Explorer in Great Sand Dunes National Monument - Colorado (Summer 2001)

This is my brother standing on one of the highest sand dunes in the United States. It's over 750 feet from the base to the top. It took us two hours to trudge up and over it with our packs on. The wind was whipping sand up and over in an attempt to blast the skin off our legs. This is one of the most amazing places I've been to. The sand field is 36 square miles, and once you get out into the middle of it you feel as if you could be in the sahara. In fact, I recognized parts of this sand field in the movie Hidalgo. Camping at night on the dunes is a rewarding experience. It is so silent that you feel as if you can hear the shooting stars flying by above you, and we saw probably one every 2 minutes or so while we were there.