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C to C 2020
Day 4 - Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Black Bear Pass, Tomboy townsite, Imogene Pass

Today we'll check off another big list item - the Tomboy townsite / mill. There's very little standing though there is a lot of downed material to check out. While you can scroll through the whole page, you may also jump to a specific section: 0) Web page start 1) Start the Black Bear Pass trail 2) Start dropping down the zig-zag's 3) Start Imogene Pass trail 4) Tomboy Townsite 5) Imogene Pass

We made an unexpected jump up to Ridgeway and this quick 60MPH trek doubled the days miles in but a short bit for what took most of the day to process. The highway was less interesting.

Black Bear Pass trail and Imogene Pass trail highlighted. Tomboy townsite circled.

Heading south to the Black Bear trailhead at US-550.

Info sign Reclaiming The Land

Info sign The Idarado Mine

Info sign The Heart of the Red Mountains

Info sign The Silverton Railroad

Info sign The Yankee Girl

Info sign Boom Towns

Right along the highway, this is a well photographed structure

On the Black Bear Pass trail

Panorama Click for a larger view

The tan fan on the mountainside - this with some wooden structures falling apart. Two pictures up, this is right of center in the picture.

Telluride at the bottom, near, with the airport more distant.

Cables still hang above - moving ore from mines up in the hills to the mills lower down - or perhaps over the ridge to Tomboy???

At / near the spot where Black Bear gets its reputation of a trail where one needs to mind their P's & Q's. No passenger side photos here.

Down at the first switchback.

A first view of the powerhouse

A highly photographed structure

and I'll keep up the click count.

A large tailings pile - a lot of work.

See the people out for a walk on a mountain path?  The first person (at the left) is looking to rock climb.

Some green dots to highlight the people.

We didn't spend much time in town as Tomboy was the goal. We're at the start of the Imogene Pass trail at the Telluride end. Some rain is working through the area (no heavy thunderstorm - fortunately).

Looking across the valley to the Black Bear switchbacks, the powerhouse, and bridal veil falls.

Rain visible "over there"

Up at Tomboy townsite

What was stored here? The wooden building around it is long gone but the foundation remains. This has two levels. There is no connection between the levels. The doorway to the upper level must have been at this open area. The roof was created using railroad rail for strength. The bottom level has one doorway of its own.  Items of value were stored here - gold and silver, sure. What about explosives? Would they be kept locked up?

Lower level doorway with a steel frame

We wanted to visit this other valley, we had some time, but there was a locked gate on the access road.

The effort to haul the timbers, machinery, and concrete up to then begin building the structures. Impressive.

This looks to have been a one or two boiler building.

Then there was this other building - more boilers

Railroad ties - just after a switch / Y

A four foot diameter wheel for a cable.

The center hub of the wheel is still here.

Might this be an auger to push fuel into a firebox?  Coal perhaps?

I can't figure out what this rectangular area is for - might it have been a water pool for the nearby boiler?

Hmmm - fenced off depression - a mine shaft that's not fully stable and sealed. Footings near the depression - perhaps a headlift

We have left the townsite and are heading up towards Imogene Pass

The road we came up

Up top

Near the pass is an overlook area that has nice easterly views

So let's make a nice panorama picture! The clouds will treat us to nice lighting of the Red Mountains Panorama Click for a MUCH larger size

This panorama is made from the same images as the above - though it focuses to the Red Mountains Panorama Click for a larger size

See the zig-zag to the far right - we came down that yesterday afternoon.

A bit closer view of it Corkscrew Pass

Upper Camp Bird Mine - we'll make a visit and peek into an adit

Looking into the Upper Camp Bird mine

Down below timberline

C is taking the Box Canyon falls walk. I noticed some white structures on the mountainside across the valley (up / east from Ouray). Chief Ouray mine.

Heading back to camp (and it's already set up!)

General fire ban in effect for wood / charcoal fires. Cooking devices with an on/off switch are allowed. About the best we can do to substitute the classic wood camptire.