Siverthread Scenic Byway

I guess I didn't publish this post and will do it now.

The population in Creede is 409 but increases once summer and the tourists arrives. Mountain Views RV Park, where we are staying, has 97 RV spaces and cabins primarily filled with seasonal people from Texas and Louisiana that are friendly and fun.

By the way, the mouse is gone. Mothballs did the job. He left so fast that he forgot to pick up his cheese as he ran by the trap.

Not a bad view from our campground

The park amenities and great WIFI were greatly appreciated after dry camping for a week or two.  

We decided to take the 52 mile drive to Lake City. We knew we would never haul our trailer there with the steep winding roads and crazy wind that blows.

Our first stop along the way in former San Juan City the gateway to Stoney Pass. Wagons would haul basic goods and mining supplies from Del Norte to Silverton thru San Juan City until the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad was finished and the need for a rest stop was not needed.

As we were overlooking the valley, we heard a huge flock of geese coming before we could see them as they landed in the pond. 

South Clear Creek Waterfalls was our next stop.

Weminuche, Colorado's largest wilderness at 499,771 acres formed in 1972 and named after a band of the Ute tribe.  Just standing and looking over the vast beauty was amazing.

North Clear Creek Falls 100ft drop

Views from Windy Point overlooking Lake City at 11,000 feet.

 Windy Point Overlook offers spectacular views of the San Juan Mountains including Wetterhorn Peak (14,015 ft) and Uncompahgre Peak (14,309 ft).



Lake City's namesake was formed hundreds of years ago by a rare natural earthflow called the Slumgullion Slide, which blocked the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.  Lake San Cristobal is the second-largest natural lake in Colorado.

The day was so calm that the water was like glass causing great reflections.

We had stopped at Southern Vittles for lunch and left after a few bites. That hasn't happened before. Yes, we paid. Then, we went to the little grocery store and had them make a sandwich and pie to have a picnic by the lake. A much better choice.

We got a kick out of the little ski hill which reminded us of where we learned to ski.

The Lake City Ski Hill is operated by the Town of Lake City.  A 1000 ft. platter lift carries you to the top of four runs. We learned on rope tows back in the day.

Now about Alfred Packard

We had to stop by the Alfred Packard Massacre site. He was an American prospector who confessed to cannibalism during the winter of 1874. He and five other men attempted to travel through the high mountains of Colorado during the peak of a harsh winter. When only Alfred reached civilization, he claimed that the others had killed each other for food, and confessed to having lived off the flesh of his companions during his snowbound state and to having used it to survive his trek out of the mountains two months later. After his story was called into question, he hid from justice for nine years before being tried, convicted of murder, and sent to prison in Canon City.

This really was the wild west with some characters.