[Denver Station]   [Rockies]   [Fraser-Winter Park]   [Dotsero to Colorado State Line]   [Utah State Line to Salt Lake City]
DENVER UNION STATION AND SURROUNDING RAILYARDS
The adventure begins with leaving the hotel and arriving at Denver Union Station. The day needed to start with a good breakfast at Snooze.
Once we begin to depart, we initially pass the walkways between parking and Coors Field, then into the surrounding railyards.



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[4:04]


COLORADO ROCKIES
After leaving Denver, we start approaching the foothills of the Rockies. At Plainview, we get our last view of the Denver before heading into the Rockies.


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[0:56]
[0:44]
[3:50]

FRASER-WINTER PARK to DOTSERO
After leaving the Rockies, the trip takes me from Fraser-Winter Park on to Dotsero, CO. We follow the Fraser River anf pass Fraser Canyon. After a short stop at Granby,the closest station to the Rocky Mountain National Park, the train passes along the Colorado River and passes Gore Canyon before reaching Dotsero.


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[0:28]
[0:23]
[1:12]

DOTSERO to COLORADO STATE LINE
Dotsero is a 700m x 400m extinct volcano crater at the junction of the Colorado and Eagle Rivers. We begin a long trek through DeBuque Canyon, exiting at Palisades. We then arrive at Glenwood Springs which is the junction of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. We pass along dual level I-70 which parallels the canyons. We see several areas where part of the roadway is closed due to falling rocks. Eventually we pass the appropriately named "No Name" exit. After the stop at Grand Junction station which is being renovated, we head towards the Colorado state line through the appropriately names Ruby Canyon. The photos speak well as to why it has that name.


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[0:18]
[2:58]

UTAH STATE LINE to SALT LAKE CITY, UT
The journey now continues into the state of Utah. Still travelling through the desert, we see many beautiful rock and hill formations. The prettiest are in the Green River area. Severnty miles later we approach the Union Pacific yards at Helper, UT. The town name comes from the railroading activity that took place here for years--adding "helper" engines to westbound freight trains so they can get up the Wasatch Plateau to Soldier Summit. Castle Gate is a former mining town dismantled in 1974. Its rock formation seems to open like a giant castle gate as the train approaches and closes as it leaves. We begin the journey into sunset. The last event on this day is a station stop at Sale Lake City, UT.


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[0:35]

END OF DAY #1
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