Livin’ the Dream … The Diaries of a Madman

[KOWBOY]

Then it’s on into the modern town of Lake City at the end of the Engineer Pass Trail. Ain’t got no pics but it’s a real pretty town. Been around since 1875 and it was the first town in Colorado that had telephone service. Also had a wild, red-light district named Hell’s Acres that had gamblin’ halls, dance halls, and brothels. Most excellent. The courthouse was built in 1877 and is still in use. Its most famous trial was without a doubt the one for a fella named Alferd Packer. He went searchin’ for gold with 5 men in 1874 but came back alone. He had done killed ‘em and ate ‘em. He escaped to Wyoming after he got arrested but was caught again 9 years later and tried in 1883. Guilty.

Drove around just a bit and seen two bars with high potential but it was still way too early in the day for them to be open. Shame … can’t drink all day unless you start early in the mornin’. Bought a box of some single coffee bags for my percolator pot at a lil’ country store. There was some sorta bicycle ride goin’ on that was passin’ through town. Hundreds of ‘em stopped here and there. Road bikes, not mountain bikes. Eased on outta town to head to the next leg of the Alpine Loop and tried not to turn none of ‘em into a hood ornament.

Road outta town takes you to the turn-off for Cinnamon Pass Trail.

The roads paved as it goes around the beautiful Lake San Cristobal, the second largest natural lake in Colorado. Here’s some awesome lake houses.

At the far end of the lake the road turns into gravel and goes thru some real nice private properties. A few miles brings ya to a side trail that goes about 4 miles to the ghost town of Carson. I was hopin’ to find me a campin’ spot somewhere’s on this road and then cross Cinnamon Pass tomorrow.

Road certainly wasn’t difficult but it was skinny and climbed real, real steady with lots of switchbacks. My rig ain’t the king of switchbacks. Far from it. Had to take a few swipes at quite a few of ‘em. Up, up, up right to the treeline. Started a new picture takin’ technique of just holdin’ the camera out the window with my left hand and blindly snappin’ a pic as I eased along.

 

[KOWBOY]

Here’s the first view of Carson. The first town of Carson was actually real close to the Continental Divide in 1881 and was a silver mine. It was considered one of the most remote minin’ camps in the state. It crapped out in 1893 and there ain’t no sign of it no more. This second town of Carson was a gold strike later on in 1893 and you can see is at a lower elevation right at the treeline.

 

[KOWBOY]

I really enjoyed walkin’ thru the very well preserved buildin’s. Was worth the drive.

 

[KOWBOY]

Weren’t much of a campin’ spot tho so that kinda sucked. Back down the road I go.

Lookin’ like my times on a trail are double the times that the guidebook lists to do the trail. Pretty consistent that way so least I got me a clue. Now back on the Cinnamon Pass Trail and hopin’ to find me a campin’ spot. No luck. Pretty place tho.

Road turned into a shelf road. But a real easy one.

Follows the Gunnison River up the valley.

Pass must be up there somewheres.

 

[KOWBOY]

After a while the road turns uphill and more serious.

There was one section that had 4 switchbacks and climbed sharply. One of them took me three swipes to get turned and had to lock up the front to climb a rock at the corner. Long wheelbase and lotta weight made this section difficult. Couple in a rental jeep followed me up and the lady on the passenger side told me at the summit that she was terrified watchin’ me back up on the switchbacks. Funny stuff. After these switchbacks, the road became easy again. And pretty.

 

[KOWBOY]

At the summit.

Lookin’ back where I come from …

And where I’m goin’...

 

[KOWBOY]

Road down was short and very easy.

Road down in the valley is the road I’ll be on to Silverton.

Here’s the first view of Animas Forks as ya ease on down.

 

[KOWBOY]

Animas Forks is a neat place. Always crowded since it’s an easy dirt road drive up from Silverton and also for all the folks doin’ the Alpine Loop. At an elevation of 11,584 ft. it’s way on up there. Enjoyable to take the time to check out the buildin’s.

This one’s bein’ restored.

And this one’s done been restored. It was beautiful and by far the biggest in town. Belonged to some rich dude and had a tremendous view out the big bay window lookin’ down the valley.

 

[KOWBOY]

Coupla smaller out buildin’s.

This house was really cool. I’d love to have a replica of it somewheres nice.

A real similar house here that they just kept addin’ rooms onto the back of it.

 

[KOWBOY]

Certainly no campin’ here neither so gotta keep goin’ down the road towards Silverton. This beautiful waterfall caught my eye and then I saw the old cabin in left center. Very nice.

Looked like somebody was stil tryin’ to work this mine a bit. Or least was fairly recently.

I’m fearin’ I’m gonna be spendin’ the night in Silverton at this point. I turn on the Minnie Gulch Trail to try to avoid this and camp somewheres. It instantly started climbin’ and there wasn’t even a wide spot in the road. But it was pretty.

Wasn’t a level spot neither. Reckon never has been. The Caledonia Mill Boardin’ House was dug into the hillside to make it level in the early 1900’s.

 

[KOWBOY]

Here’s the remains of the Caledonia Mine.

A potential campsite but sure was high up and woulda been cold. Kinda barren too. Road continues on up to the Kittimac Mine so I figured I’d check that out. Road narrowed down to an ATV trail.

Got within site of the mine and the road in front of the truck was blocked by snow. Dead end.

 

[KOWBOY]

Didn’t get a picture of the blocked rode ‘cause soon as I snapped that last pic a RZR came around the corner and pulled up behind me. Driver hops out with a gun strapped to his leg and walks up to ask me why I got this big-ass truck sittin’ in the trail. Real friendly fella and I show him the snow field. He offered to help spot me to back up all the way down to the last mine. I told him my plan instead and asked him to spot me from backin’ off the side of the friggin’ mountain. Plan’s simple enuf. Go up to the snow field and turn left right before it. Try to climb the rock slope the length of the truck a few times until I can get turned the other way. He said I was nuts. Prob’ly so.

Gear down, turn full left, hit front locker, mash skinny pedal, stop when the truck starts bouncin’. Perfect. Back up to the very edge. Aim some to the left and climb again. Gotta get a pic of this mess. So hand the man the camera. He snaps it and hands it back. Now as I write this, I realize that he turned the camera so the truck would be nice and level in the pic. Not exactly what I was tryin’ to show here. So I use my computer to rotate the pic to get the real shot. You can tell this is legit ‘cause the trees in the background are now vertical and you can sorta see how my trailer hitch is buried in the road. I’m in the driver’s seat with both feet on the brake.

Perhaps one of the finest trail u-turns I’ve ever performed. The RZR fella was impressed anyways. Course didn’t take nuthin’ to get his RZR turned around.

Lots and lots of RZR’s on these roads. They move fast and cover lots of trails in a day. See lots of stuff quick and easy. But then have their toyhaulers parked in crappy campin’ areas. I cover ground very slowly and can’t go nowhere near where they can. But I get to potentially camp in pretty places. My original plan was to in fact tow one of them thangs along behind me. But then I mize well have a normal Class C motorhome or somethin’ I fear … ‘cause it would severely limit where I can take the truck if I gotta trailer behind me. Sure would be fun to zip around these roads on one of them though. I continue to ponder this situation.

Anyways …

Got turned around and here’s lookin’ down the valley at the switchbacks I came up.

I just couldn’t bring myself to camp at that mine. Tried to park in a coupla wide spots lower down but no way to get even half-ass level. So back down to the main drag and off towards Silverton on the huge, wide, and VERY dusty road.

There’s a short, 3-mile trail below the main road that’s right on the Animas River. Basically just a one-lane dirt road. The road is actually the old railroad bed for the historic Silverton Northern Railroad built in 1895. The tracks were removed in 1942 along with all the other tracks they could get their hands on in order to support the war effort. Turned ‘em into tanks I reckon. I took the road just to get away from the dust on the main road on my way to Silverton. There was a huge 5th wheel trailer parked in a wide spot on the road. I was hopin’ there’d be another one so I wouldn’t have to stay in town. And sure ‘nuf, there was one. Literally just a short, wide spot on the road. Perfect.

Made even more tolerable by lightin’ up the firewood I been haulin’ all day from last night’s camp. Reckon I was warmed by it 3 times.

 

[KOWBOY]

Here’s lookin’ down river. Only two folks eased by all evenin’ so wasn’t really that bad a deal.

Did I mention this was a long day? Too damned long.

 

[KOWBOY]

Sunday, 29 June

On down the railroad grade road in the mornin’. Hope there ain’t a train comin’.

And underneath an old ore car that comes down from an abandoned mine up the side of the mountain. Obviously they coulda parked that damned thang anywheres on the cable but it was cool where it’s at. Within easy view of the railroad grade road and the main drag up on the hill. But over trees between the two roads so it will fall harmlessly if and when the cables break. Colorado knows how to play to the tourists.

I hung a left to go up the Arrastra Gulch Trail for a look-see. Pretty road up through the aspen trees. But around this bend it became a very long shelf road and I just wasn’t in the mood for another shelf road so I turned around at the last opportunity and headed on my way back.

It was a very short distance back to the main drag which turned to pavement and on into Silverton. Although it did have a nice Main Street, it ain’t nearly as quaint as Ouray or Lake City.

 

[KOWBOY]

Glad I camped on the side of the road ‘cause the campground/RV parks in town were simply dismal. Jammed up with toyhaulers packed in like cordwood in basically open, dirt parkin’ lots with utility connections. Town was already very busy even though it was early in the day. Damned tourists. Oodles of ‘em. Time to go. Topped off with diesel and eased north on the Million Dollar Highway back towards Red Mountain Pass and Ouray. Lookin’ like I get ‘bout 5 mpg when I’m crawlin’ thru the mountains in 4wd.

Real pretty road but I didn’t stay on it for long. Just north of town I hung a left on a wide gravel road that has National Forrest access and goes to the USFS “South Mineral” campground. Sure as hell didn’t get away from the tourists none with this maneuver. Folks were camped in each and ev’ry possible location along the road. Some barely off the road and tents thoroughly covered with dust. Amazin’.

Coupla “designated camp areas” along the road that were just open dirt areas with a pit toilet. Fella would have to have been careful to even drive a RZR ‘tween all the RV’s jammed in these two areas. Where the hell did all these folks come from? And why would they park in such a miserable place? Can’t figure it.

The campground itself was pretty … and jammed full as well. And also the parkin’ lot ‘cross the road for a trailhead for a hikin’ trail. This area’s got way too many people for me. Sorta made me miss the solitude of the deserts I enjoyed this past winter.

But the good news is the road turns into a 4wd road at the campground and continues on up to an ol’ mine. Very easy road that could easily be negotiated in a 2wd truck. But certainly an effective barrier to stop the RV’s.

Road opens up at the end into a beautiful meadow named South Park. Here’s an old minin’ shack and one of the beaver ponds.

 

[KOWBOY]

Yesterday was just a brutally long day and I had seen nuthin’ but hoards of people so far today. This here meadow was like a blessin’. Two other campers within eyesight … but beyond earshot. So I pulled off on a small two-track spur road and just backed right up to South Fork of the Mineral Creek. Even tho it ain’t much past noonday, it’s time to camp.

 

[KOWBOY]

Out the Window

 

[KOWBOY]

Out the Door.

 

[KOWBOY]

Sat there in my chair and drank beer and enjoyed a spectacular day under the shade of my awnin’. Various 4wds and ATV’s would ease on by to the end of the road and turn around to head back down. Not too many tho and all were goin’ slowly and the rocks prevented dust. All of ‘em waved and a few even stopped by to chat and take pics of my junk. Several hikers as well walked on by. It was a nice afternoon. One pair of hikers were camped at the end of the road in a nice ol’ Dodge with a pop-up camper. He recognized my junk from over on Expo and stopped for a chat. That was pretty cool. The road I was on has a fork that heads up to Clear Lake way back before the campground and that was my objective for tomorrow. He informed me that the road was closed prior to the lake due to snow. Good info and much appreciated.

Been enjoyin’ hot dogs over the campfires the last coupla nights but tonight I had higher aspirations. Done seen this here marinatin’ bag deal back at the Safeway in Grand Junction. Never seen such a thang but I liked the concept. So bought it.

Back in Las Vegas last chapter I done bought me a replacement grill for a Weber. Formed me up a ring of rocks and chunked in some charcoal.

After I had found that marinatin’ bag deal in the store, I walked directly over to the butcher man and picked out me a big-ass NY Strip. It’d been soakin’ in that bag all day in the fridge.

To complete the meal, I had also bought me a tater, some aluminum foil, and a lil’ can of corn. I wrapped up that tater and buried it right in the coals under the steak on the grill. But I couldn’t find my can of corn. I know I bought it. Receipt said I paid for it. But the simple-minded bagger girl evidently didn’t put it in one of my grocery bags. Now don’t get me wrong here, I got no problems with simple-minded folks workin’. In fact, I’m glad that they are. Prob’ly good therapy for ‘em. Reckon I shoulda been more watchful when she was doin’ the baggin’ tho. So no corn.

And no tater neither. I ain’t never baked a tater. Anywhere. Had no idea how long it would take to cook when it’s wrapped in aluminum foil and buried in coals. But I can now assure y’all that it don’t take an hour. ‘Cause after an hour I pulled that sum bitch out and it was burnt slap up to nuthin’ close to edible.

But … By Gawd … that was one fine steak. And a few peanut butter cookies for desert. The deli at the Safeway makes some phenomenal peanut butter cookies.

 

[KOWBOY]

Monday, 30 June


Woke up and cooked a big ol’ breakfast to perfection to rebuild my cookin’ confidence. Then decided I weren’t gonna leave my sweet campin’ spot in the meadow known as South Park just yet. Nossir. Believe I’ll go for a hike to a lake. Wiped the dust off my daypack, filled my two water bottles, and off I go up a trail right close to my junk.

Sometimes the trail and a creek became one.

And when this happened, ya knew ya was fixin’ to come across a beautiful waterfall.

And the trail went right on up. Right steady. Lots of brief stops to try to breathe.