Gunnison—Crested Butte—Kebler Pass—Paonia—Hotchkiss; 82 miles, State 135.

Gravel-surfaced between Gunnison and Almont; dirt-surfaced between Crested Butte and Hotchkiss.

The Denver & Rio Grande Western R. R. parallels the route between Gunnison and Crested Butte, and between Somerset and Hotchkiss; no service between Crested Butte and Somerset during winter. Limited accommodations.

In the country through which this highway passes sleep many old mining towns; each has its white-haired veteran who spins tales of wealth suddenly gained and often as quickly lost, of gold camps that sprang up overnight and boomed feverishly for a few years, only to be deserted for new bonanzas. When the spring sun warms the blood of these ancients, they pack their frugal stores on the backs of burros and with their dogs again start hunting the yellow metal.

State 135 branches north from US 50 (see Tour 9) in GUNNISON, 0 miles (7,683 alt., 1,415 pop.) (see Tour 9b), and follows the Gunnison River through flat park lands to the junction with a dirt road, 3.8 miles

Left on this road, which follows Ohio Creek through a fertile valley growing timothy hay as winter feed for Hereford cattle, is BALDWIN, 14.5 miles (8,500 alt., 126 pop.), supported by coal mining and stock raising.

Left from Baldwin 2 miles to the CASTLE CREEK RANGER STATION; along the creek brightly colored sandstone has been weathered into minarets, towers, and spires.

The highway crosses the southern boundary of GUNNISON NATIONAL FOREST, 7.8 miles, a tract of 1,189,854 acres of Federal and 49,740 acres of State, municipal, and private land. Established in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the forest was named for Captain John W. Gunnison, who in 1853 led a corps of topographical engineers of the United States Government through this territory in search of a feasible route for a transcontinental railroad (see Tour 9C). Open ranges here provide good pasturage for livestock; the many streams are annually stocked with rainbow, native, eastern brook, and Loch Leven trout; in the more inaccessible regions are elk, mule deer, black and brown bear, and mountain sheep.

The road ascends the Gunnison River, a famed trout stream, to ALMONT, 11 miles (8,000 alt., 32 pop.), a fishing resort. Here the East and Taylor Rivers unite to form the Gunnison.

Right from Almont on a dirt road to TAYLOR PARK (camp grounds), 5 miles, a high meadowland fringed with groves of aspen, fir, and spruce.

The TAYLOR DAM AND RESERVOIR, 19 miles, is an important Federal irrigation project completed in 1937.

Right 10 miles from the dam on a rough mountain road (drive carefully), is TINCUP (cabins and general store), once a booming gold camp, now practically deserted except for summer visitors. The camp, first known as Virginia City, was rechristened by Fred Lottes, a prospector, who used a tincup to wash gravel. There were two smelters here in 1880, and when the town was incorporated in 1882, it claimed a population of 1,200. Tincup was notorious for the high mortality rate among its peace officers. CROSS MOUNTAIN (12,200 alt.), southwest of the town, is a miniature Mount of the Holy Cross (see Tour 5c); its snowy cross melts much later in the season than that on the larger mountain.

The highway follows the cascading East River through mountain meadows where deer and elk are frequently seen.

At 22 miles is the junction with a dirt road.

Right on this road to the rocky valley of CEMENT CREEK, and through wild and primitive country to the southern side of ITALIAN MOUNTAIN, 14 miles.

CRESTED BUTTE, 28.5 miles (9,000 alt., 1,251 pop.), a coalmining community and resort, was named for the neighboring sharp rocky butte to which fir and pine trees cling precariously. Many of the miners are of Austrian descent. Crested Butte had its beginning as a gold camp in the early 1880's, when more than $350,000 of nuggets were found in near-by WASHINGTON GULCH. During boom days thousands of burros were used to carry ore down the steep trails into town. Today small herds of the animals run wild among the hills.

Right from Crested Butte on a dirt road overlooking the East River, to the few remaining cabins of GOTHIC, 7.3 miles, an early mining camp in a magnificent valley. Here is the ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY, offering courses in biology, parasitology, field botany, and field zoology. Courses begin on July 1. The laboratory was organized for use by independent investigators, and by graduate and advanced undergradute students in biology. The elevation (8,000-14,000 alt.) makes for great variety in plant and animal life. The broad meadows are covered in summer with Indian paintbrush, columbine, harebell, and wild roses.

Left 5.5 miles from Gothic on a dirt road and foot trail through a virgin forest to EMERALD LAKE (fishing), in a region designated by the U. S. Forest Service as a Primitive Area.

State 135 ascends through green uplands and rises above timberline to alpine meadows where many sheep are pastured in summer.

At 35.0 miles is the junction with a dirt road.

Right on this road is IRWIN, 1 miles, the first gold camp in the region, established in 1868.

1. Left from Irwin 0.5 miles on a forest road to LAKE IRWIN (good hunting and fishing), at the foot of RUBY PEAK (12,749 alt.).

2. Right from Irwin 4 miles on a foot trail to the summit of SCARP RIDGE. REDWELL and PEELER BASINS, dotted with small lakes in a setting of flowers, grasses, and evergreen trees, lie (R) below the ridge, while giant peaks tower above it.

The highway ascends steadily through luxuriant growths of flowers, grasses, and shrubs, crossing a high mesa to KEBLER PASS, 36 miles (10,000 alt.), with a view (L) of MOUNT BECKWITH (12,371 alt.), named for a lieutenant in Captain John W. Gunnison's exploring party. Southwest of Mount Beckwith is GUNNISON PEAK (12,688 alt.); right of the highway is rock-ribbed MARCELLINA PEAK (11,349 alt.), its sides scarred by glaciers.

The highway crosses the western boundary of Gunnison National Forest, 49.4 miles West of BARDINE, 58.1 miles, great veins of coal are exposed along the road; Grand Mesa, largest flat-topped mountain in Colorado, looms on the right. Following the North Fork of the Gunnison, State 135 enters a country of productive fruit farms growing giant Elberta peaches, apples, apricots, and pears. Sugar beets, potatoes, alfalfa, and truck crops are also grown.

At 72.4 miles is the junction with State 187.

Left on this graveled highway is PAONIA, 2 miles (5,696 alt., 958 pop.), chief supply center for this horticultural and agricultural area; extensive coal mining is also carried on. Paonia derives its name from the peony common in the region in early days.

Southwest of Paonia the highway crosses a strip of farming country to the junction with State 92, 13.5 miles, 1.3 miles northwest of Crawford (see Tour 9C).

HOTCHKISS, 82 miles (5,369 alt., 541 pop.) (see Tour 9C), is at the junction with State 92 (see Tour 9C).