The Rio Grande Southern Railroad (RGS) provided a narrow gauge rail connection to the smelters in Durango from the 1890s to 1953.  Rudy Davison (left) explains the challenges it had to face to negotiate the Ophir Loop not far from the Ames Power Plant.

Trout Lake was a welcome sight for passengers after the climb up 10,222 foot elevation Lizard Head Pass and before the long descent into Telluride.

Sunao takes a memorable photograph of the Trout Lake scenery.  The railroad descended from Lizard Head Pass (beyond the center of the photo) and wrapped around the lake, left to right.

The water tank is about all that remains at the location of the Trout Lake Station on the north shore of the lake.

The historic Trout Lake Trestle is located at the east end of the lake.

Few of the wooden RGS trestles have survived.  The warning signs state the obvious hazards to all kinds of traffic.

(Above) Both tour groups got to experience the fickle Colorado high country weather.  When it rains, it really pours.