Alpine Loop, CO - July 6, 2005 (Re-run)

 The Alpine Loop is a 65 mile long 4WD trail that includes two high altitude passes, goes close to three picturesque mountain towns, features many streams and waterfalls and presents incredible displays of wild flowers.  Oh yeah, old mining camps and ghost towns can be found along the way.  The road is only open reliably from July through September, being snowed in the rest of the year.  It is a full day of adventure and beautiful scenery.

We started in Silverton and proceeded toward Cinnamon Pass, a 12,640 foot high road that is both steep and rocky.  Needless to say, at that elevation the views are spectacular.

American Basin is a place of unsurpassed beauty, its streams helping produce eye-popping fields of colorful wildflowers to accent the encircling mountains.

After lunch in Lake City, we returned to Silverton passing Capitol City, one of the ghost towns seen along the Alpine Loop, while the log home informally called the Thoreau Cabin is more modern, built in 1994.  Shown on HGTV once, it was listed for near $600,000.  Note the suspension bridge that serves as an entry. 

Engineer Pass leads back to either Ouray or Silverton, but we completed the loop by returning to Silverton.  The road tops out at 12,800 feet, providing more good views of the surrounding mountains.  There were more old mining sites along the trail.