Part 3: Last Leg of the Byway
When we drove into Lake City yesterday, we crossed a bridge over Henson Creek. A short distance from the bridge, the creek feeds into the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. The Lake Fork begins high in the mountains southwest of Lake San Cristobal, flows through the lake, and ends its 64.7 mile-long journey north to its confluence with the Gunninson River in Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Yes, this river runs south to north. Am I the only one who thought all rivers run north to south–south is downhill after all, right? Actually it is all about gravity. A river will always take the path of least resistance and flow downhill as quickly as possible. That downhill path can be in any direction including north, south, east, west, and every direction in between. The most famous and longest river in the world runs north through 11 countries–The Nile.
This last section of CO-149 is about rock formations, ranches, and Lake Fork’s canyons. Over the road’s remaining 45 miles we will travel down about 1,140 feet. Let’s go!
Here we see a narrow “wall” up top, then spikes and hoodoo type formations, and at bottom right a new wall being eroded out of its base rock.
We have been driving along the Lake Fork since leaving Lake City, but are only now beginning to see canyon walls along the river.
As we’ve headed slightly uphill, the river has gotten deeper into its canyon.
Notice the stream going under the rock at left? Yes, it eroded its way through the rock and comes out down the road a ways to rejoin the main flow.
Wait! What a surprise!! Do you see him/her?
Oh my, it’s a weasel! Chances are a short-tailed, most common weasel in North America, but unless it comes out there is no way to tell for sure. Still, you rarely see weasels because they are most active at night, are small, and scurry around in grasses and under bushes hunting their prey. In winter their coats turn white. They are also called Ermine, but so are other types of weasels so that name is often avoided if you want identification clarity. Look here and be sure to scan through the picture gallery.
Well, it went back inside its cubby hole, but what a surprise!
Beginning our final descent, the rock formations are getting interesting. We have basalt at top and crumbly conglomerates lower.
This area, The Gate, is a portal of towering basalt cliffs. The western side of the road.
The eastern side of the road, and the rocks are covered with lichen. Of course the rock above may also have lichen, but the sun is so bright we can’t really tell.
Walking around this area enjoying the morning shade and saying goodbye to the San Juan Mountains to our south, another surprise! This is a Pasqueflower. They only bloom in early spring. It is October! No idea about this anomaly.
I’m not sure I would build my home beneath those rock formations.
Locals call the snow-capped mountain Heart Mountain. Can you see why? The heart-shaped feature toward the mountain’s top resulted from a natural landslide of volcanic tuff that prevents tree growth in that area.
Dropping in elevation allows willows and cottonwoods to join the aspen in their colorful show.
Here we are at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Where’s the water? Well, that’s a serious problem these day. In 2008 the lake came right up to the road and continued on the other side of the bridge where we’ll access US-50. Not any more.
Blue Mesa is the eastern most of three reservoirs that make up the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The Gunnison River, the source of the reservoirs’ water, runs through them and then continues carving the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park which we visited last year. As the largest tributary of the Colorado River, the Gunnison travels 180 miles northwest to it confluence with the Colorado in Grand Junction.
Grand Junction is the major city in western Colorado sitting in lovely Grand Valley just west of the Rockies and about 30 miles from the Utah state line. There are lots of places along the Colorado River with names including Grand. Why?
For years this river was officially called the Grand River, but only for the 450 miles from its headwaters just outside Rocky Mountain National Park to the Green River confluence in Utah. At the confluence it became the Colorado River, continuing 1,000 miles carving the Grand Canyon, creating Lake Mead with human help of course, onward to northwesternmost Mexico in the now nearly dry Colorado River Delta. After many arguments, as name changes can cause, in 1921 the Grand River was officially renamed the Colorado River. It is an interesting story.
Well, we can only do our part to preserve as much water as we can. For now, we clearly see the Gunnison River rather than a lake. We have been driving along the Lake Fork of the Gunnison much of the day, and it now joins the “parent” Gunnison at the far end of the reservoir.
What a beautiful trip! I think that yellow arrow sign is a bit unnecessary, but hey, never know 😉 . Our turn is east, right, and heading home.
Continuing home we see other mountain ranges and more beautiful color. We also made a stop in Twin Lakes which was gorgeous, but the San Juans are not to be missed in autumn!
Until next time my friend, enjoy the annual autumn glory found near you!
