Stardate 2014.767

Fort Lewis College Cycling

This year's pilgrimage to the far southwest reaches of Colorado's colorful leaf pageant also included two bike rides. The main ride was a sanctioned tour of the Durango area to make money for the Fort Lewis College cycling team. They consistently are one of the top-ranked collegiate teams in the states. The other ride was a "feather in our cap" ride up the steep roadway of Chapin Mesa, Mesa Verde National Park.


The ride up Chapin Mesa was a good grunt. One could make a very long day visiting all the ruins by bike. On the other hand, I don't think a day would be enough. It's 21 miles from the entrance to where the ruins are first encountered.


Snowcatcher took along Cinnamon, whom had been itching to get out.


The following Saturday morning was the Durango Fall Blaze.


The narrow gauge railroad is always a delight to encounter. Chun ka, chun ka, chun ka, chun ka wooo-wooooooo...


This is a part of the state you just have to visit to get a feel for. It's an enchanted region.


The first leg of the climb is up Highway 550. Yes, it's steep in places.


Then the route drops off of Highway 550 to the Animas River bottom for a scenic jaunt downriver past cool swimming holes...


And down pine-lined roadway...


Traffic is minimal, so it's easy to ham it up! This year we rode the 35-mile loop. In most years we opt for the 65-mile loop. I've ridden the 100-mile loop as well. It's a good time.

Adios

Stardate 2014.756

Durango to Gunny

We originally planned to swing back around through Durango and head east, laying over in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. En-route to Pagosa, it was apparent the leaves were still a week or two from peaking in this area.


We decided to head over Wolf Creek Pass to South Fork. From South Fork, we headed north.


While heading up Spring Creek Pass, a good view of the headwaters of the Rio Grande River came into view.


From Spring Creek Pass, our route took us over Slumgullion Pass. The views from the north side of Slumgullion Pass are exquisite. To the west and southwest, the high peaks of the Weminuche Wilderness begin to rise.


Did you notice that the white stuff that decided to show up?


To the northwest rise several high peaks of the Uncompahgre Wilderness. Although their summits are in the clouds, one can still make out 14,015 foot Wetterhorn Peak (far left, rank 49) and 14,309 foot Uncompahgre Peak (center, rank 6). I’ve summited Uncompahgre several times. Wetterhorn will be my last 14er for a variety of reasons, if I ever finish them. I’m not far away.


Slumgullion Pass deposited us in Lake City, site of Alferd Packer’s cannibalism back in the late 1880s. Lake City also is the staging area for accessing many of the higher peaks of the San Juan Mountains. We took a little ride up Henson Creek to check out the snow, as well as the leaves. The above peak is Point 13,811. It's altitude is its official name. It is the 99th tallest peak in Colorado. It also is a bicentennial peak, meaning it is one of the two-hundred highest peaks in the state.


From Lake City, we ventured north to one of our favorite towns – Gunnison. The following morning we headed up Ohio Creek looking for gold. We also found some stands that have not turned yet. Many leaves in this area have already fallen.


Weather was developing yet again. So we decided to head back toward home. First we took one more detour to the old 1880s mining town of Pitkin.


The Pikin area had some good spots of color


But it won’t last for long. The ensuing weather will see to that.


These little hamlets can be fun to visit. You may find some intriguing sites.


The little town once was the largest in Colorado; now it’s one of the smallest.


According to a born-and-raised local, Pitkin boasts a year-round population of about 60.


The skies opened up and we headed for home. It was snowing heavily on Monarch Pass, and the snow was starting to stick on the top of the ski area.

Adios

Stardate 2014.751

Durango Fall Blaze

In the fall we often head to Durango to view the autumn leaves and participate in the Durango Fall Blaze. The Fall Blaze is a fundraising bike tour for Fort Lewis College, one of the top cycling teams in collegiate sports. The trip also places us in one of the finest fall leaf viewing regions of the state – the southwest corner. This year, another fine road trip commenced on a warm and bright Thursday morning. This will be a leafy post; I’ll leave Fort Lewis cycling for another blog.


Our goal was to camp in the headwaters of the Cimarron River. However, leaves appeared to be a week out yet. We decided to make Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, our stopping point for the night. Our decision placed us in the San Juan Mountains, and Red Mountain Pass, at low sun angle. I’m not a slow shutter shooter, but I gave it my best. Crystal Lake, about half-way up the north side of Red Mountain Pass, was our first stop.


From Crystal Lake, Red Mountain #1 (12,592 ft), Red Mountain #2 (12,219 ft) and Red Mountain #3 (12,890 ft) collect the last of the day’s sun. Yes, those are their official USGS map names; I know, their names took a lot of thought. Yet, aside from indigenous names, I kind of like numerical listings.


The San Juan Mountains decided to call it a day, and we continued into the dark. We arrived in the vicinity of Mesa Verde National Park around 10 that evening. Friday's sun-filled morning found us riding our bikes up the steep climb into the Park, prior to continuing on to Durango for our scheduled ride. The following Saturday morning, the bike tour went well, and we ventured back into the San Juan Mountains for more leaves.


Let it leaf, let it leaf, let it leaf… Our quest for gold took us up Mineral Creek outside of Silverton, Colorado, where we made a gold strike.


Some of my favorite peaks are towering above us in Ice Lake Basin. Out of view from below, the high peaks shy behind shelves of rock and false summits.


No matter the time of year, Mineral Creek never disappoints.


We found a campsite above Molas Pass and enjoyed the Grenadier Range, a sub-range of the San Juan Mountains. I never tire of the above view.


The rain found the Grenadiers, too.


After a good electrical show, enhanced with lots of rain and hail, we awoke to a misty, drizzly morning.


A little patchwork here…


A lot of solid there…


North Twilight Peak (13,075 ft) hadn't awakened yet, shrouded in morning clouds.


With a lot of rain, came a lot of sediment. Streams were an elixir of anything they could transport.

That’s it for this round.
More leaf photos to come.

Adios