Trip #18: Telluride, CO

June 11 – 13, 2009

TELLURIDE HERITAGE DAYS & CONCERT

The purpose of this trip was to see Nakai, Clipman & Eaton in concert at the New Sheridan — didn’t know we’d get a bonus of the Telluride Heritage days too: a Butch & Sundance bank robbery re-enactment, Schmid Ranch sheep shearing (got a bag of stinky Suffolk wool), Victorian strollers, Indian dancers and drummers. It was great! We were camping about 4 miles out of town at the Matterhorn campground and it was cool and damp, raining on and off. Mornings were about 36 degrees. Also got in a hike up at Alta Lakes and toured the old mine sites. Concert was great, wish they’d do it again, I’ll be there. And in such a cute little western theater at the New Sheridan hotel. 

Just before Telluride we drove up to the ghost town Alta and Alta Lakes. Here’s the story on Alta, if we can believe the internet:
Gold was discovered here by Jack Mann in 1878. This townsite is located at about 11,800 feet and an aerial tramway was used to move the ore to the mill below. The most interesting feature was the fact that this was the first mine to use AC current. Some famous people, like George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla, helped make it possible.

Camp Matterhorn. We stayed inside a lot. It was as cold as it looks.

You know you're approaching Telluride when the view looks like this.

One of the Alta Lakes.

Ghost town of Alta.

Those lakes were HIGH.

Just a cool sign on a cool barn driving around outside of town checking out the sights.

Bill's dream home on Trout Lake. This would be his man-cave. Looks like work to me.

at Trout Lake

Old water tower for trains still at Trout Lake

Upper Telluride.

The weather changed so often. This was after a brief passing of rain, though snow up there.

Tom! Tom! do you live here? Katy? You here?!

I don't know a thing about this place except I can't believe their view every day. wow.

Bridal Veil Falls

From the gondola ride down to town. Who knew (probably Bill) that in two years we'd be driving that road up there way off in the distance. Imogene Pass.

The real reason we're here. It was EXCELLENT!

Waiting for the bank robbery re-enactment to begin... so were the horses.

But first, some entertainment in the park! How cute is she.

Even Victorians from Durango were there strolling Main Street.

And hello, what is this? sheep shearing?! NO WAY. Way. and I took some home too (wool, not sheep).

Everyone is still waiting....

Finally it started. Got the bank robbers, but they are on video.

(just a cool shot)

And of course we did get in some hikes. Is this not a one-eyed aspen sticking out its tongue?

The trail from the campground.

Across the street from the campground is the old mill, for yes, gold.

"Weird scenes inside the gold mine." (I've been dyin' to type that.)

Talk about living remotely.

Just another sight near Matterhorn.

One more stop in Dolores on the way home to see the Galloping Goose. Here's the story on this strange looking “thing”:
The railroad was conceived and built in 1890-91 by the unflappable “Pathfinder of the San Juans,” Otto Mears. It was over 160 miles long and ran from the town of Ridgway, Colorado on the north to Durango, Colorado on the south going through the towns of Telluride, Rico, Dolores and Mancos.
The RGS’s early revenues came mainly from the numerous silver and gold mines near Telluride, Ophir and Rico. Hauling hundreds of tons of precious metal ores and hundreds of passengers in and out of the area made the financial condition of the railroad extraordinarily strong for its first two and one-half years! However, the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act caused the Silver Panic of 1893, and silver prices plummeted. As a result, many silver mines were closed, people fled the area by the thousands, and the railroad slipped into its first receivership that same year.
Nevertheless, the railroad survived – just barely at times – for another 40 years hauling various kinds of freight and passengers until the stock market crash in 1929 spelled the almost certain financial failure of the railroad. However, there remained an obligation and responsibility for the railroad to provide reliable transportation for small amounts of freight, what few passengers there were, and the always-important U.S. Mail. It was time to economize! There had to be a way! There was. A new rail vehicle was born from an ingenious idea and developed into what later became widely known as the Galloping Geese.
In June 1931, the first “Motor” was built by master mechanic Jack Odenbaugh and his crew at the Southern’s Ridgway shops. (Many locals referred to the RGS as simply “the Southern.”) Eventually there was a fleet of seven in operation on the RGS. Motor No. 5 went into service on June 8, 1933. (The railroad officially called these vehicles Motors until 1950.)
The cost was $2,599 for No. 5, which was built with a 1928 Pierce-Arrow limousine body and running gear. It was rebuilt in 1946/47, using a World War II surplus GMC gasoline truck engine and a Wayne Corporation school bus body. In 1950, the freight/mail compartment was converted to carry 20 additional passengers for sightseeing trips. 

The End.