Leadville or Bust!

My plan for today was to drive Hwy 24 from Colorado Springs to Leadville passing through Woodland Park, Divide, Buena Vista and Granite along the way.

Foggy View along Hwy 24

I decided to leave early and drive straight through without stopping - even though I did stop for a few pictures I didn't stop for anything else. The drive proved to be a little stressful. From Colorado Springs to Buena Vista it was very foggy. There was a few times when the fog was gone and the views were wonderful but mostly is was foggy and that made the drive very long. Then after Buena Vista the fog lifted and the drive became much more beautiful. The scenery was fantastic and I finally arrived in Leadville.

The first letterbox I looked for was a little north of Leadville. I got to the area and searched for the box but came up empty handed. I looked at the picture clue and realized the sign I was checking was different. So I drove a little further and did not find another sign so I returned to the first one and checked again. My thinking is that they put up a new sign with the same wording but a little different and the box disappeared with the original sign. I was a little disappointed in not finding the box but it was time to return to Leadville and look for other boxes. (I haven't said which box I was looking for since it is a mystery.) I arrived back in town and then headed out of town again (only a little ways) to the Matchless Mine. I parked just past the mine and headed out to find two boxes - Baby Doe and Silver Dollar Tabor. These were only a short distance away from the parking and I found them quickly. I stamped in and then put the boxes back in place. I drove into Leadville and parked and did a little walking down Harrison Ave. (aka Hwy 24).

Golden Burro Cafe

I passed by The Golden Burro Cafe and Lounge and as I passed I nabbed The Golden Burro letterbox. I found a bench to sit on and stamp and also do a little people watching. After the fog I drove through I was really enjoying the beautiful weather in Leadville. I replaced the box and continued walking around. I made a quick stop at the Visitors Center and grabbed a map. With the map in hand I made my way to the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum. Here I found The Cloud City letterbox. It was a quick grab just outside the entrance to the museum and I stamped in while sitting in the car. After rehiding the box I went in and spent a little time in the museum. I later walked back to my car to continue letterboxing in the area.

I left the downtown area of Leadville and drove out to Evergreen Cemetery on McWerthy Dr. to find Wild West Outlaws: Doc Holliday letterbox. This was a quick and easy find and I stamped in while sitting in my car. And after getting the box back into its hiding spot I headed out on County Road 4 towards Turquoise Lake.

Turquoise Lake

I had clues for four boxes around the lake. I had put the clues in order of how I would arrive at the boxes as I drove toward the lake. So my first stop was at an informational sign to find Batty for Leadville. This was just a few steps down a little trail behind the signs. I found it and stamped in using the rock it was hidden under as a table. I then replaced it and continued my drive. I stopped again at the intersection of CR 4 and CR 9C and found Molly Brown letterbox. Another quick find and again I stamped in using the rock it was hidden under as a table. From here I drove a little ways up CR 9C to the Matchless Boat Ramp area and parked. I walked the Nature Trail to find Turquoise Two Trees. I followed the clues and found all the landmarks but after about fifteen minutes of searching the area I came up empty handed. So I returned to my car to go and look for the last box on my list. Even though it was marked as retired I still decided that since I was at the lake I should at least check on it. I am glad I did. I followed the clues and found the box without any problems and after stamping in it was time to leave Turquoise Lake. I returned to Leadville to fill the car with gas and get a snack before beginning my trip headed back to Colorado Springs.

Just south of Leadville I took CO Hwy 300 to CR 5 to the Mt. Massive Golf Course and more specifically Kendrick Park - which is located behind the golf course and uses the same parking area. Just a few steps from the gate to Kendrick Park I found the Wild West Outlaws: Jesse James letterbox. I sat in the shade of the trees and stamped in and then rehid the box and continued on my quest for boxes. I returned to CO Hwy 300 and drove about another mile to the Leadville National Fish Hatchery. Here I was looking for Mountain Trout letterbox. It is hidden on the Nature Trail which is a one mile loop trail. I decided to walk the entire trail just to get a little exercise. So I parked right near the entrance in a parking area where the Nature Trail started. As it turned out the box was at the far end of the trail so I ended up walking the entire trail even if I hadn't wanted to. I enjoyed the trail - it was very shaded and cool and there were ponds and streams all around. The sound of the streams moving over rocks was really enjoyable. I found the box and sat on an old log and stamped in to the box. Then I returned to my car and head back to US 24 to Granite. Once on Hwy 24 I traveled to CR 390 and parked at Clear Creek Reservoir and found The Lake County Wars. A quick and easy find and I stamped in while sitting in the car. I really loved this stamp - thanks RNR. I made my way back the Hwy 24 and drove a mile down the road to a pullout for Tiger Lily Creek and found High Country Wildlife. Another great stamp and a quick find.

Now continuing on my plan was to stop in Buena Vista for a few stamps but just before I arrived there it started to rain and by the time I reached Buena Vista it was pouring so I drove right on through and continued to my next stop. And that stop was in Divide. I made my way to Hayden Divide Community Park to find Colorful Colorado: Divide letterbox. I quickly found the box and stamped in and then got it back into place before heading back to Hwy 24. I left Divide and continued on to Woodland Park. As I neared Woodland Park I was looking for a turnoff but somehow missed it and didn't realize it until I arrived in Woodland Park.

Dinosaur Resource Center

So I opted to fore go that box and stopped at the Dinosaur Resource Center instead. I parked, followed the clues and easily found the box. I stamped in at a picnic table in the area and then put the box back into place. Then I drove to a Post Office on Tamarac to find Walter's Goin' Postal. I found Walter quickly and stamped in and returned the box to its hiding spot. I didn't spend much time in Woodland Park because it had been a long day and a long drive, and because of the fog in the morning I was ready to call it a day. Thomas had also called and was waiting for me to return to the hotel so that we could go out to dinner.

As I left Woodland Park and made my way down Hwy 24 toward Colorado Springs I drove through Green Mountain Falls, Cascade and Manitou Springs. Along the way I met up with a traffic jam and we had to merge into one lane. I couldn't see what was going on up ahead but as I got closer I saw that there had been a mud and rock slide and it was blocking the west bound lanes of Hwy 24. So they had to re-route all the traffic which caused the back up. Fortunately, I was in the east bound lanes and there wasn't too much traffic and I quickly got through but I did notice that the west bound lanes were backed up for quite a distance. I really had a great day and even with the fog I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and I found some great boxes. Thomas and I had a great dinner to end the day. Tomorrow I think I am staying closer to Colorado Springs.