Lisa and myself rode up Keystone gulch to check out the Erickson Mine while the GORC crew rode Spruce Creek / Burro Trails near Breckenridge.
Beavers owned the stream following Keystone Gulch and you could see where staff kept knocking down the dams to keep the road from flooding.
Near the timberline you could walk about 30 feet into a mineshaft.
Outside the mine shaft. Some hardy folks worked this area.
Near the top of Keystone Gulch approaching the historic Erikson Mine
Hard rock mining at the top of the world – looking towards the Breckenridge valley two mountain over – you can make out the ski runs in the distance.
Mine ruins above the world
Descending back to Keystone – 7.5 miles up (2 hours) / 7.5 miles down (20 minutes)
The next day everyone rode Two Elks and Bowman’s Shortcut from Vail Pass down into Minturn. Epic!
A view at “Top of the World” – a 360 degree view of mountains – very humbling
You can’t really make it out but this is a wall of dirt so heinous that I had to stop and get a picture. Some people rode it all the way out!
Scooter coming down Bowman’s Shortcut
They look like rocks or flowers but they’re really free-range sheep
Scott and Scott passing through a wildflower meadow. Two Elks dropped through one of Vail’s ski runs and followed a tight creek valley all the way down into Minturn.
Marvin in the meadow
A new bridge crossed the river – here Lisa takes a break.
Everyone made it safely down into Minturn some 3,000 feet lower than at our highest point