"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – In finding themselves". Andre Gides.
Summer has definitely become my most favorite times of the year. With the longer days, yet short months, seem to pack in as much as possible before cooler temps arrive. This summer definitely was a productive one. A look back to another productive summer:)
Indian Creek Park Ranch, spring, early summer 2021. Logging operation began in the Spring time. Tried to get up as much as possible to check out the progress.
This past Friday, I headed up to my clubs (Rising Sun 4×4 Club of Colorado) Adopt-A-Road, Argentine Pass. To be honest, it’s one of my favorite trails. Close to Denver and full of history. Way back in ’03/’04 when I was Event Coordinator for the club, I got the club to adopt Argentine pass, working with the Clear Creek Ranger District. I headed up Friday with the plan to check out an area that I’ve been curious about for a long time- an old mine at the base of Mt. Wilcox. After getting the truck I headed for Georgetown, all the while being informed by the parents that I left my backpack and hiking boots at there house ( bonehead move). So instead of the hike, ended up over at the Santiago Mine. Been a while since I’ve been there Was nice to spend some time there an wander around the place again ( as best as I could with the current closures). I had the place to myself for a few hours. a nice treat.
After realizing I left the needed essentials at the parents house, I buzzed up to the Silver Plume Depot with the hopes of picking up a hoodie from the gift shop, instead was invited in by the shop Forman to take some pics.
Along the old grade of the Argentine Central. Stopped to check out some of our signs.
After A hot week of work (outside), I snuck up to the cabin this past Friday for the night. Hadn’t been up since before this years Ghost Town Run in July. It felt good to get up to the property again. Spent the afternoon with various projects (and a nap) before taking my pal Dan and his girlfriend Nancy for a drive around the property and to the Wilderness Boundary, with a fine sunset on our way back to the cabin. We spent the rest of the evening hanging out. Didn’t even get a fire going. Next morning we woke early to catch the sunrise overlooking the property. I love summer.
Fireweed.
Looking North from the cabin.
Views from the pond in the Upper Meadows.
Just thought I’d give a quick update. For the Ghost Town Run this year, I got some stickers and koozies made up. Pretty excited how they came out- of course I ordered more than needed… After Cruise Moab, a dear friend from Downtown bought one of my stay at home pandemic pictures. Lastly, I got accepted to a call for art from the Los Lagunas Art Gallery.
Stickers for this years “Ghost Town Run”
Koozies.
One of my “Stay at home” photographs from last years pandemic that I had framed up for a dear friend from Downtown. Used DuraPlaq for the framing. Milk Market.
Lastly, a image I submitted for the Las Lagunas Art Gallery, for there “Textures and Patterns” show
Creede, CO. Though not a “Ghost Town”, it won my heart. No ski mountains or other attractions. Just a simple old Colorado mining Town.
What a fantastic weekend out exploring new to me parts of Colorado with great friends from the club, even with the downpours. Somehow I’d never been to Creede yet, I fell in love instantly. To me, I feel Creede is what Colorado used to like….. To kick off the trip, we checked out the Bachelor Loop, with the Commodor Mine and Phoenix Falls being some of the highlights. The Commodor Mine operated from 1891-1976. Saturday, after a stop at the Underground Mining Museum (that was also hosting a International Scout gathering) we took a short drive and checked out Crystal Lake and Bristol Head (12,706ft). Spectacular views at the top of Bristol Head!
Some of my favorite images from this years “Ghost Town Run”.
First morning for the trip. Up early to watch the inversion roll in.
Commodore Mine.
I headed up to the cabin this past Friday ( my Saturday). Hadn’t been up since the Solstice get together. Once on the property, I found that the loggers were working above the farmhouse, making there way towards the pond/upper meadows. This would actually be the first time since they started that I came across them while working. Excitedly, I headed straight to where they were at. After informing them who I was, I stood out of the way to take pics. It wasn’t long before they were having me taking pics of them working. So cool to watch those machines! Spent the rest of the day at the cabin, before ending the evening with a drive to the wilderness boundary.
Harbells
Loggers working away on the road to the pond/upper meadows
I headed up this past Friday ( 7/2/2021) to meet up with my pal Dan from the club for a morning ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad. His girlfriend Nancy, work on the railroad and gives tours of the mines. The tour was fun. especially with Nancy giving it and the group seemed to click well.
Remnants of the Georgetown, Breckenridge and Leadville Railroad, the Georgetown Loop is a 3ft narrow Gauge Line situated between the old mining towns of Georgetown (Silver Queen of the Rockies) and Silver Plume, CO. The two towns are two miles apart, yet it uses 3 miles of rail for the Georgetown Loop to get between the two. Definitely one of the highlights is the “Devils Gate Bridge”. A trestle crossing Clear Creek, far, far below.
A fun outing!
Ended up getting to Georgetown a bit early. Was nice to spend some time walking around town before it got busy.
About ready to leave the Georgetown/Devils Gate depot.
It felt great to be able to get back to having the club at the property to celebrate the Summer Solstice this year! Usually hosting the get together on or as close to the solstice as possible. With my Monday falling on Sunday for the work week, we meet up this past Friday night. Our property ( Indian Creek Park Ranch) is the last private land before Mt. Evans Wilderness. The “Upper Meadows” of the property ( heading South towards Rosedale) is where I always host the club for an evening campout. Every one started showing up in the evening after work and after getting settled in, we went for a drive around the property, ending at the wilderness boundary. On the way back to camp we ended up seeing a black bear run across the road- would be a first for me on the property! Was another fun Solstice get together on the property with friends from the 4×4 club:).
Golden Banner
Colorado Columbines at the cabin,
My most favorite view in CO keeps getting better thanks to all the logging.
MT. Evans.
After missing last years Train Trip due to Covid, I was excited to get back down to the Southern end of the San Luis Valley for some camping and a fantastic ride on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad ( my favorite!). We rode the train on Thursday, departing from Antonito, with a stop in Osier,- an old track maintenance town, for lunch ( highly recommend the meatloaf!) before returning back to the depot in Antonito. They weren’t running the busses this year due to Covid, so our normal trip from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO would have to wait a year. The rest of the long weekend was spent relaxing and chasing the train. One day we chased the Antonito train from Whiplash Curve to Osier and the other we chased the C&TS out of Chama to Osier using Apache Canyon ( with a fording of the Rio de Los Pinos River) to get to Osier. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect summer weather. The company was wonderful and the stars were out in force. I even had a little adventure on my way to camp after leaving work on Wednesday:). Here are some images from the trip. Enjoy!
After leaving work on Wednesday afternoon, I made my way to Antonito, but not without some excitement… For some reason I blew past my turn in San Luis, and didn’t notice it till I was a good half hour south of town (busy enjoying the views I guess). So on a whim, I took a detour though Mesita and the San Luis Hills. As I got close to Antonito, I came across fields full of Wild Iris. Excited, I pulled over to snap a few pics, only to slide off into the ditch ( shoulder was really soft). After a few failed attempts to extract myself, I called friends for help. After some time hanging out with the mosquitos, my friend Brian came down from camp and pulled me out. Funny thing was, I couldn’t us my new winch as there was nothing solid to anchor to. Finally rolled into camp around 8pm.
Fields of Wild Iris outside Antonito, CO.
If you look closely, you can see the swarms of mosquitos. Never seen so many!
Morning light over Mogote Peak.
I headed back up to the cabin this past Friday in hopes of befriending the loggers while they were working away on the property. Unfortunately I was to late in when I got up there as they were already done for the day. So instead spent some time wondering around where they are staging the logs to be loaded on to the trucks to be taken down to the mill in Canyon City. Later in the day, Two friends joined me that night at the cabin and after taking them for a drive to the wilderness boundary with Mt. Evans, we settled in for the evening next to the fireplace.
I had to send my 5DMK4 camera into the shop to get cleaned so I had to break out the 7D for this visit. Was fun shooting with the 7D again.
Staging area for the logs that are ready to be loaded onto the truck. They’ve been taking two fully loaded rigs a day down to the mills in Canyon City since they started.
