A Look at Lake City, CO

City Park - SJS50 Finish Line

One of many places to eat and drink in Lake City

Tourist Cabins - Lake City's Motels

Cabin in the City

A summer rental!

During the last three days I have been able to absorb a lot of information about Lake City. Here is my interpretation of the things I have read or heard about this unique place. Mind you, I am certain that more perspectives are needed to build a working knowledge of Lake City, but that would take more time than I have. It could take months or even years to know this place intimately.

The area was first inhabited, as were many locales throughout Colorado, due to a mineral discovery. In 1871 a group of men created the Ute-Ulay mine after they discovered silver and lead near Lake San Cristobal. The growth of that mine brought in many laborers and brought out more than $14 million in metals.

A Mr. Hotchkiss formed the $3 million Golden Fleece Mine in 1874. Hotchkiss became the "father of Lake City" after he built the first home here.

Before continuing, I feel obligated to state that many people have told me that Lake City is the most remote city in the lower 48. Though I have tried, I have not verified this. I do know that Lake City is from from anywhere and it has one real access road. In 1889 the narrow gauge Denver-Rio Grande Railroad reached Lake City. It ran until 1933 when the small railroads around the country were outdated with the increase in standard rail and automotive usage.

One of the first stone buildings constructed after
most of the wooden Lake City burned in 1879

Colorado HWY 149 is the main roadway through the area. It was a wagon road which was not completely paved until 1985. Yes, 1985. The meandering mountain and high plains road, which I traveled on yesterday, stretches 117 miles. Lake City is located at mile 74. That road was named the "Silver Thread" in 1990 when it became part of the Colorado scenic byway network. Add a drive along this road to your bucket list.

In 1915 a wealthy Texan named Wupperman built a second home in Lake City to escape Galveston's oppressive summer heat. He started a trend that continues to this day. A drive through the Lake City and Lake San Cristobal area on the Silver Thread is like a parade of homes. There are dozens of modest to high-end homes here. Many are only occupied during the summer months - by wealthy Texans. Observation of auto license plates will verify that.

Mansion on a Mountain

One of several drinking holes found in Lake City

That leads me to point out that the year-round population of Lake City is about 400 while the influx of summer dwellers and tourists bring the population to around 4000 by the 4th of July. There are, of course, many outdoor activities to partake in here. And there are many lodges, cabins, and resort ranches in the area to use as base camps.

I stayed at the Westwood Resort in Lake City. This resort is a collection of small cabins. The proprietors are a couple who drive up from Tucson each summer. They stay with the crowds from June through September. The cabins are moderately priced, clean, quaint, and each has a kitchen and a bath. The hospitality, like the banana bread brought to my cabin(!!), is unbeatable. Check the Westwood Resort out if you plan to stay in Lake City during the summer season.

The year-round inhabitants are a unique breed. Most of them visited the area and simply never left, despite the brutally cold winters which last almost five months while often registering temperatures in the -20F to -30F range and accumulations of snow that stand taller than a man.

Why do they stay? Lot's of reasons, really, but the common draw seems to be a slow life in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

When the RAV picked up a nail my first day here, Rene's Garage fixed it as soon as I walked in. Well, he and his assistant did stop work for about ten minutes to admire and discuss a BLM worker's new truck. Rene and his wife were world travelers hailing from Switzerland before he took a short-term mechanic job here in 2002. He never left and eventually opened his own garage.

Hannah is from Denver, but her parents spend a lot of time here. A valedictorian who was accepted at Harvard, she was drawn to the area. Now, at twenty-three, she is Jean of Mean Jean's Internet Coffee Shop. She has lived here for the last three years. While the winter cold and isolation have tested her, she says that she likes it here. Furthermore, she has exceeded her original business plan. Like Rene, she said that a person who lives here, especially one who owns a business, must be judicial with their summer income since it must last them through the winter. Interestingly, "Mean" Jean is following her own path in a way similar to her relatives "Green Been Jean" and "Clean Jean."

"Mean Jean"

Another year rounder I met was Craig. His big grin greeted me on my first morning in town after he drove down from his yurt. He welcomed me and wished me well in the SJS50 without me even telling him I was entered. I must have a malnourished and psychotic look that can be easily recognized. Craig is in construction and finds himself busy, especially through the brutal San Juan winter. He says that it is actually easy to get a good construction job during the winter months because that is when the wealthy part-time dwellers either want renovations done or expect a new home to be built for summer move in. Craig has been here nine years. He loves what he does. He also works straight through the winter without complaint because that is what the job requires. Many workers start in the Fall and leave in December when the weather turns. They simply do not have the work ethic or the passion for life here in this uncommon place. Craig's genuinely friendly demeanor and his work ethic caused me to like him instantly.

I'll close by writing about the cabins and businesses along Lake San Cristobal. Many of them sit in the path of or directly on, the Slumgullion earth slide. This mammoth fragment of mountain has been liquefied for centuries. The "Slum" has been the focus of studies that indicate it is still moving at a rate of about twenty feet per year.

When the Slum first let loose about 800 years ago it moved violently and swiftly a distance of four miles, blocking the path of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. Lake San Cristobal was formed. Scientists believe the upper portion started moving again about 350 years ago. And it is still moving today. Which brings me back to the millions of dollars worth of structures built on the original Slum down by the lake. I call this insanity.

A variety of churches (above and below)
are located in Lake City

Lastly, I have not sped in the RAV since I arrived here - and I am not in the least bit annoyed or pained by this fact. The speed limit in town is 25 mph, but I have yet to reach 20 mph. It is true. Maybe, for therapeutic reasons, I should find a job here for the rest of the summer  . . .

CO 149 - The Silver Thread

The RAV was rolling just before the sun again today. Can't burn sunlight when there is so much to see in the San Juans. Besides, I have to get my internal clock set for that little affair going on Saturday morning since it has a 5 am start time.

These acclimation weeks have very little structure or planning. They become more exploratory in nature with plenty of non-taxing activities. Oh, I've tried the other route and it did not work out so well.

Back in 2007 I started running, yes running, up Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak. Because I had to be in New Mexico for a week long IB workshop by sundown, I chose to run the five mile approach road with a seventeen pound summit pack. The gasping created by that effort was replaced with dizziness that was occasionally interrupted by hysterical laughter as I worked my way up the steep slope leading up to the rocks. The snow there was 2-5 feet deep. It was also soft by 8 am. So, I was post-holing as deep as my chest while climbing a 60-degree slope. I sat in an attempt to clear my head once I reached the rocks. I eventually decided to turn around on the climb up to the Needle's summit. Recovery was not happening. I retreated and returned a week later to summit these and the other Sangre de Cristo Range 14ers. Thankfully, most of the snow was gone from that slope.

That brings me back to this morning. I drove out to where the SJS50 course crosses HWY149 at Slumgulliun. Knowing the course would come down this section, and wanting to test my shoe/sock selection on a steep slope, I ran a kilometer up from the road. That is about 3274 feet along the ground. And I ascended 1032 ft. That is over 31% grade. And that is steep. These people love their steep trails and jeep roads. Switchbacks are as foreign to the locals as rush hour.

With a heart rate that quickly passed through my normal training zone, I "ran" that K in 10:12. The descent took 5:13. I will NOT be bombing down these steep descents on Saturday. I'd like to keep my knees and hips for a while longer.

If finished up by running below HWY 149 until I reached the Slum. This "Slum" is a rather large chunk of mountain that is moving about 20 feet per year toward Lake San Cristobal and its collection of high-priced homes and cabins. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out - on Saturday and in the coming years.

The next several hours were spent driving and hiking south along CO149. The topography changed at almost every bend in the road. It was fascinating and jaw-dropping and promised much romanticism.
Of note, the wind blew ferociously from the south all day, bringing enough moisture to allow cloud formation in what was an empty blue sky. This, I believe, made the pictures more interesting. Hope you feel the same!

Hiking along the Continental Divide and Colorado Trails

More of the CDT and CT

Faraway 14er Sunshine Peak from the Divide

13,826 ft Rio Grande Pyramid - Where the Rio Grande begins

North Clear Creek Falls - WOW!

Imagine sitting here with a sweetie at sunrise . . .

Surreal midday light effect

Hello, Lake City!

Some personal obligations kept me from reaching the high country as early as I intended. I ended up going to the Leadville area first. The high Arkansas valley,  at an elevation of 10K+ feet, is great for acclimatizing and big mountain viewing. Big snow covered mountains this year.

Mt. Massive from where the waters of Turquoise Lake usually lie. 

In an attempt to sucker punch the lungs, I ran four miles on the Silver Rush course high in the California Gulch at 11K+ feet. It went smoothly until I started post-holing in knee deep snow. The feet got wet and cold almost instantly, though even my socks were dry by the time I finished the four mile run. I also rode Faith on the road around Turquoise Lake - after a repair job due to shifting cargo during the drive west. That was a first and it was due to using a new cooler that, apparently, doesn't like bike derailleurs. A final run on the Turquoise Lake trail completed the Pbville area training.

That left plenty of time to walk some shaded trails and sip mocha and yerba matte latte at the Provin' Grounds. OK, OK, I confess that I also enjoyed a blueberry/chocolate chip scone - or two.

Of note was the fact that the 2500 participants in this year's Tour of the Rockies rode through Pbville on Monday. The quiet old mining city was bustling! Also, while I was finishing my dinner near the start of the Silver Rush an interesting thing happened. Ultra runner and Pbville resident, Lynette Jennings, waved as she ran by and then chugged right up that ridiculously steep hill! Note taken.

The three-hour drive to Lake City was purposely slowed to five hours. I couldn't resist stopping in the Buena Vista Roastery for a mocha, which I drank while sitting on the bank of the Arkansas river in the BV water park. Yumm.  One can never over-indulge in soy mocha! I then stopped at The Bean cafe in Gunnison for a black bean sandwich and an icy herbal tea. It was easy to pass on the Gunnison Brewery since they produce beer with a helping of bacteria.

I arrived at Lake City just before the 5 pm closing of Mean Jean's Internet Cafe. While sipping on a Fat Tire I had a lengthy and informative talk with Dave, Evan, and Joe. Hope I got those right since I got a call and did not write them down as I normally do. Correct me if I am wrong, guys! They have been hiking the not-so-finished Continental Divide Trail. They left the Mexican border in early May and expect to arrive at the Canadian border in September. I did admit that I was envious of their mid-twenties  sense of adventure. I did not tell them that Tyler would be envious of their voluminous beards. They told of post-holing to the waist on what is normally the SJS50 course when they dropped down from the divide. Hmmm. Those guys were tough. I'll bet that they would do well in the 50 at their current strength and endurance. Happy Hiking Boys!!

Early this morning I ran up a mountain just outside of Lake City. At one point an elk spotted me. It ran along the steep jeep road toward me for about fifty feet. Stopping just behind the aspen in the picture below, the elk stared at me knowingly.

Can you read, Hoosier?

The course has officially been changed due to the deep snow and the nearly-overflowing streams that are forded on the normal route. This is a bit of a bummer. An asterisk must now go next to my time even though the alternate course still has 12,991 feet of ascent/descent and a high point of 12,193 ft.

A high note of the day came when I met up with fellow SJS50 runners Georgians Perry and Kena along the Alpine Loop Road. These two have been to the SJS50 before, so they know a bit more about it and the area than I do. They set me straight on how the alternate course will run. They also made me feel a bit lazy due to the fact that they were logging about five times the number of miles I logged today. What a couple great people! We talked for long enough that I felt bad for holding them up in that intense high altitude sun. I am sure I will be seeing more of them soon.                

Below are some (iPhone) pictures I took in the area today. I'll download more later, Enjoy.

Overlooking Lake San Cristobal near LC

Thompson Lake above LC - notice the beaver dam

Oh, yeah!! A nail started my Lake City adventure off in style.

An arrow and a finger point to where the nail was - Thanks Rene!