Sunday, July 20, 2014 POINT O via Engineer; Mineral Point Loop

Drove up Engineer Pass to Point O this morning.  A little rocky, but worth the view.  You can see for 360 degrees; different mountains styles on either side.  I believe this is the first time we have ever been there that it was not cold and the wind was not blowing a gale.  Beautiful!  Next, we took the Mineral Point Loop to the San Juan Chief Mill operation. First part of the loop to the mill not so bad.  Second part of the loop - terribly rough & rocky.  Dragged our undercarriage big time.  Thank God for skid plates.

On the way out of town, we saw 3 truck loads of sheep turn off at the Stony Pass Trail.  Guess we can kiss that beautiful wildflower field goodbye.  We encountered these sheep on Engineer.  Note the herder on his horse at the center of the picture.  Shortly after we passed, the dogs herded the sheep across the trail and a couple of Jeeps were stuck there; surrounded by sheep.

 

 

 

Think Tommy started to worry there may not be a road ahead:

These four views all from Point O, different look from one side to the next:

 

 

 

 

 

Headed to Mineral Point Loop & into the daily storm:

 

 

 

The San Juan Chief Mill

 

Tommy, absorbing some history:

 

 

 

 

This was where the trail started getting really rough;

Never looks as bad in the pictures.

 

Hoping this is the last challenge and that we don't end up

having to turn around & go back the way we came.

Spotting Dale over the rocks:

 

 

 Next comes Charles:

 

 

Near the end of the loop, we saw 5 deer.  The first two were running so fast, I couldn't get my camera ready in time.  The next 3 came in and out of the trees so fast, I only caught one:

 

Feeling beat up tonight!

Seems like it's going to be colder tonight.