NG Circle Tour - 2010
August 21 - September 1
Trip Report
Day 5 - Wednesday, August 25
Silverton to Telluride
Silverton, Red Mountain, Box Falls, Ouray, Ridgway, Trout Lake, Telluride
|
As expected, the "ghost" did not return for a repeat performance. After checking out of the Grand Imperial, we stopped in at Thee Pitts Again one more time for lunch. Man, the food is good... REALLY good.
Around noon we left Silverton and headed north over the Million Dollar Highway. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heading through the San Juan Mountains over the Million Dollar Highway north of Silverton. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Red Mountain |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ouray |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ouray Native |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We made an unplanned stop at Box Falls and it was WELL worth it. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The catwalk into the canyon clings to the side, high above the river. It's really much safer than it looks. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michele heading down to the river. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Me at the bottom |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michele at the bottom |
This is how we got down there. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another view of the stairs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I highly recommend visiting Box Falls if you're ever in the Ouray area. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another view of the catwalk. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Driving along the old DRGW grade north of Ouray. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ridgway Railroad Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The proprietor on duty at the museum gave us a neat tour, even getting out the photo/scrap book of all the work being done to Goose #4. After the tour, I joined the museum (something I've been meaning to do for years), and then we headed outside to see the rolling stock. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RGS Motor 4 is being rebuilt to operating condition by the volunteers of the Ridgway RR Museum. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here is the replica of Goose 1 on her display track. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stub switch at the south end of the Museum's short stretch of track. I imagine this is about what the RGS looked like in the waning years... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Close-up of the stub switch |
Looking northeast towards RGS 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All of the Geese were hatched in Ridgway and it's fitting that #4 is being lovingly restored here. |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Near the site were the RGS yard was once located. |
The RGS Depot, now a residence. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heading west into the Uncompahgre Mountains. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
RGS grade near Dallas Divide (AKA Peak) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I wasn't expecting this area to be so beautiful. I would like to spend some serious time out here exploring the RGS someday. The terrain is simply stunning! |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trout Lake I found it on the first try using only dead reckoning! All that time spent studying old maps finally paid off. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is this Heaven? I'll bet it was when the RGS was operating here! |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trout Lake Tank - our objective. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The obligatory shot of our truck under the tank. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heading east (RR South) on the old grade. |
This was as far as we got before having to head back to Telluride. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heading West (RR North) |
Passing the tank once more. I've wanted to visit this tank for quite a while. It's one of three surviving RGS tanks. Someday I hope to see the other two. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
I realized later (like a dope) that this was probably the Section House. I don't have a photo of the building, just this sign on the side. |
Trout Lake & Trout Lake Tank
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of my favorite photos from this trip. Taken near Trout Lake and heading north to Telluride. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mountain Village Resort |
The hotel where we stayed is in the lower right. |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Riding the gondola over our hotel. |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
DROPPING into Telluride on the gondola. I can't believe this gondola ride isn't more widely publicized. It's got to be the most scenic public transportation system in the world! |
From the gondola I spotted the RGS Depot |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mission #1 for the evening: Complete The former Rio Grande Southern Depot in Telluride. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's been well taken care of. |
The San Miguel River flows right behind the Depot. |
Now, that's just pretty. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I wonder if an old RGS Engineer could recognize this location today! |
|
THE GOOSE LIVES... sort of.. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mission #2 for the evening: Complete DINNER - We ate at Smugglers, just a few blocks from the gondola station. The food was great and the waitresses were pretty cute! |
Hang glider coming down into Telluride. |
Heading back up to Mountain Village |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The former RGS Depot |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
A truly grande sight! |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mt Village Station |
|
||
|
|
 |
||
|
Back at our hotel. I could never get used to this view. Simply awe-inspiring! |
|||
