Most people have not heard of or know about the San Juan Mountain Range in southwest Colorado. Perhaps the obscurity is a good thing because there are fewer people there. More folks are familiar with the front range of mountains in Colorado. Located in the front range are the towns of Vail, Breckenridge and Aspen. The front range is probably better known because the front range is closer to the metropolitan area of Denver and access is much easier.
In southwest Colorado, there is a more remote, dramatic, larger, and what I think more beautiful mountain range, the San Juans Mountains. The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range. Towns that may sound familiar in the San Juans are; Telluide, Silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Gunnison, and Pagosa Springs, The San Juans are younger than the front range of the Rockies near Denver. The roads are steeper, the mountains are higher and more dramatic, and best of all, there are fewer people here. The San Juans may the most beautiful part of America, ranking right up there with the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, and Glacier National Park in Montana. Some could also make the case for the Cascade Range in the northwest part of America from northern California through Washington. Of course, there is Alaska also, but Alaska is in a league of its own.
I first became familiar with the San Juans back in 1997 during a bike tour with Timberline Adventures. That nine-day adventure cycling in the San Juans, started in Durango, then riding to; Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Montrose, Gunnison, Lake City, South Fork, Pagosa Springs, and back to Durango. That tour was one of the hardest rides I ever did in my life.
We crossed the continental divide twice during this tour, once at Spring Creek Pass between Lake City and South Fork, and a second time at Wolf Creek Pass, between South Fork and Pagosa Springs. The headwaters of the Rio Grand originate from high in the San Juans near Spring Creek Pass and drains the east side of the range. The western slope of the San Juans is drained by tributaries of the San Juan, Delores, and Gunnison rivers which all flow into the Colorado River. The San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests cover a large part of the San Juans.
There are six peaks over 14,000 feet above sea level, 19 peaks over 13,000 feet, and dozens over 12,000 ft in the San Juan Mountain Range.
Old mining roads connect many of these mining towns. Precious metals mined from this area include gold, silver, as well as lead, zinc, copper. Of course, incredible destruction and pollution occurred during this mining. Clean up efforts are still going on today. Progress is occurring, but a large cleanup effort still remains. When I hear the advertising claims about the clear pure Coors Beer Rocky Mountain Spring Water, I think about all the polluted waters from these mines. I don’t drink Coors Beer. Last summer, the EPA accidentally released three millions gallons of toxic yellow sludge into Colorado’s waterways north of Silverton and the pollution spread 100 miles into New Mexico. I think I will stick with Sam Adams Oktoberfest, just hoping they are not using water from Boston Harbor.
Link to EPA Spill and the Colorado Gold Rush
The mountain range formation occurred during a series of 5 volcanic eruptions, each with a magnitude 10 times greater than that of Mount Saint Helens. These eruptions occurred around 30 million years ago. Causing some of this volcanic activity was the subduction occurring with the North American tetonic plate colliding with Pacific Plate. This was the second mountain range to occur in the area. The first one occurred over 300 million years ago, and with time, completely eroded. The present range was originally over twice as high as it is now, showing the power of wind, rain, and water erosion over time.
This is all very confusing and difficult to me to understand. For those of you are further interested the geology of these mountains which goes back billions of years, here is the best link I could find that explains it.
SAN JUAN VOLCANIC FIELD (SJVF), COLORADO
The science and history over the billions of year is difficult to understand. I mostly included the link to give one a perspective of the age of the earth, and the incredible forces that shaped it over the eons.
My finite mind cannot comprehend the seemingly infinite time where all this mountain building occurred. For me, it’s mostly enough to just be in awe of the beauty and realize that I am just here for such an incredibly short time compared to the events that formed these mountains, literally just a flash of existence. The grandeur of it all helps me keep life in perspective and in my faith with God.
Link to Rock of Ages