If Not By Train Then By Car

 Our Durango-Silverton train excursion was truncated to a Durango-Cascade Canyon excursion due to a lingering snowpack at the pass to Silverton.  But we had not come all this way to not see an old mountain mining town that had been on our list of things to do for decades.  Fortunately for us there is more than one way to get to Silverton.  It's called the Million Dollar Highway.  

There are many explanations about how the highway got its name but two legends are currently the favorites.  One legend states that the road was built using a million dollars worth of gold and silver tailings, while another claims the nickname originates from an exhausted traveler who proclaimed: “I would not travel that road again for a million dollars!” Either way, the highway was completed in 1883 and the name quickly stuck.

Our goal for the day, Silverton, CO.
All covered in a fresh 3" blanket of snow from last night.

The drive from our base camp in Ignacio through Durango and on to the the Million Dollar Highway, aka State Highway 550, started out sunny, warm and dry.  Durango has completely thawed out from a record breaking winter and is running full tilt.  Silverton, on the other hand, is not there yet.  It is still in winter mode with only two public businesses open, the Tourist/Visitor Center/Museum and a coffee shop.

So this is one of those times that it is more about the journey than the destination.  And what a drive this journey was.

We were only a short ways out from Durango and remnants 
of winter became evident.

And then the scenery got good.
This is Purgatory, CO.

The rugged Rockies as seen from the Million Dollar Hwy 

Up we go!
One of several 8% grades.

Cold, crisp, crystal clear mountain air.  And NO GAURD RAILS!

On top of the world!
Approaching Molas Pass.

A look back at our last 8% grade.
Molas Pass is coming.

Last long climb before Molas Pass Summit.  Again, no guard rails!

Made it!
Molas Pass Summit comfort station still buried in snow.
We'll either have to make yellow snow or hold it till we get to Silverton.

Molas Pass Summit
Elevation 10,910 FT

Looking north from Molas Pass Summit.
High altitude winds are kicking up a blizzard on the peaks.

Molas Pass Summit.
Cyndee's little SUV has the place to itself.

The peaks just above the Molas Pass sign are stunning
looking and really showing the high altitude winds

It's all downhill (steep) from Molas Pass to Silverton, but scenic.

First stop, Silverton Visitor Center.  This is a stock photo, 
I was in a hurry making a mad dash to the public facilities 
and didn't get any pictures of my own with all the snow.

The one person on duty at the visitor center told us about the 3" of fresh snow that came last night and expressed her weariness with winter.  She also told us we were a little early for doing any sightseeing.  Other than the visitor center there was only one other public access business open in the whole town, a little coffee shop on Main St that could also make you a sandwich.

View from inside the coffee shop in Silverton, CO

Now all that was left to do was to reverse our course and return to Durango for some shopping and a bite to eat.  What a day.