Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Because we left Great Basin a day early, we got to Grand Junction, CO and decided to veer south and loop around into Denver instead of the straight shot on I-70.  

I realized that we were headed right through the town of Salida, where our friend Hans grew up.  We texted Hans to tell his parents we would stop in for a visit, just like I had done back in college when I was in the area on my summer Geology Field Camp.

Along the way.....this!

The park offers the opportunity to drive down to the river, so we did that as well.  Just to see what it looks like from the bottom.

As we left Black Canyon, we drove east through Gunnison, and up over Monarch Pass.

Then...this.  As we headed over Monarch Pass, I decided to try and find the family cabin that Hans loves and where we spent his 40th birthday party during the summer of 2012.  Oops, I got the wrong driveway.

...um stuck.

Onions quote....."I'm surprised you made it to 49-years old."  And from now on I have to listen to him in any decision making process.

After a two hour wait, a tow truck (thanks to the extended AAA service) came up from Gunnison.

The two truck driver was able to re-position to the car so it was so it was in the reverse position uphill....

Then got the car backwards almost to the top before having to winch it back up to top of the hill.

Here's the view as I put the car in neutral and was being "dragged" up the hill.  By the time we were done, it was too late to see the cabin or visit Hans' parents....so it was a long, quiet drive to Denver.