Trail Report: Silverton Colorado Exploration

[mkjeepers]

This is our second time visiting the San Juan Mts. in COlorado. We staged in Silverton and stayed at the Grand Imperial Hotel which is the largest and most famous Hotel in town. It has accommadated such celebrities as Batt Masterson, Wyatt Erp and Lillian Russell, as history tells us. A nice hotel dating back to 1882.

We did 3 loop runs over 3 different days, and the scenery was beyond discription. Our eyes got tired because of so much to look at. I took over 2500 pix and it was a challenge to edit the slideshows.

There is so much history and old late 1800 mining structures around it would take weeks to see them all.

The first loop was up Pycayne gulch to Placer gulch, then over to California gulch, over Hurricane pass back down to Silverton. There were several mine and mill sites on this loop.

The Second loop was to the old mining town of Guston which features the Yankee Girl mine. From there we headed over the famous Black Bear pass road down the old switchbacks and down into Tellurude for lunch. (Buffalo cheesesteak sandwich - wow). The return trip was up over Imogene pass (13,114ft.) then into Ouray and back to Silverton.

The third loop was the Alpine Loop Trail. From Silverton to Anamas Forks, then over Cinnamon pass to San Christobol Lake and to Lake City for lunch. The return trip was from Lake City over Engineer pass and back to Silverton. Absolutely incredible.

The weather was perfect the whole time, and we covered a lot of territory in 3 days. Silverton sets at 9300ft and from there we went up into the 11,000 to 13,000 ft level through out the day.

I think the highlight of the trip was a side route we took up Hurricane Gulch to a remote mine that sits at the 12,500 ft level. There standing far above the timberline is a 2 story bunkhouse made of logs that would house at least 15 - 20 men. There was a machine house that had some old steam powered equipment for use in running the mine. How they got it up there is a mystery to me. I wasn't sure my Jeep was going to make it. A very steep and loose rocky road.

Lastly we did a whistle stop at the Grand Canyon. There was a big storm blowing across the canyon so the pix weren't as bright as I hoped, but good enough - at least it was cool there.

BTW the new JK did tremendous on the trip there and back. To do these trails a 4wd with low range is required.

Photobucket takes awhile to load up!!

Loop #1 slideshow.
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...view=slideshow

Loop #2
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...view=slideshow

Loop #3
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...view=slideshow

Grand Canyon
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...view=slideshow

Silverton Colorado










Yankee Girl Mine


Black Bear Pass




The switchback fun starts here.


Telluride


Bridal Vail Falls


Imagene Pass


The ice mine


Red Mt


Our Hotel


Anamas Forks


San Christobol Lake - Lake City




I think we found Noah's Ark


Engineer Pass

[FishPOET]

Fantastic pictures and awesome report.

[mkjeepers]

Thanks, It's some amazing country up there.

[dirtman13]

Great report and beautiful pictures Mike. I really need to go to Colorado..oh wait 3 more weeks.

[alittleoff]

That's cool Mike. It reminds me of when my parents took me to places like that back in the 60's & 70's, sooo last century.

Steve

[mkjeepers]

One thing I've been noticing about these old sites is they're falling down fast. They'll be a pile of splinters pretty soon.

[Roger]

One thing I've been noticing about these old sites is they're falling down fast. They'll be a pile of splinters pretty soon.

So true Mike, people need to see them while they are still standing...

[MrBash]

That is some breathtaking scenery! Thanks for the pics

[6spdYJ]

Thanks for sharing! According to an old report in 4wheeldrive magazine, the house in the picture at Anamas Forks was home to one of the owners of the Hope Diamond. Cool history.

[DaK]

Awesome pics and write up, thanks for sharing.

[Ol Man]

Mike, great pictures as usual. We have been there 4 or 5 times. I love that area.

A little more info for those wanting to go there. The famous Silverton-Durango train ride is great. If staying in Silverton and you only want to go one way, they provide a bus to go down to Durango and then you ride the train back. A nice trip.

My best story in the area is when I lost my clutch on my CJ7 near the top of Black Bear and had to stop at every turn, put it in either reverse or low and then restart it in gear. Pretty much a white knuckle ride. While eating lunch at the bottom a friend remembered that he had some of the nylon bushings I needed to fix the problem.

[RAT]

Mike, great pictures as usual. We have been there 4 or 5 times. I love that area.

A little more info for those wanting to go there. The famous Silverton-Durango train ride is great. If staying in Silverton and you only want to go one way, they provide a bus to go down to Durango and then you ride the train back. A nice trip.

My best story in the area is when I lost my clutch on my CJ7 near the top of Black Bear and had to stop at every turn, put it in either reverse or low and then restart it in gear. Pretty much a white knuckle ride. While eating lunch at the bottom a friend remembered that he had some of the nylon bushings I needed to fix the problem.

Cool, we're going in less than a month. I'll remember the no clutch trick on the way down. Oh wait, SLUSHBOX!

[mkjeepers]

Here are a few of the plaques with history at 3 of the different sites.

You may have to go to the tool icon in the top R corner and use the zoom to be able to read these. Photobucket really cuts the picture quality.


Anamas Forks

This was in the house with the front porch (pictured)


Yankee Girl mine




This was at a townsite on the way to Lake City from Cinnamon Pass. There were no buildings and hardly any evidence of a town.

[Deepwater]

Awesome! Colorado just went up to the top of my list of trails to explore. Great job documenting it, as always.

Mike

[curtis]

Great report!!!