THE END: Cumberland Pass and the Alpine Tunnel

Today we are going to drive to Cumberland Pass to the Alpine Tunnel, Pitkin, Ohio City and back home. Last time we were stopped by a huge snow drift. We top off Gas at our little gas station.

Of course it's dirt road all the way

We pass through Tin Cup again. This time the restaurant Frenchy's is open so we stop in for lunch.

"Frenchy" was a french-canadian who arrived in Tin Cup in 1879. He served whiskey from a barrel for 15 cents a tin cup. We had Burgers and one of the best milkshakes we'd had in years!

I think this is where we ran into the snow drift back in June.

The number of trees is astounding

This time we make it all the way to the top.

You can see for miles

From here we head towards Pitkin with a detour to see the Alpine Tunnel

We pass remains of cabins

and old mine sites . This was the site of Woodstock. March 10, 1884 an avalanche swept away the water tank, crossed the tracks and smashed into Woodstock, destroying everything in its path. There were 13 fatalities on 5 survivors. Woodstock was never rebuilt.

We pass by an old water tower.

This is what it looked like before it was restored.

.Next we get to the Sherrod Loop. A mining camp was founded in 1903. During its three year life span, the town had two hotels, two stores, a newspaper, several log cabins and numerous miner's tents. By 1908 it had become a ghost town.

Where's the train?

We arrive at the beginning of the 3 mile section of the railroad that lead to the tunnel.

We are at over 11, 200 ft

We reach the "Palisades" a narrow man made terrace. The ledge is made from hand cut stones. It is 2 feet thick and 33 feet high and 435 feet long. It was laid without any mortar. It is pretty much in the same condition as it was when constructed in 1881.

Can you imagine the view from a moving train?

We get to the end of the road and follow the trail to the Telegraph Office.

Maybe I can catch the train here.

The Telegraph Station has been renovated and turned into a small museum

I feel like I'm going around in circles!

Looks like we reached the end of the line

This is what it looked like with the train coming through.

Excavation of the Alpine Tunnel, which became the first tunnel onstructed through the Continental Divide, began in January 1880 and was supposed to be finished in six months. However, the job required almost two years to complete. Fractured granite required the use of over 400,000 board feet of California redwood to support and encase 1,427 feet of the 1,772 foot long Tunnel. Service thru the Tunnel begain in 1882 and ended in 1910