Durango to Montrose on the MIllion Dollar Highway (550)

Time to leave Durango and travel up route 550 the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway also known as the Million Dollar Highway.  The origin of the name Million Dollar Highway is disputed. Some say it cost a million dollars a mile to build in the 1920s, and others say that its fill dirt contains a million dollars in gold ore.  Then of course there are the million dollar views.

 

It rained in Durango the night before so I expect we will see some snow along the way

Some Peaks come into view

and so does some snow

and some more snow, but the sky is getting bluer

We reach Molas Pass at 10, 910 feet in elevation

Tucson is loving the snow

We continue on.  Gary is asking what I was thinking bringing him up this road

 

A tunnel or Avalanche Chute overpass

 The first town we hit is Silverton

Since the train isn't running to here yet, there isn't much going on so we do a drive on by

The worst of the drive is from Silverton to Ouray.  It passes through the Uncompahgre Gorge.   The stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it has steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and no guardrails.

 the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains.

I don't think I'd have Gary drive the 5th wheel going south on this road.

It's a long and winding road for sure

Here's a couple of videos if you want to ride along

We reach Ouray without falling off the mountain

We stop at the hill above town to try the Box Canyon Trail

It's also home to an ice climbing park 

 A view of our home from a distance

 

Tucson stops to look for Chipmunks

First we take the hike up to the bridge above the Falls

It's a rugged trail

But the view down to the Canyon is worth it

We see a tunnel at the end of the bridge and go to investigate.

Go towards the light!

The trail doesn't look so appealing to us, so we turn back

You got to blame someone!

It's a much easier hike.

 

The waterfalls formed when the rushing waters of Canyon Creek eroded a deep and narrow box canyon through fault weakened limestone. 

The water comes down the falls at thousands of gallons a minute.  The Sound is deafening

 There is some old mining equipment below

 

 We drive through town

Next stop is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park