Last Update: 8/06/2007 - Jens Moller
On the Main Road
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There is really very little of Hancock left to look at. You would
think that since St. Elmo is in such good shape, and there are a lot of
buildings along thge road near Romley that Hancock should have something
interesting to photograph. As life would have it, all there is left of
Hancock is a pile of rotted tree trunks where Cabins used to be, with
a Forest Service sign indicating that this is where Hancock used to be.
You can take a walk up to the cabin foundations if you like and look around.
The road is fairly wide here because there were 3 sets of tracks in here. There were train switches and the ability to have trains wait before going thru the Eastern Portal of the Alpine Tunnel, while others were coming from Pitkin thru the Alpine Tunnel. During hunting season, you may find a number of people camped here because it is a nice flat area. |
 (Drawing is not to scale) |
North is UP in this image
Rather than give you a picture of trees that look just like any other pine and aspen trees in the area, I drew a simple map. As you can see, there are places to go. The Eastern Portal of the Alpine Tunnel used to be a 4WD road, but it has been closed to all but foot traffic. You are at 10,000 feet or so above sea level, and this is a slight up-hill walk of around 1/4 of a mile; take your time and don't stress yourself. In the late spring and early summer, the area is covered with wild-flowers and this is a pleasent hike. There is not much to see at the Eastern side of the Alpine tunnel - is been blocked off for at leat 50 years. There is a visitors book that you can sign about half way from the parking area and the tunnel entrance. Just past the visitors book is where many nasty snow slides occurred during the winter when the tunnel was being used.
If you are planning to head over to Hancock Pass or on to Hancock Lakes, I show how the road is organized and give you an idea of what to look for. The map is not to scale - so the turn off to Hancock pass is really further down than the drawing implies. See the Hancock Pass Web Page for more information. The 4WD road is bi-birectional both to Hancock Lakes as is Hancock Pass. The drawing assumes that you are headed from Hancock to Hancock Pass, but you can go either way.
There were quite a few silver mines back behind (to the South) of Hancock. Trains loaded ore here to head down to the Smelters towards Nathrop and Salida. Please be careful if you find an old mine entrance, and do not enter it.
Comments? Questions? contact Jens Moller
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