For our 2017 annual camping trip, my buddies and I decided to explore the Colorado Rockies. Using our trusty guidebook,* we sorted out a series of trails that we were destined to take completely out of the expected order. We met in late June in Moab, and caravanned to Colorado for our 4th of July Adventure, starting near Telluride.
In the early evening we got to the Ophir Pass trailhead, which is an extremely easy "trail." So easy that we got stuck behind a slow moving BMW who wouldn't pull over. We should've expected such a simple trail to be packed on the weekend before the 4th of July, and packed it was. We had another run-in with a rude lady who didn't want us to camp in the first spot we picked; after vowing to avoid any more easy trails, we went in search of a campsite far from any locals. We ended up camping near the ruins of the Alta ghost town, with a gorgeous waterfall and sunset to make the day worth it.
The following morning we left early and drove toward Ouray on the Imogene Pass Trail. Now this is a trail worth the name. A shelf road too narrow for two cars to pass in places, it winds its way up to the ruins of the Tomboy Mine before continuing to the pass. The mine was a significant operation, and at 11600' elevation, it is in the very center of some spectacular views. Past the mine, the trail works up Savage Basin to the snowfields below Imogene pass. A muddy road to the top leads over muddy troughs through walls of snow to fantastic views from 13600'. After, the trail descends switchbacks through the Imogene Basin and past Upper Camp Bird. We found a campsite next to a waterfall, one of a larger size than the previous night, and pitched camp. Between waiting out a few rain showers that drifted by, we sipped on scotch and watched the deer roam on the other side of the valley.
The next day took us down along Canyon Creek to Ouray, now one of my favorite towns. Clearly built when mining in the area was bringing in money, it still boasts charm and a fantastic brewery. Wanting to avoid easy trails (and the horrible people that they seem to attract), we had adjusted our plans, and drove south to Silverton to pick up the next bit of our trail. We took the Million Dollar Highway out of Silverton north toward Cinnamon Mountain. Lunch on the trail brough views of a bear chasing a marmot on the other side of a river, and stunning views of the mountains to either side. The trail climbed to Cinnamon Pass at 12500'. On the way down from the pass, I watched girl on a four-wheeler vere off the trail and get thrown shortly after passing me. Fortunately she was fine, so we left her with her friends and continued to a campsite situated above a river, with wildflowers all around.
In the morning, our drive toward Lake City followed the Lake Fork of the Gunnison river. Apparently Lake City is the place to spend the 4th of July, because it was packed. Fortunately, someone kept the local tire shop open, and we were able to swap out the punctured tire on my buddy's Lexus. Rocks in the area can be sharp, and sidewall damage can ruin your day. We decided to use the extra day we'd built into our schedule to limp up to Gunnison and get him some real tires (i.e., not p-rated). That meant we all got a hot shower and a decent fireworks show.
In the morning, we treated ourselves to breakfast and coffee in Gunnison while the tire situation was sorted out. We also couldn't resist their fantastic outdoors store, full of the most eclectic gear. When we got on our way, went back through Lake City to the Engineer Pass trailhead, which follows Henson Creek past several abandoned mines. At the ruins of the Capitol City Mine, we split from the main trail to explore the North Fork of Henson Creek and found a perfect campsite for the night. It was off the trail and right next to a creek, with a view of a waterfall across the valley. The night was beautiful, and the fire was warm - a perfect summer night in the mountains.
In the morning, we broke camp and continued on toward Engineer Mountain. The view from the top was fantastic: a panoramic view of valleys and ridges dropping down from 13000'. The trail then descended to Animas Forks, where there's a sizable and fairly well preserved ghost town. After lunch, we continued up California Gulch for another series of pass crossings. We camped overlooking a creek that wound down to the Carbonate King Mine, between the cleverly named Red Mountain Number 1 and Red Mountain Number 2. The night was clear and was perfect for night shots until the moon came up; I thought my photography was done for the night, but a bank fast moving clouds caught my eye as they approached. With the light of the moon, the pictures look like they were taken in the day, expect for a few stars that managed not to be washed out.
We completed the California Gulch Trail the next morning and started up the Uncompahgre Gorge. This trail was far more popular, including with rented Jeeps coming out of Ouray. After helping one couple get their high-centered Jeep off the rocks, and waiting a group pulling a Land Cruiser back onto the trail, we decided to find something more difficult that wouldn't be so heavily trafficked. We came to some fairly level ground along Mineral Creek, at the base of Engineer Mountain. Lunch at the San Juan Chief Mine (I think that's the name) was beautiful and a complete disaster. The smells of our grilling bratwurst brought the attention of an army of mosquitoes. We tried bathing in DEET, but even that didn't dissuaded from taking a bite. After the brats finished cooking, we retreated to our trucks and enjoyed the rewards of staying the field until they were cooked - we then retreated back to the trail. This being our last day, we had hotel reservations up in Ouray, and were pretty excited to wash all that DEET off. We enjoyed the trail as it dropped down along the Animas River to Silverton, and took the lovely Million Dollar Highway back up to our hotel. Showers and a dinner we didn't have to fight mosquitoes over were a welcome luxury.
In the morning, we had breakfast and all went our own ways. Now all I have to do is download and sort through the 30GB of photos I took...
* Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails, Third Edition, Wells and Peterson, FunTreks, 2010.
