Syd Schofield

Editors note: Welcome to the 13th article of a series on narrow gauge by Syd Schofield. The previous article is available by clicking here, or by filtering with the category “Narrow Gauge”. Syd welcomes discussions and feedback, which can be made by clicking on the comment link at the bottom of the post.

Another extension of the D&RG three foot gauge common carrier was the Lake City Branch. It extended south of the line along the Gunnison River from a point near Sapinero on now what is US 50 in central Colorado just west of Gunnison. The junction point is presently under Blue Mesa Reservoir as is the original town site and the road bed extending into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River turning out at Cimarron. The branch line extended to the small town of Lake City where, as a regional center for the area mines, loggers and ranchers provided some income to the railroad.

The mining area extended to the west to the Continental Divide ridge made up of several ancient volcanoes. The D&RG had visions of extending the line to bridge the Divide into Silverton and connecting to Animas Forks, other short lines and ultimately to the rails to Durango. The possible above ground route is over Cinnamon Pass which, like any other pass in Colorado over the Divide is over 10,000 feet. The route is presently passable to four-wheel-drive short wheelbase high ground clearance vehicles due to a few rocky places and several tight switchbacks, but not so difficult as to preclude the construction of a rail line in similar terrain. Grades are moderate and within tolerance, however, market conditions at the time of the planned extension precluded action. For the squeamish driver or passenger wishing to retrace the potential route there are no potential dying places as are often found on even the formal paved Colorado highways.

Like so many of the narrow gauge railroad facilities of the last century and a half in the US and Canada, little evidence remains of the line. There are a few buildings in Lake City and the usual historic museum, which are usually great sources of railroad information. There was a high trestle, an interchange, a small town, mines, ranches, lumber and some very picturesque scenery with the mountains, the resort area of Lake San Cristobal and the box canyon miles to the southwest. For the non-skier or snowmobiler the area has a short season for exploration, typically late June through early October. The aspen and cottonwoods with occasional maples put on a good show toward the end of the season. The rock cliffs and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park show the troubled geologic past which yielded its mineral wealth while challenging access for the railroads.