Return to Silverton

April 22-29 was our return trip to Silverton, Colorado to finish filming for the history and paranormal episode.  Being National Parks week, we decided to spend the first night on our way down there camping in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  And since it was a Sunday night in April, Eric and I almost had the entire park and campgrounds to ourselves.  After dusk we went out to painted wall to get some night shots of the stars, and early in the morning we drove the rim and got all the virtual and earth geocaches.

Sunrise at the Black Canyon

We took our time driving the rest of the way to Silverton the next morning, stopping for lunch in Ouray and at every pullout and geocache along Million Dollar Highway (550).  Once we got to Silverton, we met up with a few others from the crew then later took a drive just out of town to see the old ore bins still hanging across the valley.

I never noticed this waterfall until we stopped there to get a cache!

Ironton

Ironton, a ghost town on Million Dollar Highway

Bear tracks!

Geocaching along Million Dollar

Ore bin and tower

The next day we drove south a bit on 550 for more geocaches, and I even spotted a snowshoe hare! The rest of the crew all finally arrived by 2pm, and we got to work investigating and filming.  Wednesday and half of Thursday were spent running around town doing the same.

Geocaching on 550

Filming in the Imperial Hotel

In full costume at an old brothel!

At the archives

Thursday afternoon Sandy generously provided everyone with a big grilled steak lunch to wrap up filming.  Everyone else left town shortly after, but Eric and I stuck around as long as we were allowed so we could enjoy the area and film a bit more around town.  Which meant for the next few nights it was just the two of us staying in an empty, haunted hotel!
Friday was a bit rainy and there was a dusting of snow from the night before, so we spent the day driving the entire San Juan Scenic Skyway.  Even with so little snow in the area just enough prevented us from getting to Alta lakes.  We stopped in Telluride for lunch and got back to Silverton just in time for sunset.

Scenery along the drive

Lizard Head

Alta Lakes road

San Juan scenic Skyway drive

The next day our plan was to make an attempt to get to the abandoned 7-level boarding house perched on the face of Galena Mountain.  Around the third switchback on the 4wd road up there we found a large and impassable pile of snow.  Though only late April, this had been the warmest winter in Silverton in nearly 50 years.  Snow was mostly non-existent already, and all the Jeeps in the area were out making the same attempt we had.

The abandoned 7-level boarding house high on the mountain.  We'll make it one day!

4-wheeling Pike, the Subbie Foz

Eric spotting the rougher patches back down the 4wd roads

A Forester in it's natural habitat

Instead we spent the day climbing to the top of the ruins at Eureka, which were much more steep and difficult to climb than any photo could emphasize.  The ruins were more in-tact and interesting the higher we went!

Making our way up

Eureka ruins!

Top of the ruins!

Farewell, Silverton

The hotel was to open again for guests on the 30th so we left Sunday morning.  Searching for an interesting route we ended up going back through Montrose, Gunnison, Buena Vista, Leadville, and stopping in Breckenridge for a bit, then back along I-70.

Geocaching at an abandoned mine in Breckenridge

Sunset near Frisco