Chaco Culture National Historical Park

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Chaco Culture 

Morgan Holt, a good friend of mine, suggested we make room for a side trip and pay a visit to an extraordinary part of the four corners countryside - Chaco Canyon. Off the beaten path...in fact way off the beaten path... at the end of a 20-mile dirt road, you will come across Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Although it wasn't on our List of 40 Parks, Chaco proved to be everything Morgan said it would be.

Fajada Butte

As you enter the Canyon, Fajada Butte stands guard of the many ancient ruins that are found within the Canyon boundaries.

Chacoan Ruins

The Chacoan people spent 300 years constructing the many structures present in the canyon. Their culture began to blossom in the mid-800's and, like the Anasazi, abandoned their architectural achievements somewhere around the late 1100's to early 1200's.

Stairway to the Bluffs

According to our Ranger Guide, G. B. Cornicopia, (I'm not making this up. That was what was imprinted on his name badge!) All of the structures in Chaco Canyon were built according to a "Master Plan", some over a period of 300 years! It is estimated that construction of Pueblo Bonito, the most significant of all structures in Chaco Canyon, begun around 850 A.D. and lasted until around 1150 A.D.

The average lifespan of a Chacoan was about 35-40 years. This means it took 7 generations of Chacoans to complete these remarkable structures. Now that requires some pretty fancy planning and strict discipline! How do you keep 7 generations of teenage Chacoans focused on these huge masonry projects without finding them wandering off into the weeds?

Victory Room

The Chacoans were very skilled masons and incorporated several masonry patterns during the many phases of construction. It is unknown exactly what purpose the many rooms were used for. Darker thinkers theorize they served as dungeons. The lighter side suggest the rooms were used for storage. C.B. didn't offer up his opinion. He allowed us to choose whichever side fit our individual personalities!

Great Kiva at Chetro Ketl

Anything circular has been labeled "Kiva", according to G.B. However, not all Kiva's served the same purpose. Typically, a Kiva was a place to conduct sacred ceremony. Yet many of the Kiva's here at Chaco, appeared to be residences.

Kiva Condos

Although we'll never know, these Kiva's may have been timeshared out by the Chacoans! G.B. had an answer for every question. "We're really not certain what was going on back then! Most all that archeologists and historians have come up with is pure speculation." So there you go! My theory is as valid as any!

Vigas

The exposed log you see here is called a "viga" and served as the main beam support for the roofs and upper story floor construction. Although there is not a forest to be found anywhere near Chaco Canyon, somehow, these industrious natives hauled in an estimated 225,000 trees that were to be used in their construction projects.

And since they did not have horse or wagon back then, these peoples lugged the logs across many miles of the desert landscape on their shoulders. (At least that's how I believe they got the wood to the construction site.)

Thick walls of Chetro Kelt

Wall thickness varied depending upon its position in the structure. Lower supporting walls were up to 30" thick. The walls tapered off in thickness as the structures gained elevation.

Pueblo Bonito Rubble

In 1940ish, a large section of the bluffs immediately behind Pueblo Bonito gave way and came crashing down upon the ruins. Knowing the large slab was teetering and about to fall, the Park Service hired a Photographer to memorialize the event. During the day the slab was to finally come crashing down, the Photographer had been roaming about the Canyon snapping pix of the Ruins and had used up his supply of film. Consequently, at the exact moment the huge slab came cascading down, the Photographer was inside the Curios Shop buying film!

Intriguing Masonry

Having once been a quasi-mason myself back in my Rainforest Construction days, I truly came to appreciate the craftsmanship of the Chacoans. Their patterns and precision was incredible considering they did not have a Rock Yard to buy their supplies. Everything was hand made! The mortar hand mixed. Which, by the way, fascinated me even more. The creek bed running thru Chaco Canyon is dry most of the year. So where the heck did they get the water in which to mix their mud? Perhaps they hauled it back from the forest where they got their trees!

Multi Stories

Another point of fascination for me was to think about how these ingenious masons built these structures 4-stories high. Did they construct scaffolding? If so, there was no evidence of this to be found. If not, how'd they get the stones and mud up 40 feet in the air? Human pyramids?

Pueblo Bonito

Pueblo Bonito was the largest structure in the Chacoan system with several hundred "rooms" to its credit. It is thought to have been the central focal point of the Chacoan culture - their primary trade center, ceremonial center, social center.

These monumental structures were also believed to be oriented to solar, lunar and cardinal directions. Lines of sight between them enabled communication. Sophisticated astronomical markers surrounded them.

What was the purpose of all of this construction if in the end, it was all abandoned? C.B. didn't have the answer...nor do I. However, Terry and I found it fascinating!

Chacoan Doorway

A tall Chacoan stood about 5'4". The doorways they built typically measured about 24" x 48". The bottom of the doorway was always 3 feet above the ground level. Us Biggin's struggle to squeeze thru these openings! (The Park Service has filled in the rooms to preserve what's below)

Let your imagination run a bit wild here. Imagine a roof over these rooms. Total darkness in the evening hours. What was their function? How did the Chacoans navigate thru the rooms? Or did they? Was this just one huge construction project to keep the peeps busy? Great job security...unless you weren't a mason!

Stable Rock

G.B. assured us this hunk of rock will not come tumbling down like the one that crashed into Pueblo Bonito. It appears a bit top heavy to me!

Precision Masonry

I was astounded at how precise the walls were constructed. How clean each corner appeared. Look at the very top right hand side of this structure and you'll notice what I'm talking about!

The ruins of Chaco Canyon are truly amazing! But let's not forget the people...for it is they who created these structures! If the architecture is incredible, the peoples who created these wonders must have been extraordinary...or extraterrestrial!

Our visit was brief...however, we will once again brave the bumpy dirt roads to experience this incredible Canyon.

Durango 2011

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Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

We visit Durango, CO for the second year in a row. This town is a quaint throwback to the mining days of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Set in the southwestern portion of the Rockies, Durango has captured our hearts and imagination. This year...we will take the Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Train Ride!

Jean-Pierre's

In addition to the Train ride, we would dine at Jean Pierre's several times during our three day stay. If ever in Durango, you must dine at this fabulous French restaurant. The dinners are great. Breakfast is even better. And the Bakery is what they're famous for.

Our Server, Noelle and the restaurant's General Manager, Steve, provided us with exemplary customer service. Great food...excellent service. All you can ask for from any eatery!

The 481 on its way to Silverton

The most beautiful passenger on the train!

Animus River

Chuggin' along the narrow gauge

Conductor checking out the Tracks

Alamosa Car

Old Mining Cars

Checking out the Narrow Gauge

First water stop

Second water stop

Snowed the day before our trip

Abandoned Mine

Local Color in Silverton

The Red Light District!

Unique fencing in Silverton

Excellent Hamburger and Beer served here!

Piano Lady tickles the ivories

Heading Back down the Hill

Almost home

What a great experience!

Durango!

May 20, 2011

We arrive in Durango mid afternoon and check into room 310 at the Strater Hotel. This prominent downtown landmark was built back in 1887 by Henry Strater and features the world’s largest collection of American Victorian antiques. Each of the hotel’s 93 rooms is individually appointed with hand-stenciled wallpaper. This is the second consecutive year we’ve stayed at the Strater and it most likely will not be the last!

The Hotel is two blocks from the D&SNG (Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge) and more importantly…just a single block from our favorite French Restaurant – Jean Pierre’s! We discovered this establishment on the corner of Main and College during last year’s visit to Durango and opted to dine there once again this evening!

Our Main Courses were delightful…however, the Crème Brule was devine! Ahhh…Crème Brule the way it should be served! Flaming crust, warm custard. A strong hint of alcohol…in this case, Puerto Rican Rum rather than brandy or cognac. Accompanying the Brule, a fine assortment of fruit. Blueberries. Strawberries. Apples. Cantelope and purple grapes. (Raul Gonzalez, you’d be in heaven!) After dinner, we retire to the warmth of our cozy room.

We didn’t vacate Great Sand Dunes prematurely because the Park did not live up to our expectations. The Dunes are truly magnificent. The surrounding mountains gorgeous. Our hikes…most excellent (if not exhausting). The weather…frigid! We knew it would be cooler at 8200’…however, we had not anticipated snow!

The two nights we spent in the Hob were downright painful! Our Arizona blood has thinned out quite nicely and our aging bods have become much more accustomed to the 100-degree heat we experienced at Big Bend than the 28-degree nights and howling wind we shivered through each night at Great Sand Dunes. Tonight, we shall sleep well here at the Strater!

May 21^st

My Seester’s Birthday. Happy Birthday Laura! It’s also supposed to be the last day of the world as we know it…according to some religious zealot who has little faith in mankind.

We spend the “last day” noodling around town shopping and exploring the area. Daddio scores a new pair of jeans and a much needed jacket. Momma picks up a real purdy plaid shirt that she’ll wear on our train ride to Silverton. We also happen upon the Durango Olive Oil Company – a ingenious store on Main Street featuring fine olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world. The shop is set up like a wine tasting bar. All of the oils and balsamics are on display for guests to sample. Terry and I go into a feeding frenzy dipping Jean Pierre’s French breads into the assortment of oils. We found the strawberry and raspberry balsamics to be outstanding. We also added the Jalapeño and roasted garlic olive oils to our shopping cart!

On our way back to the Hotel to unload our booty, we come across the Nature Revealed Photography shop. Owner Jeff Jessing has nicely displayed his vivid photos of “nature” throughout his shop. He also offers photo workshops in appealing destinations in the west. One such workshop he is offering this July is a week-long photo tour of Glacier National Park!

Jeff only takes six students on his excursions and so far, five of the spaces for the Glacier Trip are spoken for. The sixth is up in the air. A local fellow says he’d like to participate…but hasn’t yet ponied up the cash! After talking with Jeff for a while, I let him know that if his #6 doesn’t come thru…I’ll buy the spot. He checks with #6. Number six 6 immediately coughs up the coins. Rats! No Glacier Photo Tour for Johnny this July!

May 22^nd

The earth as we know it has surprisingly survived its last day! The weather report for the day of our D&SNGRR Train Ride, however, was ominous – rain and snow at high elevations likely. We awake to clear skies and head on down to Jean Pierre’s for breakfast!

For most of the past 129 years, the D&SNGRR has chugged up 45 miles of narrow gauge rail between Durango and the mining town of Silverton. Narrow gauge refers to the 3-foot wide track as opposed to standard gauge rail, which is installed with a 4’- 8 ½ ” width. Narrow gauge rail became popular in mountainous locations because it allowed trains to make much tighter turns than possible by those utilizing standard gauge rail.

In the early years, this line was called the D&RG (Durango & Rio Grande). Its primary purpose was to haul ore down from the mines in Silverton to the ore smelter in Durango. As mining in Silverton petered out and the automobile became the dominant method of transportation, the D&RG petitioned the Public Utilities Commission to abandon its narrow gauge operation. Fortunately for railroad enthusiasts and tourists like Terry and me, the request was denied.

In 1981, Charles Bradshaw purchased the then bankrupt D&RG for a couple million and immediately began overhauling the rail and the cars. Bradshaw saw the value of this railway from a tourist’s perspective and revitalized the line renaming it the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

The thrill of riding a steam-driven train through the San Juan Mountains was exhilarating! The views as we climbed from the valley floor into the mountains were stunning. We opted to travel in the Alamosa Parlor Car, which was positioned as the last car on the line. Built in 1881, the Alamosa features an exclusive exterior viewing platform at the rear end of the car in addition to a fully stocked bar! The table and chair arrangement limited the car to 24 passengers. The Alamosa was fully booked on the passage up to Silverton. Several of the guests departed the train in Silverton and opted to take the bus back to Durango. I suppose they wanted to save a couple of bucks.

The car in front of the Alamosa is called the Silver Vista. It is an open-air car capable of seating 29 guests. Today, only 7 bought passage in this car so those of us in the Alamosa were invited to observe the perspective offered from the Silver Vista Car. In my opinion, this car offers a better view of the scenery than the Alamosa...however, being "open-air" you could be subjected to the elements!

When the train arrives in Silverton, the passengers have a couple of hours to wander the town, which consists mostly of touristy gift shops and restaurants. After poking around Silverton for about an hour, Grumpy’s Saloon caught Terry and my eye. We found a table close to Lucey, the Piano Player and ordered up a Burger and Beer. All four thumbs up for Grumpy’s, the Burger and Lucey’s sensational piano playing!

Later this evening back at the Strater, the Diamond Belle Saloon is rocking to the bluegrass music of the Blue Moon Ramblers, five local geezers who really know how to entertain! Banjo, violin, guitars, great vocals. The following morning, Terry asks the staff at the Strater if they had a CD of the Blue Mooners for sale. The Staff points her down the street. Terry tracks down the Ramblers’ female vocalist, Jenny, who just so happens to have a CD in her car! Another Durango memento!

National Park #26 - Great Sand Dunes

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Great Sand Dunes National Park - May 18th

We arrive at our 26th National Park on a cool cloudy day. A far cry different weather compared to our southern Treks!

Sunrise at Sand Dunes

Blustery Skies

Dunes after the Rain

Dunes and Mountains

Oops...duplicate of Dunes and Mtns!

Aspen Grove

The climb up High Dune

Dunes Grasses

Medano Creek vanishes into the sand

Water Logged

DuneSnag

Up Mosca Pass Trail

Mosca Pass "Notch"

Preparing for another Frigid Night

Mosca Pass Bridge

Dunes Sunset

The rest of the story....

Chapter 26 – Great Sand Dunes

May 18^th

In order to break up the long drive between Carlsbad and Great Sand Dunes, (close to 500 miles) we chose to drive about halfway and spend the night at a Hampster in Santa Fe, NM. We departed Santa Fe by 8 this morning heading north to our 26^th National Park – the Great Sand Dunes. This Park is the newest of the 58 major National Parks and was established in 2004.

The further north we travel, the cooler the weather becomes. The skies are now filled with puffy white clouds rather than the sooty smoke filled skies of Texas and southern New Mexico. We’ve heard it’s raining and snowing in California. A storm front heading our way?

We’re heading north on Hwy 285 approaching the town of Espanola. Terry is on the cell talking to her girlfriend Colleen who used to live in this part of the country. Colleen warns us to keep a sharp eye out for the turnoff, as even when she lived here, there were many days when she would miss the turn. At exactly the same time Colleen is telling Terry about the tricky turnoff…I miss it!

Back on track! We continue north on 285 adjacent to the San Juan Mountains. This landscape is much more appealing to the eye! We stop off at the Safeway in the quaint town of Alamosa to reload with ice and supplies. We’re planning on another three nights in the Hob.

Earlier in the month, we thought we might be driving straight thru from Carlsbad all the way to Sand Dunes. If we did this, we would not have arrived until late afternoon or early evening. Finding a campsite late in the day can be dicey so I went online and booked us one of the “reserved sites”…just in case.

When we arrived at the Dunes, the wind is howling and we find plenty of available campsites. Rather than pitch the Hob in Site 45 (our reserved site) only to have to relocate the next day, we set up camp on Site #9…just across the street from the Shitter! It’s a somewhat private campsite…however, this particular week must be 6^th Grade Camp for every kid in Colorado! The place is teaming with pre-teens!

After setting up camp, we check out the Visitor’s Center, buy our Commemorative Pins and books and check out the hiking scene. Tomorrow we shall hike the Dunes. Two possibilities. The ambitious hike is to Star Dune. It’s the tallest of the Dunes here in the Park and is listed as a strenuous three-mile one-way hike. The second option is to hike to High Dune – the second highest sand mound. It’s but a measly mile and a quarter one-way hike from the Parking Lot. I’ll leave it up to Terry to decide which route we take.

Back to camp. The weather is turning gray. The wind is really kicking up a fuss. The Hob looks like it may be blown from its moorings! We decide to cook an early dinner as the weather forecast for the evening looks threatening. We finish cleaning up our dishes as the rain begins to fall. It’s only 5 pm and we’ve taken refuge inside the Hob. Earlier, we bought a deck of cards at the Great Sand Dunes Lodge so we could while away the time playing a few games of Trump. The wind is screaming thru the trees, the rain violently pounding the Hob! Not much else to do but curl up in the sleeping bag, wait out the storm and get some sleep! I’m out cold by 6:30. Terry reads her Kindle until about 10pm. The rains have stopped…however, our next visitor is Mr. Cold Front.

All night long, we struggle to keep warm. Our REI sleeping bags aren’t rated for Colorado Cold! And it’s friggin’ freezing! Our Phoenician blood has long ago thinned out to reptilian standards. We’re both wearing our jeans, sweaters and jackets and still the cold penetrates. Our feet feel like they’re caught in the freezer. What a miserable night!

May 19^th

The rain has dampened the Dunes but not our spirit of adventure! Finally…Hot coffee, bacon and hotcakes for breakfast! After having our fill of the most delicious of campsite meals, we load up our packs and head for the Dunes. The air is still and clouds conceal the nearby mountains. We notice it had snowed last night at an elevation not much higher than where we’re at…which is about 8200’. The heck with the weather…today we hike!

The Dunes

We are camped amongst the pines and junipers at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and just west of us lies an impressive sand deposit covering over 300 square miles. Where the heck did this huge sand box come from?

Most of the sand came from the San Juan Mountains…65 miles further west! As the San Juan’s eroded, the now infamous wind picked up the smaller grains of sand and bounced them along the prairie until they settled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Here they gathered and grew over a many thousands of years. Estimates of how long it took for the Dunes to take shape range from 12,000 years to over a million. As fierce as the winds can be in this area…I’m going with the 12,000-year estimate!

Larger grains of sand came down from the de Cristos via the Medano Creek and other streambeds to help build up the dunes from the north and the east. There are reasons these dunes are the tallest in the U.S. First of all, huge quantities of sand are carried downstream by Medano Creek. The southwesterly winds redeposit the sand along the eastern edge of the dunefield, which account for the very tall dunes in that area. Then, the less common but stronger winds from the northeast blast thru the mountain passes and pile the dunes back upon themselves, producing the tall and strikingly crisp ridges.

This is an intriguing landscape. Huge sand dunes in the foreground shadowed by tall, forested mountains. From a distance, the dunes look puny compared to the mountains. Then you attempt to scale these sandy mounds and quickly discover how large they really are. These are the highest sand dunes in America!

As we begin our trek up to High Dune, there are only two other people ahead of us – a father and his 12-year old son. From a distance, it appears to us that they walk about a hundred yards. Then stop to rest. Walk another hundred yards. Stop. Walk. Stop…We soon find out why!

Although this is to be one of the shortest treks we’ve made during our tour of the National Parks, hiking the Dunes could easily be rated as the most difficult! The summit of High Dune is a mere mile and a quarter from the parking lot and only a 650-foot elevation gain. Yet every step you take is a struggle. On the steep sections of the climb it was one step up…half a step sliding back. Another step up…three quarters of a step back as we wade thru the soft, ankle deep sand. Mix in 8200’ of altitude and you’ve got on helluva cardio workout!

That troupe of 6^th grade Campers started their Dunes hike about a half hour behind us…however, their young legs are gaining on us. I could see at least 40 of these small “ants” working their way up the crest of the Dunes in hot pursuit of the summit of High Dune. The competitor in me wanted to reach the peak before these imps. But both the bride and I were short of breath and struggling up the steep slope leading up to the summit. Alas, but a hundred feet short of the pinnacle we found ourselves walking in the footsteps of youth.

As we approach the summit of High Dune, the winds have begun to pick up steam and blow fiercely across the shifting sands. The Dunes are dancing wildly and shape shifting as we struggle up the remaining few paces. Terry equated it to having a sand facial…strong enough to remove the skin from your face! Good thing I chose NOT to wear my contacts this morning!

Just as we summit, my camera runs out of batteries and I dare not attempt to change it as the camera would instantly fill with sand. Heading back down the Dunes is a treat. Our boots filled with sand, we slide back down to base camp!

After lunch, we return to the base of the Dunes to follow Medano Creek northward. Even though it had rained last evening, the Creek is barely flowing. As we head north along the perimeter, we discover the Creek’s termination point. The stream literally disappears into the sand. The winds have died down a bit making our noontime trek more pleasurable.

Mosca Pass Trail

One last trek for the day, we head out for the mountains to hike the Mosca Pass Trail around 4pm. We have the Trail to ourselves. It seems the Dunes are the main event; however, this trail is delightful! No 6^th Graders here! We walk amongst tall stands of Aspen, Piñon pine, narrow leaf Cottonwoods and Douglas Fir. The Trail follows Mosca Creek up a lovely canyon and the refreshing sound of moving water serenades us as we hike up the path.

To the southwest, the skies are turning gray and ominous…and appear to be heading our way. I suggest we head back down. Terry has no problem with this proposal as our aged legs have already had quite a workout. We meet a lone Ranger upon our descent. He snaps our picture. We ask him why nobody is hiking this lovely trail. “The Dunes are the feature attraction,” he answers, smiling as he heads up the Trail delighted by the solitude it offers.

As we head back to camp the skies continue to darken and the temperature drops. We strike up the first campfire of this Trek as snow begins to softly fall! Snow! We’ve gone from the 100º temperature in Texas to snow! The sun peaks thru the clouds and offers up a magnificent view of the Dunes. I grab the Canon and snap off a few pictures. Then, it begins to hail! Snow and hail are much more camp friendly than the previous evening’s rain showers so Terry and I sit by the fire and enjoy this most unusual weather!

May 20^th

Holy Crap! We froze our butts (and feet) off again last night! I’m up at 5:15am walking around the Campground to try to get the blood circulating once again. It’s friggin’ cold and I burned all the firewood last night. When Terry wakes, she jumps in the car and cranks up the engine to generate heat! I join her and we head on down to Alamosa in search of a HOT cup of coffee. Too cold for us thin blooded Phoenician wimps to attempt brewing coffee at camp this morning so we opt to drive the 38 miles into town in search of a cup of Joe.

At 7:15, we spot Milagros Coffee House on the corner of State and Main in Alamosa. Purrrfect! As we enter Milagros, I notice 5 gents sitting by the front window all of which are dressed out in kilts. The male Barista behind the counter is dressed like Carman Miranda complete with fruit bouquet on top of his wig. What kind of place is this? My initial though…faggalits! A gay coffee house…in Alamosa, CO?

Terry point out the sign on the counter declaring “Costume Week at Milagros” and any patron brave enough to come in dressed up will be treated with free coffee for the week. I begin to feel better about the joint and notice the Breakfast Special is two Hotcakes, two eggs and two pieces of bacon or sausage. I order it up. Carman tells me that breakfast won’t be served until 8:00 as the cook doesn’t get in until then.

What? The cook doesn’t show up to work at a coffee house that serves breakfast until 8? Unheard of! How dare they…. We get our coffees to go and head out in search of breakfast…and some Visine to ease the pain in my left eye. Although I did not wear my contacts yesterday, a large grain of blowing sand did happen to take up residency in my left eye and during the night, made a rather nasty impression upon the inside of my eyelid.

Nothing else in town strikes our fancy so we head back to Milagros. The cook has showed up and decided that rather than Hotcakes, he’d offer a French Toast Special instead. As we sat enjoying the warmth of the restaurant and our breakfast, we learned much about Milagros. The reason the chef didn’t come in until 8 was because he is a volunteer. As it turns out, many of the folks working here are volunteers and all of the profits from Milagros go toward helping to support La Puenta.

La Puente is a non-profit organization in Colorado's San Luis Valley providing emergency shelter, food assistance, transitional housing, self-sufficiency services, homeless prevention, community outreach services, and job training for the homeless and other community members in crisis.

Milagros (translation: miracles) was originally scheduled to open in March of 1998. However, public health code required the restaurant be equipped with commercial appliances. To comply, the La Puenta group needed to immediately raise $10,000 in order to purchase the necessary equipment. Declaring this impossible, the Milagros project was abandoned.

On Valentine’s Day, 1998 the TV was turned on at the La Puenta Shelter. That night, the Colorado Lottery was conducting its annual drawing for non-profit organizations. Much to the surprise of all volunteers and guests, La Puenta Home was drawn! A local community member had been submitting his “losing” lottery tickets for the nonprofit draw. With his winning ticket, La Puenta was awarded exactly $10,000! The coffee shop soon opened and was named Milagros as its origin was a genuine miracle!

Here I am reading the Milagro story. This grumpy old fart from Phoenix, bitching about the cold and the need for coffee and food. Trying to understand why the heck the cook didn’t start until 8 o’clock. And all along, this incredible place is there simply to help others. Good Grief! I felt like a lousy lump of coal. If ever you find yourself passing thru Alamosa, CO…please do stop by Milagros. Good stuff and great purpose!

After breakfast, Terry and I decided we’d had enough of the frigid cold evenings. She called the Strater Hotel in Durango to see if we could check in a day early. Squeals of delight were heard throughout the San Juan Valley when we were told our room would be ready for us when we arrived later that day! Soon thereafter, we’re back at the Dunes to break camp and head west to warmer climes!

The drive west on Hwy 160 from Alamosa to Durango is very pleasant. Most of the trip is made at an elevation of 7000 feet or more. By the time we reached the Wolf Creek Pass, elevation 10, 850, it had begun to snow once again. At the summit, you cross the Continental Divide and it’s all downhill from there to Durango!

Until we meet again, amigos! Happy Trails!