Taylor Pass

We awoke to a heavy cover of fog again this morning but it did clear out for a beautiful morning and then we experienced rain again this afternoon.

John and I were the designated leaders for today and we got to lead the group over a very difficult pass that we had never driven before. The last time we Jeeped in Taylor Lake this pass was closed due to excessive rain.

We started our trip with a delightful visit with the volunteers at the US Forest Station at Dorchester Campground. The couple manning this station live in the log cabin that was built as part of Dorchester Township in the late 1800's. Elaine had prepared for us a gourmet breakfast of several coffee cakes, an assortment of fruit and cheese, coffee and tea. All the cakes were baked on their wood burning deluxe oven/stove that also heats the cabin. It is a one room log house big enough for the bed, two couches, a desk and kitchen table plus the stove.

A short drive later we were on Taylor Pass which is considered a very difficult road up to the top of the pass that separates Crested Butte and Aspen. It was narrow and steep with large boulders over a 4 mile stretch. Part of the trail ran in a creek which was fun until we had to climb out. Since John was in the lead he got to show everyone else the way but it was so challenging that he requested help from Rick who is very experienced at directing drivers over the trouble area. Everyone made it through the tight turn, up a steep grade, between a boulder and a tree.

Taylor Lake was near the top of the pass and is very pretty. Mary used to come out to Taylor as a child with her family. One day her father made her walk the four miles up to Taylor Lake to go fishing. She was very tired and wanted to sit down but he would not have it. She had to fish. So she just threw her line out and immediately declared that she was stuck on a bush. When her dad helped her reel in, she had caught two cut-throat trout at the same time!

The back side of the pass was not hard and led us to Aspen. From there we drove over Independence Pass back to Buena Vista and then Cottonwood Pass back to Taylor Lake (this is our 3rd trip over Cottonwood Pass). A roaring campfire rounded out this memorable day.