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Red Mountain, Idarado Mine, Silverton, and Durango, Colorado
By PK | July 16, 2008
Continuing on our journey, we traveled south on Hwy 550 through the Red Mountains, toward Silverton and Durango, Colorado.
Red Mountain is a set of three peaks in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado in the United States, about 5 miles south of Ouray. The mountains get their name from the reddish iron ore rocks that cover the surface, and are the only peaks in the area with such an appearance. I was totally amazed by these mountains, never having seen mountains with a red tint to the rock.
Red Mountain Pass, elevation 11,018 ft., is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado in the United States.
The pass straddles a divide that separates Ouray and San Juan counties. The pass is named for the nearby Red Mountain 1, 2 and, 3 on the northeast side of the pass. The name is derived from the iron oxide laden rock that forms their slopes. Many experienced skiers dare the slopes and snowshoe to the top and ski down, a dangerous feat.
The pass is known for being treacherous in the wintertime due to the steep 8% grade (slope) on the north side facing Ouray, though the entire road is paved. At times, (while driving) you may look out your window, if you’re cliffside, and see no road but only the valley 1,000 plus feet below you. Many switchbacks and tight spots add to the difficulty. Roadside monuments mark where cars, trucks, semis and snowplows have plunged off the road, resulting in death.
Click to continue and see the pictures…
The Idarado Mine was a gold mining operation in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The remains of the operation are visible from the Million Dollar Highway, north of Red Mountain Pass. The tunnels of the Idarado extend some 5 miles west under 13,000 foot mountains to the Pandora Mill near Telluride, a trip of more than 60 miles by highway.
Since 1860, Silverton has been all about three words. Stake your claim.
While Silverton was known for it’s silver mines, it was also known for it’s notorious Blair Street, where miners were often separated from his money. Click on the links to read more about the mines and Blair Street. There’s lots to do in the small town of Silverton. Click on this link to learn more.
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad offer year round scenic trips between Silverton and Durango. You can relive history on board a historical train pulled by a steam locomotive. Click on the link to learn more about this awesome train.
Durango is named after Durango, Mexico. The word Durango originates from the Basque word “Urango” meaning “water town”.
Durango is nestled in the Animas River Valley surrounded by the San Juan Mountains. The Animas River - El Río de las Animas Perdidas or the River of Lost Souls - runs through downtown and boasts gold medal fly fishing waters and is very popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Durango is an outdoor activity paradise - Hiking, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, off-roading, year-round fishing, kayaking, rafting and golfing - to name just a few.
We found downtown in full swing in this town of approximately 15,000.
Built in 1892, The Rochester Hotel is an authentically restored late-Victorian hotel with the charm and luxury of the Old West. The hotel is decorated in an Old West motif, furnished with Victorian antiques and inspired by the many Western movies filmed in and around Durango, Colorado.
Durango has a few ghosts as well… It’s been reported that railroad employees tending coaches overnight heard children running and screaming, but when the employees reached the coaches, no one was there.
About twice a year, a woman can be seen dressed in Victorian period clothes, or little clothes at all in Room 204 in a certain Victorian hotel. Read more ghost stories in Durango here.
Look for the conclusion of our travels as continue our way through Wolf Creek Pass, the Continental Divide, buffalo in the plains east of the Rio Grande National Forest, Mt. Elbert - the tallest of the Rockies, and the Collegiate Mountains - Mt. Harvard, Mt. Yale, and Mt. Princeton.
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Topics: "Post Cards From the West", Colorado |
8 Responses to “Red Mountain, Idarado Mine, Silverton, and Durango, Colorado”
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July 17th, 2008 at 12:31 am
It’s a long adventure!
you hnow what? I want to experience
same adventure1 i’m sure it’s exiting! your picture are relly good!
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July 17th, 2008 at 2:46 am
You should go to Sedona AZ! There the rocks are red also! Pretty awesome the first time we happened upon them. Don’t know if we ever asked Why tho..
July 17th, 2008 at 4:36 am
I lived in Glendale, AZ briefly when I was young and beautiful…lol I do like the scenery in AZ and NM. One favorite spot I always saw when passing through AZ on I-40 was Two Guns, Arizona. I thought it had the coolest name, but the only thing I could see that passed for a town was the ruins of a missionary and a few houses. Guess those ‘two guns’ took each other out!
July 18th, 2008 at 10:48 am
[...] Red Mountain, Idarado Mine, Silverton, and Durango, Colorado [...]
July 18th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Durango doesn’t seemed to have changed much since I was there 24 years ago! When I was a kid we went there almost every summer, and a couple of christmases also. I loved that town. Haven’t been there since I was 12 though. I want to go back and show my sons how beautiful it is! Thanks for sharing!
July 19th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Thank you for visiting. It was my first time there so I can’t compare it to how it used to be. I know it was very busy the weekend we were there. Reminded me a lot of downtown Steamboat. Your welcome…stop by anytime. We’re always open!
July 29th, 2008 at 11:08 am
As Durangoans, we have such fun taking visitors (we seem to have more since we moved here!) down the same stretch of road and through the same landmarks you show here. It’s such a breath taking area- we never tire of it!
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