After a slow morning and a good breakfast at our motel in Montrose, we met up with Jim and Mary and headed for Durango. We took the San Juan Skyway through the mountains and it is one of the three best drives I have ever taken! The drive climbed slowly from Ridgway until we got to Ouray. From there it climbed very steeply, gaining 4,000 feet to the top of Red Mountain pass at 11,018 feet. Extremely sharp switchbacks and huge drop-offs with NO guardrails! As we got higher the aspen trees were a carpet of yellow. .
At every turn the views got better
Makes you want to plant a field of aspen trees
Red Mountain Pass
They seemed to be on fire. Just magnificent!
The entire trip was one of 'oh wow'
Old couple enjoying the view
Road had so many switchbacks it was hard to take in all the beauty.....well at least for the guys driving.
Then down about 3,000 feet into Silverton and then back up over two passes just under 11,000 feet. Then down and down to Durango at about 6,500 feet. I pictured Durango as a small western town but it is actually quite large with a lot of traffic. Tomorrow we catch the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge RR for an all day trip back up to Silverton. This train has been running since I was a kid. Can't wait
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