Colorado Captures

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An old abandoned 19th century mine stands in the foreground of majestic Red Mountain. This image was taken near sunset from Red Mountain Pass (aka Million Dollar Highway) between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.

With both gold and silver having been discovered in the area, man really left his mark on this view of Red Mountain.  Back in the 1870s, mines were common in southwest Colorado with lots of activity.

As one of the larger mines in the San Juan Mountains, the Idarado Mine contains almost 100 miles of underground tunnels.  Miners would enter here at the Treasury Tunnel and ride underground trams to their work stations.  In its time, the mine produced 4 million ounces of gold, 21 million ounces of silver, and 12 million tons of lead, zinc, and copper – making a significant contribution to the industrial revolution.

This image shows Red Mountain at sunset from Red Mountain Pass (aka Million Dollar Highway) between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.