The day stated with the kind of senior moments the three OWGs are learning to live with.  First Scott complained loudly that someone must have taken his toothbrush holder while he was brushing his teeth.  Steve and Scott searched for a while before Scott found the holder in his pocket (which, “he had never done before”).

The jeep ride up to Animas Forks (an abandoned mining ghost town) started, as many of our excursions do, as a wide gravel road in good repair.  Then it started climbing the mountains to our ultimate altitude of 11,000+ feet.  While it was mainly free of snow, it definitely was a bit bouncy.  And scary, despite Tom’s excellent driving.

On the way up we stopped for a while to take pictures of the ubiquitous Marmots.  While we saw a few birds, we did not see any other mammals.  But Marmots were everywhere – sunning themselves on rocks including one in the middle of the road.

At Animas Forks, we met a nice man from BLM, who gave us some background and advice.  While we had considered doing the “Alpine Loop”, involving returning by roads that were even rougher than County Road 2, the road to Animas Forks, he advised against it as he did not know if they were open and he pointed out that “it is a bit early in the season.”

He did point out a nice man from Germany – the only other person we saw at Animas Forks – who had apparently walked 3-4 miles up the hills to Animas Forks.  We also saw a young lady jogging up the hill when we went back.  All this made us feel even older.

After exploring the close-by buildings and interpretive signs, we decided to drive up another road a bit to get a closer look at the largest ruins of a mining building. While there – as was often the case – Steve started stalking local birds.  After walking down the embankment to take some pictures, Steve hopped into Polo and uttered and expletive – “I must have dropped my phone.”  He said he would go back and look for it.  Scott said “we will help you – and by we, I mean Tom.”  After Steve walked halfway back to the scene of the crime, he realized he had put his phone in his back pocket (which, “he had never done before”)”.

After more Marmot Pictures, more stops for scenic overlooks and more mine ruins, we crossed the Million Dollar Highway Northbound and arrived at our campsite in Montrose CO, which Steve declared was the nicest we had stayed during his OWGRV trips.  As with all OWGRV folks, this was mainly determined by how hot the showers were and how clean and new the bathhouse is (very new and nice.)

After long, serious, and protracted discussion, we decided to on Jimmers BBQ for dinner, which was good.  Then blogging and bed…