| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy 2 | FR 102 | 4.40 | 10,000 to 11,120 ft. | NA | 1-2 hrs |
Leadville Ranger District
Leadville, CO 80461
Closure:
October - Early snows may block the road
Accessed:
From Red Cliff head south on US-24 E and go 18.0 miles. Turn left onto E Tennessee Road and go 1.7 miles. Turn right on to East Tennessee 4WD road.
Between 1888 and 1890, the D&RG was eager to construct a standard-gauge railroad across the mountains, and the Tennessee Pass Route appeared to be the way to go. Although most of the route was suitable, things would need to be realigned over the pass. In 1889-1890 the first Tennessee Pass Tunnel was bored under the Divide, 200 feet lower than the original crossing. Initially narrow-gauge tracks were run through it until the route was ready for standard gauge. By late 1890, everything was standard gauge - Tennessee Pass, Glenwood Canyon and the Aspen Branch.
Several mishaps are noted at the main tunnel, including Oct. 16, 1909, when an eastbound D&RG passenger train rear-ended a freight train inside the tunnel. There were no fatalities. Then on May 17, 1909, a track walker discovered a 500-foot-long cave-in 1,000 feet inside the west portal. The tunnel was empty at the time. It was reopened on May 31, 1909. In 1945 a new, larger Tennessee Pass tunnel was constructed, replacing the 1890 tunnel. It was just 50 feet west of the original tunnel. Both portals of the original tunnel were covered with dirt to prevent entry.
Tennessee Pass was always an expensive route for the D&RG with the three-percent-plus grades on the west side and frequently heavy snow. The first time an attempt was made to shut down the Tennessee Pass route was in 1987 when most train traffic was diverted to the Moffat Tunnel and just two trains a day used Tennessee Pass. It was reactivated in 1988 to become part of a D&RG and Southern Pacific Central Corridor Route between California's Bay Area to the east. Trains went from two to 30 per day by early 1996. However after the merger of Southern Pacific and Union Pacific on Sept. 11, 1996, the decision was made to eliminate Tennessee Pass. The last revenue train, from Pueblo to Minturn, went over the pass on Aug. 23, 1997.
Denver & Rio Grande history.
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Charcoal Ovens photo by: Adam M |
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Charcoal Ovens photo by: Adam M |
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Charcoal Ovens photo by: Adam M |
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The charcoal was probably used by the railroad, and possibly by the mines up East Tennessee Creek. Crane Park is on the other side of Missouri Hill, which also produced charcoal for the railroad, and was the first reason for a narrow gauge branch from Leadville. Continue left from the parking spot. The road will enter the trees as it heads up the southeast side of the creek. Through openings in the trees you will glimpse bare gravel piles along the creek bed below you. This indicates that East Tennessee Creek was dredged for gold. The road will come out into an open area and bring you close to the creek, which will be fairly marshy. The road will curve to the east and head back into the trees climbing above the creek. You will come to an intersection with a spur road off to your right. This road goes 0.3 miles to the Jennie June Mine, which mined manganese.
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Jennie June Mine cabin photo by: Adam M |
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Jennie June Mine photo by: Adam M |
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Jennie June Mine photo by: Adam M |
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Jennie June Mine photo by: Adam M |
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Jennie June Mine photo by: Adam M |
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Back at the intersection, staying left, you will head east to the head of East Tennessee Creek. The road will come out into an open area and pass a blocked road on the right and then head north to a Y. The left goes over to a bridge over a branch of East Tennessee Creek, the right goes up and along that branch to the north. At the bridge, the road that continues west is the Cooper Loop, FR101.C, road. The road to the right, east of the bridge, ties back in with the road going up the creek branch. This last section of the East Tennessee 4WD road follows the creek branch for 0.65 miles to an open meadow on a hillside where the road officially ends.