Engineer Pass - Whitmore Falls

Along the road there was a trail down to Whitmore Falls.

Nora and Ella.

Nora and I.

Nora, Kaily, Sophie and Ella.

Engineer Pass - Animas Fork

Towards the end of Engineer Pass there was Animas Fork, a restored ghost town.

The town like all the others was built around mining. 

The foundation of a mining building.

The houses were open to walk through and had been restored enough to be safe.

Some of them were not as restored as others.

The elevation is above 11,000 feet.  I imagine the winters here were terrible.

The mine up the road aways.  Matt explored it, but we didn't.

Ouray

Ouray

We stayed two nights in Ouray while bouncing around in the mountains around it.  Ouray is a quaint mountain town built around mining in the past and now tourism.  It is famous for off-roading and likes to call itself "The Jeep Capitol of the World".  It hosts annual rallies for off-roaders much like Sturgis is to Harley Davison.

The Changs decided to join us making it 3 families.  Needless to say when we showed up somewhere to eat we took over the restaurant.  Below is an excellent example of that.

Sandy and Shaunda with the kids and men behind.

Imogene Pass - The beginning

Imogene Pass.  

This pass is over the mountains between Ouray and Telluride.  Like Engineer Pass there were many abandoned mines.  

The beginning was easy.  Dirt bikers had stopped to take some pictures ahead of us.

Overhang.

We found a cave that the boys explored.  That is Nathaniel and Titus standing in front.

Matt and I had Nathaniel and Titus.  I let Matt drive up the pass and I drove down the other side.

Chad and Vern were in the 4-Runner with Joey, Wyatt and Timothy.

Take a close look at Nathaniel.

The day before we had seen so many abandoned mines and ghost towns that the novelty had long since worn off, but the boys were excited to see this "ghost house" as they called it.

Here are the goof balls inside the house posing for the camera.

Imogene Pass - from treeline to the top

The start of the scary stuff.  We are still below tree line but the road sign makes it clear that beyond this point only high clearance vehicles with short wheel bases.

The wild flower were amazing!

I hope the above plays, it's a video.

One of the switchbacks hanging off into nothingness.

This is a shelf road.  An apt description!

Just in case you didn't notice, look down.

Vern and Chad coming up a steep part.

Almost there!

Imogene Pass - The Top

We made it to the top!  

Elevation 13,114 feet.

Vern turning around on top.  After all those shelf roads it was nice to have room.

Chad, Ruth, Matt and Vern.

There was this mailbox covered in stickers.  Had I not been scared out of my wits I would have explored it and figured out it meaning and purpose.

I made the kids stay in the vehicles for the pictures.  While the area was wide and flat I just didn't want anyone to go tumbling down the mountain side.  I was scared out of my wits at this point and just wanted to get down off the mountain.

I do wish I had taken the time to enjoy the victory.

Looking down.

Time to go.  My turn to drive, I'm not so sure that help me feel any better.

Imogene Pass - Tomboy Mine

Down off of Imogene Pass and just a little bit above tree line sits the Tomboy Mine.  Back in it's heyday it was not only a mine but a town with a population of 900 people.  It was established in 1880 and breathed it last in 1927.

The site was about 10 acres and easily the largest town/mine we had explored.

Mine cart.

There was debris everywhere.

Old buildings long since collapsed under the harsh winters that leave the area accessible only two months a year.

The was the last standing building.

The rain and the need to meet up with the girls made us push on.

Someday I would like to explore it again.  I just don't know if I'm willing to drive over Imogene Pass again.