The personal and professional website of Douglas Van Bossuyt
We stopped on Old Monarch Pass on the way back to Denver. I think I can summarize the weekend’s adventures for Duane as saying that he LOVED it.
Looking east toward the old mining area below Monarch Pass.
Bye Pacific Ocean drainage! I’ll be back soon.
We came off of Tomichi Pass and stopped at the old Tomichi Cemetery. There are some remarkably old and well-preserved tombstones here. Some remnants of the town remain further below with people still living there. At one point in time, this was a thriving mining area.
This chap was killed in an explosion in 1890. His parents and brother erected this monument to him. Over 100 years later and people still stop to read his short story.
The carving on this stone is really remarkably well-preserved.
Another grave stone. This guy lived a pretty long life for the time period.
We explored the roads through the old Tomichi mining district. Some of these roads are pretty exciting. Coming down toward the townsite of Tomichi, we encountered some interesting shelf roads. These photos don’t do justice to how steep it was and how in a few spots our wheels were rubbing the uphill slope while also grinding on the edge of the downhill slope. There is no room to back up and get out of the way of oncoming traffic here.
Looking back up at the shelf road.
The Honeybadger comes down to play. Further down on the next part of the shelf road, we spotted what looked like an old Chevy K5 Blazer wrecked down the hill. I wouldn’t want to try these roads in the snow.
On our way up Tomichi Pass, we spotted a marmot sitting on top of an old boiler at the mine site at the top of the meadow that the road winds alongside. He was pretty bold in sitting up there as we drove past.
This little bit of shelf road was very off camber (my angleometer pegged at 30 degrees. It was probably about 35 degrees in a few spots) for a couple hundred feet. In a few more years, it will probably become inaccessible to most 4x4s unless some maintenance is done soon. Thanks to The Honeybadger for getting this awesome shot. I and my passengers were all much too busy with puckering our butts as we drove over that section to get any photos.
Heading up the trail after the pucker-inducing shelf road. Still more shelf road to come!
In the distance you can see the Alpine Tunnel road that is currently closed. Someday I’ll get up there to check it out.
Down below the shelf road is the carcass of an old 4×4 that slid off the shelf road and tumbled into the valley below. I’m a bit surprised that no one has ever recovered the wreckage.
Looking back down at the shelf road. You wouldn’t want to try passing someone coming the other way.
The Alpine Tunnel is on the left and Hancock Pass is on the right.
On the top of Tomichi Pass! A family from Missouri put this sign up at some point in the last few years.
A close-up view of the road up to Hancock Pass.
Looking out toward the townsite of Tomichi.
Gratuitous awesome photo of my truck.
The alpine flowers are just finishing their run up on Tomichi Pass for 2016.
The Honeybadger coming up the trail.
I won that awesome Trasharoo the weekend before.
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A close-up view of the Alpine Tunnel road.
