A drive to Taylor Reservoir, Tin Cup and Cumberland Pass

It's May 20th and we havea day off so we take off to explore. We decide to drive to Taylor Park Reservoir then on to the town of Tin Cup and across the Cottonwood Pass and back home. Taylor Park Dam is located on Taylor River a tributary of the Gunnison River and was built to catch and store snow melt for irrigation of summer crops. It also provided recreational fishing. 300 men constructed it from 1935-1937. At 9300 feet they had to work in temperatures up to 40 below. It holds 106,200 acre feet of water
The backdrop of the reservoir isthesnow capped Continental Divide.


We continue on to Tin Cup and come across a couple of ghost towns.


Tin Cup got its name because one of the original prospectors carried the gold he found there out in a tin cup. It was one of the top 3 unruliest mining towns in Colorado.
There is a small store and restaurant
Once a ghost town, summer residents have restored the buildings to their original state.
Unfortunately nothing was open yet so we moved on to Cottonwood Pass at 12,126 feet above sea level.
We're getting higher up
We come across a couple of deserted mine shafts. Didn't find any gold though.
We put Tucson on the trail, but no luck.
It's getting snowier and I ask Gary if he's sure we are on the road to Cottonwood Pass and not Cumberland Pass. He is sure it's Cottonwood
I'm not so sure . .
Oops, guess it was Cumberland Pass after all. 12,200 feet but it looks like we won't make it that far!
Doesn't seem to bother Tucson at all
Hey! Don't forget me Dad!
Guess we'll be back after the snow melts!
Till Later!
Meanwhile, we keep on Trek'n
Melissa, Gary & Tucson