The Roaring Fork River also rises along the Continental Divide but southeast of Glenwood Springs about 50 miles, passing through Aspen on its journey. Water from the Fryingpan River, one of the many tributaries of the Roaring Fork, is diverted by tunnels under the Continental Divide for use by Aurora and Colorado Springs.

This river, for most of its length, has more normal valleys instead of gorges, as one can tell by the picture below. Most of the towns along the Roaring Fork are at the junction of the river with a major tributary; Carbondale, at the base of Mt. Sopris, is where Clear Creek enters the river.

Prospecting and mining lead to the settlement of this valley, then farming in the lower stretches. Now skiing and tourism are the "mother lode". :) The cost of living anywhere in this valley is rapidly rising as farmland is converted to golf courses, gated communities, and expensive second homes. The regional RTD transports workers from low cost homes in the lower valley to Snowmass and Aspen for work.

The Eagle River, again, rises on the Continental Divide east of Glenwood Springs about 60 miles but about 100 river miles. Another water project along Homestake Creek diverts water into the Arkansas River for use by Colorado Springs.

The valley between Glenwood Canyon and Vail Pass on the Continental Divide is a more or less east-west straight line.  Which makes it confusing to the I-70 explorer; at Eagle, CO, the Colorado comes in from the north while the Eagle joins it from the east.

The Eagle enters the valley from the south just below Vail, CO at Minturn; Gore Creek flows through Vail. The Gore Range (below, left) is the head of Gore Creek while Hornsilver Mountain (below, right) is at the head of the Eagle proper.

Related Tabblos are Gilman, CO and the Minturn, CO Aqueduct.