Re: Tall Timber...end of an era

Yes, Ah Wilderness closed after the 1981 season. Kathi and I stayed there 4 days and nights on our honeymoon trip that summer. Ross MaCausland was the owner, and indeed his daughter and son-in-law had opened the more expensive Tall Timbers up the tracks a mile or so away. I never actually saw the place.
Ah Wilderness was great. Family style meals, cabins, horseback riding, and you could photograph the train if you wanted to. I was there at least 3 times. On our first family trip to NG country in 1956 we spent a week there. My dad had business in Colorado a few times, and he stayed there for single night stays a couple of times, and my brother, dad and I stayed there several nights in 1966, the year that we shot the 484 at Gato(posted a few days ago). They even had a rodeo at the end of the week for the horseback riders, etc. There were twice a day trail rides, pancake breakfast trail rides, and so forth.
One morning Kathi and I decided to hike to the Animas River Bridge(3 miles one way near the High Line. Got a pair of K28's splitting a doubleheader over the bridge, then the long hike back to the Ranch. Ross spoke to us one night for about an hour on his retiring, etc. It was kinda sad to see this family oriented place close down. It was so pristine up there, and yes there was steam running by every day. Part of the facination was that the train was the only way in or out. I am glad Kathi and I got to spend 4 days up there in the final year. The ranch and D&RGW steam always went together as fond memories of the Silverton Line. Ross always referred to the speeder as the "Pop Car" since that was their only way in or out in an emergency. One year a kid broke his arm and they had to take him out on the Pop Car.
For the record I paid $100.00 a day for the ranch in 1981($400.00 total). That was for a cabin, and all meals, etc. Including firewood for the wood stove,but not including horseback riding, which we did probably on average 1 time per day.
Greg Scholl