"White on Black"

Residents of Montrose Colorado are indeed privileged to have one of the most unique national parks on their doorstep.

In a fifteen minute drive from downtown you can turn left and begin a long paved road ascent to the entrance of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Procced through an entrance station, drive past the seasonal campground and locate the year-round visitor center to learn more about this spectacular park.
We had visited the park before but in summer months and for years had heard that while the park road is closed during the winter to vehicles, the park service maintained a cross-country ski route that follows the main road along the rim. Having put off a wintertime visit for years, in February of 2016, with abundant snows reported in the area, we drove from Grand Junction and were able to park at the visitor center to begin a scenic day of skiing along the rim, stopping frequently for photos. The park derives its name in part form the blackness of its depths. There is one section of the canyon that receives a maximum of only 33 minutes of direct sunlight in a day. The depths of the canyon, the sheer rock walls, dramatic spires and crags, the intimidating viewpoints all add to the mystique. At its deepest point, the Gunnison River is 2,722 feet below the rim. This is not the largest or longest or deepest canyon in the US, but it may be the most dramatic. We found the ski trail to be in superb condition and covered about 6 – 7 miles roundtrip on a blue-sky day. The pure white of the new snow juxtaposed against the blackened rocky cliffs offered a unique perspective of this geologically distinctive park.