Dominguez Canyon & Dry Fork Canyon

[gnwatts]

Stream bed, Dry Fork Canyon

A couple of friends and I decided to spend a few days in Big Dominguez Canyon last week. I love this place because it is a spectacular 13 mile long canyon with a beautiful stream, numerous water falls etc. And the Bridgeport trailhead at the Gunnison River is only 90 minutes from my house. I have not included photos of the lower section of the canyon, or further up as I have posted trip reports here, if you are interested:

http://backcountrypost.com/forum/threads/summer-trip.966/#post-9913

http://backcountrypost.com/forum/threads/dominguez-canyon-co.906/


View larger map.

This trip was intended as a kind of warm up, as I have not backpacked in a year and a half, and with my camera gear and wine (no tent) my pack was 43lbs. Pretty heavy for me.
As an aside, I used my new Osprey Aether 70. I have not had a new pack in about 5 years, so this was fun having something new. It carried the weight flawlessly, fit me well, a very well designed pack IMO. 2 thumbs up.

We camped the first night about a mile past the big waterfall, in a very cool little spot right on a 10' water fall.
The bottom of the falls:

Waterfall in the distance, camp spot on the left:

We got a late start and only hiked another mile or so, as I wanted to camp at the confluence with Dry Fork Canyon.
From the knoll above our 2nd camp spot at Dry Fork Canyon, looking back down Dominguez:

From the same knoll, looking the opposite direction. Dry Fork Canyon s on the left, Dominguez on the right.

Our day hike, which started a little late in the day, was up Dry Fork Canyon. We were there in perfect weather, 80 degrees, a slight wind. The canyon did live up to it's name, it was mostly dry.

Looking back towards Dominguez Canyon:

The only pool we saw:

Another shot looking back towards Dominguez. I have no idea why i don't have any shots looking the other direction.

Back at camp, a cottonwood I photographed 4 years ago. This spot is on a bend in the creek, away from the trail, protected from the wind by a rock knoll and shaded by pinon.

The next morning:

Camp spot:

It was a beautiful time to be here. Flowers everywhere, warm. Dry Canyon is an exquisite place, multicolored rock, twisting it's way along. We only went up 2 miles or so, I am sure it get's more interesting.
Thanks for looking.

Featured image for home page:

 

[Nick]

Beautiful shots! I love the black and whites and those waterfalls. And congrats on the new pack. I have an Aether 70(?) as well. I don't use it much anymore but I sure do like it.

 

[uintahiker]

Looks fun! Any fish in the lower pools?

 

[slc_dan]

I dig it. Looks like a nice fun hike. That water looks inviting. You guys take a dip?

 

[gnwatts]

Thanks Nick.

Looks fun! Any fish in the lower pools?

We did not hike down to the pool below the big waterfall. We did not see any fish.
But Harry, the guy in the stream, is a fly fishing guide on the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork near my home in Carbondale, and he spent a few minutes looking for what bugs (midges?) were hatching. Lot's of bugs.

I dig it. Looks like a nice fun hike. That water looks inviting. You guys take a dip?

Thanks. I took a quick (very quick) swim in the pool in the 2nd picture from the top. Refreshing.