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Spring Snow This morning I got up to let the dogs out and was a little disgruntled to discover we had a small covering of snow on the ground.  After about a week of warm beautiful days we were getting use to the idea that spring had come to the high country. So I went into the kitchen where the coffee pot had come on automatically and poured myself a cup of coffee. Then I built a little ... Continue Reading

Hidden away in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado is a series of four wheel drive roads unlike most others in the Colorado Mountains.  This area was formed by millions of years of volcano eruptions, glaciers, wind, melting snow and rain. For centuries Native Americans came to this area to hunt, fish, gather berries and enjoy the almost unbelievable beauty as well as the mild ... Continue Reading

With the recent vote by Lake City’s citizens to allow OHVs to travel on our city streets a new chapter has been opened in our business districts economic recovery. With the cooperation of our Sheriff’s Department OHV riders will be able to travel the short distance down Highway 149 to complete the Alpine Loop. With Silverton allowing OHV access to its business district it opens a new opportunity ... Continue Reading

Lake City itself is a page out of the past.  It is the largest historic district in the state of Colorado and Colorado is full of history. Lake City, even though in its beginning, was totally based on mining. It has always been a more cosmopolitan refined community, much unlike most mining towns, and especially different from its wild and wooly neighbor, Creede. It has always been known ... Continue Reading

For well over forty years I have driven over Slumgullion Pass near Lake City, Colorado and marveled at the huge pine trees and deep forest that lined highway 149. The huge trees seemed to reach the beautiful blue skies overhead. The forest was home to thousands of birds, herds of deer and elk, several lonely grouchy old Bull Moose, and hundreds of smaller animals living on the forest floor. Many ... Continue Reading

The beautiful leaves of fall are quickly appearing signaling the end of another beautiful summer in the high country.  September is the most beautiful and comfortable month of the year. The mornings are crisp and cool and the days are warm and the Colorado Blue Skies are the brightest. There is a little patch of Aspen trees on the side of Round Top Mountain that we locals refer to as the ... Continue Reading

Last week I had to make a few trips to Gunnison and it was almost like taking the drive 30 or 35 years ago.  Deer were everywhere.  Back those many years ago the trip would be made more interesting by watching deer in every open space and pasture along the way. Then after some devastating winters the deer population was severely diminished and before it could fully recover we would be hit with ... Continue Reading

  Reeves Brown, Executive Director of the Department of Local Affairs, was in Lake City this morning to present the Town of Lake City with an Energy Impact Grant award of $600,000 for the renovation of the historic Armory building.  The Armory is used daily for school PE classes, recreation and community events, and as the Town Hall.  Mayor Bruce Vierheller said that the initial building ... Continue Reading

Back in 1883, Lake City was in a similar situation as we are today.  They needed a new multi-purpose building and they needed funds to build it with. The citizens of 1883 came up with a brilliant idea to raise the funds for the needed building. They formed a corporation and sold shares to the citizens to raise funds for the building.  They sold one thousand five hundred shares for $10.00 each and ... Continue Reading

Lake City is an amazing little community that has accomplished much more than you would expect from a population of about 350 people. We have a beautiful new school that was a monumental struggle to become a reality.  It has proven to be well worth the effort as Lake City was recognized as the number one school in the state this year.  We have consistently been one of the top schools in the state ... Continue Reading

The welcome rain the past month or so has created a bonanza for mushroom hunters. The Aspen Boletus and the King Boletus are popping up everywhere. {If you know where to look} The “LBM’s” {Little Brown Mushrooms”} seem to be covering the ground everywhere. The beautiful “Angles of Death” are abundant so be careful and try to avoid even touching these bright red beauties with their little white ... Continue Reading

This beautiful old building was constructed 135 years ago by the then First National Bank and John S. Hough.  The original cut-stone building and all its furnishings cost a total of $22,000.00.  The historic building features beautiful stone arches and French plate glass panels. It is the classic example of a strong safe building that you would feel secure in placing your life savings.  The bank ... Continue Reading

Over the years we have had some very exciting experiences with our close neighbors, the Black Bear.  Some of these experiences have been funny and some not so funny. When our grand daughter was a baby my son called me on our radios at the Lodge and said, “Dad get over here quick with a gun.  I’m standing here on the stairs holding the baby looking a big black bear face to face.” The bear had ... Continue Reading

From an old building downtown with seating for three or four in the waiting room, one exam room and little or no medical equipment to a beautiful modern Medical Center, Lake City has come a long way. For those of us who lived here 30 years ago we certainly appreciated the old building with one exam room and the grouchy old retired Doctor who ran it. We marvel at the new facility we now have. Our ... Continue Reading

This morning while having breakfast as the sun came over the mountain we realized we were sitting with clouds all around us. We were actually above some clouds as they slowly moved down the valley below.  Other clouds were above us where they would open up from time to time revealing the snow covered peaks with the golden Aspens of fall in contrast with the green pines. There are few sights more ... Continue Reading

The new dam at the outlet of Lake San Cristobal is going to solve problems that Lake City residents have dealt with for over one hundred and thirty years. In the spring with the snow pack run off the lake was very often dangerously high.  In the fall and especially years like this with very little snow pack in the mountains above us the lake would become too low. In the past with little activity ... Continue Reading

A few days ago was my wife’s birthday and we just decided to not go to the office.  We took our little jeep to see the Aspen quickly turning golden yellow in the mountains around us.  The turning of the Aspen, while one of nature’s most beautiful sights, comes with mixed emotions. It means the end of our glorious summer is near.  Fall is a beautiful time of year and is my favorite ... Continue Reading

                Colorado Highway 149 is a little obscure two lane road just outside of Gunnison that leads to some of the most breath taking beautiful country that you can possibly imagine. It also leads to a life style that many people dream of but few accomplish. It is just about as far away from the glitz and glamour of today’s modern world as you ... Continue Reading

The San Luis Valley is an absolute paradise for the outdoorsman. Hunting for big game, fishing for a trophy trout, ATV trails abound, skiing down a mountainside with no crowds and golfing over spectacular golf courses is all available in this high mountain valley. The Cattails Golf Course in Alamosa is a place to relax and enjoy your golf game with no crowds. This is an 18 hole course with a 71 ... Continue Reading

With the tremendous loss of property and homes in the Colorado fires it is difficult to even discuss the benefits of wildfires in our forest.  The type of fires and devastation we are seeing is exactly what natural and controlled fires are expected to prevent. The Forest Service will celebrate its 100th anniversary this month and five years after its inception it had a policy of stopping any ... Continue Reading

A 125 mile drive from South Fork on Highway 160 down Highway 149 ending at Blue Mesa Reservoir on Highway 50.  The Silver Thread Scenic Byway offers not only scenic beauty and natural wonders, but also Colorado history through abandoned gold and silver mines and boomtowns.  At the height of the mineral rush this road was a major thoroughfare for prospectors and entrepreneurs, boasting towns of ... Continue Reading