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Wolf Creek Pass, Continental Divide, the Tallest of the Rockies
By PK | July 18, 2008
Our last part of this journey from Steamboat Springs, Co to Durango, and then an alternate route home. If you you’d like to start at the beginning, you can read part one - Craig, CO, part two - Passing Through Meeker, CO, part three - Grand Mesa, CO, and part four - Red Mountain, Idarado Mine, Silverton and Durango, CO.
This part of our journey will include Bear Creek Pass, Chimney Rock, buffalo on the desert plains, Pat Parelli Training Center, Pagosa Springs, the Continental Divide, and the tallest of the Rocky Mountains. So get relaxed and comfy, grab a cup of coffee, and allow your imagination to take you to these places…
We left Durango on Route 160 and headed east. My first discovery was Chimney Rock. I didn’t know it had a name, to me it was an unusual rock formation like all the others I’d photographed. Chimney Rock is located in the San Juan National Forest and is designated an Archaeological Area and National Historic Site. It lies on 4100 acres of land, surrounded by Southern Ute Indian Reservation. This site was home to the Pueblo Indians over a thousand years ago and is of great spiritual significance to these tribes. To read more about Chimney Rock and the Tribes…go here.
As we got close to Pagosa Springs, we spotted this sign and had to turn around and get a better look. Though not my favorite horse trainer, I do occasionally, when I have the opportunity, watch his shows. His show airs on RFD-TV on satellite. To learn more about this skilled horseman, click here.
Pat Parelli’s Study Center
Pagosa Springs, Colorado is like all the other western towns. If you take away the modern structured buildings, the cars and lampposts, you’d feel like you stepped back in time. Even newer buildings are built to resemble the old western store fronts from years gone by.
A modern building built to resemble how the west once looked. I love it!
Well, I won’t need to create another map as this one aptly lists where we were and gives you additional information on surrounding places to visit. At this spot (YOU ARE HERE) were gorgeous views of the valley down below. At this point we were headed up Wolf Creek Pass.
When traveling in the wilderness, you always love to see wildlife, no matter how big or small. They seem adorable and everyone’s first response is to feed them, like someone did this chipmunk. But, PLEASE, don’t feed the wildlife. They easily become dependent on humans for food which could alter their very existence.
Along Hwy 160 we crossed the Continental Divide. For those of you who wasn’t paying attention in history class, ( HEADS UP!!!) the Continental Divide is an elevated line that divides the flow of water between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail runs 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states - Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. I seriously hope Dalton doesn’t want to hike this one!!!
An unusual tunnel through Bear Creek Pass…
After we went through Bear Creek Pass, in which we didn’t see any bears, we continued north east/east on Hwy 160 until we reached the county road Hwy 112 that joined with Hwy 285 north, then Hwy 24 north on the east side of the Rockies. The land changed drastically along Hwy 112 and Hwy 285 as we were only about 25 miles from the Great Sand Dunes. (You can’t see Hwy 112 on the map, but it cuts off traveling time between Route 160 and Hwy 285)
The surrounding countryside was dry, crops had to be irrigated to survive, and the lack of rain was evident. These buffalo sure look like they could use some green grass and water, as they shed their winter coat in the hot, baking sun.
After I moved here, I was amazed to see farmers and ranchers storing their hay outside. The humidity in most parts are low as is the level of rain.
Most crops are irrigated or would dry up to absolutely NOTHING….
as you can see in this picture. Dry, arid, sandy, almost to the point of being wasteland. Ah…but we getting closer to the Rockies as seen in the background. I couldn’t wait, this place was uninspiring!
The section of Hwy 24 between Buena Vista, Colorado and Leadville, Colorado is called Collegiate Peaks Scenic Highway and Top of the Rockies Scenic Highway. Along this road you can view Mount Princeton, Mount Harvard, Mount Yale, and the tallest of the Rockies, Mount Elbert, Colorado’s famous fourteeners. The turn-off to Independence Pass, numerous old mines and ghost towns can be found along this stretch of the road.
Mt. Princeton
Mt. Yale
Mt. Harvard
And the greatest of them all…Mt. Elbert
From this point the camera went off and we headed back to Steamboat asap. I hope you enjoyed this journey with us and hope it was worth my effort to make Dalton continually stop the truck so I could take pictures along the way.
Our next grand adventure is Hiking Rabbit Ear’s, which we did last evening. (My top header is of Rabbit Ear’s Mountain, and I stood right beside it’s towering twin pinnacles.) I hope you’ll be back to see the video and pictures of this awesome hike. You can click on this link and read my previous article on Rabbit Ear’s Mountain Range. Until then, happy hiking!
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Topics: "Post Cards From the West", Colorado, Hiking, Camping, Fishing, |
4 Responses to “Wolf Creek Pass, Continental Divide, the Tallest of the Rockies”
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July 18th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Great blog. I went to Teleride when I was younger and would love to see the rest of Colorado. Great pics and happy trails!
July 19th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I’m new to Colorado, so I’m enjoying exploring for the first time. I hope everyone benefits through this blog so they too can see Colorado through my eyes. Thanks for visiting!
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December 15th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
It Has Great ResourcesGreat Job, Keep up the good work