Thursday, June 20, 2024
Today we took our friends Mike and Judy Pluto and their dog Pedro on a jeep journey along the Alpine Loop to Engineer Pass and on to Cinnamon Pass with many beautiful sights along the way.
We started our journey by leaving early at around 7:00 a.m. from our campground in Gunnison, Colorado. We packed a lunch to take with us in the cooler -- Huli Huli chicken thighs that I had marinated and a cauliflower salad I had prepared and off we went. We then drove to Lake City (shown on the above and below maps). We then went from Lake City to Enginner Pass; then on to Animas Forks; and then back across Cinnamon Pass; and then returned to Lake City before going back to the campground.
The Alpine Loop route itself was approximately 27 miles, but it took us almost 11 hours (as we didn't get back to the campground until around 6 p.m.) Many of the roads along the Alpine Loop were original paths that were used by Native Americans crossing the region. In the 1880s, these trails were widened and used to access mines. Today, the Alpine Loop is an avenue for exploring nature and history amidst thrilling views and stunning geography.
Leaving the pavement and people behind, the Alpine Loop crosses the remote, rugged, spectacular heart of the San Juan Mountains. It's demanding—with two 12,000-foot passes (Cinnamon and Engineer) that require a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle, but a well-prepared motorist like as us in our jeep reaped unparalleled rewards with pristine mountain views and ample solitude galore.
These rocky roads were first used by 19th-century miners, who carted their ore off to Silverton, Ouray, and Lake City in mule-drawn wagons.
We crossed the Blue Mesa Reservoir on our way to Lake City (see picture above).
We have arrived at Lake City. In Lake City, the jagged peaks pierce deep blue skies while wildlife teems in rocky canyons and on high valley floors. Crystalline rivers flow from altitude while unique geology promises adventure and spurs endless exploration. And continuously, within this wondrous dreamscape, whispers from the past mingle with voices of the present in the cool, rarefied air of remote Hinsdale County and its historic town of Lake City.
Information & History of Lake City
Lake City is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only incorporated municipality in Hinsdale County, Colorado. The population was 432 in the 2020 census. Lake City is located in the San Juan Mountains in a valley formed by the convergence of Henson Creek and the headwaters of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River about seven miles east of Uncompahgre Peak, a Colorado fourteener.
Lake City is named after nearby Lake San Cristobal. This area lies at the southern end of the Colorado Mineral Belt and when rich mineral deposits were discovered the native population was pushed from their tribal lands and the town of Lake City was incorporated in 1873.
With the completion of the first road into the mountains in this region, Lake City served as a supply center for the many miners and prospectors flooding into the area. As a supply center, the town boomed to as many as 3,000 to 5,000 settlers. But as the first-discovered deposits were found to be only moderately productive and no new extensive or rich deposits of minerals were found, by 1879 the boom had subsided. With the arrival of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in 1889, Lake City saw a second upturn in the economy that lasted into the 1890s. The railroad cut the cost of shipping gold and silver ores to smelters, reduced the cost of shipping supplies into Lake City, and provided shipment of cattle and sheep into the area for summer grazing in the high Alpine meadows.
By 1905, the mining era was over and Lake City entered a decades-long period of economic decline. Population figures hovered at 1,000 then dropped to 400 after 1910. Although mining continued throughout the twentieth century, it consisted primarily of exploration and speculation rather than productive operation. Beginning in 1915, visitors began coming to Lake City for the entire summer season and by the 1930s tourism had emerged as a viable industry.
The Hinsdale County Historical Society formed in 1973 and began accumulating documents and photographs recording the town's history. In 1978, the Lake City Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Residents have restored many of the boom town mining era buildings and currently promote tourism as an industry.
Prior to written history, the Ute people lived in this area of the San Juan Mountain Range where they hunted and fished in the high mountain valleys during the summers. Even though the land was owned by the Utes as part of a treaty that set the area aside as a tribal reservation, by the 1860s prospectors had begun to enter the region in search of minerals. When rich silver deposits were found in the Lake City area, word spread, and pressure was put on the federal government to negotiate a new treaty with the Utes. Consequently, the native population was again pushed from their lands when in 1873, a new treaty was negotiated under which the Utes gave up their rights to the San Juan Mountains. In 1873, the town of Lake City was incorporated as a supply center for the prospectors and miners who were flooding the area.
It was not unusual for mining towns to grow into boom towns within a matter of only a few months, and Lake City was no exception. Promoted as the "Metropolis of San Juan", the town flourished as a distribution point for goods and supplies forwarded to mines and camps in the northern Hinsdale County mining districts. The initial influx of pioneers, prospectors, and miners attracted scores of merchants and dozens of lawyers and assayers to provide goods, supplies, and services. Merchants profited by outfitting the surge of prospectors who flooded into the area in 1876 and 1877 and by supplying dozens of mines in the outlying mining districts. The early boom years brought the usual red-light district to Lake City as was seen in any male-dominated mining town of that period. Records from 1878 show that the city had two breweries and a "Hell's Acre" district with 20 saloons, dance halls, and brothels. Lake City had as many as 3,000 to 5,000 residents at one time. But despite this promising activity, northern Hinsdale County's mining districts lacked the three key factors in mining development: year-round transportation, abundant ore, and capital to finance development of underground workings, and by 1879, the boom had subsided.
Constructed of rapidly built wooden structures, much of the town was destroyed by a fire in 1879. The town was rebuilt using brick and stone, and consequently many of those structures remain today. By this time Lake City was manufacturing its own building materials using local lumber, locally quarried stone, and bricks made from clay obtained at the nearby Slumgullion Earthflow. The weekly Lake City Mining Register newspaper was published 1880–85. By 1884, the population was beginning to dwindle, but the arrival of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad on narrow-gauge tracks that were laid in 1889 cut the cost of shipping gold and silver ores to smelters, and the economy saw an upturn which extended into the 1890s.
We stopped at the Lake City Visitor Center to see if we could pick up an Alpine Loop map as we have in the past, however the visitor center was closed.
Pedro (shown above) gets tired of waiting on us at the visitor center, and decides to get in the front seat of the jeep behind the steering wheel.
We were thrilled to see the above sign indicating that both Engineer and Cinnamon Passes were open.
We made a quick stop at a little store along main street in Lake City for a restroom break before heading toward the Alpine Loop.
Shown above is another sign indicating that Engineer Pass is open today. Yeah!
We have now begun the Alpine Loop.
Following the dirt road from Lake City, we passed through a steep-walled canyon that followed along Henson Creek (see above picture).
Before we came to the historic town of Henson, we drove by the Hard Tack Mine (see below).
The Hard Tack Mine, at more than 100 years old, was originally intended to be an underground transport tunnel. It's purpose was to move ore production for the Hidden Treasure Mining Company - more than a quarter mile up the mountain. The Hidden Treasure and Hard Tack Mines supported a small, bustling community from the 1890's until 1930.
The mines in this area produced more than a million and a half dollars in silver ore. The present location had a mill, mine offices, bank, boarding houses, and commissary. The 1930's saw a decline in metal ore production, particularly silver, and the mines and surrounding community died out. Another part of the Hinsdale County Galena Mining District was gone.
The Assay Office at the Hard Tack Mine is shown above. Assay offices are institutions set up to assay (test the purity of) precious metals. This is often done to protect consumers from buying fake items. Upon successful completion of an assay (i.e. if the metallurgical content is found be equal or better than that claimed by the maker and it otherwise conforms to the prevailing law) the assay offices typically stamp a hallmark on the item to certify its metallurgical content.
We continued on the winding road, passing through the Uncompahgre National Forest and the BLM land along the way.
As we drove by the sign (see above), we note that we are now in the Ute Ulay National Historic District. The Ute-Ulay Mine and Mill located here was once a representative large-scale silver and lead mining and milling complex, which was one of the most productive in the Lake City area.
The historic town of Henson (shown above), is a ghost town in Hinsdale County, Colorado with an elevation of 9,236 feet. Henson was named for Henson Creek, which was named for a pioneer settler. The Henson post office operated from May 17, 1883, until November 30, 1913. Henson is the site of the Ute-Ulay Mine, which is now abandoned.
In 1876, the Ute-Ulay began to undergo industrial-scale mining by the Crooke Brothers, and operated under a variety of owners through 1903, when complex ores were encountered that defied profitable separation. Once new technologies were developed in dealing with these complex ores, a new mill was completed in 1930 and the mine and mill operated on a commercial scale again into the middle 1940s.
Thereafter, mining and milling was conducted sporadically in the early 1950s and the mid-1960s. The community of Henson grew up around the mine and mill beginning in 1876 and lasting until 1903. The prosperity of the mine and mill operation was the prime economic force that resulted in the establishment and growth of nearby Lake City.
Shown below is the sign for the Ute-Ulay Town and Mill Site.
As we drove along, the Nellie Creek was flowing beside the road (see above and below).
We were fortunate to see a man dressed in waders that was getting ready to fish in Nellie Creek.
The sky was beginning to look a bit omnious. We were just hoping that the rain would hold off so we could have a pleasant day along the Alpine Loop.
We followed the North Henson Road. The sign noted that 4-wheel drive was recommended from this point forward.
As we continued on toward Engineer Pass, we came to the ghost town of Capitol City.
Capitol City is an extinct silver mining town located in Hinsdale County, Colorado. The townsite is located on the Alpine Loop at an elevation of 9,711 feet. The Capitol City post office operated from May 18, 1877, until October 30, 1920.
Capitol City was founded in 1877 by George Lee and was originally named Galena City. At its peak, the city boasted around 800 citizens and its founders wished it had become the capital of Colorado. In order to try and garner interest, Lee would later change the name to Capitol City as he had also dreamed of becoming the state's governor. Today only the post office, a structure called "Lee's Smelter Stack", some rubble buildings, and a few brick kilns remain.
(Shown above is the old post office in Capitol City.)
Lee built a beautiful home in Capitol City with brick hauled from Pueblo at $1 per brick. It reportedly had a generous living room, theater with an orchestral pit and a few guest ballrooms. In addition to his house, he built the Henson Creek smelter and sawmill. The original 200-acre town site had everything needed, including a few hotels, restaurants, bars, a post office, schoolhouse, cabins, a sawmill and mining smelters. The richest year was in 1877, when the town boasted a population of 800. When the cost of silver dropped, so did the residents. Lawsuits and difficult transportation also sped up the town's downfall.
It has now begun to rain as you can see by the raindrops on the picture taking through the windshield below.
About 2 miles from the ghost town of Capitol City, we came to a stop where we were able to see Whitmore Falls on the left side of the road.
Whitmore Falls was tucked back almost beneath the road, while Henson Creek was choked into a tight column of water that thundered through the falls. Steps were placed to allow easier access to a safe viewing platform as well as a great photo opportunity.
Mike and Mel headed down the steps to the waterfall, while Judy, Pedro and I stayed up at the top.
Whitmore Falls was a majestic 40-foot plunging waterfall that cascaded gracefully amidst rugged rock.
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Closer to the falls, Mel gave a thumbs up to indicate that he had successfully made it down to Whitmore Falls.
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Judy took selfie of herself and Mike in the jeep as we continued on from the falls.
After going about another mile down the road, we came to the Rose Lime Kiln historic site.
Rose Lime Kiln was once forty-four feet in height, but today the remnants of this kiln stand alone along the road to Engineer Pass. Built in 1881 to produce an ash-free lime, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The lime kiln was built by local brickmason Samuel Tarkington for George S. Lee, a Capitol City capitalist and mine developer. It was named in honor of George's daughter Rose Lee and processed limestone mined from the Rose Lime Lode, an adjoining mining claim. The kiln stood intact until 2019, when it was hit by an avalanche.
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We all get out of the jeep to take pictures and read about the kiln. Rose Lime Kiln was built along the banks of Henson Creek in the spring of 1881 by local investor and businessman George S. Lee. At the time, Lee used rare technology that he believed would dramatically change construction material and development. Lee had lofty goals for the region and had already built several saw mills, lumber planning mills, a marble quarry, a brick factory, two smelters, and his distinguished Lee's Mansion in Capitol City.
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Lime was highly desired as a flux for smelting and as a blending agent in cement. It was used in mortar to chink log cabins and in plaster for interior walls. Anticipating a building boom in Capitol City and Lake City, Lee hired local brick masons Samuel Tarkington to construct the kiln with bricks and steel.
Limestone was mined from the adjacent Rose Lime Lode on Gravel Mountain and loaded into the top portal of the forty-four foot chimney. With temperatures ranging between 1000 and 1200 degrees centigrade, the limestone was reduced to lime and removed from the bottom portal. This “perpetual-feed kiln” produced high-quality lime that was free of ash impurities.
During its short period of operation in 1881 and 1882, Rose Lime Kiln produced 600 bushels of lime per day which sold for $1.00 per bushel. Although the kiln was a success, Lee did not anticipate the regional depression that hit the area in 1882. Lee's investments soon became insolvent so he sold his interests in Capitol City and moved
to Denver.
Shown above is what Rose lime Kiln looked like before it was toppled by the avalanche.
Shown above was one of several waterfalls we saw along the Alpine Loop today.
About 15 minutes and 1-1/2 miles down the road, we came to the ruins of the Bonanza Empire Chief Mill on our right.
The history of the Bonanza-Empire Chief Mine and Mill mirrored the stories told of fleeting fortunes throughout the San Juan Mountains. The initial discovery of the Bonanza Lode was made on July 4, 1885. Little work was completed on the claim until 1901 when the Henson Creek Lead Mines Company issued $1.500.000 in Capital Stock and began constructing the three-story concentration mill.
Over the next few years, little underground work was performed yet above-ground facilities were developed including an electric power plant, a boarding house, and a blacksmith shop. At the same time bonds were Issued to raise funds needed to cover mounting debts. In 1906, over 3,700 feet of drifts were driven into the mountain as
miners followed promising veins or ore that contained galena, zinc, silver, and gold. Unfortunately, as was often the case in hard rock mining, the promise of fortune was short-lived and the mine once again shut down in 1907.
The Bonanza Empire Chief experienced a brief revival in the 1920s when the mill was retooled: however, little high-quality ore was produced. In 1929, the mill was once again reworked, but low ore values, rising coal prices, legal battles, transportation problems, national financial problems, and a devastating avalanche forced the mine to close. The Bonanza Empire Chief Mine and Mill was eventually liquidated In a series of Sheriffs Sales. The mill had been stabilized in 2000 by the Bureau of Land Management and the Hinsdale County Historical Society. However in February 2008, the mill was
destroyed by an avalanche.
Huddled atop one of the fallen piles of wood at the Bonanza Empire Chief Mill site was a marmot (see above), while below was another marmot on some rocks nearby.
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Shown above was some pretty white bushy flowers in the alpine tundra.
The recent rain had left a big mudhole along the road, but that wasn't a problem for us.
Next, we crossed this bridge over a little creek and we saw a private cabin (Thoreau's Cabin) in the distance.
Time moved slower at Thoreau's Cabin shown above and below. Situated at an altitude of 11,400 feet along the Engineer Pass section of the Alpine loop, a cell phone won't ring, and you won't receive any emails. The 102,000-acre Uncompahgre Wilderness becomes your backyard and Alpine Tundra is your sanctuary. Henson creek flows below the 150-foot-long suspension bridge to an incredibly appointed log cabin. Solar panels, two 1,000-gallon buried propane tanks, a deep well, and a wood stove provide off grid amenities unrivaled at this altitude. You can enjoy a hot shower, a cold drink, and a grilled feast after a full day of nature exploration! The cabin is being operated as a successful AirBnB and is a highly coveted elopement destination.
Thoreau’s Cabin was built in 1994 utilizing full round log construction and features 936 square feet on 5 acres. It now appears that it may be up for sale and fully furnished for $575,000.
We have now entered the fragile Alpine Tundra ecosystem.
The trail now started to switchback and forth. A high clearance vehicle has become more important as we continue on towards the summit.
Up, up, up we go!!!
As we ascended toward the top of Engineer Pass, we got beautiful views off to the side as we climbed higher.
We continued to see more and more piles of snow as higher and higher we went.
We're now almost to the summit.
Engineer Pass, at 12,800 feet in elevation, boasts views of American Flats, Uncompahgre Peak, and on clear days, Utah.
At 10:45 a.m., we have reached the Engineer Pass Summit.
Shown above is Shirley and Mel in front of the Engineer Pass sign, while below are our friends, Mike and Judy in front of the sign.
A historical marker at the summit (shown above) told us about the Ute Indians:
"The Ute Indians who inhabited what is now Colorado, Utah, and northern New Mexico were organized into small family bands. They migrated seasonally between the mountains and the deserts and foothills in search of game and wild plants and to rendezvous with other Ute bands. With the discovery of gold in the San Juan Mountains in the 1860s, prospectors knowingly trespassed on Ute land to stake mining claims. As more settlers arrived, the Utes lost most of their traditional homeland in a series of agreements and treaties with the U.S. Government.
Ute elder, Chief Ouray, saw that his people would not be able to withstand the onslaught of new settlers. He negotiated the Brunot Treaty in 1873 that allowed miners and settlers to occupy the former Ute homeland in the San Juan Mountains."
It now seems like we are at the top of the world -- as we can look across and see for miles and miles.
The Alpine Loop to Engineer Pass was the toughest —but perhaps the most scenic— part of our drive today. By braving the grueling switchbacks to the top of Engineer Pass, we were rewarded with unforgettable views of the San Juan Mountains from Oh! Point.
The summit was windy, rocky and desolate — as mountain passes in the Colorado Rockies often tend to be.
And of course, the United States flag flew proudly at the top of the summit.
"Rubi" our jeep is shown above and below at Engineer Pass.
As it is really starting to cloud up again, we have decided to move along.
Driving along banks of snow, we decided to head toward "Oh Point!"
The road to "Oh Point!" can be reached on a narrow road on the right of the above picture. Deciding to go that way, "Oh Point!" was at the end of road at Engineer Pass -- where we got a 360 degree look at the mountain ranges.
On our way up the road to "Oh Point!" we passed a hiker with his dog, who was wearing goggles (see the picture above).
The pictures shown above and below were views from "Oh Point!"
This was definitely the end of the road here at "Oh Point!" It made me want to shout out "Oh my!"
While we were out taking pictures on "Oh Point!", the hiker and his dog caught up with us. What an awesome viewpoint!
After taking it all in, we began our descent down from the summit of Engineer Pass. We stayed left to follow the shelf road around the other side of the mountain. The road was narrow and steep in some areas.
The descent down took us quite awhile due to the narrow, windy snow banked road.
We followed CR2 to Animas Forks as the road became steeper as we descended. We met a few jeeps, that we waited for to allow them to pass as we were the down vehicle and up vehicles always have the right of way.
The dark clouds began to roll in again and a few rain drops caught our windshield.
It took us around one hour to travel down the steep trail from Engineer Pass until we came to Animas Forks.
We met another jeep on the way up as we were traveling down.
We came upon another large bank of snow.
Water trickled along and on the road from the numerous waterfalls we saw along the way.
Our yellow "Duck, Duck, Jeep" shown above was also getting a great view out the windshield.
It is now around 11:30 a.m., we are heading toward Cinnamon Pass and Animas Forks.
It took us around 20 minutes to get from the turnoff to head to Animas Forks and Cinnamon Pass before we could begin to see Animas Forks in the distance.
Our first glimpse of Animas Forks was now in the distance (see above and below).
We just need to go around a couple more bends and we will be at Animas Forks.
We followed the sign to the right to Animas Forks . . . and down the hill we went.
Animas Forks was one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the United States. The town sprouted up to support silver mining in the late 1800s, hosted a population of 450 at its peak, and was abruptly abandoned after the silver market crash of the 1890s.
At an 11,000 feet elevation, life was rough here to say the least. In the 1880s, there was a 23-day blizzard that dumped 25 feet of snow, forcing the residents to dig tunnels between houses. The same forces of nature are still present today -- as in 2019 when avalanches dumped over 100 feet of snow on the road and closed this part of the Alpine Loop until July.
Animas Forks, as the name suggests, is also a fork in the road. However, the word animas translates to "spirit or ghost" and visitors sense the spirits of the old miners who worked this area in days gone by. This old mining town has a number of well preserved buildings and serves as a junction for several four-wheel drive roads.
Near the fork of the Alpine Loop, lies the historic mining town of Animas Forks (originally named Three Forks). First established in 1873, this town boomed from 1876 to 1884. However, due to poor profits from mining ventures, the town declined over the years until 1904 when it rebounded with the construction of the Gold Prince Mill. Only a few of the original buildings remain in Animas Forks. The Gold Prince Mill was disassembled in 1910 and relocated to Eureka. Other town buildings were demolished by heavy snow or vandalism, while the buildings that remained were stabilized or reconstructed to preserve the history.
Founded in 1873, at the confluence of the streams that form the Animas River, the town that was called Three Forks of the Animas was renamed to simply Animas Forks when the U.S. Post Office moved in.
Among the handful of remaining buildings in Animas Forks is the 1906 Gustavson home (shown above). It is well-known for its attached (but not quite “indoor”) outhouse, and the “hip roof” boarding house. In 1879, William Duncan built the town’s most well-known home with its characteristic bay window. A sign on site said the family lived here year round and the house was sold in 1920 for $110. The toilet was located in the right-most window visible.
The house was later bought by miner Thomas Walsh, discoverer of the Camp Bird Gold Mine near Ouray, for his daughter Evalyn. She probably never lived in the house, though, as she eloped with the heir to the Washington Post fortune, Edward Beale McLean, in 1908. Walsh famously bought the Hope Diamond from Pierre Cartier in 1908 for $180,000 as a wedding present for Evalyn, and the socialite was the last private owner of the gem.
A few other cabins and outbuildings, as well as the town’s oldest building — the jail — round out the site. The jail was constructed in a board-on-board style that stacked planks with interleaved ends at the corners for dense, heavy walls that would be extremely difficult to crash through even today. A flat roof installed by early restoration efforts in the mid-1990s, after the jail stood roofless for 60 or 70 years, was recently replaced with a gabled roof built in the same board-on-board style matching the original design.
By 1883 the town boasted about 450 residents, though most reportedly moved downhill to Silverton during the harsh winters. When a massive fire claimed about half the town’s structures in 1891 the mines were already closing and Animas Forks declined rapidly.
Shown above and below are the remains of the Columbus Mine and Mill. The Columbus Mine played a role throughout the long history of Animas Forks, operating sporadically from 1882 until 1948. The mine produced galena ore, which was high in led, but low in silver. In the 1950s ore from the mine was processed in the Columbus Mill.
Shown above is the view southeast from the CR 9 Bridge over the Animas River just below Animas Forks, CO. The West Fork and North Fork of the Animas River meet a few hundred yards above this point to form the headwaters of the Animas River.
The above historical marker told us about the prospectors:
" The first prospectors wintered in "Three Forks of the Animas" in 1873, looking for silver and gold. In 1875 the name was changed to Animas Forks to accommodate the Post Office Department, and funds were committed by the San Juan County Commissioners to build a road between Silverton and Animas Forks to connect with the trail from Lake City, now known as Cinnamon Pass. By 1885, the summer population reached 450 people. Few people braved the harsh winters when most mining activity stopped.
The town weathered the boom and bust cycles of the mining industry until the early 1920's when metals prices fell worldwide and it began its slow transformation into a ghost town."
The above historical marker welcomed us to Animas Forks:
" The mining community of Animas Forks at 11,200 feet in elevation experienced the ebb and flow of hard rock mining for over seven decades. The first log cabin in Animas Forks was built in 1873. The townsite was platted in 1875 and by 1876 the community had twenty-five cabins, which included a hotel, general store, meat market, saloon, blacksmith shop, assay office, restaurant, sawmill, and smelter. Quite a lively place! The town newspaper, The Animas Forks Pioneer, was published from 1882 - 1886. Businesses came and went with the boom and bust of mining. In 1891 a fire in the kitchen of the Kalamazoo House destroyed the Hotel and thirteen other buildings."
Shown above and below is the Duncan House. This two-story home with its impressive bay window was built in 1879 by William Duncan for his family. Duncan was a miner and mail carrier in the Animas Forks area.
The William Duncan House is one that you can walk inside of and look around.
The above historical marker told us about the William Duncan House:
"High Mountain Hopes -- the Hardrock Miners who arrived in Animas Forks in the 1870s envisioned the birth of a city, built deep in the mountains, with all the modern conveniences of telephone, telegraph, electric service, and a narrow gauge railroad. Having established a post office by 1875, commercial establishments, civic buildings, and residential development was on the horizon. When William W. Duncan arrived from Pennsylvania with his family at the young age of 27 he had big dreams. Duncan and his wife Mary built this house in 1879, just five years after the settlement of the Townsite. Duncan's building was designed to support a growing family including daughters, Mary (6) and Sarah (5) and their infant brother, Willie Grant. According to the 1880 census, Duncan was employed as a hardrock miner.
Migrating from the East Coast, the Duncan's chose to include several architectural elements popular during the Victorian era, such as the finely-detailed picturesque bay, with tall windows, to take advantage of the natural light and breathtaking mountain views. Although these elements are typical of the Victorian era, they were highly unusual for such a remote location at this early date. The Duncan family departed Animas Forks in 1884, leaving this magnificent and haunting statement of the optimism and confidence that a select few prospectors and their families carried deep into the San Juan.
Challenges of Living Above 11,000 Feet -- imagine how hardy those first settlers must have been to scratch out a living from these mountains. Snow storms up to 5-feet, and prolonged sub-zero temperatures were not uncommon in this remote corner of the Rockies. Avalanches following several storms of epic proportions in the 1880s isolated the community for months at a time. It's hard to conceive of the deep resilience and determination the Duncans would have had to muster, to endure and support their family, in those darkest days and nights of a San Juan winter.
Preservation at Animas Forks -- the Townsite was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Today, the Duncan House retains many of its original historic architectural features, including decorative trim and siding, the cedar shingle roof, and most of the original window and door hoods and casing. Coinciding with the 25th Anniversary celebration of the designation of the Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway in 2014, a major stabilization and restoration project preserved the intact elements of the Duncan House, and replicated many features that were lost or severely damaged. Over 250,000 people visit Animas Forks every year. The Duncan House is perhaps the most photographed historic structure on the Alpine Loop."
Above and below shows what the inside of the Duncan House looks like.
Above and below shows the view looking out the bay window of the Duncan House.
Nine structures remain in Animas Forks today. Shown above is a row of the cabins which were typical for housing miners during the boom years of mining at Animas Forks.
Shown above and below is the Fred and Sadie Coomb House. Artifacts once found here tell the story of Animas Forks: flaked stone tools left by the very first inhabitants, the Ute Indians; household goods dating from the 1870s - 1880s date to the earliest mining days; and nails from the 1890s all tell of use and re-use of this place called home by many wanderers through the centuries.
Next to the Coomb House is a Lean-to-Stable. This structure was attached to the Pacific Boarding House, also known as the Garrison House and later as the American House.
Shown above is the Gustavson House, another cabin in Animas Forks. You can walk up to porch of this house . . . what a view! Golden wildflowers blooming in the pine forested valley were framed by 13,000 foot peaks. Originally the cabins were constructed with logs but those were replaced in the 1880s with structures made with lumber that was milled nearby.
The Gustavson House (inside shown below in the next two pictures) was built by Charles Gustavson in 1907. Gustavson was a mill and tram worker in Animas Forks and later became the operator of the Sunnyside Tram in Eureka. He was described as "A whalebone of a man, light, resilent and tough."
According to the picture-frame sign inside the home (shown above), Alma was from Finland and Charles from Sweden. They bought the land for $1.00 back in 1906 and lived here for four years. The most notable feature of their two bedroom home was an indoor toilet—which was really a glorified outhouse with a connected hallway. Alma decorated the walls with floral linen wallpaper (remnants framed inside the home).
The Gustavson's water source during the winter was simply melted snow that Alma scooped out of an open window, since snow often accumulated to the rooftop. Charles worked in the Gold Prince mine and mill. Their 2nd child, Carl, was born in October 1906 in a tent where the couple lived with their 2 year old daughter while they were building their home. In 1910, when the mine closed, they sold their home for $110 and moved to another mine near Silverton, where their 4th child was born.
Among the other buildings and homes still left standing is the “hip roof” boarding house (shown above), that was built about 1898 and remodeled in the 1930s for workers at the Columbus Mine and Mill. This was the place where the miners hung their hats after a long, grueling day in the mines.
The inside of the hip roof boarding house is shown above. It housed over 150 miners. (A hip roof is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope.)
Across from the Columbus Mine ruins at the fork of the Animas River is a tiny jail house or the toll house (see above and below).
THE DEMISE OF ANIMAS FORKS . . .
Fire! A huge fire destroyed most of the business district on October 22, 1891. The fire that started in the kitchen of the Kalamazoo spread quickly, burning the hotel and 14 additional buildings, causing $20,000 in damage.
And then there was the silver crash in 1893. Many disheartened families left town, and surrounding mines operated minimally for the next decade. But in 1903, there was renewed energy and dreams of prosperity. Otto Mears extended his railroad from Silverton to Animas Forks in 1904, and the same year Gold Prince Mill was built in town. The mill, built of structural steel, was the largest in Colorado with 100 stamps and 500- ton per day capacity. Ore arrived from the Gold Prince Mine by a 12,600-ft long aerial tramway. Its success was short-lived however, as the mill closed six years later. By 1917, most of the mill was dismantled to build a new facility in Eureka, closer to Silverton.
Miners continued to work in the surrounding mines and the nearby Frisco Mill. But another fire blazed through town in September 1913, burning a boarding house and a few saloons. Again, many left and this time, the town never rebounded. When the Frisco Mill closed the next year, in 1914, the town of Animas Forks was abandoned. Avalanches and high winds swept away the remaining buildings, eroding all but the nine left today . . . leaving Animas Forks a forlorn, but not forgotten, little ghost town.
Not far from the 1882 Animas Forks Jail (that was built of solid 6-inch thick walls, a roof with barred windows and doors, and two small cells), was a foundation for a fairly large stone building between the jail and town (see above and below).
The cement foundation remains (shown above and below) were from the three-story Gold Prince Boarding House, which housed nearly 150 men who worked in the Gold Prince Mill.
(Walking Tour Map of Animas Forks)
At about 12:20 p.m., we left Animas Forks and were back on the trail in our jeep again.
We met several jeeps again on the trail.
We're now heading up the steep initial climb to Cinnamon Pass. Cinnamon Pass, at an elevation of 12,620 feet, offered breathtaking views of the alpine tundra and high mountain peaks.
We saw quite a few wildflowers on the trail.
The road to Cinnamon Pass was very rocky and steep in sections.
The mountainous views were simply spectacular.
Then at around 12:55 p.m., we made it to top of Cinnamon Pass.
Shown above is Shirley beside the Cinnamon Pass sign, which shows an elevation of 12,640 feet.
Shown below is our friend Mike Pluto beside the Cinnamon Pass sign.
After taking a few pictures, we are once again inside the jeep and making our descent back down. We have found quite a bit of snow now as you can see in the picture below.
We were greeted with fields of wildflowers in the alpine tundra zone, which has a short growing season. This lovely meadow was near Cinnamon Pass.
It's now a little after 1:00 p.m., and we are once again catching a few sprinkles on the windshield. We going down to find a place to stop and fix a late lunch.
It is now around 1:20 p.m., the rain has stopped and the sun is once again shining. We continue downward.
Up ahead we see a road grader . . . we may have to wait to get by him.
We continued on our downward path, and since the rain has now stopped, we are looking for a place to pullover to fix our lunch.
Looks like there is a water crossing ahead (see pictures above and below).
Our jeep has no problem going through the water.
It is now around 1:30 p.m., and we have found a relatively flat spot to park the jeep so we can grill the Huli Huli chicken.
I had marinated some boneless chicken thighs in our favorite Huli Huli sauce recipe, and also made a cauliflower salad for lunch. Mel quickly gets the grill set up and soon the chicken is sizzling away. The tantilizing aroma is wonderful!!!
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We all chill out in the wild open wilderness, while we wait for the Huli Huli chicken to finish up on the grill.
Pedro also enjoys the time to explore his surroundings.
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I take a selfie with the beautiful mountains in the background while I'm waiting for lunch.
Mel checks the Huli Huli chicken to make sure it is done.
About 40 minutes later at 2:15 p.m., we have all filled our plates with Huli Huli chicken and cauliflower salad and are enjoying our lunch in the wide-open vast wilderness and scenic surroundings.
Everyone agrees that the Huli Huli chicken is so yummy!
At 2:45 p.m., we have cleaned up everything, gathered and placed the trash inside the jeep, and we are once again on the road again.
At 2:50 p.m., we came to another water crossing.
After the last water crossing, the road smoothes out quite a bit.
The mountains and wildflowers along the road are very pretty.
We came upon another beautiful waterfall right beside the road.
We continued on downward.
At 3:00 p.m., we came upon another water crossing.
This water crossing was quite a bit larger then the first two, but our jeep, Rubi had no trouble at all going through it.
We are now almost back to where we started in Lake City this morning.
We are now driving by Lake San Cristobal.
Shown above and below is Lake San Cristobal outside of Lake City, Colorado.
The lake water was so still -- it gave out an almost flawless reflection!
We are now back in Lake City.
After a beautiful jeep journey along the Alpine Loop, we arrived back at our campsite exhausted and tired at around 6:00 p.m. What a day it truly was!!!
Friday, June 21, 2024
This afternoon we decided to drive back into Gunnison, where we would have cell tower connections so we could share pictures with each other. We arrived at 1:30 p.m. and parked next to the I.O.O.F. Park shown below.
The I.O.O.F. Park is a snug green space in a downtown locale featuring picnic tables, a lawn and a colorful wall mural (as shown above and below).
The mural was the creation of a Western alumnus, Amie Jacobsen. The IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) Park in Gunnison received this colorful new mural, as well as several large metal sculptures to celebrate the wide range of wildlife and scenic and recreation opportunities found in the Gunnison Valley.
The storyboard shown above and below told us about the Gunnison Stone Quarries:
"The beautiful quarried stone used in this park comes from the Gunnison Gas & Water Company building, constructed during Gunnison's boom days in 1882. Located at the west end of Virginia Avenue, the company supplied water from the nearby Gunnison River and manufactured gas for street lights. Until the building was torn down in 2017, the City of Gunnison used the building for many years as a shop."
Our marvelous jeep journey along the Alpine Loop with our good friends, Mike and Judy Pluto, was a wonderful trek -- one we will probably never forget!
Shirley & Mel
Wow what a beautiful trip. What fun to have friends come along for the ride. I enjoyed learning about mining and all the historical places including ghost towns. Your chicken looked great !! Ok send more soon.
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