Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Up on Cripple Creek

This weekend, a buddy and I drove up to Cripple Creek, Co to play in a poker tournament. We go up about once a month.

Cripple Creek is small town about a hour's drive from Colorado Springs, just southwest of Pikes Peak. The town came to be after gold was discovered in 1891. In modern times, Cripple Creek almost died out. The town was revitalized when the state legalized gambling there in the early '90s.

The surrounding mountains, the old Victorian buildings, the scars from past mining and the leftover dilapidated mining equipment makes for a picturesque little town. Mind you, most of the houses in Cripple Creek are in much better shape than this sad little shack.

You may wonder how I had time to take any photos if I was playing poker. I was knocked out by a 3-outer on the cusp of the final table...

Click on Sepia Scenes for some other great sepia photos.

14 comments:

kden said...

Wonderful shot! Love the contrast of the sky and the shack and the skinny little trees really tie it all together. Wasn't there a song with Cripple Creek in it? It's the first thing that came to mind when I saw your title.

Ilanadavita said...

Great shot. There is a timeless effect to the photo which is wonderful.

Annie Jeffries said...

Have NO idea what a 3-outer is but sure am glad to see that this town has come back to life. More pictuers of the town, please??

Dianne said...

really nice scene!!
all the poker talk is like a different language to me, it is a card game right? ;)

Lew said...

Great shot! I got to Cripple Creek via 67 from US 50 once years ago. Map indicated it was a scenic highway. When the pavement stopped and the dirt road became one lane, my wife wasn't convinced it was a good idea to continue. Scenic yes, highway NO. But that area is beautiful country!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful monochrome photo. I'll bet (ha) that's a foreclosure :-)

Elizabeth Bradley said...

I come from a long line of cabin dwellers and that's a fine specimen. Good shot.

Robin said...

Beautiful shot. The heavy clouds make the cabin feel very forlorn and alone.

PS I started humming the song Cripple Creek the minute I saw the title of your post.

maryt/theteach said...

This is a perfect sepia shot, Russ! It looks original! Glad you were knocked out earlyso I got this great photo!! Don't mean that... :)

kayerj said...

love the rustic old cabin nestled in the trees, lovely shot. Stop by to see my sepia scene

Russ said...

Thanks ya'll!

I still can't get the tune 'Up on Cripple Creek' out of my head! BTW - its by The BandLew - I love that drive via 67. Lot's of beautiful dirt roads around there.

Unknown said...

I have "Cripple Creek" stuck in my head, too. I lived in the Springs for a couple of years, but never made it up there.

The shot is terrific. It reminds me of something out of "Grapes of Wrath."

You might like to participate in the PurplePhotoPassion meme at http://purplephotopassion.blogspot.com.

Russ said...

boliyou - I'll check it out. I'm trying to think of the last time I photographed anything purple... Sounds like a good challenge.

Cindy said...

If I spring a leak, she mends me... Great shot. I lived in the Springs in the early eighties and did take a ride up to Cripple Creek- it was a little hair raising, if I remember correctly...it's a long way down. Great shot, nice contrast! I love the trees too, they add so much to the compostion. I remember going into a shop up there and there were pictures of Stevie Nicks all over the place. The shop owner said Stevie was her niece. So the song "Gold Dust Woman" is another one I think of when I remember the town.