Crested Butte, CO - June 25, 2005 (Re-run)

 One of the most delightful towns to be found anywhere, Crested Butte started out as a mining town, just like many others in the Colorado mountains.  Unlike most of the others, Crested Butte managed to hang on after the mines played out.  Despite an elevation of nearly 9000 feet, it is in a valley that has excellent land for ranching.  Also, in the early 1970s, a ski resort was developed at nearby Mount Crested Butte that has become very popular.  Mountain biking, hiking and off road driving are added attractions, along with some of the most stunning wildflowers one can imagine.  Today, Crested Butte has a population of just over 1500, while the town of Mount Crested Butte has about 800 permanent residents.  Of course, the population swells in the Winter, when part-time residents arrive for ski season.

With its original Victorian style buildings, driving into Crested Butte is like going back in time.  The people here are generally laid back and friendly.  Old, restored bicycles are left around town for anyone to use.  My favorite story about the town is when a group of their "good old boys"  pedaled their rusty, rickety bicycles over the mountain pass to rich, swanky Aspen and laid siege to one of the posh drinking establishments, much to the chagrin of the Aspen crowd.

 The townspeople do a wonderful job of keeping their town beautiful by keeping the colorful buildings in good repair and by decorating with outstanding floral displays.

Nine miles outside of town is Lake Irwin, a reservoir in the Gunnison National Forest.  The mining town of Irwin disappeared, but the lake is a popular picnic and camping spot.

One of the most interesting roads into/out of Crested Butte goes over Kebler Pass.  This unpaved road carries lots of traffic during the wildflower season and again in Fall, when the largest aspen grove in the world is on display.

A side road leads to Lost Lake, another beautiful camping spot, popular with fishermen.

For me, the highlight of the year is wildflower season, which usually peaks around the first week of July.  The annual wildflower festival attracts thousands of people, including photographers, painters and other sightseers.  We'll return for that event later in the trip.

Cripple Creek & Victor, CO - June 22, 2005 (Re-run)

 Cripple Creek and Victor, sister cities in the Colorado mountains, were jointly home to the state's last great gold rush near the end of the 19th century.  During their boom days, the combined population of the two towns exceeded 28,000 people, but now have around 1600 between them.  Cripple Creek has become known primarily for gambling, with at least nine casinos in town.  Mining has resumed in Victor, but not the deep shaft type of mining.  Today it's all pit mining, where they basically tear the mountain down, remove all the gold ore, then rebuild the mountain from tailings.  Not a pretty sight, but undoubtedly profitable.

On the way to Cripple Creek we had good views of Pike's Peak, one of Colorado's "fourteeners".

The century old downtown is quite charming and well maintained, possibly re-constructed to support the new gambling economy.

Remnants of the original gold rush are still available to inform and instruct modern visitors as to the "old ways".

The new pit mining technique, while highly efficient, is very destructive.  Hopefully, once the mining plays out, they will be required to restore the landscape.

 

 

Leaving this area, one has the option of taking the modern highway or a back road that goes through  Phantom Canyon.  Guess which route we chose.