High Country Drive to the Ghost Mining Town of Turret, Colorado
- Thread starter WLDRIDE
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OP
It's up in the mountains between Salida and Buena Vista, both small towns in south central Colorado.
Nordic
TJ Enthusiast
There's actually a fairly large network of trails back there, we stopped at a Jeep shop in Salida, where the owner gave us a map and told us what to watch out for:
You could spend a whole day traveling around there; we didn't even get close to seeing it all. We took 173 which was really fairly gnarly, a bunch of tight switchbacks to begin with followed by some big rocks, and you're coming down a mountain. "The Crater" is appearently super tough if there's any sort of snow, he told us not to go near there.
Another thing he told us was to not engage with the locals, as they're not very friendly, which was pretty evident by the amount of "no trespassing" and "private property" signs. Near Turret there's an abandoned Quartz mine which is very cool, and through it there's a steep but easy hill climb with a great view at the top, I vaguely remember seeing the Maroon Bells in the distance but that might've been somewhere else.
You could spend a whole day traveling around there; we didn't even get close to seeing it all. We took 173 which was really fairly gnarly, a bunch of tight switchbacks to begin with followed by some big rocks, and you're coming down a mountain. "The Crater" is appearently super tough if there's any sort of snow, he told us not to go near there.
Another thing he told us was to not engage with the locals, as they're not very friendly, which was pretty evident by the amount of "no trespassing" and "private property" signs. Near Turret there's an abandoned Quartz mine which is very cool, and through it there's a steep but easy hill climb with a great view at the top, I vaguely remember seeing the Maroon Bells in the distance but that might've been somewhere else.
Nordic
TJ Enthusiast
Also, I think 173 might be closed off if it's off season, as the tight, off camber switchbacks on the North side of the mountain + snow and ice = not a fun time.
OP
I remember slowly rolling through Idaho Springs in a clearly marked work truck trying to find an address and being heckled by a small group of people hanging out in the front porch. It made me wonder what they say to the tourists.
That surprises me given that they have the Hot Springs, multiple "fun runs", Mine tours and the Gold Mill. Tourism is the only thing keeping that town afloat.
OP
In 2018, Vogue Magazine ran an article titled "9 U.S. Destinations to Visit in 2019." Guess which town was number one on the list. Yup, my little town, Salida, Colorado.
BUT, we also have a lot of folks living up higher in the mountains around us that are there because they want to be completely off the grid... even socially/relationally. Hence all of the "Private Property" and "No Trespassing" signs.
People also post those signs because tens of thousands of people come to Colorado every fall/winter to hunt elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lion, etc. And some of them make really bad choices and do really stupid stuff. (Present company excluded, of course.)
BUT, we also have a lot of folks living up higher in the mountains around us that are there because they want to be completely off the grid... even socially/relationally. Hence all of the "Private Property" and "No Trespassing" signs.
People also post those signs because tens of thousands of people come to Colorado every fall/winter to hunt elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lion, etc. And some of them make really bad choices and do really stupid stuff. (Present company excluded, of course.)
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OP
We moved here in 2005 and I still pinch myself every day to be sure I'm not dreaming.
The first time I saw the Rockies was when the fog rolled back one morning just outside of Silverton.
I could not stop the tears. I was amazed.
My hat is off to the brave souls who settled the west.
I could not stop the tears. I was amazed.
My hat is off to the brave souls who settled the west.
OP
Silverton is spectacular. My son and I just did a hike up to Ice Lake a couple months ago.
