Colorado in October 2009

[teotwaki]

Total mileage was about 2400 from SoCal to Crawlerado and back. Saturday the 10th was a 12 hour, 751 mile drive straight to Durango, Colorado so nothing was accomplished that day. On Sunday the plan was to see as much as possible before the weather got worse.

Heading over highway 550 you'd have great views of the area





and very odd roadside attractions




before getting to Silverton










Silverton is at one end of the Durango-Silverton steam railroad line

 

[teotwaki]

just outside of Silverton near Cement Creek is a large mine milling site that did not survive recent Federal regs (OSHA) and economic woes



it is interesting that the ancient ore buckets from the early 1900's are still in use on the tramway.



In the distance there are tantalizing trails that are already covered in snow


At the next area, Arrastra Gulch there used to be an enormous milling plant built on the hillside.


Further up was the town of Eureka which also had the ruins of an enormous hillside milling plant. This larger one replaced the first and was to process ore from the Sunnyside Mine



Up behind it in Eureka Gulch is a lot more structures, 4x4 trails and a disappearing lake!

 

[teotwaki]

Waaaay up in Eureka Gulch is a very interesting mine called the Sunnyside Mine. It was started in 1873 when over 2,000 claims were staked by ambitious miners. The initial road is pretty easy without snow.


Pretty soon I started seeing evidence of the old tramway (towers) that carried the ore down to the mill in Eureka






I soon spotted a large transfer station still standing despite many years of inactivity and bad weather




GPS screen shot


Up at the Sunnyside an extensive network of tunnels eventually undermined Lake Emma in 1978 and the entire Lake drained into the mines. Since it occurred on a Sunday there was no loss of life. It took two years to drain out the mud and water along with $9 million in damage.

 

[teotwaki]

You won't be able to read about the history of the area without coming across the name of Otto Mears. Otto Mears was an orphan immigrant, born May 3, 1840, in Kurland, Russia, of Jewish descent. Otto Mears died on June 24, 1931 at age 91, in Pasadena, California. His accomplishments span the building of over 200 miles of toll roads and also railways in the San Juan Mountains

map of toll roads


Railways running north out of Silverton


Remains of a toll road bridge along the Animas River.
Cemented rock supports


Riveted steel girder from a railroad bridge that Mears later built nearby.

 

[teotwaki]

No snow yet, maybe we can get up to Engineer Pass?


Roads had a mix of mud, slushy snow and crunchy ice






And GREAT views of other roads!


Eventually made it up near Denver Lake before turning around


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...719&safe=on&num=10&iwloc=A&iwstate1=saveplace

Headed back down and here are just above Animas Forks Ghost Town

 

[teotwaki]

The original name of the settlement was "Three Forks Of The Animas". Way back, an Animas Forks justice of the peace was addressing the matter of an appeal of a conviction. He told the defendant that an appeal to a higher court was impossible because ".... this is the highest court in the United States!". With the town's 11,300 feet of elevation, he had a point, whether of not he was joking. When the town was laid out lots were given away for free and in 1876 it had 30 cabins, a post office, two mills and a hotel. By 1882 it had its own grade school.


Animas Forks became an important crossroads to many of the nearby mines when the toll road to Lake City arrived. In 1891 a big fire destroyed one side of the town and by the 1920's Animas Forks was all but deserted. A number of buildings remain for us to ponder and photograph.


Rolling into town!


One of the most photographed structures is known as the Walsh House but it was originally built by a mail carrier named William Duncan.





Gustavson House of 1906


Another cozy cabin


Nearby mill site in California Gulch that was a good place to stop for lunch and enjoy the views

 

[teotwaki]

Trying to take advantage of the decent weather, I wanted to drive towards Ouray, Ridgway and Telluride and try to see some more before the sun set.

Highway 550 has a multitude of mine sites, roads and vistas to enjoy as you head towards Ouray.


If Otto Mears had an avalanche shed like this there would still be a railroad up to Animas Forks!


Took a quick peek up the road to Engineer Pass




on 550 past Ouray going the 9 miles towards Ridgway

looking back and it is starting to get late in the day...

Blew through Ridgway (get back to it later in the week) and heading up the 62 towards Dallas Divide


Last Dollar Road cuts over Hastings Mesa towards Telluride.


and many ranches have gates to their domains that are sometimes basic and many times are announcing how rich they are

 

[teotwaki]

a few more artsy shots from Last Dollar Road as the sun is setting

 

[teotwaki]

Reserved for Trees Of Color

 

[KSJeep]

Enjoying the report and pics. Looking forward to more.

 

[fjatl]

I lived in Albuquerque in the mid 90's and used to drive up to Durango all the time...thanks for bringing back some great memories!

 

[Funrover]

Beautiful shots, I love that area!

 

[DurangoSteve]

just outside of Silverton near Cement Creek is a large mine milling site that did not survive recent Federal regs (OSHA) and economic woes

Mining, as you might know, is a boom-bust bidness. The Mayflower Mill closed in August 1991, when I moved to Durango. Sunnyside Mine supplied the Mayflower Mill. Sunnyside shut down because of low base-metal prices and diminishing traces of gold and silver. It was economic reality and depleted resources that killed the Mayflower Mill in 1991, not "recent Federal regs (OSHA) and economic woes." Free-market economics ended mining in Silverton, not the mean ol' gubment. Thought I'd inject a little reality.

Nice photos.

 

[teotwaki]

Mining, as you might know, is a boom-bust bidness. The Mayflower Mill closed in August 1991, when I moved to Durango. Sunnyside Mine supplied the Mayflower Mill. Sunnyside shut down because of low base-metal prices and diminishing traces of gold and silver. It was economic reality and depleted resources that killed the Mayflower Mill in 1991, not "recent Federal regs (OSHA) and economic woes." Free-market economics ended mining in Silverton, not the mean ol' gubment. Thought I'd inject a little reality.

Nice photos.

free market economics = economics woes in most "bidness" books but maybe not yours.....

You may claim to live in Durango 70 miles away (for 18 years?) but I was actually in Silverton more than once and spent a long time talking with a resident who has lived there continuously for 51 years. He related to me how OSHA was a very big factor that killed the mines there. I'll go with my source and the "reality" that he brings to my accounting. Afterall, he was in Silverton for 13 years before OSHA was even created in 1971. If you actually did your homework about the "mean 'ol gubment" you'd know that the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) oversees the actual physical mines and OSHA focuses more on conditions of employment and employers' control over those conditions. If you want to inaccurately trash my trip report or debate your definition of economic woes please start your very own Fireside Chat thread with the appropriate title about Silverton mines. It will raise your post count to something over the meager number of ONE, Mr. "Durango"Steve.

Thanks... and welcome to Expo

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Jim!

You are doing a Great Job of Sharing!

The photo's and reports are Awesome and so Inspiring!

I appreciate all of your study, before the trip! That's the Key!

I'm so glad you got to finally Experience this!




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