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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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THE MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY
We are....On The Road ...and steadily making progress towards Baja.
We had a slight lull while these mighty Maltese Retrievers finished their pheasant and wild boar hunts in the Nebraska corn fields.
Spitting a few feathers and some bristles, they are now signaling their eagerness to get back on the Baja trail.
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Plodding steadily on, we are now in Colorado on the fabled Million Dollar Highway.
Having been over this route 'way back when', we decided it was time to rediscover this scenic drive..some of the best mountain views in
America..
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Okay, off we go on a mountain drive..perhaps remniscent of the Alps to roaming nomads. We traveled an unusual direction this time...Denver to Durango
first, visiting friends along that route, then north up ...The Million Dollar Highway.
As I all too clearly remembered from a previous trip, this route is not for inexperienced RVers or drivers new to driving large rigs
or pulling trailers. The road is narrow, very steep, and sometimes the edges are straight down a thousand feet and more. In very precarious places
you swear the road-edge is crumbling away as you are looking...and sometimes it is! There are places where 2 large vehicles should
NOT meet. Some curves on sheer drop-offs show omninous skid marks ending at the road edge. 
The Million Highway Dollar stretches for about 25 miles in western Colorado and follows the route of U.S. 550 between Silverton and Ouray,
Colorado. It is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. Between Durango and Silverton the Skyway loosely parallels the Durango and
Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The last time we were through here we entered the Iron Horse -Bicycle Race between Silverton & Durango.
I damn near died on that %$#@ bike .. from now on I'm a train lover.
p.s. as I am writing the Iron Horse engine just blew it's whistle and came chugging past our campsite...here's a quick pic, best I could do with a
coffee cup in one hand, camera in the other. It makes a trip every day, so we will sign up for the next one. Today we go to lay a
wreath at the gravesite of my bicycle.
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U.S. Route 550 at the Uncompahgre Gorge
Though the entire stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it is really the twelve miles (19 km) south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre
Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass which gains the highway its name.
This stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of
guardrails. I kid you not, when driving you should keep your eyes on the road at all times! The drop is ..well, a looong way down.
The origin of the name Million Dollar Highway is disputed. There are several legends of its origin from "it cost a million dollars a mile" to build in
the 1920's to it contains "a million dollars" in gold ore in the fill dirt to a "million dollar view."
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The ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin "S" curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for
traffic- many cut directly into the sides of mountains. Travel north from Silverton to Ouray allows drivers to hug the inside of curves; travel south
from Ouray to Silverton perches drivers on the vertiginous outside edge of the highway, where stones from the edge plummet a thousand feet straight
down. Large RVs travel in both directions, which adds a degree of excitement (or danger) to people in cars.. 
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The road is kept open year-round. The snow season starts in October, and snow will often close the road in winter. Chains may be required to
drive, but we made it without any snowfall as of October 18th.
The route passes over three mountain passes:
Coal Bank Pass, elevation 10,640 ft (3,240 m). (3243 m)
Molas Pass, elevation 10,970 ft (3,340 m). (3343 m)
Red Mountain Pass, elevation 11,018 ft (3,358 m). (3358 m)
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The highway passes by Trimble Springs, hot springs that have been open for visitors since the late 19th century. We soaked in those, great
for relieving driving strain on my shoulders and neck. The highway runs north, under the Hermosa Cliffs and along the river.
Where I managed to add a sidedish to our dinner...spincasting with a tiny Mepps.
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[
It enters the San Juan National Forest and drivers pass by Engineer Mountain and Twilight Peak before crossing Coal Bank Pass. Next is Molas Pass,
which offers a panoramic view of Molas Lake, the Animas River Gorge, and Snowdon Peak.
You pass through the neat little town of Silverton, elevation 9,320 feet, surrounded by 13,000 foot elevations.
The highway leaves Silverton and proceeds up Mineral Creek Valley before ascending to Red Mountain Pass. The ruins of many mines are visible along the
way. The highway then goes through a series of steep grades and hairpin turns before reaching Lookout Point, which offers a view of the town
of Ouray..
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Coming around a high mountain curve I spied some Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep grazing quite peacefully on the
highway..literally on the highway.. eating something they liked at the pavement's edge, most likely salt residues. Luckily there was
a pullout handy and I could get some close photos of these wild creatures of the mountain heights. No full curl males in this bunch, all matures were
ewes, but a nice family going about it's businees.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Colorado's state animal. An interesting fact about Bighorns. 200 years ago, the bighorn was widespread across the
western USA, Canada, and northern Mexico. Estimates put their numbers at higher than 2 million. Hunting, disease and loss of graze due to domestic
sheep reduced those numbers quickly to just a few thousand. After WWII, hunting regulations, natural parks, reintroduction programs, and a decrease
in domesticated sheep allowed the bighorns a slow comeback, but not before a Black Hills subspecies went extinct.
The Boy Scouts of America..and in particular the Arizona Boy Scouts..launched a campaign in 1936 to save the almost extinct herd of about 150 bighorns
left in that state. It was highly successful and led to the establishment of 1,500,000 acres of bighorn game reserves and many high mountain water
holes. Maintained by a camp set up by the Scouts in their fine American tradition of conservation.
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A great scenic drive in a class of it's own. I highly recommend it
[Edited on 10-23-2009 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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estebanis
Nomad
Posts: 279
Registered: 11-11-2002
Location: Stuck North of the Border. They won\'t pay me
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Awsome!!! I am working in the Eastern Sierras this week. Pretty here but I think you may have us beat with the Big Horns!!!
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bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
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Pompano,
Nice photography and thanks for bringing back so many memories of so many weekends I enjoyed in SW Colorado. Looks like you are having a blast.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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Don't let this happen to you
Lucy decides to cook in the trailer while Ricky handles the driving. Next, we see a road sign the begining of a windy road.
As Lucy opens the cupboard to get the ingredients the door flies open and bags of flour descend upon her. They knock her to the floor. As she lays
there the rv turns the other way and the frig door on the opposite side opens and the eggs come sliding out on top of her.
The camera now shifts to Ricky who finally comes out of the mountains, pulls over, and stops to be with his newly wed wife.
This is what he sees.
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LOSARIPES
Nomad
Posts: 283
Registered: 8-14-2008
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Most beautiful pictures.... wow! thx
Aripes
God bless America
and Baja tambien
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
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Mood: Mellow
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Magnificent images Pompano!!!
carpe diem!
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Cat Bird Seat
Now that's the way to take care of your dogs.... they have the best seat in the house. They look like great traver's too.
and the photo's of Rocky's .... thanks is been a long, long time since I've seen the area.. plus you caught a few too... just great, makes one feel
good about being alive
[Edited on 10-22-2009 by wessongroup]
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by estebanis
Awsome!!! I am working in the Eastern Sierras this week. Pretty here but I think you may have us beat with the Big Horns!!! |
Steve, I think the Sierras have more beauty than we can see in a lifetime, including the eastern part. You are lucky to be working in such an
invigorating environment..kudos. I'll wager your dog loves it there, too.
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajadock
Pompano,
Nice photography and thanks for bringing back so many memories of so many weekends I enjoyed in SW Colorado. Looks like you are having a blast.
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Thanks..and Yes, we are! An adventure in every new vista, as you can recall.
| Quote: | Originally posted by soulpatch
Very cool Pompano! We are heading out to the Front Range (Loveland) in January to see if it would be a place we would like to live when I retire in 3
years. |
soulpatch, we talked to this gentlemen in the photo below about his retirement in Durango. He and his wife could not praise the area enough. He said
the winters were mild compared to other mountainous communtiies and they were glad of thier choice. A plus are a couple apple trees of his...he
gathered some Granny types for us and I reached up for some small reds...ummm..apple pies soon to come! What diet??
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Lucy decides to cook in the trailer while Ricky handles the driving. Next, we see a road sign the begining of a windy road.
As Lucy opens the cupboard to get the ingredients the door flies open and bags of flour descend upon her. They knock her to the floor. As she
lays there the rv turns the other way and the frig door on the opposite side opens and the eggs come sliding out on top of her.
The camera now shifts to Ricky who finally comes out of the mountains, pulls over, and stops to be with his newly wed wife.
This is what he sees. |
Hah! I recall that movie very well..an old favorite...The Long, Long Trailer.
What a fun wholesome film. I suppose every RVer has a similar story to tell. One of mine has to do with a favorite old rig, a Minnie Winnie 25'
motorhome..pictured below. Ahh.. we had some great travels with this old gal before putting her out to pasture some years ago.
My story: It was mid-afternoon and we were enroute to a still distant campspot for the evening. I was driving, but Nature
called..so I gave the wheel to her while I went to the rear bathroom. She drove like a pro, making good time to our camp..until some little furry
thing scurried across the road, whereupon she slammed on the brakes..HARD!
I was calmly sitting on the throne reading a fishing magazine one moment..and suddenly thrown forward onto my nose the next...then the overhead
cabinet flew open and a large HARD bottle of aftershave hit me square on the head..BONK!
She is now fully stopped.. the furry critter safe...she looks back to see my butt high in the air and my face on the floor..faintly groaning. She
stares for a moment, then bursts out laughing...... and try as I might, I could not help but join her.
We laughed like loons. We must've looked like crazed RV types to anyone passing by. What a hoot that was..the back of my head still has a dent.
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That Minnie Winnie 25 footer Class C was on of the best designs out. People liked the rear bath!! After a few years of roaming, I repainted
her Baja-style.
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Thanks for the compliment, Ken. I wish they were as good as yours, but I'll keep using that camera! It's all fun.
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wessongroup...you bet, could not live without lots of dogs around. The Maltese Brothers, Jazzy and Dexter, are indeed great
travelers and super friends. Dexter spotted a nice mule deer buck for me yesterday. Jazzy barks at Dairy Queens.
[Edited on 10-23-2009 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Bwana_John
Nomad
Posts: 288
Registered: 10-17-2007
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| Quote: |
Awsome!!! I am working in the Eastern Sierras this week. Pretty here but I think you may have us beat with the Big Horns!!!
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The eastern Sierra has Bighorn Sheep.
The crest area between Lone Pine and Independence has restrictions and closures to travel ~ 50% of the year because of them.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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Mood: undecided
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Pompano, Thanks. Looking foreward to the next chapter.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Roger- I've been salivating for the past few days after you mentioned this part of your trip, just waiting to see your photos of this area. You didn't
disappoint. Thanks for the memories. Such a beautiful part of the world.
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jimgrms
Senior Nomad
Posts: 664
Registered: 9-30-2005
Location: oceanside ca
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Mood: its always good
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Are you saying you missed Black Bear Pass , when a jeep cj has to do 2 3 point turns to make the switch back i don't blame you
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jimgrms
Are you saying you missed Black Bear Pass , when a jeep cj has to do 2 3 point turns to make the switch back i don't blame you
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Hi jimgrms,
Well, I guess we didn't quite make that detour to Telluride. I have made it down Black Bear Pass in the distant past, though. ...note I said
down, not up. I will assume you know why.
Definetely Colorados' most dangerous, but not the most fatal trail. I have an old photo somewhere of the original sign at the top.
"Tulluride 12 miles - 2 hours. You don't have to be crazy to drive this road...but it helps!"
Been there, done that. I will let you guess with which of these rigs.
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I certainly did miss Black Bear Pass on this trip. Of course it would have made history taking a 2WD 35 foot motorhome down that infamous grade,
right? We could have parked right above Bridal Viel Falls.
I am an avid Jeeper, and once drove my open air CJ 5 starting in November over (over is easy..down is hard) most of the high passes from Montana to
Arizona to Baja, but I had an advantage..I was young and dumb then. I've been to the Jeepers Jamboree when they reverse the trail for the normally
one-way only ...downhill from ...Black Bear Pass and was near there in 2004 when a Jeep slipped over the edge, fell several thousand feet, tragically
resulting in 2 deaths and 2 severely injured. Also one of my favorite CW McCall word/songs is 'Black Bear Pass.'
Still amazes me that in 1975 a couple of guys, from New Jersey of all places, did the Pass in a 1970 full-size Ford 250 2WD..go figure. I hear they
backed down around a couple spots...very nervy. I saw a Dodge 2500 4WD on that torture trail, also.
Coming down in the loose shale is really really hairy. Keep it in 4W LOW and no brakes! The big letdown of that trip is coming down into the
realization of the new yuppievilled Telluride. Opps...
All in all the most dangerous place I ever was in a Jeep was in 1993 on I-15, Salt Lake City in a late November snowstorm in my open bimini
CJ-5..caught between dozens of semi-trucks & trailers. They completely surrounded me front, back, and to the sides. Could not slow down or
speed up..I was the filling of their sandwich. I could see about 15 feet through the blowing snow. I was whiteknuckling it and mighty glad to get
out of that box alive. Give me Black Bear...or the Kyber Pass anytime. 
But not Bolivia's infamous Death Road...the North Yungas Road...which at one time averaged 200-300 deaths per year. I have seen it,
but was not crazy enough to drive it. Many adventurer drivers & bikers still try it and never come back.
[Edited on 10-23-2009 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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jimgrms
Senior Nomad
Posts: 664
Registered: 9-30-2005
Location: oceanside ca
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Mood: its always good
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the time i did it i did had sweaty palms and my girlfriend got out and walked the entire distance . it is a scary trail
enjoy your trip
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Mood: Happy!
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Thanks for the pics and story! We'll have to go that route next time---we took the southern Colorado route, Walsenberg to Durango, last summer on our
way to Oregon and then Baja...my first time in Colorado and I was impressed! Beautiful state...
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Bwana_John
Nomad
Posts: 288
Registered: 10-17-2007
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| Quote: |
"Tulluride 12 miles - 2 hours. You don't have to be crazy to drive this road...but it helps!"
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Marylizabeth drew a picture of the road, looked like a hole bunch of Zs and Ws all strung together.
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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What a ride amigo, what a ride!
Iflyfish
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Excellent pictures and stories, thanks.
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
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Mood: Sling time!
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Roger - i did that road on my HD FXST several times during the 4 corners MC rally in the 90s. what a time!
did you stop and soak in the public hot springs at Ouray?
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by capt. mike
Roger - i did that road on my HD FXST several times during the 4 corners MC rally in the 90s. what a time!
did you stop and soak in the public hot springs at Ouray? |
Hi Mike..yup, we sure did soak at Ouray. One of the most scenic hot springs in creation. A little old, but clean and in 'relatively' good condition.
( like a few of us) My co-pilot brought up the fact that I had mistaken the ladies dressing room next to the pool for the men's room. I told her
that was no mistake.
Also soaked in Durango at Trimble Hot Springs and got a super-great massage. Wish it was not so far from Coyote.
Motorcycles! Your 4 corners ride. I flew the Ouray-Silverton highway on my Vulcan back in the day, too. Finest kind.
My late great Coyote neighbor, Jake, did the 4 Corners five times on his BMW. He would rocket and not stop for hours! As he whizzed by me in North
Dakota coming from Maine wide-open for Seattle, I'd slingshot a jelly bean into his mouth for a snack. Had to lead him about 100 feet...
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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