Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

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Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:17 pm

Since we got into the area kind of late on Friday, we took it easy and ran the Pomeroy Lakes Trail with a side trip to the top of the Mary Murphy Mine. After some dinner we ran up the Mt. Princeton Trail to the cabin on the Colorado Trail hiking route. I didn’t take any photos, and all I have to say is that the narrow ledge running along the avalanche shoot towards the top scared the crap out of me in the dark.


On Saturday re ran Williams Pass, The Alpine Tunnel Road, Hancock Pass and then The Grizzly Lake Trail. We camped at the lake for the night and had the place to ourselves.

On Sunday we retuned back down to Hancock Road then ran Iron Chest followed by the Baldwin Lake Trail.





Driving towards the St. Elmo Area with Mt. Princeton in the background

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One of the Mary Murphy Mine buildings that you can see from the Hancock Road before heading up to the Pomeroy Lakes 4x4 road. I think this is the old bunk house.

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The 4x4 road to the top part of the Mary Murphy Mine. It’s not hard, just a narrow shelf road that winds up the mountain.

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One of the old buildings towards the top of the mining complex.

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A couple of the old mine shafts which are now blocked.

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What’s left of some of the tracks they used to cart to gold ore from mine shaft before unloading them on to an aerial tramway and down the mountain.

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What’s left of the aerial tramway.

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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:17 pm

Obligatory Jeep poser shot. Adrian did try to nose up the road in the background but lost the front end and about slid off the side. It probably goes to the very of the mine and maybe even goes over the top to the Iron Chest Mine.

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Heading back down the shelf road to the main trail.

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A landscape view on the way towards the lake. Unfortunately I left the camera in the Jeep when we hiked down to the lake to fish and was too lazy to go get it.

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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:18 pm

On Saturday morning we drove up the beginning of Hancock Pass and then took Williams Pass over to the Alpine Tunnel Road. William’s Pass is only open from August 1st through August 31st each year to help preserve the wet peat bog in the valley about midway on the trail.



Panoramic view on the way up William’s Pass.

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Winding through the brush on the top of William’s Pass.

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The last section of William’s Pass. You can see the Alpine Tunnel Road (actually an old railroad) to the far right of the picture.

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Panoramic view taken from the Alpine Tunnel Road.

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Looking back down the Alpine Tunnel Road. Towards the end of shelf road about in the middle of the picture you can see the palisades. This was an are where they had to build the railroad vs. blasting the side of the mountain.

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The Western Union Telegraph and cable office near the beginning of the Alpine Tunnel. The actual 1,700 foot long tunnel was closed (the entrances blown up) years ago but some of the old railroad structures at the east portal have been restored.

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After visiting the tunnel we headed back over to St. Elmo via Hancock Pass. I only took one decent picture on Hancock Pass because it rained/hailed on us the whole way down.

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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:18 pm

After Hancock Pass we ran the Grizzly Lake Trail. I didn’t take any pictures of the trail except this one at the beginning of the narrow rocky shelf road.

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We camped at the lake for the night. Not a bad tent view.

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View of the lake from our campsite.

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Another campsite view. This was probably one of the nicest places I’ve ever camped.

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One more shot of the lake that I took first thing in the morning.

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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:19 pm

After running back down the Grizzly Lake Trail we header for the Iron Chest Trail and hooked up with 3 more JKs and a TJ.




Going up the infamous rock garden at the start of the trail.

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The start of the long shelf road towards the end of the trail.

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Looking back down the shelf road.

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Panorama from Iron Chest Mine.

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The view from the drivers seat on the way back down the shelf road.

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Coming back down the rock garden.

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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:19 pm

After finishing Iron Chest we headed up towards Baldwin Lake and found an old open mine shaft with some great views via a spur road.



The mine shaft.


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Mine tailings with Mt. Antero in the background.

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Looking down at Baldwin Lake.

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Heading back down the trail.

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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby dailydriver » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:00 pm

Amazing pictures once again Alec. I always look forward to pictures of your trips. 8)
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby The Other Rob » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:11 pm

I've said it before, I'm sure I'll say it again...


You SUCK..!!! :lol:
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Seth » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:22 pm

Fantastic pictures. Looks like some fun wheeling as well.
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Bellvis » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:15 pm

Gorgeous pictures Alec. Your trip pictures always makes me want to move to CO.

Is that Red Stripe in a can? :duh:
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby The Other Rob » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:23 pm

Bellvis wrote:Gorgeous pictures Alec. Your trip pictures always makes me want to move to CO.


You should visit there sometime and then have him start posting these pics up and reminding you how great that place really is.. Except for that one little snot nosed bitch in Breckenridge that JUMPED out in front of me at a crosswalk and started yelling "frell YOU HUMMER".. :x
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Mark » Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:32 am

Yet another incredible weekend 8)
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Alec W » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:24 am

Bellvis wrote:Is that Red Stripe in a can? :duh:

Why yes, it is red stripe in a can. I always take cans camping, they take up less trash space :yup:
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby 08H3 » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:50 am

Very nice pictures!
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Re: Exploring the St. Elmo Area in Colorado

Postby Rich » Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:07 pm

I swear they should just make CO one huge National park!
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