Crystal Dam and Rim Rock Trail

Jellystone of Black Canyon
Montrose, CO
July 5, 2015

Last Sunday after a very leisurely morning and a yummy brunch in town (Thank you Ronnie and Carol!), we set out to drive down into the Black Canyon. East Portal Road, a right turn just inside the NP takes you there. The road is extremely steep with hairpin curves...
exciting and a beautiful drive. 



We were pleasantly surprised to find we had a bit of a history lesson. It seems that back in 1905, the community of East Portal brought together a group of people to build a tunnel that would transfer a portion of the Gunnison River water to the fields in the valley. Their work from 1905 to 1912, drove a tunnel 11 feet X 12 feet for 6 miles through the cliffs of the Black Canyon to carry water for irrigation and helped to ensure the survival of communities.  Theodore Roosevelt passed the Reclamation Act in 1902 "for the purpose of reclaiming the arid West by irrigating lands".  
The act charged the appointed Chief Engineer of the new Bureau of Reclamation to proceed with building five projects which included the Gunnison Tunnel. 

Today, irrigation water usually flows through the tunnel from April through October. The river supplies 6 primary canals. From these canals water flows into secondary ditches and eventually into farm lands. 

Even though the tunnel was dedicated in 1909, it wasn't until 1922 that the project was completed. A diversion dam was also built. The purpose of the dam was to slow down the flow of water and catch debris. The end result is a reservoir of calm (well, mostly calm), beautiful green water ideal for fishing. 

The dam is protected by a gate...no public entry so this picture was taken thru the fencing. 

The Gunnison River just past the dam.

The reservoir

And the Gunnison is free to flow wild again...

Our only wildlife for the day.

Riding on the canyon floor was amazing...looking up and up and up.

Looking back on East Portal Road as we climbed out of the canyon.

We also had planned a short hike for the afternoon. 

Rim Rock Trail follows the rim of the canyon lined with sagebrush, Gamble oaks, and junipers. The clouds were all around us, the air was thick with moisture, but that didn't deter us...

until we heard thunder! Our hike was cut short!

The trail meanders thru a thicket of scrub oaks.

I walked as far out on that rock as I could...

We went from this view...

to this view...

to this view in just a matter of a few minutes! 

We were wet and cold when we reached Pearl. 





So until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS!

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

Jellystone of the Black Canyon
Montrose, CO
July 2, 2015

Happy 4th of July to all...God Bless America!

Entrance station to Black Canyon...

At the top of our list this year was a visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP right here in Montrose. 

This NP offers a view of some of the steepest cliffs and oldest rocks in North America. It has taken the Gunnison River over two million years, along with forces of weathering, to sculptor a "verticle wilderness" of rock, water and sky. 

Breathtaking...exhilarating...invigorating...spirituous...

At it's narrowest point, the canyon is only 40 ft. wide.

The Black Canyon is so named because of it's steepness which makes it difficult for sunlight to penetrate into it's depths making the cliff walls appear black.  

Cross Fissures

Rapids from a swiftly flowing river...

In some places, the river only receives 33 minutes of sunlight a day.

I wish you could hear the sound of the river...

The Painted Wall...the tallest sheer cliff in Colorado at 2,250 feet.

Let the good times roll...

HAPPY TRAILS!

Up next...a jaunt into the San Juans.