Protected: Final Quest
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Where Adventure Becomes Art. Designed on the Road.
Where the Mountain Hid Its Fortune
You have crossed the rugged heights and descended toward Silverton. But do not head back just yet. Your next discovery lies farther along the dirt road, where the history of Colorado’s mining boom is written into the mountains.
At the bottom of the pass, turn right onto the road that follows the Animas River toward a once-bustling mining settlement. Continue until another road branches away to the left, leading deeper into the mountains and toward a mine that helped shape the region’s history.
Your destination began to take shape in 1873, when prospectors discovered valuable ore in these mountains. The surrounding settlement grew as miners arrived seeking their fortunes. Ore was hauled from the high mountain workings, and mills processed the material below. An aerial tramway eventually connected the upper mine to the settlement, carrying ore down the steep mountainside.
But this mine’s story was not all fortune and success.
High above the workings sat a mountain lake. The ground beneath the lake gave way, sending millions of tons of water and mud into the mine tunnels. The disaster flooded the workings, forcing a major shutdown and becoming one of the most remarkable events in the area’s mining history.
Today, remnants of the old mining operation remain as reminders of the ambition, danger, and determination that shaped the San Juans.
Your Next Challenge
Its name suggests a bright outlook, even though its history includes dark tunnels, hard labor, and a flooded mine.
What famous historic gold and silver mine near Eureka, Colorado, experienced the extraordinary flooding event?