Twin Lakes & Aspen, CO (7/17/2018)

My plan for today was to drive over Independence Pass and spend the day in Aspen, one of my favorite towns.  The skies were too cloudy for a great sunrise this day, but I got one photo I think is worthy of sharing.

Driving north on Highway 24, I turned off on several side roads to explore.  Most were short and led only to the Arkansas River, providing easy access for fishing.  One road was signed "Clear Creek Reservoir", so I turned in to check it out.

Another sign said "Vicksburg 6, Winfield 12".  I was sure these were not towns, so they must be old mining camps.  Colorado has more "ghost towns" than any other state due to all the mining activity in the late 1800s.  There was plenty of time to have a look at these, so I drove on.  Along the way, I passed some ponds, including one with a huge beaver lodge.

Vicksburg was an interesting stop because an historical society maintains it as a museum.  In addition  to preserving the buildings, the group has several pieces of mining equipment on display and lots of other artifacts inside a building that only opens on week-ends.

In its time, Vicksburg had more than forty buildings.  Some that remain are privately owned and used as vacation homes.  I wondered if the camp was named for the Civil War battle of Vicksburg, but saw that it was founded in 1861, two years before the famous battle for the Mississippi.  The name was simply chosen by the first miner, a man named Vick.

The private cabins are located along a very tranquil lane with a fence separating them from the rest of the camp.

It turns out there are remains of at least four mining operations in the Clear Creek valley, but I found nothing special about the others.

Continuing on my original mission, I turned onto the road to Independence Pass and stopped to take in the pretty views over Twin Lakes, a large reservoir of two connecting lakes.

The little village of Twin Lakes consists of some summer rental cabins, a few year-round homes and a general store that offers the last available gasoline before going over the pass to Aspen.  Thus the name "Pass Gas".

 

Several hummingbird feeders hang from the side of the building, with maybe 25-30 hummingbirds vying for a place to feed.  I couldn't resist a few photos of these cute little creatures.

The road over Independence Pass is said to be the highest paved road over a pass in the entire country.  Its summit is 12,095 feet above sea level.  Numerous roads in Colorado are higher, but they are either unpaved or don't go over a pass.  Regardless of the hype, Independence Pass is high enough to provide spectacular views.  The road travels 44 miles from  Highway 24 to Aspen, and it is steep and winding.  There are many drop-offs, some without guard rails, and the wildflowers in summer are beautiful.  Unfortunately, there aren't enough pull-outs to photograph all the wonderful scenery.  Many of my photos were taken from the LRJ when I was able to stop on the road for just a moment.

 

At the summit is a large parking area with paths leading to overlooks and to the several ponds located there.  Since the summit is on the Continental Divide, snow melt on one side eventually goes to the Pacific Ocean, while snow melt on the other side flows to the Gulf of Mexico.

The pass took its name from a mining town located near the summit.  It was called Independence because it was founded on July 4, 1879, when gold was first discovered.  It was never a very productive mine, so only lasted a few years.  You can see a few buildings down in the valley, and there are ruins scattered about.  Trails lead to the remaining buildings, but I didn't take the time to follow them.

My main purpose in going to Aspen was to visit the John Denver Sanctuary.  He was one of my favorite singers and I had heard good things about the park created in his memory.  The city of Aspen did a terrific job of combining the park with the need for storm water runoff treatment.  Water is filtered through a series of streams, waterfalls and ponds throughout the four-acre park.  Gorgeous beds of perennials combine with large arrangements of river rocks to create wonderful gardens.  On large boulders, located around the grounds, lyrics to some of John's 300 plus songs have been engraved.

The sanctuary is indeed a special place, even for those who may not have cared so much for his music or his environmental concerns.  If you ever have the opportunity to visit Aspen, this is a "must see" place.