High Dune In Great Sand Dunes National Park (November 4, 2006)

High Dune - Great Sand Dunes National Park (Photos - November 4, 2006)

	So I made it to the Great Sand Dunes on quite a beautiful and sunny day. The temperatue was in the 50's and the wind was light, which are probably the very best conditions for hiking on the sand dunes. The adjacent photo was taken just as the sand dunes began west of the Medano Creek bed.
	Upward I climbed. I put two yellow stars next to people who were way up there on the dunes. See them?
	Much of the sand dunes feel very much like a beach, but there are some areas where particularly black pebbles gather in one spot to make some interesting color displays.
	Ridges like these are amusing. One can sit with one's legs comfortably hanging over a side.
	Going up this hill was particularly painful! :p)
	Way up high on the ridge whose high point is official High Dune.
	There I am at the summit of High Dune, approximately 650 feet above from the base of the main parking lot for hikers. :)
	A few photos from the top of High Dune. TOP: The view to the east, looking back at the Visitor Center and the Sangre De Cristo Mountain range. MIDDLE: The view to the northeast, including Mt. Herard (alt. 13,297 feet). BOTTOM: The view to the north and northwest. The sand dunes go on for quite a while to the north. From High Dune, I then went on a hiked to the top of Star Dune. Do check it out! :)

These pictures were submitted by Steve Garufi in Buena Vista, Colorado. His web site is: www.ColoradoGuy.com.