Canyoning is the sport of descending narrow canyon gorges, which have flowing water and rappelling through waterfalls. The canyons of the San Juan and West Elk Mountains in Colorado carve through colorful sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rock layers with an active volcanic geologic history. This guidebook explores technical descents of the waterfalls and narrows found in these spectacular mountain ranges surrounding iconic Colorado mountain towns including Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Telluride, Marble, Lake City and Creede along the Silver Thread Byway. Once an oasis for the Utes, and later a center of silver and gold mining, the San Juan Mountains have become a destination for outdoor recreation. This guide offers a detailed introduction to these special canyons along with historical, ecological and geological information for the area as well as ethics and safety considerations for the sport. In addition to new canyon descents, this book contains updated information on classic Ouray and Silverton canyon routes, with new details about exits and anchors.

Ouray, Colorado has the highest quality alpine canyons in the United States. This intimate guide, now in its second edition, explores the waterfalls, narrows and tumbling cascades found in the spectacular mountains that surround Ouray. Enjoy adventures ranging from short trail hikes to full day technical adventures in the most beautiful canyons in the country. Filled with historical, ecological and geological information, this guide offers a grand introduction to Ouray's special canyons.

The San Juan Mountains are awesome. No other range in the contiguous United States offers the immensity and diversity of the San Juans. Thirteen of Colorado's fifty-four fourteeners and twenty-nine of the state's one hundred highest peaks are located there. This guide offers descriptions of 145 peaks and 237 routes.

This guide will satisfy outdoor recreationists' thirst for adventure with descriptions of more than sixty scenic trails to hike, gnarly single tracks to bike, and winter wonderlands to ski. Covering the entire region of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado, these trails are accessible from anywhere in the southwestern United States. Jeff La Frenierre is a professional cartographer and award-winning photographer. He shares his knowledge and appreciation for the awe-inspiring beauty and terrain of the San Juan Mountains. Each trail description begins with a profile that provides distance, elevation range, and trail conditions, and suggests the necessary maps to help navigate a safe journey followed by in-depth directions. Also included is an Adventure Locator at the end of the book, which is divided into four sections with maps and tables. This is a quick and handy reference for planning activities from day-long skiing excursions to afternoon mountain bike rides, with suggestions for base camps in the towns nearest to each trailhead.

A complete overview of the history and natural history of Colorado's most spectacular mountain region.

Concentrating on unique events, people whose stories have never fully been told, and a few "new" facts, The San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado - Calderas, Mastodons, Conquistadors, and Gold provides a wealth of information, starting with the true boundaries of Colorado's San Juans. Through extensive research, P. David Smith destroys many long standing theories about this mysterious range, showing that Paleo hunters lived in the San Juans year round and the Spanish prospected almost continuously in the area but had little luck smelting the gold and silver ores. Smith shows how the Utes went from one of the poorest Native American tribes to one of the richest and points out that the Pueblo Indians (Anasazi) were the first of the historic tribes in Colorado and the San Juans. He also notes that Coronado or his men may well have been in the San Juans, rightfully looking for "Cibolla" amidst what has proven to be extremely mineral-rich terrain. Detailing the beginnings of the historically rich San Juans of Colorado, this work is one that both historians and history-lovers have awaited. It is true history that may be stranger than fiction. But it may also be true history that will enlighten those who visit and live in this unique part of the world.

"SPIRIT OF THE SAN JUANS contains many of the most beautiful and unforgettable photographs that you will ever view. Noted photograher Kathleen Norris Cook spins a photographic tale of the people, the history and the soul of this majestic place. Discover the lure of one of the most spectacular, impressive and awesome mountain ranges in the world." ... book jacket.

A collaborative photo-history of the natural beauty of the narrow-gauge railroads and mountain trails leading to the San Juan Mountains' mining camps, boomtowns, and ghost towns.