pianist38 Loc: Nebraska

The house/powerplant atop the falls was restored, operated, and lived in from 1991 to 2010 by Eric Jacobson. The power generated now provides about 25 percent of Telluride's demand for electricity. The plant was originally used to power the Smuggler-Union Mine and in winter requires an aerial tramway for access. It is the second-oldest operating AC generator in the United States, the first being the nearby Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant by Ophir, Colorado. The Idarado Mining Company now owns and operates the powerplant. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Power Plant.

Wikipedia has a much more spectacular photo of the house than I do:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5d/Bridal_Veil_Falls_Telluride_CO3.jpg

For more information on the gondola between Telluride and Mountain Village (photo #17), see this webpage:
http://www.visittelluride.com/discover-telluride/our-two-towns/gondola

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#1 A zig and a zag of Black Bear Pass, Bridal Veil Falls, and the powerhouse.

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#2 See the cables for the aerial tram? That's the only way to get there during the wintertime.

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#3 Called the 'Social Tunnel' because in the early 1900s, lonely miners would meet women from Telluride there, a halfway point.

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#4

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#8

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#9 Yeah, it's a looong ways down.

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#10

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#11 Tomboy Road

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#12 This is the view out the open top of the Jeep.

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#13

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#14 Black Bear Pass, Bridal Veil Falls, and Ingram Falls to the left.

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#15 The rocks get their color from iron ore.

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#16 And there's Telluride! See the gondola? (left) It's a free 13-minute ride from Telluride to Mountain Village. Elevation change from Telluride to Station San Sophia, the midway point, is 1,750 feet, and takes riders to 10,500 feet.

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#17 Coming into Telluride. It's been a journey of 17 miles from Ouray to Telluride -- and it's taken 6 hours! The few times we stopped, it was only for a scant few minutes.

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#18 I took pictures of flowers along the street while Larry and Victoria pulled the top back up on the Jeep.

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#19

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#20 In Telluride

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#21 <aside to the person who advises me to hold my camera straight whenever I post shots like this: "Hey! This is art! **ART.** A.R.T. Art."> (I *do* know how to straighten photos, but then part of the house on the left, the peaks, and the front porches would crawl right out of the picture. Think 'art'.) (Plus, I like it.) (One more excuse, and then I shall cease and desist: The camera is heavy, especially when held in only one somewhat arthritic hand as we jounced down the street -- and I do mean *down*; it was *steep* -- and I couldn't very well turn around backwards to get a better shot, as I am not nearly so limber as OddJobber's junco.) <inside joke, heh>

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#22 Speaking of hay...

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#23 Returning to Ouray... Gotta get back before the rented Jeep turns into a pumpkin!

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#24 This drive never gets old.

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MtnMan Loc: ID

Thanks for sharing.

Heading down near that way next week. You may have inspired me to take a side trip to Telluride. We haven't been there since a ski trip many years ago...I know the town is different than when we were there in the late 70s.

Any other recommendations in the area?

pianist38 Loc: Nebraska

Thanks, MtnMan! Maybe this will help:
http://www.visittelluride.com/things-to-do

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

:thumbup:

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

Dramatic photographs of the waterfall and power house.
Thank you also for the information and sharing it.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Thanks for more images of your trip!
The powerhouse was once featured on HGTV show, Extreme Homes. This 5 min video give some interesting info about the powerhouse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vpify6E-kk
Did you ride the ski lift! We did a number a years ago. Can't believe how steep the slopes were.
Pat

pianist38 Loc: Nebraska

Thanks, Douglass and Leicaflex! Wait'll I post photos of me climbing the waterfall when it's frozen!

(Joke. You can laugh now.) :lol:

pianist38 Loc: Nebraska

Thanks for that very interesting link, Pat! Lovely place... but dangerous living there in the wintertime, especially with a young family.