The Alpine Loop is an advertised adventure. You can read about it on the web and print literature.

My first acquaintance with the loop happened in the mid 1980's on a late night drive in my white, Toyota Tercel with a friend, David Faltys, now superintendent of Carroll I.S.D., up one side of the loop toward Engineer Pass. We drove long and until dark until arriving at a farmhouse where the road became too much for the car. We headed back and began to creep ourselves out because of the ghost/mining towns that we passed and the sound of the rushing creek and then the silence and the absence of any light and no moon.

This trip was the only "for sure" thing on this vacation. Most of the time, we play it casual with little specific planning of activities. I have wanted to rent a jeep and drive down roads that most don't travel. We rented the jeep from Pleasant Valley Rentals for an acceptable sum and drove.

The loop is approximately 35 miles or so according to my memory. It is, as the names suggests, a loop. So starting in Lake City, we returned to Lake City.

Cinnamon Pass is on one side of the loop and Engineer Pass on the other. At least, generally speaking. There are sights on the way: American Basin which is a valley of wildflowers, Animas Forks ghost town, other ghost towns and abandoned cabins some with names and some without, a souvenir shop near Lake City built into an old mine selling core samples and polished rocks.

Many loop drivers plan their 6+ hour trip around a side trip to Silverton for lunch, snacks, or to buy some trinket. We packed our lunch and stayed on the loop all day.

Tomorrow more specifics.

$140.oo if you were wondering.