At 9400 feet above sea level, Wilson Mesa provides an ideal climate for wildflower-filled meadows beneath 14,017' Wilson Peak in this photograph of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Wilson Peak rises out of this aspen-covered mesa which bears its name 13 miles southwest of the town of Telluride in Colorado's most magnificent range of mountains. With 13 summits over 14,000 feet, the San Juans are mecca for climbers or anyone else simply wishing to soak in this spectacular scenery. This 4,000 square-mile mountain range began to rise at the beginning of the Laramide Orogeny about 60 million years ago. The scenery we see today is mostly a result of the recent ice-age glacial advances which carved deep valleys and created many of the precipitous peaks which fill this range including the steep north face of Wilson Peak. All photos in these galleries may be ordered as fine art black & white framed prints or for stock photography usage.