and even the one and only traffic light in Buena Vista. If you need your a "fix" of Colorado, definitely check this out ... View Pictures

The Old Hiking Route To Mt. Yale: DENNY GULCH TRAIL
Denny Gulch Trail has been largely reclaimed and using this route to hike Mt. Yale is largely discouraged. I was in a wandering mood and walked in maybe 0.2 to 0.3 miles and took some photos of the nearby scenery including Mt. Yale's summit and the creek inside the gulch ... View Pictures

ColoradoGuy: Colorado Pictures And Quite A Sense Of Humor!
Steve Garufi, owner of the popular web site known as ColoradoGuy.com, lives in Chaffee County and does his best to show all of the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains with his digital photography. Steve also has a fairly wild sense of humor which makes for a very interesting web site ... Visit Web Site