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June 30, 2023
Lamartine Road
So, I've been riding some up above Idaho Springs. I used to ride up here, back in the day. But it's been a long time. So, I'm have to sort of re-explore and re-discover my old riding paths. One thing I remember quite well and have been wanting to re-discover is a large gravel pit/quarry up above Idaho Springs. But, it's sort of tough because, yeah I remember riding up here many years ago...I went up around Idaho Springs somewhere and used to come down, switch-backing down Saxon Mountain, into Georgetown, but what was a on? Honda ATV (4 wheeler)? Honda XR650R? Chevy Tahoe?
And some of the roads are rough and I've turned back from them in the Jeep, as they looked too rough.
So, this evening, I figured I'd go back up there and see if I could make it up to the old quarry in the Jeep Wrangler TJ. The place I turned back at last time was a sort of steep/rocky part of the road under a powerline, I think. But I was on the Africa Twin. And I'd like to try to make it to the quarry/gravel pit in the Jeep, as the Jeep is more forgiving. And, if I can make it to the quarry, I might be able to come back via the Lamartine Road. I've turned back from both of these roads on the Africa Twin. But with the Jeep, I think I may be OK.
So I follow the directions to the Phoenix Mine, which are something like this...
From Idaho Springs, take Trail Creek Road (Clear Creek County Road 136) up to the Phoenix mine. Now, about 1/2 way up to the Phoenix, there is an abandoned open mine on the south side of the road. Obviously, I would never go into an open mine, as I watched too many Lassie episodes to try something foolish like that. But I've heard that it's possible to go into the mine for a distance of about 100 yards.
So, I go past the Phoenix Mine. Normally, I would sit and feed the chipmunks and ground squirrels at the mine, but I'm running late today. The mine closes at 5:00 p.m and it's about 7:00 p.m. by the time I get there. So, I keep going past the Phoenix Mine, and then I turn left on South Spring Gulch Road (Clear Creek County Road 130). This road is a fairly easy road, with some new development on it (houses where there didn't used to be houses).
I follow this road until it T's off beneath a power line at Lamartine Road (Clear Creek County Road 22). Here, I turn right, so I'm going west on Lamartine Road. I go about 1.3 miles west, and I'm at the Ben Harrison Mine, an old quarry I remember quite well. Like, I couldn't tell you the last time I came up here. Might have been 20 years ago, but it's been a while. So, I snap some photos at the Ben Harrison Mine/gravel pit/quarry, and now I decide to keep going west since I'm on Lamartine Road, and I know where Lamartine Road comes out...it dead ends into Ute Creek Road.
100 yards west of the Ben Harrison Mine, I suddenly recognize where I am. I mean....I know where I am....I remember this open mine/quarry, but now I recognize the intersection 100 yards west of the gravel pit. Oddly, it's the intersection of Lamartine Road and Lamartine Road. But I recall this part because, if I wanted to do Saxon Mountain and ride down into Georgetown, I would go straight at the intersection. But I turn left, heading down towards Ute Creek. This part of the road was rough and not very forgiving. But, once it T'd off into Ute Creek Road, then it was a fairly smooth ride down to Colorado State Highway 103, and home via Idaho Springs.
My route looked something like this:
Posted by Rob Kiser on June 30, 2023 at 9:51 PM
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