Saturday, August 17, 2024
Ben arrived in Matheson, Colorado at around 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, August 17, 2024. He spent a couple days with us at the Griffin ranch, and then drove to the mountains with us to spend several more days in Colorado. He was the first person to sleep in our newly built container home.
As shown above, Ben and Mel enjoy a cold one in the container home.
They both really like the Peanut Butter Nitro Milk Stout from the Left Hand Brewing Company. Left Hand Brewing Company was incorporated in September 1993, and in November of that year they found a home in Longmont, Colorado. The brewery was named Left Hand, after Chief Niwot (meaning left-handed), a Southern Arapahoe chief whom wintered his tribe in the Boulder Valley area of Colorado.
Monday, August 19, 2024
Today, while we were getting ready to leave the ranch in Matheson, I took a few pictures. The one below I appropriately call "Me & My Shadow!"
It is now 7:00 a.m. -- and the truck and RV are both hooked up and ready for our trip to the Blue Mesa Ranch Thousand Trails in Gunnison, Colorado.
Below, Ben enjoys his last cup of coffee on the deck in front of the container home. Ben will be driving his vehicle and following us since he can only stay a few days at the campground before he has to head home.
As we roll down County Road 149, Mel takes a look into his rearview mirrow.
We are now close to Colorado Springs and as you can see there is no snow on the mountains.
How interesting -- as we come upon this truck -- we spot a political sign, it seems they are everywhere.
We stopped at Cañon City at the Love's because Ben needed to get gas. It's a good thing we did stop because while we were there, Mel found out that one of the RV tire's had picked up a nail and was quickly losing air.
In the picture below, Mel shows the nail that is in the tire.
Ben and Mel make quick work of changing the tire. We will have to get that tire fixed once we get to Gunnison.
We grab a quick snack inside the Love's and are soon back on the road again.
The Taylor River flows along the side of the road on our way to Gunnison.
At around 12:15 p.m., we run into a little bit of road construction (see below).
As you can see in the mountains in the distance, there is a little bit of snow.
The Monarch Pass Summit is now 6 miles ahead.
Above is a picture of the campsite just off the road on the way up Monarch Pass, where a guy parks his Montana Fifth Wheel. Below is a picture of where Old Monarch Pass begins (this is a jeep trail we will be going on at another time).
Above is a picture of Ben in front of the Monarch Pass/Continental Divide sign. We are at an elevation of 11,312 feet.
We take several pictures here at Monarch Pass -- some with the entire RV, truck and jeep and some with just us as shown below.
Shown above is Shirley with Ben in front of the Monarch Pass sign, while below is Ben, Shirley and Mel in front of the sign.
We then hit another area of road construction and a delay.
We arrive at the Blue Mesa Ranch Thousand Trails in Gunnison at around 4:00 p.m.
We are on site #407, the same site that our friends, Mike and Judy Pluto, were on when they were here with us at Blue Mesa Ranch Thousand Trails earlier in July.
Below is the tent that Ben will sleep in outside the RV.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Today, we left the campground at about 9:00 a.m. and took Ben on an off road adventure starting out at Tincup, Colorado. The road was originally built in 1881 as a wagon road to move supplies between St. Elmo and Tincup (originally called Virginia City). The road to Mirror Lake can be a little rocky and can change seasonally.
Shown above and below is a beautiful alpine lake at the Taylor Reservior with an awesome reflection of the sky and mountains on our way to Tincup.
Shown below is a map of our journey from Tincup to Saint Elmo.
The trail starts out in the town of Tincup and climbs past the beautiful Mirror Lake on its way to the pass. Tincup is a small residential community with many century-old buildings. Active businesses include the Tincup Store and Frenchie’s Cafe.
Tin Cup got its name from one of the prospectors that carried out his gold dust in a tin cup. Most of the current residences are very old cabins that have been restored - making it look like the town has not changed in 150 years.
Because of the high elevation of Tincup Pass, 12,154 feet, snow is present on the pass until early July. The road is winding, in some places only wide enough for one vehicle. When we were here earlier in July, we were unable to get across Tincup Pass because the water level was too high (during the spring thaw the water in Mirror Lake floods the trail) and there was still snow on the route. However, this time with Ben along, we were able to make the whole trip.
Tincup Pass is a quintessential Colorado experience encompassing the most iconic high country highlights all in one. From historic mining towns to ghost towns, wheelin’ above the tree line, alpine lakes, and crossing the Continental Divide, it leaves nothing to be desired.
Tincup Pass, also called County Road 267, is one of the highest-elevation roads in Colorado. It reaches a peak elevation of 12,154 feet above sea level and was built in 1881 as a wagon road connecting Gunnison County to Chaffee County through the remote Gunnison and San Isabel National Forests. Although it was built for covered wagons, it’s no short trip at nearly 13 miles one-way.
Cutting through two National Forests and crossing the Continental Divide, Tincup Pass offers beautiful high alpine views while following the same route used by miners and prospectors searching for their fortunes in the late 1800s. This relatively easy route takes you from one historic mountain town right into another. St. Elmo is a true ghost town built during the mining boom of the 1880s, while Tincup, originally called Virginia City, has been resurrected as a popular summer destination with many historic buildings still in use today.
We have arrived at Mirror Lake, and this time it looks like we will be able to drive along the edge of it.
Mirror Lake is a gorgeous alpine lake. The conditions near Mirror Lake are often pretty low-key, but in late spring, there can be water crossings up to two feet deep in this area.
We carefully make our way around Mirror Lake.
Once on the trail we experienced what we remembered from our pervious journey up this trail -- rocks, rocks, and more rocks!
This iconic Colorado route has several sharp, rocky climbs. It’s a bumpy, teeth-rattling ride most of the way through -- with steep climbs over loose rock followed by smoother, flatter dirt and gravel roads punctuated by astounding views, photo ops, and more rocky climbs.
We continued along the rocky climb.
At around 11:15 a.m., we have arrived at Tincup Pass and we get out of ther jeep to take some pictures.
After several pictures, we get back in the jeep and continue along the trail.
More rocky climbs and beautiful scenic views.
We did come upon a few trickles of water across the trail.
And then we came upon an area where a lot of vehicles had stopped and just around the corner we saw several moose.
Moose in the distance (see above and below).
We then continued along the rocky trail.
It was about noon, so we decided to pull off and fix lunch.
We had brought sandwiches, a broccoli salad and grapes to eat.
Then at 12:30 p.m., we were back on the trail again.
We came to a few more water crossings.
And then some muddy ruts in the road.
And then a lot of aspen trees along a grove.
Saint Elmo is a ghost town in Chaffee County, Colorado, founded in 1880. Saint Elmo lies in the heart of the Sawatch Range, 20 miles southwest of Buena Vista and sits at an elevation of 9,961 feet. Nearly 2,000 people settled in this town when mining for gold and silver started. The mining industry started to decline in the early 1920s, and in 1922 the railroad discontinued service. The community is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Saint Elmo Historic District and is one of Colorado's best preserved ghost towns.
Saint Elmo was originally named Forest City but was later changed because of the multitude of towns with the same name. The name Saint Elmo was chosen by Griffith Evans, one of the founding fathers, who was reading a novel with the same title.
The town was at its peak in the 1890s, when it included a telegraph office, general store, town hall, five hotels, saloons, dancing halls, a newspaper office, and a school house. The town's first and longest running newspaper, the St. Elmo Mountaineer, began reporting on the town's mining activities in August 1880 and ran until 1895.
The Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad line ran through Saint Elmo. There were 150 patented mine claims within the area. The majority of the people who lived in Saint Elmo worked at the Mary Murphy, Teresa C., The Molly or the Pioneer Mines. The Mary Murphy Mine was the largest and most successful mine in the area. The Mary Murphy Mine recovered over $60,000,000 worth of gold while it was in operation. While the other mines eventually shut down, the Mary Murphy Mine continued to operate until the railroad was abandoned in 1922.
Once the mining industry shut down, Saint Elmo drastically declined in population. Miners searched elsewhere for gold and silver and the business district in Saint Elmo closed down as well. Few people continued to live in the town. Postal service was discontinued in 1952 after the death of Saint Elmo's postmaster.
Ben and Mel are in front of the General Store in St. Elmo.
Mel walks around and looks art the Ghost Town Guesthouse in St. Elmo.
Shown above and below is the Stark Brothers Store and Post Office in St. Elmo.
And across from the General Store is what they call the "Chipmunk Crossing."
Ben tries to get a picture of some of the chipmunks.
Above and below is St. Elmo's Fire Station #1.
Shown above and below is the American House Hotel Parlor, c. 1882.
St. Elmo's boom years were between 1880 - 1890. And then from 1890 - 1900, there were several fires in St. Elmo.
Information about the American House Hotel is shown above and below.
Above is Stark Bros. Store & Post Office, while below is the St. Elmo Schoolhouse.
Hummingbirds hung around the general store in St. Elmo.
After a brief visit in St. Elmo, we took off again along the dusty road.
Shown above is the outside of the Elevation Beer Company, with Mel and Ben giving the "thumbs up" sign. Elevation Beer Company is an artisanal microbrewery located in Poncha Springs, Colorado just outside Salida. Specializing in adventurous seasonal barrel-aged beers for the craft beer fanatic as well as a solid line-up of lagers, pale ales, and darker beers.
Shown below is Mel and Ben raising a glass in a toast.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
This morning we left the campground at about 8:30 a.m. and headed to Lake City, Colorado. We stopped at the visitor center.
At 9:30 a.m., we were at the start of Engineer Pass. Engineer Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass located in southwestern Colorado. The pass sits at an elevation of 12,800 feet and connects the towns of Ouray and Lake City. Engineer Pass is one of the most popular backcountry roads in Colorado as is represents one half of what is known as the Alpine Loop. The second half of the loop is the trail that runs from Lake City, back west over Cinnamon Pass, to Silverton.
The road up to Engineer Pass was steep and narrow in places and required a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle to navigate. The road was also rocky and rugged, but despite the challenges, the views from Engineer Pass were truly breathtaking. The pass offered panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys, including views of Uncompahgre Peak, which is the sixth-highest peak in Colorado.
Engineer Pass was originally built in the late 1800s as a supply route for the mining towns in the area. The pass was named after the engineers who built the road, and it played a significant role in the mining history of the region. Today, the pass is primarily used for recreation and is a popular destination for off-road enthusiasts.
The Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, aka “the Alpine Loop” is a 60+ mile network of old 4×4 mining roads connecting the southern Colorado mountain towns of Lake City, Silverton, and Ouray. The Loop connects two high-elevation mountain passes, Cinnamon Pass and Engineer Pass. Only 4 miles of the entire 60+ mile route (a small section in Lake City) are paved. The Loop tops out at an elevation of 12,800 ft on Engineer Pass, with much of the road above the tree line.
We passed by an old mine, the Hard Tack Mine (see above).
We then passed North Henson Road on our way along Engineer Pass.
Our first stop was at Whitmore Falls.
Whitmore Falls is a lesser-known waterfall deep in the mountains of Colorado. But, it is just a 1/10th of a mile hike from the pull-off along Engineer Pass Road. Whitmore Falls is located approximately 2 miles after passing the Capitol City Landmark, a set of restored historic buildings.
Below, Mel and Ben pose in front of the Whitmore Falls sign.
The trail down to take a closer look at Whitmore Falls is steep and mostly gravel -- much of it talus and loose scree. Whitmore Falls is a plunge waterfall that launches over 40′ from the rock cliffs surrounding Henson Creek.
Mel and Ben walk down the stairs to the waterfall.
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Mel and Ben pose in front of Whitmore Falls.
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After some time at the base of Whitmore Falls, Mel and Ben make the trek back up the stairsteps to the top.
And then we hit the trail again.
We see some deer along the Alpine Loop.
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As we ascend the narrow shelf road, it begins to sprinkle.
And then rain pretty hard and the road becomes muddy before we reach Engineer Pass.
We are now at Engineer Pass with an elevation of 12,800 feet.
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Ben gets out of the jeep to take some pictures, however I chose not to get out of the jeep because it is cold, windy and raining.
We continue our journey along the steep shelf road.
We encounter water along the road and some deep ruts.
We have soon arrived at the old mining town of Animas Forks, which sits in a valley below the pass next to a river of the same name.
Animas Forks is a ghost town that was once a thriving mining community in the late 1800s. The town is located in the San Juan Mountains. The town was established in the 1870s and was home to several thousand residents at its peak. The community was a bustling center of mining activity, with several mines in the area producing gold, silver, and other valuable minerals. The town had all the amenities of a modern city, including a post office, saloons, a general store, and even a jail. However, the boom times were short-lived, and by the turn of the century, the mines in the area began to decline. Many of the residents left in search of new opportunities, and the town was largely abandoned by the 1920s.
Shown above is the old mine site at Animas Forks.
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Many of the old wooden buildings in Animas Forks are still in good condition. Mel and Ben go explore them.
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Mel and Ben explored the Gustavson Home, built by Charles L. And Alma Ingrid Gustavson circa 1906-1907. Charles was from Sweden and Alma from Finland. They had four children.
Charles bought the land for one dollar and “valuable considerations.” The house always known for its indoor toilet, which was actually an outhouse with a hallway built to it. The house had an underground root cellar accessible through the kitchen floor. They lived in the home year-round. Alma told her grandchildren stories of snowfalls which cumulated to the rooftop and how she would open the window and scoop snow into a pan to melt for the family. They sold the house in May 1910 to E.J. Holman for $110 plus 2% interest.
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I decided to walk down to the ruins of a foundation for a fairly large stone building in-between the jail and town.
After leaving Animas Forks, we headed toward Cinnamon Pass.
It began to rain again.
It was raining pretty hard when we got to Cinnamon Pass with an elevation of 12,640 feet.
After we left Cinnamon Pass and made our way back down the mountain, it continued to rain off and on.
We encountered lots of muddy water.
We decided to drive down to the American Basin and see if we could find a place to eat.
But the rain continued, so we decided to continue on in hopes of finding a dry place to have lunch.
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At around 2:20 p.m., it finally cleared off and we were able to prepare and have lunch.
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Mel got the huli huli chicken in the skillet and then it began to rain again, so Ben held a umbrella over Mel and the grill.
After Mel got the chicken cooked, and it was still raining, we decided to eat in the jeep. Some days are just like that.
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Above is an old building where we stopperd to eat. Ben decided to walk to the bridge by where we ate lunch. Below is a picture Ben took of that bridge.
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Mel packs up everything after cooking.
We once again hit the trail.
As we near Lake City, Colorado we see an elk crossing the road.
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We make a stop at the Lake City Brewing Company -- where Mel and Ben give a thumbs up. It is here that Mel decided to air up the jeep tires too.
Ben and Mel enjoy a beer inside.
With all the rain and mist still in the air, we were lucky to see several rainbows on the way back to the campground.
We got back to the campground at about 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
At 9:45 a.m. we decided to head toward Gunnison.
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Gunnison had a population of 6,560 in the 2020 United States Census. The city was named in honor of John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer who surveyed for a transcontinental railroad in 1853. Gunnison is a college town, home to Western Colorado University, the oldest university in Colorado's Western Slope region.
We walked around town for a little while and came upon this interesting bike set up with all kinds of musical instruments.
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We then decided to eat at Ol' Miner Steakhouse in Gunnison. They have the best chicken fried steak -- so we all decided to have that.
Shown above is the yummy chicken fried steak! And with our stomachs full, we then headed back to the campground for a relaxing afternoon!
Shirley & Mel
