big elk meadows is a private community and the gate just happens to be at the highest point of the road... the paved part is county road the dirt part is private... hence, the dirt. the gate is for "privacy"... all the houses and lakes are another 1/4 mile down from the gate.
the gate is at 7725 feet in altitude... a clue as to why there is so little traffic.

here's a google earth view.... you can see the fork in the road (bottom right) that is at the beginning of the vid, then the hairpin to the right. the vid path is marked in green and the remodel i'm working at is the "house". so, you're basically looking at a fairly upscale lakeside community out in the boonies... from above.


my house is to the southeast about 35 miles... as you can tell, not as the crow flies.