Written by Kyle
We had planned to jump on the bikes and head to Lake City, but after taking a look at the weather we decided it probably wasn’t the best decision so we jumped in the 4runner instead. It’s just the right time of year here for all the leaves changing colors, especially at higher elevations, and things were looking gorgeous even with the overcast skies.
Heading up to Slumgullion Pass we passed Oleo Ranch and spotted a moose and her calf so we stopped to watch for a bit. No matter how often we see them it is still always a sight!.
We caught a bit of rain through the pass, but as we dropped into Lake City the sun came out and everything cleared up affording us some beautiful views of the valley.
We grabbed some brunch at Breakfast Hangout & Euphoria, I went with some white cheddar biscuits and gravy, which were absolutely amazing!
We decided to head out of town and go look for Hidden Treasure Dam. It was built in the 1890s and eventually fell out of service. The dam posed a higher risk for flooding due to debris so in 2019 they partially demolished the dam to allow better flow. Across the road is the Ute Ulay Mill and Town Site, which features a walking tour and tons of intact old mining buildings.
I didn’t realize it since none of this trip was researched, but we were heading up the Alpine Loop towards Engineer pass. We decided to head further up the road to check it out, but with no research or cell signal we really had no idea what to expect. It is an absolutely beautiful drive through the windy canyon, but be warned after the first 6 miles or so the wider gravel roads turn to a narrow rocky road. We hit some rain, followed by thunder and hail before the sun popped back out. We were also treated to beautiful waterfalls and yellow aspens.
Once you hit about 13 miles there are signs warning you high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles only past this point. The scenery is absolutely beautiful but since we had not planned to head all the way to Ouray we turned around and started heading back home.
It’s funny how sometimes these random short trips turn into something else! There’s definitely a longer trip with the full Engineer Pass in our future, as well as some high altitude camping.
Ramble Around 