Star Dune - Great Sand Dunes National Park (My Hike On November 4, 2006) |
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Here is a pictorial of my hike to Star Dune, the
largest and tallest dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park. Star Dune is lcoated on
the west side of the park, and its large pointy shape can be clearly seen from Highway
150 while approaching the park. This pictorial begins with me standing on the summit of High Dune, which I hiked to first from the main parking lot. |
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From High Dune, this was the view looking out towards Star Dune, the pointed dune to the left. What an adventure it was getting out there! |
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After running down High Dune, I turned back to snap this photo. You can see my foot prints in the dune and the two gentleman (visiting from India) standing at High Dune give some perspective with how large these dunes are. |
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I went down and up two mini-valleys before approaching Star Dune. I chose to go along the ridge to the right, which brought me to the very steep but doable eastern face of Star Dune - that is the slope that's in the shade in these two photos. If you're approaching Star Dune from High Dune, you're going to have a fairly steep (but still doable) climb at the very end. |
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A great photo of Mt. Herard (alt. 13,297 feet). |
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Getting closer! Notice the two sets of foot prints from other hikers. Don't be decieved, once that ridge softens off, one still has quite a way to go up a very steep incline! :p) |
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Near the top, I was so ecstatic!!! :) |
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At the top of Star Dune, looking to the east. |
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Looking towards the west and the San Luis Valley. |
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What a workout it was to make it to Star Dune! :) |
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Heading back, I traveled south through a dune valley that eventually led me to the Medano Creek bed, but I was about a mile or two away from the visitor center and parking lot. I was told some who plan to go directly to Star Dune walk down the creek bed (from the parking lot) and then go up a dune valley, as opposed to my visiting High Dune and then traveling straight west to Star Dune. Either way is doable. The adjacent photo is my looking back at Star Dune as I traveled south down its main dune valley. |
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