Vapor Trail 125 - Chalk Creek to Alpine Tunnel

This section is a climb up a historic narrow-guage rail route that has become a road in modern times. The route largely follows the Chalk Creek drainage between the 14ers Mt Antero (to the south) and Mt Princeton (to the North) and then approach the Continental Divide at the site of the Alpine Tunnel, completed in 1881 by the Denver, South Park and Pacific (D,SP,&P) Railroad, last used in 1910.

At the same time in the 1800's, the Denver and Rio Grande railroad was quickly building a competing line up and over Marshall Pass, both trying to be first to the rich Gunnison Valley. You'll be climbing the Denver and Rio Grande narrow guage route on the way back to the eastern side of the Continental Divide, in the last 40 miles of the Vapor Trail 125.

If you're interested in the history of this particular canyon, which played an important role in Colorado's history, you'll find quite a bit of information. This site http://www.st-elmo.com/townhistory.html has more old pictures and stories about St Elmo.

Pass through the old mining towns of Iron City, St. Elmo, Romley, and Hancock. Beautiful views for you as you ride into the dawn of your Vapor Trail 125 race day. Three thousand foot climbs are better than coffee for greeting the day.

Unless you're really fast, that is. We estimate that some of you may be quick enough to be over the Alpine Tunnel and even over Tomichi Pass as early as 4:30 AM. We are getting light at around 6:15 these days. So perhaps you fast guys will first see the sun as you begin riding the Crest?

Before	After
Romley "back in the day"	Romley, ridden through "just the other day" (06-15-2005)

Bathrooms will be available at the USFS Iron City Campground (detour from main route), and the 2nd Vapor Trail Aid Station will be located on the Western Slope side of the Continental Divide (Alpine Tunnel).

A sample of the view you'll take in climbing as dawn breaks

Old Mine Building doing slo-mo tumble onto the railroad grade

Hancock Townsite

Looking toward Apline Tunnel, 2 and a quarter or so miles from the top, 11,200 ft elev. 06-15-05

Some of the grade above the Hancock Site (taken mid-July, 2005)

The singletrack that takes you over the Alpine Tunnel and the Continental Divide

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