Great shots, Jim! Looks like you caught some great sand conditions to make the climbing easier. I bet your sled would have worked better on dry sand. High Dune is actually not the hp of the park. It is a liner on a ridge to Mt Herard (10520'). Glad to see the forecast didn't scare you away.
I was duped! I guess I should have read the visitor's guide more closely. They should rename it to Sorta High Dune so people like me don't get their hopes up. There is some satisfaction that we made it to the top of something notably high (Star Dune) before you though :-) Watch out, better hurry up and get Denali!
shknbke - Jun 1, 2009 9:50 am - Voted 10/10
niceGreat shots, Jim! Looks like you caught some great sand conditions to make the climbing easier. I bet your sled would have worked better on dry sand. High Dune is actually not the hp of the park. It is a liner on a ridge to Mt Herard (10520'). Glad to see the forecast didn't scare you away.
HokieJim - Jun 1, 2009 10:42 am - Hasn't voted
Not the highpoint?I was duped! I guess I should have read the visitor's guide more closely. They should rename it to Sorta High Dune so people like me don't get their hopes up. There is some satisfaction that we made it to the top of something notably high (Star Dune) before you though :-) Watch out, better hurry up and get Denali!
Mark Doiron - Aug 28, 2009 9:01 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Not the highpoint?Thanks for the trip report. Great Sand Dunes is an awesome place. FYI, if you have Google Earth, this link will take you to the park's high point:
http://members.cox.net/mddoiron/googleearth/greatsanddunes.kmz
--mark d.
HokieJim - Aug 28, 2009 1:55 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Not the highpoint?Cool! Thanks for the link and for reading, Mark!