Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Hot springs at 16°F, a hail storm on Storm Avenue, sketchy cliff roads, and mining ruins at 11,000 feet… all in a big truck camper. Welcome to southern Colorado.
In this episode, we leave the plains of eastern Colorado and point the truck toward the mountains, with no real plan other than “go explore the southwest.” We revisit Sacred White Shell Mountain (Mt. Blanca) for a frigid but beautiful camp, then follow Highway 160 through Pagosa Springs, Durango, Silverton, and Ouray to sample some of Colorado’s most dramatic mountain country.
In Pagosa Springs, we soak at The Springs Resort, fed by the world’s deepest hot spring (over 1,000 feet deep!) and then shock our systems with a plunge into the 39°F river. We talk about hail along the Front Range, UV intensity at higher elevations (and how we accidentally sunburned ourselves at 40°F), and why this area sees so many wild storms.
From there, we camp along Vallecito Reservoir, where a 2012 fire left the hillsides open and still recovering. Then it’s on to Silverton and the old Old Hundred Gold Mine area, where we air down, head up rough roads, and explore the incredible mining ruins and ghost town at Animas Forks—over 11,000 feet up in the San Juan Mountains. It’s hard to imagine people living and working here in the 1800s, and even harder to imagine the railroad that once climbed into this terrain.
Finally, we tackle Colorado’s famous Million Dollar Highway from Silverton to Ouray, learning more about the mining history, red-stained mountains, and ongoing reclamation work in the Red Mountain Mining District. We wrap things up boondocking near Ouray, talking hot brakes, engine braking on steep passes, and squeezing in a steep hike (with a very enthusiastic dog) before heading further south.
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Thank you for watching our videos!
We are Tom & Caitlin Morton and we are the Mortons on the Move. We are co-hosts of 'The RVers' TV Show on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and Fun Roads TV. We are the Creators of the 'Go North' series available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. We've lived full-time in an RV since 2015.
WEBSITE: mortonsonthemove.com
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE: https://mortonsonthemove.ck.page/
THE RVERS TV SHOW: thervers.tv/cast
Watch GO NORTH on Amazon Prime: amzn.to/3Mox42M
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mortonsonthemove
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mortonsonthemove
MORTON-RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS & SERVICES: (affiliate & discount links)
Visit our Deals & Discounts page for all: mortonsonthemove.com/deals-discounts
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
BATTLE BORN LITHIUM BATTERIES: battlebornbatteries.com/cart/?wt_coupon=mortons&afmc=gn&utm_campaign=gn&utm_source=leaddyno&utm_medium=affiliate ($50 off!)
MOBILE MUST HAVE: mobilemusthave.com/MOTM (5% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
MUDFLAP APP DIESEL: Get $10 credit with code “todb7d”
HUGHES AUTOFORMERS: hughesautoformers.com (10% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
CARGENERATOR: offer.cargenerator.com/mortonsonthemove ($150 off!)
RECPRO.COM: recpro.com/?referral=ONTHEMOVE5 (5% off!)
REAL TRUCK: imp.i128439.net/VmQ5VR (8% off!)
HARVEST HOST: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/2CTPL (15% off!)
BOONDOCKERS WELCOME: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/6JHXF
Copyright © 2015-2025 Mortons on the Move. All rights reserved.
Any unauthorized reuse, copying, duplication, reproduction, or redistribution in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.
Hot springs at 16°F, a hail storm on Storm Avenue, sketchy cliff roads, and mining ruins at 11,000 feet… all in a big truck camper. Welcome to southern Colorado.
In this episode, we leave the plains of eastern Colorado and point the truck toward the mountains, with no real plan other than “go explore the southwest.” We revisit Sacred White Shell Mountain (Mt. Blanca) for a frigid but beautiful camp, then follow Highway 160 through Pagosa Springs, Durango, Silverton, and Ouray to sample some of Colorado’s most dramatic mountain country.
In Pagosa Springs, we soak at The Springs Resort, fed by the world’s deepest hot spring (over 1,000 feet deep!) and then shock our systems with a plunge into the 39°F river. We talk about hail along the Front Range, UV intensity at higher elevations (and how we accidentally sunburned ourselves at 40°F), and why this area sees so many wild storms.
From there, we camp along Vallecito Reservoir, where a 2012 fire left the hillsides open and still recovering. Then it’s on to Silverton and the old Old Hundred Gold Mine area, where we air down, head up rough roads, and explore the incredible mining ruins and ghost town at Animas Forks—over 11,000 feet up in the San Juan Mountains. It’s hard to imagine people living and working here in the 1800s, and even harder to imagine the railroad that once climbed into this terrain.
Finally, we tackle Colorado’s famous Million Dollar Highway from Silverton to Ouray, learning more about the mining history, red-stained mountains, and ongoing reclamation work in the Red Mountain Mining District. We wrap things up boondocking near Ouray, talking hot brakes, engine braking on steep passes, and squeezing in a steep hike (with a very enthusiastic dog) before heading further south.
---
Thank you for watching our videos!
We are Tom & Caitlin Morton and we are the Mortons on the Move. We are co-hosts of 'The RVers' TV Show on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and Fun Roads TV. We are the Creators of the 'Go North' series available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. We've lived full-time in an RV since 2015.
WEBSITE: mortonsonthemove.com
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE: https://mortonsonthemove.ck.page/
THE RVERS TV SHOW: thervers.tv/cast
Watch GO NORTH on Amazon Prime: amzn.to/3Mox42M
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mortonsonthemove
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mortonsonthemove
MORTON-RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS & SERVICES: (affiliate & discount links)
Visit our Deals & Discounts page for all: mortonsonthemove.com/deals-discounts
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
SHOP MOTM AMAZON STORE: amzn.to/3MqguSW
BATTLE BORN LITHIUM BATTERIES: battlebornbatteries.com/cart/?wt_coupon=mortons&afmc=gn&utm_campaign=gn&utm_source=leaddyno&utm_medium=affiliate ($50 off!)
MOBILE MUST HAVE: mobilemusthave.com/MOTM (5% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
MUDFLAP APP DIESEL: Get $10 credit with code “todb7d”
HUGHES AUTOFORMERS: hughesautoformers.com (10% off with coupon “MORTONS”)
CARGENERATOR: offer.cargenerator.com/mortonsonthemove ($150 off!)
RECPRO.COM: recpro.com/?referral=ONTHEMOVE5 (5% off!)
REAL TRUCK: imp.i128439.net/VmQ5VR (8% off!)
HARVEST HOST: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/2CTPL (15% off!)
BOONDOCKERS WELCOME: harvest-hosts.com/9ZNGGC/6JHXF
Copyright © 2015-2025 Mortons on the Move. All rights reserved.
Any unauthorized reuse, copying, duplication, reproduction, or redistribution in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.
