Gold Camp Road Pictography
Headed west form the city of Colorado Springs, Gold Camp Road is an incredibly scenic way to get to the Cripple Creek/Victor area. It takes longer than using US 24 and SH 67, but the views make up for it quickly. Here's my pictorial essay of the "Trip that bankrupts the english language."
It's all about the scenery, stupid!
So on the last page, we came across a random MST3K reference and a sign advertising a tunnel. As we're about to see, this tunnel is hurting. I wonder what the plan is for this. Once we're through with the tunnel, we'll switch gears (get it? Switch Gears? HA! I kill me!) and take in some of the scenery. If you're looking for the roadgeek pics after the tunnel, you'll be looking for a while.
)
Approaching the tunnel that was advertised on the last page.
)
Our first glimpse. The netting is an ominous sign.
)
Interesting wooden beams in there, too.
)
Slightly overexposed (on purpose) shot showing the tunnel.
)
After going through the tunnel, we see the reason for the wooden beams. The beams, interestingly enough, did not cover the length of the tunnel roof. There was about a 100' section in the middle where there was no timbers.
)
Closer look at the failing rock façade of the tunnel.
)
Once more, with feeling!
)
Tearing ourselves away from the hurting tunnel, we resume our regularly scheduled scenery programming, already in progress. Is it me or are the homeowners of these two houses some of the luckiest people on earth?
)
A little ways after the tunnel, we're greeted with some neat rock formations.
)
How these rocks came to be so smooth is a geologist's guess.
)
The roundedness isn't limited to a few outcroppings, as you can see.
)
We've entered part of Gold Camp Road where it curves through many little creek valleys. Here's one of them.
)
This is looking out the right side of the car in the same valley as the previous pic.
)
When we're not traversing small creek valleys, we're cutting our way through various hills.
)
Another valley shot. I wonder if this is the part of the trip that inspired Theodore Roosevelt to declare this "The trip that bankrupts the English language."
)
More valley goodness. This is the next valley we traverse.
)
Say whatever you want, I'm having fun photographing almost every rock cut on this road.
)
That's a good sign that we're nearing more homesteads. And possibly civilization.
)
Even with the picture being this big, it's still not enough to convey to you how marvelous this view was.
)
Another covered trestle.
)
Here's a corral and a truck loader for this ranch's head of cattle.
)
More cuttage.
)
I think all the bouncing finally managed to knock both the tires off of one side of the car. That's the only explanation as to why this pic is so off-kilter. It couldn't be that I was to lazy to fix it...
)
Even with the clouds, these valleys are being quite photogenic.
)
Fascinating smooth-faced rock cut.
)
I never get tired of these valley shots.
)
I also never get tired of these rock cut shots.
)
I hope I'm not making the Comrade feel homesick again. He got mad at me and didn't talk to me for a long time after my One Year Anniversary Mega Trip.
)
I know that this trip has slowly moved away from roadgeeking and into more scenic photography, but with shots like this, can you blame me?
)
Here's a variation on a theme. This time, we'll go into the valley a bit before heading out of it.
)
My favorite pic for this trip. This is at the base of the "U" Gold Camp Road makes in the valley we saw in the previous pic.
)
Heading out of the valley.
)
Third time's a charm to get a working cattle guard, I see. Seriously, though, what's the point of the gate to the right?
)
Captain! Sensors indicate a mid to late 20th century transport ship dead ahead!
)
Waaaaaait a minnit. Guardrails? Pavement? WTF?
)
And a stop sign? It can only mean one thing: We've hit the end of Gold Camp Road.
)
Looking at the sign greeting opposite direction traffic. Where's the distances on this sign? Huh? Huh?
)
Heading towards Victor, CO on CR 81 now. This is looking back at the intersection of CR 8 (Gold Camp Road) and CR 81.
And there you have it, folks. Not my most roadgeek-worthy of trips, but a great photo essay of the beauty of Colorado. Hope you enjoyed it! See you soon for our next installment of "As the Wheels Turn." (brought to you by Conoco/Phillips Gas)
- Where to next?
- Page 4
- This trip's Index
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of the orginizations listed within this site. I'm just a bored roadgeek with way too much time on his hands. All of the picts in this page are mine and mine alone unless otherwise noted. Remember, kids: stealing is bad, mmmm-k? I get quite pissy if things are taken without telling me. I don't like to be pissy. You won't like it either. If you want to link to this page, that's fine. Please shoot me an email beforehand so I can link to your page as well. K? Thanks. --Ryan
Additional links you may find handy... Sitemap ... RSS Feed information