Blue Mesa Reservoir

We travel east from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park further up the canyon to the Lake Fork campground on the Blue Mesa Reservoir.  This is part of the Curecanti National Recreation Area.  The reservoir is created by the Blue Mesa dam on the Gunnison River.  We can see how low the water is, perhaps 30 or 40 feet lower than the high water mark.  The campground is basically a parking lot beside the marina, and it's very windy and cold which may be normal given we are in a canyon.  The lake water is a deep blue, and a few boats are out enjoying the sunshine as this is the beginning of a long weekend.

Our trailer atop the hill on the right overlooking Blue Mesa Reservoir

We drive across the dam and follow the highway west along the north rim of the canyon which is very steep again now that we are beside the river after the dam.  The sights are amazing with the steep, black canyon walls and the fresh blue-green water flowing rapidly below.  We drive only about 10 miles to a lovely picnic area and have lunch, then decide to return to the reservoir and explore further east.

Marilyn, Gunnison River below

From the highway beside the reservoir, we can see the Dillon Pinnacles - tall, jagged rock spires.  If it wasn't so windy, the water would reflect the Pinnacles beautifully, but there are white caps of waves.  There is a 4-mile round-trip hiking trail to the Pinnacles, but the view from the pulloff on the highway is so perfect, we decide not to take it and just enjoy the drive along the water.

The Dillon Pinnacles on the Blue Mesa Reservoir

The following morning, we are getting ready to leave when we realize we have run out of propane.  No more heat, no more hot water, no stove-top cooking; and today is a holiday Monday.  I get on the internet trying to find somewhere to buy propane today.  I start making phone calls and find a KOA campground open today with propane - thank goodness!  We head off to the town of Gunnison to replenish all of our supplies - fuel, propane, food, fresh water.

Oh - Grady - he caught four more mice on our two nights here, two each night.  We have come to realize that they are likely living in our storage compartment under the trailer because we store Grady's extra bags of food there; then they come into the kitchen maybe for warmth.  The food bags have been chewed through, and Brad's paper towels have been shredded, probably for nesting material.  We put the bags of cat food into two large plastic buckets that Brad happened to bring, and seal them shut with airtight lids.  Let's hope no more mice get in.