The east fork of the frozen Piedra River in Piedra Pass lays silently covered in winter snow. 

Also known as El Rio De La Piedra Parada, Pedra, Rio, and Rio  Piedre, It drains parts of Archuleta, Hinsdale, and Mineral counties  along a length of almost 40 miles (64 km).  Flowing down through a series of isolated box canyons, it empties  into the San Juan River at Navajo Lake. Its name stems from the Spanish  word, piedra, meaning rock. The headwaters drain from the Continental  Divide in the Weminuche Wilderness.  (Research Source)

The East Fork of the Piedra is virtually inaccessible, flowing  through a thick forest with little to no trails above Piedra Falls, most  of the stream lies in rugged canyons in the wilderness.  This river is a favorite for fly fishing enthusiasts and is known for  its large population of trout; browns, rainbows, and cutbows, with many  fish in the 12- to 14-inch class. The Piedra River area is a wonderful  place to spend your weekend hiking. 

With an abundance of trout and trout  lies, you can fish all day and cover only a mile of stream.  Over three dozen bird species live along the river and marmots hide  in the rocks. Bear sign is common here so it is wise to be aware and  cautious. (Research Source)

This picture was captured as I flew above Piedra Mountain on  my way to Zapata Ranch in the San Luis Valley just south of the Great  Sand Dunes National Park. I lensed this image while traversing the wilderness between Durango  and Alamosa Colorado in mid winter. Shooting through an open window in  sub zero temperature is quite an experience! 

This is from my ongoing project in which I am trying to raise  awareness of the 47% of the USA and 90% of Canada that remain unpopulated wilderness.   

Where Eagles Fly - The American Wilderness Expedition is my personal   mission to introduce people to these amazing  locations that surround  us.   

If you are interested in helping with this project I would love to have your assistance! Please consider upvoting and resteemit so that others may experience these wondrous places as well.   

Yehaw!!