The Alpine Tunnel Route - RR Magazine June 1941

In June 1941, just over three decades after the abandonment of the Alpine Tunnel, Railroad Magazine published an article titled "The Alpine Tunnel Route." The author, Lewis R. Lathrop, was a D&RG fireman who knew South Park trainmen who ran trains over the "hill" through the famous tunnel and swapped stories with them in a cigar store. In fact, he started work with the Rio Grande just two years after the arrival of the DSP&P into Gunnison.

There are some epic stories in here including one in which a crew of trainmen and snow shovelers managed to turn an engine around with hydraulic jacks. I admit, I still don't understand how they did it. Essentially, a snow blockade kept them from getting through the east portal of Alpine Tunnel, but snow had drifted back behind them. They decided they had a better chance at plowing through the line westward back to Pitkin, but...they needed to turn an engine around with a plow on the front.

While discussing some epic snowbucking skills the South Park railroaders possessed, Lathrop, the D&RG man, admitted that the DSP&P had superior equipment to theirs and that the DSP&P railroaders were better skilled at fighting snow. As evidence he tells of a blockade of Marshall Pass where two South Park "hoggers" opened the Rio Grande line themselves.

Lewis A. Lathrop actually, as the article puts it, "crossed the great divide" a few months before publication of this article. His son Gilbert assisted with its completion.

*A few notes: the story of a stalled circus train being pushed by elephants on the Alpine Tunnel route is likely legend. 

Also, the article concludes by stating the rails over the pass were pulled in 1917. They were actually pulled in 1923 and 1924.

Following the C&S Ry. from St. Elmo to Alpine/Fisher-video

A few years back my family and my in-laws went to a Christian family camp called Trail West just outside of Buena Vista.  One day we were all taken on a jeep ride (we got to drive ourselves which was a blast) on a jeep road which ended in St. Elmo.  After a stop there to walk around and feed chipmunks we headed back via the old South Park right-of-way.  This is a video of the stretch east from just outside of St. Elmo to the townsite of Alpine, later renamed Fisher.  I mostly point out the spot on the line as noted in the railroad overlay on Google Earth (you can find this overlay on the dspphs.org site-It's an awesome tool!).  Unfortunately, I didn't know of many specific photos from railroad operation days except at Fisher.  At Fisher I put in some Then and Now images that line up fairly well with my view from our jeep.  

Enjoy!

Here's a video from farther east showing some of the grade from the Cascades area.

1977 C&S news (1) - Visits to Chalk Creek and Platte Canon grades, 1937 Perry photo of C&S freight

A wealth of railfan history exists in the archives of the Rocky Mountain Rail Report, the newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club started in 1939.  Here is some miscellaneous South Park Line/C&S-related news from the 1977 editions.   

1977

March
(Traveling past St. Elmo in the winter!)

About the middle of last month, several club members, while wandering around the mountains, drove up

C&S boxcars above St. Elmo 1990s

Chalk Creek Canon to St. Elmo, and then on up the old DSP&P grade about a mile past the town with no problem at all. Probably could have gone all the way to Hancock, were it not for an ice flow across the grade. Imagine, in February.!! The old South Park men and Colorado Midland Hagerman Pass crews would be doing handsprings during a winter like this, although they undoubtedly would be about the only ones in such spirits. 

July

(Hiking the Platte Canon grade)

DIG OUT THOSE WALKING SHOES!!! - One of the closest, yet probably one of the most ignored or forgotten abandoned railroad grades near Denver, will be the setting for the club's 1977 field trip as we set aside Saturday, August 6, for the PLATTE CANYON BUNION POUNDER. This is an interesting and scenic old grade to explore, even though man and mother nature have erased many of the Denver South Park & Pacific's (C&S's) markings in the canyon. However, parts of the grade are still sprinkled with cinders from the hard working little engines, there are old bridges still in place and in use, there are the sparce remains of the Strontia Springs Resort, the fascinating rock walls constructed by the Denver & Rio Grande for their planned line through the canyon but which never supported tie or rail, the Water Department's facilities and dam, and other points of interest are there to inspect. 

1880s Strontia Springs-William Jackson photo

We intend to provide two different methods for visiting the canyon which we hope will allow an opportunity for everyone who desires to participate in the outing. The starting point will be the parking area at the eastern mouth of the canyon near the Denver Water Department's treatment facilities at Waterton (Kassler). We will board a chartered bus at 8:00 A.M. for a ride around to the town of South Platte at the west end of the canyon. Our buses will first join the right-of-way at Pine, and proceed to South Platte, passing by Buffalo Creek, Foxton, Westall Monument, Dome Rock and other stations and attractions along the old South Park line. We will stop for a look at a few of them. At South Platte, we will disembark and proceed to walk through Platte Canyon on the old grade. Points of interest will be noted and explained as we progress. We will hike about seven miles to where the grade has been widened and graveled, and a flatbed truck fitted with sideboards and benches will take us the remaining three miles through Waterton, where our cars will be parked. 

We realize that there are a number of members and friends who, for one reason or another, are not able to walk this distance through the canyon so we have made arrangements to provide a means for those folks to visit the area as well. Also, at 8:00 A.M. , we will be able to take a limited number of individuals through the canyon to South Platte, and return via the same way to Waterton on the sideboard and bench-equipped truck. This is intended for folks who definitely cannot manage to hoof it seven miles. If we catch anybody climbing aboard the truck with a fake cast on their leg, flashing a forged birth certificate stamped with "1870," etc., it will be into the river for them!! 

The hikers should be appropriately dressed and equipped and should bring a lunch and other snacks if desired. At some point, we will stop and eat. Hikers and riders should also bring their own drinking water (it probably will be rather warm in the canyon, depending on the weather of course) and both groups may wish to bring some sort of rain gear if the weather predictions indicate the possibility of afternoon showers. The truck ride may last into the early afternoon; the hike, late afternoon. The canyon is not a difficult hike, as hikes go, as it is entirely on the old grade, is level, and will be taken in a rather leisurely pace. The usual amount of caution should be exercised for a walk of this nature, as there are a few snakes and some poison ivy and oak along the river. 

The cost of those riding the bus will be $4.00, those just riding the truck up and back, $1.00. This will cover the cost of the buses and a little handout that will be provided and allow us to insure that everyone will have a place when they arrive. We think this will turn out to be a fine and rewarding day for all. So just send your money to the club's post office box, and indicate the number in your party, and which group you would like to go with. Capacity is limited, so the earlier the request is sent, the better, as we will have to handle them on a first come, first served basis. Reservations will be accepted through July 27th. If there should be any questions, feel free to call Carl Carlson at 985-0975, Darrell Arndt at 321-2723, or Ed Haley at 477-5978. 

(Otto Perry photo of C&S freight at Waterton)

AFTER TAKING ON WATER at the tank at Waterton, Colorado, Otto Perry photographed this narrow gauge freight as C&S locomotives No. 68 and 69 move forward and prepare to climb through the Platte Canyon. Two more helper engines are cut into the train near the rear end. This photo, taken by Otto on April 1, 1937, is an example of the many photographs he took of Colorado railroads. After thousands of man-hours of research and cataloging by a number of Rocky Mountain Railroad Club members, a catalog of the Otto C. Perry Memorial Collection of Railroad Photographs is now available from the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library. Volume One lists his photographs from the Alabama & Western RR through the Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific Ry. Quality copies of any of the 11,511 photos may be ordered from the catalog listing. Photo sizes range from postcard to poster size, for individual collections or publications. The frontispiece, incidentally, is an original pen and ink drawing of a D&RGW narrow gauge locomotive by Howard Fogg. The catalog is 8k x 11, includes 18 photos, consists of 424 pages and sells for $6.50 plus $1.00 for postage. A price list is furnished with each catalog. Orders should be sent to the Western History Department, Denver Public Library, 1357 Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80203, with checks payable to same. When work on the remaining photos is completed, Volume II will be printed. 

1965 C&S News - Clear Creek clerk dies, last man in Alpine Tunnel, life in St. Elmo

A wealth of railfan history exists in the archives of the Rocky Mountain Rail Report, the newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club started in 1939.  Here is some miscellaneous South Park Line/C&S-related news from the 1965 editions.

 1965

February

(Former RPO clerk on Clear Creek line dies)

It is with a sad and heavy heart that we bring to our membership the news of the loss of a dear friend -- our old-timer Bert Fullman. Bert devoted his time these last years with unfailing loyalty and diligence to the monthly mailings of these newsletters and to his participation in the affairs of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club as an active member of the Club and its Board of Directors. The old gentleman passed away in Denver General Hospital Thursday evening, January 21.

Bert, the youngest of 11 children, and the last of a family of 13, was born August 6, 1879, in Omaha, and proudly proclaimed himself a "Nebraska bug-eater" who had never been farther east than North Platte after he came west. The house at 527 Josephine Street in Denver, where he lived alone, is the one into which his family moved in 1881 when they came west. His tales of the town when he was a boy have been the subject of interesting conversation among his friends on numerous occasions.

Bert started railroading as an RPO clerk in 1902 on the C&S between Denver-Greeley, Denver-Silver Plume over the Georgetown Loop, and Denver-Clarendon, Texas. In 1908 he transferred to the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific run from Denver to Yampa, Colorado, when Dave Moffat's road was still building west to Steamboat Springs. He told us of a trip made during one summer long ago when his consignment of mail sacks contained somewhere a brick of limburger cheese. The combination of heat, cheese and confinement was overpowering, according to Bert, and he finally had to resort to tracking down the offensive package, which he proceeded to wrap securely with post office twine and hang outside the car. But the mail was delivered!

Perhaps this harrowing experience brought about his departure from the Postal service. In any event he went to work for the Moffat Road as engine watchman at Hot Sulphur Springs in 1911, then worked as a fireman out of Tabernash, and was promoted to engineer west of that terminal in July, 1917. His first trip as a hogger, however, was on mallet engine 214 in helper service east from Tabernash to Corona. On this particular trip he also fired the engine on portions of the run since his fireman had just been released from the hospital. They dropped down the hill light to Arrow, where they took coal and water, then worked back up the hillon a drag. And it was six weeks of this steady, back­ breaking work before he finally had time to make his "student" trip as engineer over the line from Tabernash west to Phippsburg.

During his days as fireman he also worked on trains 1-2 using the little ex-Chesapeake Beach 4-4-0 engines 390 and 391 between Phippsburg and Craig -- the feebleminded run" he termed it.

Bert gave us all this information during the course of a Thanksgiving celebration last November. Bright, alert, cheerful, humorous and loyal to the end, this old fellow will be cherished in the memories of many of us as a genuine friend and true gentleman.

May 

(Life in St. Elmo)

St. Elmo 2018

The meeting held in April was highlighted by the interesting and amusing illustrated story of the life of Chalk Creek Canon and St. Elmo, prepared and related by Club member Don Smith. With appropriate tape-recorded music as background, Don introduced to us the present and recent occupants of the valley, then led us into the story of the Stark family of St. Elmo, and the eccentricities of the last survivors -- Annabelle and Tony -- whose confidences and friendship he came to value and enjoy during the last few years of their lives. Don's scenes of the living conditions of this remarkable pair in their "Home Comfort Hotel" and Stark Bros. General Store cannot be described, but their impact upon the large audience was noticeable.

June

(Dow Helmers-last man in Alpine Tunnel?)

Club member Dow Helmers of Pueblo, author of HISTORIC ALPINE TUNNEL -- the detailed story of the construction and life of the first tunnel to pierce the Continental Divide in Colorado -- will present his intriguing slide show of the early and recent happenings at this shrine of railfans. Mr. Helmers was among the last to gain access to the interior of Alpine Tunnel; his flash pictures and the fascinating story resulting from his research into this last remaining monument to the old South Park Line provide both a remarkable tribute to the courageous pioneers who built and operated this facility, and a program which will be long remembered.  (Ed. It seems a number of people have claimed the title of the last person inside the Alpine Tunnel.  Another, quoted in one of Daniel Edwards' books, said he was the last, 21 years after Dow Helmers, in 1986.  In 1992 a production team released yet another inside visit that they filmed on a VHS tape titled "Alpine Tunnel: The Inside Story." Here is some background of this production.  Here is a post exploring whether or not the Alpine Tunnel has been sealed)

(Poor shares how he came to write his book DSP&P)

At our May meeting a large audience gave undivided attention to an engaging talk by Club member M. C. "Mac" Poor. After a flowing and flattering introduction by member Charles S. Ryland, Mac read to us a paper which he had prepared discussing the origin of his famous history, DENVER, SOUTH PARK & PACIFIC, published in a 1,000-copy edition by the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club in 1949, in the group's first venture into the field. 

Mac's first interest in the little railroad developed in the summer of 1937 when he paid his initial visit to Colorado as a railfan. Upon returning to his home in Chicago, his curiosity about the abandoned roadbeds he had seen and photographed prompted an investigation into their background. As is sometimes the case, the notes started for the pleasant purpose of learning something about the road never seemed to stop accumulating -- ten years later they had turned into a 1,100 page typewritten manuscript!

The good intentions of the organization which originally intended publication subsided in proportion to the quantity of material Mac assembled, and the search turned then to someone who would undertake publication of the story in its entirety. Happily, our organization, in which Mac holds membership card #9, after much consideration and soul-searching into the financial risk involved in a venture of such unknown quantity, agreed to back his work, with financing guaranteed by promissory notes signed by several individual Club members.

The contract with the printer, our faithful and loyal friend Louis Doughty and his World Press, was signed in August, 1948. The job was so large it was necessary, after setting about half the text in type, to proceed with the printing so that the metal could be melted and reset for the second half of the book, Finally, in December, 1949, the finished book was ready for distribution to those who had sent in their money 15 months before at the pre-publication price of $10,00 per copy. To the delight of all (and the relief of those who had guaranteed the financing) the book found an enthusiastic market, and all copies were sold by the end of April, 1960.

In thus recounting the experiences involved in publishing the first of the Club's historical works, Mac revived many memories among old-time members, and acquainted all of us with the tremendous amount of digging and persevering effort required to search out historical information of authenticity.  (Ed. Here is a link to an article Poor wrote covering similar territory and published in this same year in 1965 in the Denver Westerner's newsletter)

July

(Dow Helmers shares Charles Webb photos of Alpine Tunnel)

After a hearty meal, which included an enormous serving of excellent prime rib of beef at the well-known Hochlandhof, those in attendance were treated to an inspiring program covering "Historic Alpine Tunnel," presented by Club member Dow Helmers of Pueblo,

Author of the detailed volume of the same title published by Sage Books of Denver in 1963, Mr. Helmers has acquired an intimate knowledge of his subject. His slides range from scenes of the days of construction of the historic shrine through its periods of operation, and end with fascinating views of the interior of the tunnel made with flash by Pueblo photographer Charles Webb in recent years before the west portal was blocked entirely by Nature's relent­less forces, the entire show being accompanied by a beautifully prepared text narrated in just the proper and appropriate style.

September

(1881 description of Como)

"COMO -- Park County, population 500, situated on the South Park Division, Union Pacific Railway, eighty-eight miles from Denver. It is an eating station and the junction of the Breckenridge Branch, now building, which makes the town a lively one. Extensive coal mines are located near the town; also some rich quartz mines a few miles to the westward. The coal vein is from seven to ten feet in thickness, of good coking quality, owned by the Railroad Company, who use large quantities of it, and ship much more. Como is reached by daily trains; fare $7.35." -- Crofutt's Grip-Sack Guide of Colorado; Overland Publishing

Company, Omaha, 1881.

Video of the St. Elmo boxcars

 Like many other visitors to the eastern approach of the South Park's route to Alpine Tunnel, I've always been intrigued by the two old C&S boxcars/outfit cars resting above the town of St. Elmo.  Here is a short video showing how they looked 110 years after they were put in place (1908-2018).

History Colorado wrote the following regarding the two cars:

The Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, along with its successors the Denver, Leadville & Gunnison and the Colorado & Southern, faced heavy operating costs, particularly on the Alpine Tunnel District portion of its route.

The reuse of railroad cars as stationery structures provided quick and inexpensive shelter for equipment storage, crew bunkhouses, and even the occasional depot.  The Colorado & Southern used the two former box cars on the site for crew quarters and storage from 1908 until 1922.

Finally, some hope for the Palisades

 So delighted to hear there is some movement on repairing the damage to the rock wall at the Palisades on the way to the west portal of Alpine Tunnel.  If you haven't seen this before, I know the call for letters is past due, but I'm sure they would still welcome a collection of letters as the process to get funding goes forward.

Below is a letter by Chuck Severance detailing what is being done and a way you can help.

There is a concerted effort underway across numerous interested parties to procure funding to repair the Palisades damage from 2016. This effort is being led by Chuck Severance here in Colorado in conjunction with Gunnison National Forest personnel. He is asking for all groups or individuals with any interest in seeing the Palisades repaired to please help out by considering writing a letter in support of the project. These instructions are geared towards groups but individuals are very welcome to write also. The more the merrier! Please see Chuck's call to action below:

Today I am hoping to enlist your help to write a letter of support that we discussed a few months back for the repair of the historic Palisade Wall of the Alpine Tunnel near Pitkin. Here is a short drone video of the wall. 

Progress on this project has been slow but steady for over a year now. We are currently awaiting approved final NFS engineering plans and bids from the contractors, but our concept budget is around $350-$450,000. On a positive note, The National Forest Foundation (NFF) has agreed to be the applicant for all grants. The NFF has the experience and advantage in grant writing, contracting, administration, and insurance. On the downside, History Colorado recently announced they will not be accepting grant applications exceeding $50,000 as a result of their revenue shortfall due to the closing of casinos for COVID.

Despite this setback, our working group of NFF and Gunnison National Forest (GNF) are pushing ahead. It is hoped that even a $50,00 grant will be valued as seed money to fuel other groups to contribute as well. The best news yet, The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) proposed by Senator Gardner and signed by President Trump 8/4/20 provides $2 Billion per year to National Parks and Forests for deferred maintenance – half of which is targeted for roads. As the details of the GAO Act gets clarified, GNF has committed to submitting the Palisade Wall as a shovel ready project. The GNF leaders are now hopeful to join this project not only with engineering and project management, but significant funding as well.

To be proactive in anticipation of GAO Act funding and project approval, we are proceeding with several grant applications. Our first grant application to History Colorado is due September 1st as a draft version and October 1st as a final version. Support letters are critical to each application, as we have discussed. We hope to show a diverse group of users and stakeholders including historic preservation, motorized recreation, and economic impacts.

I am asking that you please include the following in your support letter:

Your name and address on your letterhead, if available.

A description or mission statement of your group.

Number of members.

How you contribute to history, economics, or recreation in Colorado.

Why you think it is important to have the Palisade Wall repaired.

Please sign your support letter.

Letters should be dated and addressed to (but not sent to):

Mr. Tim Stroh, AIA

Director, State Historical Fund

1200 Broadway

Denver, CO 80203

Please scan or save your letters as a .pdf file and e-mail to me at chuck@crsarchitect.com. I hope to receive your support letter by mid September. Please save your letters, as I may ask for the letters to be refreshed with new dates for future applications. Please feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions or comments. I am trying to be brief here, but I have much more to share if you are interested.

Thank you so much for your interest and support in this historic and trail preservation project.

Sincerely yours,

Chuck Severance

C&S grade in Chalk Canyon 2018-video

Last summer when leaving our campsite near St. Elmo, we drove back toward Buena Vista.  My wife offered to drive so I could try to spot the grade to the right of the road in Chalk Canyon.  I got a glimpse near Chalk Lake and there was a parking area and some trails nearby.  We pulled in and I was able to get some video and photos of the grade.  I would have loved to have climbed up there, but due to time constraints we just couldn't do it.

The video below includes the footage and photos I got from the area.  Later I realized that this, if I am correct, is the spot on the grade referred to as Cascades, where a number of famous photos were taken.  Towards the end of the video I was able to locate the approximate sites in Google Earth of the two famous shots from 1883.  I wish I could have taken them from the grade myself instead of using Google Earth!

There is a walkable trail called The Narrow Gauge Trail that allows one to hike some or all of this section.  I have seen some photos that a rock slide has blocked part of it.

Alpine Tunnel 4x4 video

There are a lot of 4x4 videos out there of folks driving around the area surrounding the Alpine Tunnel.  The one below, though, is unique in that it includes a walk along the eastern approach from Hancock to the east portal and includes some low flying drone footage along the right-of-way as well as some time lapses.



For a full video of the route from Hancock to East Portal, see my GoPro film of the entire length here.

PILGRIMAGE #1

When we turned off of US 50 at Parlin my heart began to race. I recall seeing a sign on the road with a cheesy train exiting a tunnel. It read “Gateway to the Alpine Tunnel.” After passing through Ohio City and Pitkin we found the dirt path off to the right where the roadbed began. Our white Ford Taurus rental car was certainly not designed for off-road adventures, and the rental company was adamant that it not be taken off paved roads, but my dad was an outdoorsman and we did it anyway.

We slowly rolled over several miles of rocky road and wound up some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. We passed Tunnel Gulch tank, which was just a base, and then passed Midway tank. Midway tank was built after a snow slide destroyed the town of Woodstock and its water tank farther up the line. The Mile High Jeep Club restored Midway tank from a precarious leaning state in the late 1950s and it looked great on this summer day. We decided to park our car here and walk the last three miles.“The next three miles of roadbed are possibly the most amazing stretch of railroad in the world.” There was a sign somewhere along the way that stated the above and we were not disappointed.

We eventually came upon the ill-fated remains of the town of Woodstock. All that remained were the six stones that once supported the water tower (with its supply pipe still gushing water), and some scattered timbers. We looked up to our left where the deadly snow slide had originated and saw the incredible Palisades, still towering and formidable, holding up the roadbed on a cliff over a century after its construction. My dad and brother Karl, being the daring guys they are, decided to climb straight up the mountainside to reach it. Being the faithful baby of the family, I stayed with Mom and we began walking the grade toward Sherrod…until we heard screams.

Up above we could make out my father standing on the palisades waving his arms and yelling. What he was yelling we couldn’t make out, but it made us panic a bit, especially because we didn’t see my brother. Had he fallen? Had some wild bear attacked him?! We were relieved to see a Park Service pick-up truck coming up grade toward us. He asked if we wanted a ride and we accepted. I was disappointed when he took a sharp curve and completely avoided Sherrod loop. In my concern for my brother’s welfare, I even missed the fact that we had driven right over and past the famous Palisades. Disaster was averted when we came upon my dad and brother walking leisurely along the grade where the Williams Pass stage line continued its ascent above the railroad grade. We soon discovered that my dad had simply been trying to wave a hello from the Palisades, but his muffled words did not reach us. We thanked our driver and continued our stroll along the roadbed.

I did see a few remaining ties in the dirt and took a small piece of one with me as a souvenir. My dad found a large rusted nut and bolt that I also added to my treasury. Whether it was from a wrecked Mason Bogie or a beat up Chevy pick up I still don’t know.We wound our way along until we turned a bend and before us lay the holy city: Alpine Tunnel station.

It was guarded by a gate keeping vehicles out. It also sported a sign that read: “Take only pictures and leave only footprints.” In the mid 90s the only preservation efforts on the site (excluding the addition of a leaning port-a-potty) were to the telegraph station and the coaling platform. The engine house was merely rubble and the frame boarding house appeared to be a pile of abandoned lumber. I did acquire some coal dust from the coaling platform that I subsequently glued onto the tenders of my model trains back in Ohio.

There was also a random length of rail lying in the grass just outside the engine house. The telegraph office was in great shape, though it did not have the famous “Alpine Tunnel” sign on top. Inside was a small table where people had placed miscellaneous finds including nails and spikes that were on display.

We continued outside and around the rockslide for my first glimpse of Alpine Tunnel. As the roadbed began its cut into the hillside a large wood beam blocked the way. In its center was a wooden replica of one of the arches inside the tunnel. Famed supporter of the tunnel Francis Trudgeon had constructed the replica out of discarded wood and installed the memorial at the site. To the left of this was the the “tombstone” to the tunnel placed by Trudgeon, Dow Helmers and Mac Poor back in 1967. It was missing a significant portion of the top right corner. I’ve always wondered what broke it. Some say vandals, some say an avalanche.

The cut leading to the west portal was piled high with old snow shed timbers. It made things fairly difficult to walk through and I can understand why they were later removed. When I made it to the portal it was almost entirely buried by rock fall into the cut.

Someone had created a rectangle of discarded boards to protect the little of the stone archway that they could. When peering inside the rectangle you could see maybe four or five of the archway stones and there appeared to be a small hole leading down and to the left, large enough for maybe only an animal to scurry through. Unimpressive as this may sound, I on the other hand was amazed: I was really here! Holy ground! I was standing at the west portal of the Alpine Tunnel! The pilgrimage made a passion. And then came the storm.The sky was getting quite dark. I have since read the railroaders knew that the weather could change quite dramatically on this line; we were yet novices and were very concerned about the distance between ourselves and our car downgrade. We quickly made our way toward the station. I stopped to snap a picture of a piece of original South Park rail submerged in water beneath the snow sheds. I also passed the turntable, which was simply a mound of dirt with only two of the three timbers on the roadbed that used to form an abutment for the roadbed leading to the long-gone turntable.

I took one last shot of Alpine Tunnel station and turned to join my family as we made a mad dash to our car. In order to save time my dad decided that we should just walk down Tunnel Gulch. Thankfully, the weather seemed to subside eventually so we slowed our hustle to a hike. It was more like a climb considering we were traipsing through the woods without a path. Just before reaching our car we stumbled upon two or three decayed cabins. Were these old work camps? Finally, we hopped in our car and noticed: we were low on gas.We knew we could make it to Pitkin, so we weren’t too concerned. However, upon arriving at the one station in town we discovered a sign in the window that read: “Closed Mondays.” Of all the days of the week, you can guess which one it was.

So began a much retold story among my family. We turned the car on and accelerated to the top of the many rolling hills, then turned it off…and we rolled. The repeated dialogue went something like this. Mom: How’s the gas? Dad: Low. Mom: Keep rolling. So, we rolled all the way to Gunnison, gassed up and hit the motel. I had just experienced an adventure, a journey, a pilgrimage. That pilgrimage led to two more because this pilgrimage, the chance to see in person something I had only read about, turned into a passion.