Cumbres Pass

— Our vacation in 2010 took us back to New Mexico. Since we were in Taos for a few days, we decided to take advantage of a side trip on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a national historic landmark. Originally constructed in 1880, the railroad was purchased by the states of New Mexico and Colorado in 1970. The tracks cross the state lines about a dozen times in a winding 64-mile route in a coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive. Because of our location, we chose to ride from Antonito, Colorado, to Chama, New Mexico, with a stop for lunch in Osier, Colorado. The scenery was magnificent, especially as we approached Cumbres Pass summit at an elevation of 10,022 feet (3,000 meters), where this shot was made.