Nothing has run on Tennessee Pass lately Proof can be found looking down the main line just west of milepost 301 on this famous Rio Grande route that Union Pacific stopped operating in 1997. In early March 2014, a 30-foot boulder came crashing down the mountainside above Minturn, slamming onto the main line below while breaking in two and destroying part of the siding too, stopping short of the Eagle river and homes just the other side of it. Reportedly, some local residents thought it was an explosion, while others thought it was fireworks or the sound of blades on a low-flying helicopter when it fell. The giant boulder was once a good portion of a local landmark called Lionshead Rock that has stood above the Colorado mountain town for countless years. The locals may miss their icon, but I miss what use to ply those twisted and rusty rails so many years ago. This boulder (and the one that struck the siding) can easily be seen on Google Maps and Google Earth.
