Today's Activities: Today we spent some more time in the Silverton / Animas Forks area by travelling up Little Giant Basin and running the Picayune / Placer Gulch Loop. Once again the monsoon rains cut down on our photo opportunities. But the day was not without some excitement. We got to fix a coolant leak on the F-250 at 12,000 feet. A lesson for us all. Mr. Goodwrench, or whoever your mechanic is, won't make a house call in Picayune Gulch. And there's no cell phone service in the high mountains. Be prepared.

Trip Length: 2 ½ hours from Silverton.

Difficulty Rating: 2 to 3

Trail Condition: The trail is narrow and steep. It is rocky due to the recent rains. Going up, there is a short section on the shelf with a small slide that will get you off camber immediately before a tight turn. Take it slow here.

Sites along the trail: Little Giant is a great side trip from Cunningham Gulch. As you work your way up through the woods, a number of wooden towers from the Contention Tram can be seen. The remains of the tram station can be observed in the lower basin. The middle basin contains the ruins of the Big Giant Mine. Gold Lake is found in the upper basin, framed by Little Giant Peak on the south, and King Solomon Mountain on the north.

This is the turn off to Arrastra Gulch. The Little Giant Basin road is on the left (75k)

The columbine is on bloom in Little Giant Basin (75k)

Looking south west from Little Giant Basin (75k)

Tram tower near the Black Prince Mine (75k)

The Black Prince Mine (75k)

Contention Mine tram house (75k)

Great weather for ducks! (75k)

Little Giant Basin (75k)

Looking down towards Silverton from the road to Little Giant Basin (75k)