In southwest Colorado, the San Juan Mountains offer perhaps the state’s most varied scenery with 13 peaks over 14000′.  The mountains contain highly mineralized veins of silver, gold, zinc and other metals. The towns in the area are all unique and interesting, many established during the mineral rush in the late 1880’s. They include Silverton, Ridgeway, Ouray and Telluride. The San Juans were the home of the Ute Indians for hundreds of years.

Today this area is  very active year around for hiking, skiing, off roading, camping and other activities. It is also a photographer’s paradise, particularly during the fall color change. The area between Ridgeway and Telluride provides expansive views of the “Sneffels Range”, which includes the Uncompahgre National Forest (950,000 acres), Mt. Sneffels, Dallas Peak, Mears Peak, Wilson Mesa and Mt. Wilson.

Take SR 62 west from Ridgeway towards Placerville and Telluride. About 8 miles west of Ridgeway one comes to a parking lot in an area called Dallas Divide. This location offers one of Colorado’s iconic photography spots (others include Maroon Bells and Crystal Mill). This offers a view of the Sneffels Range along with massive aspen groves and other rolling land and forests.

Beyond this stop, one can take Last Dollar Road (CR58P) over to Telluride. This road is a winding, narrow trek of some 21 miles, and offers spectacular views including Wilson Peak. A 4WD vehicle, while not necessary, is strongly recommended.

Back towards Ridgeway, there are two county roads which run through the Double RL ranch (read Ralph Lauren) into the Uncompahgre National Forest. These are both fairly smooth gravel roads – windy and somewhat narrow but passable for passenger vehicles – which both offer more spectacular views of the range and massive groves of aspens. One is CR 9, or West Dallas Creek Road; the other is CR 7, or Dallas Creek Road. Both follow the Dallas Creek valley for 6-8 miles up into the foothills, and are commonly used for hiking access to the forest.

Gunnison County Road 12, commonly known as Kebler Pass, runs between SR 133 between Paonia State Park and Crested Butte. This is a gravel road, closed in the winter, but passable by passenger car otherwise – as long as it is not really wet. Then one might be better in 4WD. The summit is neared Crested Butte at 10000′, and the road is about 33 miles in length and takes at lease two hours to traverse.

Why travel along Kebler Pass road? There are many areas for camping, hiking and biking, and  includes a couple of beautiful mountain lakes called Lake Irwin and Lost Lake. The road is part of the West Elk Loop, which runs for 205 miles starting in Carbondale along SR 133 and winding through Crested Butte, Gunnison, Poania and several other towns.

The views of the West Elk Mountains, Ruby Ridge, Marcellina Mountain, West and East Beckwith Peaks and Gunnison National Forest are spectacular. This is especially true in late September and early October when the aspens are turning color from green to yellow and sometimes to oranges and reds.

Interestingly Aspens have a single root system, are a clonal colony and are a true single living organism. Some believe that the areas along Kebler Pass road form the largest aspen forest in the US. During our travels this recent fall, we felt that the single most spectacular area was along Kebler Pass. Plan your next visit to Colorado for this season and you will not be disappointed.

Just outside the west side of Aspen, one can take a 13 mile paved road to the ghost town of Ashcroft. The road runs along the Castle Creek valley, and is surrounded by expansive forests of aspens which provide a rainbow of colors across the valley. It is indeed an awe-inspiring drive.

Ashcroft was established in 1880 during the silver boom in Colorado. At one point the town had more than 2000 residents. The old buildings are very photogenic and cap off a beautiful drive.

If one continues for a few miles beyond the ghost town, the views of the valley and Castle Peak at 14000′ are wonderful. For the 4WD fanatics there are two rough roads continuing up into the mountains. Very little opportunity exist to torn around or to pass other vehicles, so be cautious.

A few miles south of Breckenridge on Route 9, partway up to Hoosier Pass, is a gravel road which runs about two miles or so into a valley beside Quandary Peak. The trail leads to a pair of lakes called Blue Lakes. The upper lake is formed by a dam, and the road ends at a parking lot just below the dam. A stream runs from the dam, down a steep hill and into the lower lake. This is a great spot for hiking, camping, fishing and creature watching.

In the morning at the upper parking area, one can often spot mountain goats in the surrounding hillsides. At times the goats will hang around the parking lot looking for handouts and licking salt off the cars.  One can also spot marmots on the hillside along the road.

There is also a gravel road, best for 4WD vehicles, which runs to the left before one reaches the lower parking lot. This road runs along the south side of Lower Blue Lake up to a small parking area just below the waterfalls. A short hike gets you to the waterfalls themselves.

This road, just outside Breckenridge, CO, crosses the range where it divides the headwaters of the Blue River (a tributary to the Colorado River) to the north with the headwaters of the South Platte River to the south. It is traversed by Forest Service Road 33, a gravel road passable by two wheel drive vehicles in spring, summer and early fall. The road runs from Breckenridge in the north to Como, near Fairplay, in the south. This is a great road to travel in the spring and summer for wildflowers, and in the fall for spectacular aspen colors.

The pass was known as Breckenridge Pass in the 1860’s when it served as an early route for prospectors during the Colorado gold rush. In 1866 it was widened for wagons and stagecoaches. In 1882 Union Pacific began laying narrow gauge tracks up the spur. A roundhouse, still in existence, was constructed at Como. The rail line over the pass was a major engineering feat because of winter snows at the high peak altitude of 11,500′. A town of Boreas, now a ghost town, was constructed at the summit, primarily to house workers to clear the line in winter.

The road is 19.8 miles long, and features beautiful wildflowers in season. There is an old water tank partway up from Breckenridge which was used by the steam engines crossing the pass. The rise up is populated by a mass of aspen trees, while the area near the end at Como also has massive forests of aspens in the adjacent hills.

We visited Crested Butte last month, and discovered an off-road trail from Crested Butte to Paradise Divide, and back through Gothic to Crested Butte. This is an easy (but should be done with a 4WD vehicle) and remarkedly scenic loop that traverses two river valleys and crosses Schofield Pass near the loop’s northern apex. The road serves as a connector to numerous other 4WD roads. Autumn colors are spectacular.

The route begins about a mile or so north of Crested Butte and winds along the Slate River Valley past Oh Be Joyful Creek, a number of campgrounds and the little town (?) of Pittsburg. As the road gets further up the valley it begins a number of switchbacks high up to Paradise Divide at 11266′ elevation. At that point the trail winds down past Emerald Lake to Gothic, and runs along the East River valley back to Crested Butte. The loop is 21.5 miles in length and takes about two hours. An interesting fact is that about two miles from the summit, another spur runs over Schofeld Pass, through a rocky section called the Devil’s Punchbowl and on down to Marble.

There are many off-road trails in Colorado. One of the more interesting areas is in the Lake City-Silverton-Ouray triangle. One can drive from Lake City to Ouray over Engineer Pass, to Silverton via Cinnamon Pass or run the Alpine Loop (60 miles) and cross both Engineer and Cinnamon Passes. The trail from Lake City to Silverton is a 25.5 mile trail which winds along the Gunnison River for a while, then climbs to the Pass at 12600′ and heads down past the old ghost town of Animas Forks and on to Silverton.

Cinnamon Pass was used by Charles Baker in 1860 to access the area where Silverton is today when he was exploring for gold. In 1874 the Hayden Survey party crossed the Pass; the team did not feel that the Pass would make a viable route due to its altitude and steepness. The trails were used extensively in the 1800’s during the gold and silver boom in the San Juan Mountains.The Bureau of Land Management now manages and maintains the trail from start to finish.

We are off road initiates and new owners of a Jeep Wrangler. During a recent tour of Colorado we tried several trails including Cinnamon Pass. I had actually been over the Pass about 15 years ago in a Mercedes  SUV, which was adequate but not ideal. Our Jeep, nicknamed “Nickel”, was great. The road is not very rough, but is a true off-road trail and tests one’s fortitude with narrow shelf roads and some of the inclines. Along the way we ran into ghost towns, mines and scenic overlooks . The overlooks are plentiful. Our transition from Lake City to Silverton took about three hours, with very few stops.

After spending several days on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, we then visited relatives who live on the east coast in Parksville, near Nanaimo. They showed us some interesting places.

Englishman River Falls Provincial Park

This park is essentially in the Parksville area, and is a wonderful park for sightseeing, camping, hiking and, for some, swimming. The Englishman River starts on the eastern slope of the Beaufort Range, discharging from a small Jewel Lake, coursing through several other lakes for 40 miles and empties into the Straits of Georgia near Parksville. The park, established in 1940, contains a section of the river which runs over two stunning waterfalls into a deep canyon likened to a black hole. This is all very picturesque amid a lush old growth and second growth forest of Douglas fir, cedar, maple and hemlock. There is a beautiful swimming hole at the lower falls and an interesting suspension bridge across the river at that point. The local legend has it that the indigenous people found the skeletal remains of a Caucasian man near the waterfalls, thereby the name of the river.

Elk Falls Provincial Park

Elk Falls Provincial Park is located two km outside Campbell River, about 70 miles north of Parksville.The park highlight is a thundering 25 meter high waterfall, and some of the finest salmon fishing in BC. The falls are reached via a 3/4 mile winding trail through an extensive network of forest trails  and consists of 1800 hectares of property. A suspension bridge built in 2015 offers great views of the falls, as do several elevated viewing platforms. The park contains a hydroelectric plant built in the 1940’s; river water runs downstream from above the falls for some distance though three large diameter wooden penstocks. The water flowing from the plant runs downstream as the Campbell River.

Campbell River

This modest city and its’ namesake river are considered to be one of BC’s best area for fishing, with a heavy focus on salmon. Fishing is done in the river and extensively in the Straits of Georgia.

If you have never visited the west coast of Vancouver Island, you have really been missing something. The drive from Nanaimo on the east coast is 2 – 2 1/2 hours through gorgeous mountainous terrain past a number of large lakes. Before reaching Port Alberni, you will come upon a magical place along the road. Cathedral Grove, located in MacMillan Provincial Park, is one of the most accessible strands of giant Douglas fir trees on Vancouver Island. Here one can stroll through a network of trails under the shadow of towering Douglas fir trees, some more than 800 years old.The grove was a well known tourist stop on Alberni Road in the 1920’s. In 1944 the area was donated by H.R. MacMillan for the perpetual enjoyment of the public in recognition of he unique stand of trees. The grove became a provincial park in three years later. Natural regeneration is beginning to restore the Grove’s pristine beauty. This provide a unique opportunity to experience the diversity of plant like typical in a very old forest.

Once through the town of Port Alberni, the road takes a route to the west along Sproat Lake and along some impressive peaks.  Eventually the road runs down steep, winding hill and then along Kennedy Lake. Past that, the trail ends at the Pacific Run Highway, the principal road along the west coast. To the right, Tofino. To the left, Ucluelet. In between, Long Beach which stretches for 10 miles along the Pacific and offers wind swept sand, big surf and washed up kelp. Our main point of interest was Ucluelet (means safe harbor), a town of 1800 people situated at the edge of Barclay Sound framed on three sides by the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim National Park with huge stands of cedar, fir and hemlock is nearby. Visitors come to Ucluelet to surf, hike the Wild Pacific Trail, fish on the big bank, whale and bear watch and relax on the beach. In fall interests turn to storm watching.

We are here to fish, at least principally. This is a well known fishing spot for salmon and for halibut. But when not fishing, the area is unique, and the stormy seas, foggy conditions and black rocks along the shore are a fascinating subject for photography and for viewing. And there are fine places to stay and to dine, some upscale, some more casual. Our favorites included trailer food at Raven Lady – fresh BC oysters on the half shell, tuna poke, salmon burgers, fish tacos and po’boys, all situated with nearby tables right next to a BC liquor store! On the upscale end, dinner at Norwood’s was magnificent. The restaurant is in a smallish house with an open kitchen and maybe 20-25 seats. The halibut was superb, as were the fresh mussels and octopus. And the wine list is filled with impressive BC wines.

There are some lovely places to stay, especially Black Rock Resort, situated right against the roaring surf on the Pacific side. But we found great condos at Whiskey Point – overlooking the harbor, adjacent to the aquarium and a short walk to Zoe’s bakery. There are many choices for fishing guides, and the rush out of the small boat harbor at 6 am was quite exciting. Partial day charters typically run around the peninsula and up a few miles to Wye’s Point; these are normally focused on salmon. Full days can go south to the so-called Big Bank and fish for halibut.

Off days can be spent exploring Long Beach, the lighthouse, and Tofino. This is a more bustling touristy town of maybe 2000 permanent residents, situated at the north end of the peninsula some 20 miles from Ucluelet. Many of the same activities can be enjoyed around Tofino, and there are more choices of condos, resorts and restaurants. If you want busy, go to Tofino. One spectacular place to stay, to dine or to ocean watch is the Wickaninnish Inn, located just a few miles south of Tofino. This is also the center of strom watching in the off season.

Vancouver Island offers many other great places to visit. We have covered Victoria and the West Coast so far. In a future blog we will relate experiences on the east coast from Parksville to Campbell River, and provide some thoughts on a two day sail in the Gulf Islands.

We recently spent a two-day weekend in Victoria, BC. Arriving by Coho Black Ball ferry from Port Angeles, WA , we checked into our hotel, The Hilton Doubletree on a Friday evening and quickly settled in to our two bedroom suite. The hotel sits right behind the grand dowager of Victoria hotels, the Empress, and we had magnificent views of the Inner Harbor, the Parliament buildings and the immediate downtown area. While there are many other choices in the downtown area, both these hotels are lovely and well situated.

Since we only had two full days in the city, we decided to focus on three activities. First we visited a very well done Royal BC Museum. Regular exhibits provide a focus on the natural and human history of the northwest part of Canada. Obviously there is a large exhibit devoted to the First Nations people and culture, complete with a totem hall, masks and other regalia. Outside the museum building there is a native house called Wawadit’la, or Mungo Martin House, complete with several totems, and also a garden devoted to native plants. We were also keenly interested in a current exhibit on Egypt: The Time of Pharoahs, accompanied with a good IMAX movie on the same theme.

Second, we enjoyed several blocks of downtown Victoria especially along Government and Wharf Streets. This is a very lively area replete with restaurants and specialty shops with views overlooking the harbor and marina. We especially enjoyed the people activities from walkers to visitors to cyclists to street performers. This was true during the day and evenings both. Our favorite dining establishments were the Steamship Grill and Bar on Belleville on the harbor, and Il Terrazzo  on Johnson Street. Seafood of course! We developed a real love for BC oysters. Following dinner at Il Terrazzo, we could not resist an after dinner drink at the Empress – what elegance!

Third – and a must – is a visit to The Butchart Gardens near the city. These gardens,  known world-wide,  cover more than 55 acres of a 130 acre estate and began with an idea that Jennie Butchart had to beautify the worked-out limestone quarry which had supplied her husband’s nearby cement plant. These gardens gradually expanded over some years to become the Sunken, Japanese, Rose, Italian and Mediterranean garden seen today. The gardens today are a National Historic Site of Canada, are visited by more than one million people each year.