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Friday, November 15, 2024

Animas Forks, Colorado

At an elevation of over 11,500 feet, Animas Forks is one of the loftiest mining towns ever established in the West. According to the 1885 publication Crofutt's Grip-sack Guide of Colorado, the town is "in the midst of wild and rugged country, where nothing but rich mines would ever induce a human being to live longer than necessary."
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8 comments:

  1. bogsidebunnyNovember 15, 2024 at 5:56 AM

    In Jungian psychology “Animas” is the term used to describe the feminine part of a man's personality, so this must have been a queer mining town.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 15, 2024 at 6:14 AM

    St. Elmo is a great drive and historic place to visit.
    GB

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  3. GromitNovember 15, 2024 at 7:09 AM

    It sits on the headwaters of the Animas river. The drive to Animas Forks from Silverton is much more beautiful than St. Elmo, which is a great site in it's own right.

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  4. the Sour KrautNovember 15, 2024 at 8:55 AM

    "{ A toll road was completed that summer from Lake City to Animas Forks.".

    That would be over Engineer Pass, 12,800 ft. It must have been a Cast-Iron Bitch in the winter.

    The round trip Animas Forks-Engineer Pass- Lake City -Lake San Cristobol-Cinnamon Pass is a great half-day (or a bit longer) trip. Don't miss the Alferd Packer Massacre Site just S of Lake City on Hwy 141.

    A few years ago, we were coming back down from Cinnamon and saw a black Lexus convertible with California plates starting up the Engineer Pass road. We looked at each other and wondered 'should we tell them?'.....nahhh....let 'em find out the hard way.

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    Replies
    1. ShermNovember 15, 2024 at 9:45 AM

      I always liked the comment the judge made at Alferd's trial. Paraphrased since I don't remember the exact numbers. "There were only twelve Democrats in Colorado and you ate five of them."

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    2. the Sour KrautNovember 15, 2024 at 11:22 AM

      The comment has been variously attributed to the judge or to one spectator in the courtroom:

      Packer, you man eating son of a bitch, there was only 7 Democrats in Hinsdale county and you ate 5 of them'.

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    3. AnonymousNovember 15, 2024 at 5:29 PM

      Engineer Pass goes to Ouray. Cinnamon Pass goes to Lake City. Beautiful country all around. I've banged up some 4x4s over Engineer; can't imagine doing it in a car.

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    4. AnonymousNovember 15, 2024 at 10:52 PM

      Engineer Pass goes from Animas Forks to Lake City. The 'Lower Engineer Pass Road' also called Mineral Creek Road (county 18) goes from about 1.5 miles N of Ouray (where Climax Creek crosses under US-550) to join the Engineer Pass road N of Animas Forks

      Delete

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