Re: the alpine tunnel

Rick,
Thanks for backing up the DSP&P switch stand story. There were three guys involved in retrieving the stand. One is still a volunteer at the CRRM. Their first names are Fred, John, & John. (I think I've got it right)
Back in 1970, early summer the snow had gone out enough to allow plowing through the remaining drift where the old Hancock pass road joined the roadbed just before the Palisades. Parked at the remains of the engine house. Checked out the west tunnel portal and found a hole big enough to crawl through. Sent my 8 year old son back to the Dodge Power Wagon for a shovel, flashlight, and camera. He came back with everything but the camera. After a little excavating the hole was large enough to squeeze into the tunnel. I had enough sense to leave my son outside with instructions to go to Pitkin for help in case it fell in. Dropped into several inches of cold water and gingerly waded out of the water intending to go as far in as I could. I made it about 60 feet. I can only describe it as spooky and I knew it was about to collapse. The rails were in place, very little rock fall, and the light colored "algae" was on the timbers. I felt a strong urge to get out of there. Climbing out, my son said,"that didn't take long" and he told me it's my turn. No way, I said. My only regret was I left the flash camera in the truck, and I wasn't about to go back into that tunnel again for pictures. If something had happened we would have been out of luck, as we didn't see another soul up there,all day, this was in late June 1970. It was one heck of an experience.
HighCommander
Bill Gould