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On Sunday afternoon, I traveled with friends to the old
ghost town of Hancock in Chaffee County. To get there,
head west on Chaffee County Road 162
from Nathrop and take it all the way to St. Elmo.
You'll see this turn off (adjacent photo) as you reach St. Elmo. |
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You'll enjoy this view along the right as you head towards Hancock. |
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Road Conditions: As of late September 2006,
you can take any type of car from the Hancock/St. Elmo spur a few miles until just before
you reach this old rickety railroad bridge. The road you'll be driving on is the old railroad grade,
and the road detours to the right to go around the bridge. The turnoff for the Mary Murphy Mine is also in the vicinity. At that point, you will need a 4-wheel
drive vehicle that can handle some bumps. Having said that, this road is nothing compared to the
craziness of bumps and rocks leading to Tincup Pass,
if that comparison helps. ;) |
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An old cabin (top) and the two bottom photos show the Allie Belle Mine area.
Amazingly, the building stands in quite an odd position and is a popularly photographed site. |
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The town of Hancock. Only one remaining structure exists - a saloon.
My other Colorado ghost town pages:
St. Elmo
Vicksburg & Winfield
Independence
Bonanza
Tincup
Granite |
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A photo of a sign giving more historical information about Hancock.
To think that this town had 200 people and served as a mining and railroad hub is pretty amazing,
especially considering how isolated it is in the mountains and the high altitude of 11,000+ feet. |
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A view of the mountains looking to the north. |
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Now this is definitely a very interesting place
for hiking, camping and taking in Colorado scenery. From Hancock, the old railroad
grade that leads to the Alpine Tunnel
(a tunnel that went through the Continental
Divide to reach points in Gunnison County) has become a trail and the tunnel is caved-in and generally unrecognizable from this side of the divide.
Also, Hancock Lake and Hancock Pass can be reached to the south. |
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We walked maybe just 0.5 miles on the Alpine Tunnel trail and
stopped at the Sawmill Curve. Kent acted like he was unbalanced to dramatize how awful
of a crash it must have been to be derailed in such an isolated area of Colorado's high country. |
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Right at the Sawmill Curve is a 4-wheel drive road that leads to Williams Pass.
I think I want to go up there! :) |
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I would really like to give major thanks to Kent and
Chris (of HP Colorado Homes in Buena Vista) for generously
taking me up there. My Honda Accord would never have made it! :p) |
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On the way back, I realized I did not have a photo
of myself and so I ran out on the road with Kent and Chris' dog for this scenic picture. ;) |
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Kent looks out at the fall foliage. Also note
that between St. Elmo and Hancock is the road leading to the Mary Murphy Mine
and Pomeroy Lake. |
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One photo in St. Elmo. After being so isolated and a long way off in Hancock,
it was funny to feel like St. Elmo
(with four year round residents and approximately 45 buildings) was "back in civilization." ;) |
