One Drive in a Million: A Mile-by-Mile guide to Southwest Colorado's San Juan Skyway and Million Dollar Highway

Оглавление

Branson R. Reynolds Reynolds. One Drive in a Million: A Mile-by-Mile guide to Southwest Colorado's San Juan Skyway and Million Dollar Highway

Introduction

Using this Guide

Road Designations

The Drive

Following the Skyway. Durango to Silverton

Silverton to Ouray

Ouray to Ridgeway. From Ouray, the Skyway continues north on U.5.Highway #550 towards Ridgway

Ridgway to Placerville

Placerville to Telluride

Telluride to Rico and Dolores

Dolores to Cortez--Official Route

Cortez towards Mancos and Durango. From Cortez, the Skyway continues east on Hwy. #160 towards Mancos and Durango

U.S Hwy #160: Mancos to Durango

Appendix. Altitude Sickness

Clothing Suggestions

Camping

National Forest Campgrounds

Useful Telephone #’s

Отрывок из книги

Scenic view of San Juans

One of the most spectacular drives in North America, the San Juan Skyway is a 236 mile loop which winds through forests of aspen and pine, over high passes with stunning panoramic views of mountain ranges exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation, through historic mining towns which played important roles in the colorful history of Southwest Colorado, and past the World Heritage Site of Mesa Verde.

.....

To the first Spanish explorers who visited this area, possibly as early as Coronado's expedition in 1540, they were known as the "Sierra Madres", the "Mother Mountains". Today the magnificent ranges of the La Platas, the Needles, the San Miguels, the Wilsons, and the Grenadiers, all merge before you into the heart of the San Juan Mountains. The majesty and beauty of these mountains is so great that they were originally proposed as the site for Rocky Mountain National Park, later located north of Denver. The number of private land holdings in the form of old mining claims prevented national park status, but the awesome beauty remains.

With time, the deserted towns and mines have become a part of the landscape. Animas Forks, Guston, Red Mountain City, Alta, the North Star, Silver Ledge and the Yankee Girl sit abandoned but full of nostalgia as they decay amidst some of the most stunning mountain scenery in North America.

.....