It's all in the marketing - one time Amimas Forks was said to be the "Largest City in the World ...at this
altitude!"  Nestled  in the San Juan Mountains at 11,584 feet and a great drive from Silverton.  Dual Sport motorcycle or 4x4 is advised.  If you don't have one, rent an ATV in Silverton and go explore the "Forks" and beyond.  The road out of Silverton is easy for any vehicle; but then it gets pretty rough - not bad - but think I'd leave the Ferrari in the garage!

HA!  That does remind me, a buddy of mine years ago had a couple of Lamborghini Countach and I asked if I could use one in a fashion shoot out at a place called Montana de Oro in California   Sure he said..  Then I remembered the road got a bit rough and decided best to not use the  Lambo.  Same driving to  Animas Forks.  A street car "could" do it; but it will be yours - not mine!

      The above photos don't show the depth of just how rough the raod can be.  The video will.

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​The Ghost Town of Animas Forks

Animas Forks Jail                                                                              William Duncan's House

Think of the harships establishing a town at 11,800 feet back in  the1870s.  But you know, they had everything;  from the road and soon came the narrow gauge railroad.  Electric service, telegraph even the telephone.  So when William Duncan arrived in 1875 from Pennsylania  he built a wonderful Victorian home in 1879..  The Duncans left in 1884.  Life at this altiude brought its own challenge.
Winter with its snow depth, some storms bringing more then five feet.   Avlhhalanches that would
isolate the town for months at a time.  You had to be tough to live there.  Even today the Forest Service closes the road.   Best time to visit is late May through Mid October. 

View from Animas Forks back towrads the road to Silverton.

Following film is a visit to the Million Dollar Highway this time for the little bit of snow we got on this
trip.  If you will - a few nickels and dimes - along the way.  The contrast of the white and the gold of the Aspens was beautiful.

really must ride the train.   Pick it up in Durango and it rocks you like a babys cradle though some of the beauty only to be seen from the tracks.  Ending in Silverton.  In Silverton you have  roughly a ninty minute break for lunch and shopping.  Here is a movie I shot of the train a back in the early 1990's:

One of my favorite lunch or dinner spots is HANDLEBARS.  Should you find yourself in Silverton now, they are  are not open.  Reopen in March.  
Diner that evening was a huge Rib Eye, baked potato with tall the fixins, and a fine Cab.

See you next summer Ken!  

​Silverton.  Located between Ouray and Durango in the heart of the high coumtry..  Elevation is 9,308 feet.
Even in the dead of Summer you can get snow, so be sure to bring a coat.  At this altitude, even without snow, the nights can get down into the 30's.  On this trip I did have snow for a couple of days and it was beautiful. Then the following days it was again in the 60's.

Silverton offers up lots of trings to do, of course the trian is a big attraction as is the 4x4 adventures; but there is white water rafting, horseback riding, fishing mountain bikeing and just a wonderful place to camp and enjoy the San Jaun Mountains.  One of my favoite camp sites is just a few  minuite drive towards Durango on Highway 550 to Molas Lake.  If staying here, at the campground,  the season starts in May and ends the end of September.

I arrived with rain. The following day was beautiful and I was able to drive up to Amimas Forks ghost town.  That evening brought snow, not a bunch; but enough to contrast witht he Fall Color.

Before heading out  to Amimas Forks Ghost Town; I had a wonderful breakfast at The Brown Bear Cafe.  Built in 1893 the building that houses  the cafe is built of bricks hauled in by the train the now carries tourists.

The building has a lot of history.  For instance the bar was originally built for the Silver Queen Bar in Silverton back in 1898.  Yours hosts are Fred and  Patty and will be glad to tell you the history of the building.

In the next post we will drive up to Amimas Forks Ghost Town and revisit the "Million Dollar Highway.
I'll take you on a ride I did a few years ago up Ophir Pass on my motorcycle.

On the road to Ouray you will pass  the Dallas Divide.
Another great photo stop.
On a summer storm or the
Fall Color this too can be
beautiful.  As a side note
Ralph Lauren has a ranch here.  Few years ago I rode
around the back side to get photos of Mt. Sneffels. 

After a great ride down Phantom Canyon, I was off to drive the Million Dollar Highway and spend a couple of days in Silverton.   Silverton/Ouray and Durango have been somewhat my second home stomping grounds.  My father used to hunt the area starting back in the 1930's.  Believe his last hunt there was in the early 1960's .  Also he was an accomplished photographer and amateur film maker.  In  July of 1941 he shot a 16mm film on what was then a work train running sheep from Durango to the high pasture up at Silverton.  Someday I may post it on this blog.  Above is my father (right)  Elk hunting around amateur.  Below is my first trip to Ouray and Silverton.  I was four years old.  The other fellow was the guide my father hunted with Adolf Jordon.

As you can see now at seventy years old have a long history
with the area.  Guess the West in imprinted on my soul.  I
go back at least once a year.  

Ouray is know as the "Little Switzerland"  and it fits.  Beautiful up there.  Switzerland elevation  is  7,792  feet surrounded by the high mountains of the San Juans.  And of course it is in Ouray that the  "Million Dollar Highway" starts.  Anytime is a great time to drive/ride Highway 50; but if you can catch the fall colors it ​is spectacular

Below is a film I shot riding  THE MILLION DOLAR HIGHWAY a few years ago on my motorcycle


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But I get ahead here,  Getting back to Ouray and Silverton.  Ouray was named for Crief Ouray of the Ute Nation.  The town of Ouray is the known as "The Jeeping Capital of the World"  During the peak months of summer many of the trails are almost as busy as a Los Angeles freeway at drive time.  OK, perhaps not that busy but you can bet you will encounter many many 4x4's  ATV' and motorcycles on the trails.  Should you arrive in a "street" car,; there are off-road outfitters that offer trail rides.  You really should take the time to book a tour on the many trails; however if you are a bit skittish  of heights beware of Black Bear Pass.  With it's hairpin turns and cliff drop offs it will really get your attention!

A fact that I just learnd recently is in Ayn Rands great novel - ATLAS SHRUGGED - Galts Gulch was inspired by Ouray.  "Atlas" is a great read and if you haven't read it you should.  Hollywood has filmed several movies here as well.  True Grit.  Many TV shows have lensed the area.  Commercials have been shot here.  Take a look around at the magnificent scenery and you will know why.

Long before the movie camera or the 4x4s were roaming the backcountry trails; Ouray and the entire
area was a mecca for mining.  All in all the area has produced well over 1.5 million onces of gold and about 4 million onces of silver.  Most of the mines are now long gone; but their "bones" are still there.

Several hotels/motels and B&B's in Ouray plus camping.

For dining I always stop by two of my favorite.  Breakfast and the best Home Made Donuts try the Timberline Deli.  Offering the best homemade sandwiches and salads to 
great hamburgers, and the biggest scoop of ice cream in
Ouray!  Whether you sit inside or the outdoor patio with a view of the mountains or grab a sandwich to go
​Timberline Deli is a good bet!

​For dinner it is hard to beat O'Brien's Pub
Serving  all your American  plus many of your Irish favorites.  To quench your thurst there are twelve beers on tap and
the largest Whiskey and Scotch selection
on the Western Slope of Colorado.

O' Brien's Pub offers up a very fine menu; but more often then not, I allways have Fish and Chips .  Sometimes with a Guinness
or as this time a pleasent Chardonnay.  

So, whether you have had a hot day on the trail with all the dust, or after a bone chilling day ice climbing, pop into O'Brien's for a beer or an Irish Coffee!

Next post will be to drive the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton.   Perhaps drive up
to the ghost town of Animas Forks.  And find snow in them thar hills too.  Chances are good we might
visit a motorcycle trip  as well.  

As I said in the previous post, I prefer Victor over Cripple Creek; but many find Cripple Creek more to
their liking.  More hotels, eateries and of course the casinos. It is certainly worth the short drive over.
As the story goes a local rancher was hearding some cattle across a creek when one of the cows stumbled and broke it's leg.  Then one of the ranchers sons trying to get the cow out slipped and broke his leg - hence the name Cripple Creek.   


And for a break from walking around eating and shopping, or rolling the dice; take a train ride on the
Cripple Creek and Victor Railroad

Cripple Creek and Victor Railroad opened for tourist passenger service in June of 1967.  This is a rather narrow - narrow gauge being only a two foot track.  Narrow gauge is a track width less then the standard 4 foot 81/2 inches.  Many mining and industrial applications prefered to build narrow-gauge do to the price to build and maintain and is considerably less then standard.

​Three locomotives serve as the "little engines that can" and all are coal fired. Number One is a Orenstein and Koppel built in 1902 0-4-4-0 articulated mallet. The Number 2 engine is a Henschel built in 1936 0-4-0, built in Germany. The Number 3 is a Porter built in 1927 0-4-0 tank engine  Operation generally run from May to October.   The ride is only about an hour and offers views you can't see from the road.  Also, the engineer offers up interesting facts along the way.

The town of Cripple Creek has a rich and  fascinating history.  Aside from the odd way it got it's name; it almost grow up over night when gold was discovered back in 1890.  Didn't take long before the word got out and thousands of miners found their way to the area.  As mentioned in the post on Victor, the area once had a population exceeding 50,000.  One thing you will notice the entire town is constructed out of brick.  That's because back in 1896 the first of two fires struck.  The first burnt down half the town.   Four days later the second fire took down most of the remaining buildings.  While Victor was the working mans town.  Most of the mine owners and bankers were in Cripple Creek.  
​

Return to Victor to start your drive. It is only about a 20 minute drive from Cripple Creek.   Phantom Canyon  is roughly a 30 mile drive and there are plenty of camping, picnic, hiking and of course photography opportunities.  So take your time and enjoy the drive.

The family car is adiquate to drive the road; but I would not suggest towing a trailer for the tunnels are narrow and there are a few tight and narrow turns along the way.  As for RV's, I drove it a few years ago in my Sprinter based RV and was able to clear the tunnels without an issue.  I would not recommend the "wider" body RV's.