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Even though the weather was harsh at that
elevation, especially during the long winter months, things went
relatively well for the line and the tunnel for the first several years.
However, in March, 1884, the town of Woodstock was completely destroyed by
an avalanche, burying 18 people, 13 of whom died. Six were children. The
settlement, which had as many as 200 residents was never rebuilt. Most of
its residents moved to nearby Sherrod and a new water tank for the
railroad was built about ˝ mile down the grade. All that remains today of
Woodstock are a few stone foundations, some rotting timbers and a historic
marker.
Due to the high elevation and the
harsh winter conditions, the tunnel began to close during winters between
1887 and 1889 and again between 1890 and 1894. In the meantime, the
Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad went into receivership in August,
1889 and re-emerged as the Denver, Leadville & Gunnison line under control
of the Union Pacific Railroad. However, that line, too, would go into
receivership five years later.
In 1895, the tunnel faced two more
disasters when, during the reopening of the tunnel after the winter, four
crew members suffocated. Not long after, a train wreck occurred, killing
two men near the tunnel in May.
The line continued to struggle
financially until
Colorado and Southern (C&S) Railway Company was formed
with the merger of the DL&G, Union Pacific, and Denver & Gulf railroads in
1899.
The line was plagued with accidents
and storms during its 30 year life. In 1901, a train with one passenger
coach and ten loaded freight cars was completely buried by snow and in
1904, another train wreck occurred west of the tunnel.
Two years later, a fire destroyed the
engine house and another collision occurred inside the tunnel.
Finally, the railroad company gave up
on the dangerous and accident prone tunnel. The last train came through in
November, 1910. A decade later, the vast majority of all of the old track
had been removed.
Today, the area is known as the Alpine
tunnel Historic District, which consists of a two hundred foot wide right
of way along thirteen miles of original Denver, South Park and Pacific
rail bed between the town sites of Quartz and Hancock.
Though the east portal of the tunnel
collapsed many years ago and the west portal is covered by landslides, the
district still provides a vivid peak into its prosperous early years. From
Hancock westward the former rail bed is now a hiking trail. The west side
can be accessed over a very rough road, also on the rail bed, to the
restored railroad station house.
Though this 4-wheel drive trail is
listed as “easy” by some resources, when Legends of America visited in
2006, we did not find it “easy” by any means and would never make the
entire drive again in a jeep. The trail is primarily accessed today by ATV’s,
which unfortunately, make the road an even rougher ride in an any kind of
automobile.
That being said, it is a great trip.
The Alpine Historical District is normally open from July to September,
where a narrow dirt road winds upward to the tunnel for ten miles.
Start your trip northeast of Pitkin,
Colorado at the junction of the Cumberland Pass Road (FDR 765) and the
Alpine Tunnel Road (FDR 839). Though the first seven miles are so are
rough, we had no trouble making it up the grade in a four-wheel drive
jeep. Along here you will see the old town sites of Quartz, Woodstock, and
Sherrod, as well as numerous mining remnants, a restored railroad water
tank, and remains of some of the old railroad tracks.
However, just beyond Sherrod, where
the road comes to a “Y”, with one really rocky path leading to Hancock and
the other to the Alpine Tunnel, the trail becomes very narrow, steep in
places, and extremely rocky. This is the point that we would not traverse
again in a jeep and recommend an ATV, mountain bike, or hiking only.
Though we are by no means 4-wheel
drive experts, this conclusion was also drawn from several locals and
members of ATV groups in the area.
The trail, traveling
across the old narrow gauge railroad bed is very narrow in places,
especially when crossing the "Palisades," a retaining wall, built of hand-cut
stones without the use of mortar. The retaining wall is 432 feet in length
and 33 feet in height with spectacular views.
The trail continues to the Alpine
Station, where the remains of the old engine house can still be seen
today, as well as the restored station and telegraph office. Just short of the station, no
ATV’s or vehicles are allowed, requiring you to walk a short distance to
the station. The entrance to the west portal of the tunnel is on down
about 1/8 of a mile.
Contact Information:
Alpine Tunnel Historic Association
P.O. Box 515
Gunnison,
Colorado 81230
970- 641-5271
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