Yesterday was my bucket list item - to go back and visit Lake City. We spent 7 weeks camping in that town 5 years ago, had many great memories (some pretty scary - the Alpine Loop) but I wanted to see if anything had changed. And no, it had not. Just a cute little mining town, founded in 1874 with the opening of the Hotchkiss Lode mine. Tourism sustained Lake City after the mining subsided, making Lake City one of the few mining boom towns that did not end as a ghost town. So many of the old buildings have new life with shops, museums, restaurants, cabins for rent. Loved Lake City.
Our drive from our cabin up over the Spring Creek Pass (Continental Divide) reminded us of our trek up into the mountain. We said, maybe if we would have had a goat to carry our stuff, would have made it a bit easier. Just kidding. But there are outfitters that do rent goats for backpacking purposes. Hence the name for our car - Goat - since it carries our supplies around for us.
Passed over the Divide and continued through the valley and up and over Slumgullion Pass. We passed some huge RVs, pulling cars or ATVs behind them and we said - good luck. Been there, done that. When we left Lake City back 5 years ago, Dave drove the RV and I drove the car, stopping at Spring Creek Pass to hookup together. Thank Goodness! Saw so much devastation from the beetle bark infestation but the good news - saw so many tiny evergreens starting up.
Stopped to take in the magnificent views, then stopped at Windy Point Overlook which describes the slumgullion earth flow. About 700 years ago the Mesa Seco collapsed into the Lake Fork Valley and created the four mile Slumgullion Slide, named for its coloring similar to the stew favored by miners. The slide dammed the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, creating Lake San Cristobal. About 400 years later, a second six mile earth flow began and continues today with a yearly flow of 3 to 20 feet a year.
We walked around town, Dave went one way to take photos, I went another looking for a t-shirt souvenir. At an elevation of 8,661, about 400 people reside full time. But, the town is busy year round. Summers are crazy with people driving the Alpine Loop, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, boating, camping. You name it. Winter has ice climbing (100 foot wall of ice in town) snowmobiling, sledding, ice fishing, etc. Festivals are numerous even into winter. Lake City is known as the most remote city of the lower 48 states. Five 14er's (mountains over 14,000 feet) and three 13er's surround the city so no matter what direction you look, there are snow capped mountains.
Lake San Cristobal is 2 miles wide in some spots and 89 feet deep. A big big lake. We drove a tidge of the beginning of the Alpine Loop to the end of the lake and took some pictures and while there, Dave spotted a beaver swimming around. Five years ago we watched moose eat the greenery in this area. No luck this time.
Coming back from the end of the lake, we said that the homes built on the lake are right in the path of the slumgullion slide, wonder how their insurance handles that? Especially if the slide is moving up to 20 feet a year!
Left Lake City and climbed back up the Slumgullion Pass back to the cabin, we stopped at the North Clear Creek Falls which is considered to be the most photographed waterfall in Colorado. Nice visit to Creede and Lake City. Elevation is a factor, but once you get acclimated, no problems.
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