| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy 2 | FR 502 | 6.00 | 8,952 to 10,597 ft. | NA | 1 hour |
Divide Ranger District
Del Norte, CO 81132
Closure:
July - Best
August - Best
September - Best
October - Watch for early snows
Accessed:
Wason Trail - Hiking
More major discoveries were made in 1891 along West Willow Creek, north of Creede. J. C. MacKenzie and W. V. McGilliard located the Commodore claim. Theodore Renniger and Julius Haas, discovered the Last Chance claim. Nicholas Creede staked the Amethyst claim next to the Last Chance. George K. Smith and S. D. Coffin located the New York claim, a southern extension of the Last Chance. These discoveries, along with the Bachelor claim were all along the fabulous Amethyst vein.
Creede experienced a mining boom and the population swelled to 15,000. Many miners came from other San Juan mining camps including Silverton, Telluride, and Ouray. The town, then known as "Jimtown", expanded outside the narrow canyons to its present location then known as South Creede. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad was extended west from Wagon Wheel Gap all the way to North Creede in late-1891. This put a road, narrow gauge railroad, and town business district in the narrow Willow Creek canyon. The old and new parts of town were incorporated as Creede in 1892, but North Creede still ramained separate. By the end of 1892, the District was at its peak and had produced ore valued at over $4.2 million. The Amethyst and Last Chance Mines were the most important producers.
As the depths of the mines increased so did the inflows of water. In the early 1890's, Charles F. Nelson's Nelson Tunnel Company drove a drainage and haulage adit toward Bachelor Mountain but failed to encounter workable ore. The Wooster Tunnel Company connected the Nelson Tunnel to the Amethyst Mine. The Amethyst, Last Chance, and New York Mines paid royalties to the tunnel company for ore haulage and drainage. The Wooster Tunnel was later extended, as the Humphreys Tunnel, to the Happy Thought and Park Regent Mines. A haulage track on the surface connected the portal of the Nelson-Wooster-Humphreys Tunnel to the Humphreys Mill which was built in 1902 at the narrow junction of East and West Willow Creek. The Commodore Mine developed its own drainage tunnel.
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Image of Humphrey Mill in 1902 photo by: Adam M |
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The repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, the Panic of 1893, and associated drop in the silver price caused most mines to close and the population of Creede to decline. In the years that followed, mining had its ups and downs as the silver price fluctuated. In 1930 all mining ceased. In 1934, the mines reopened when the government pegged the price of silver. The Emperius Mining Company and Creede Mines controlled the district. In the 1950's, the U. S. Geological Survey announced the potential of the Bulldog Mountain Fault as a mineralized vein system. In 1960, Manning Cox and Fred Baker staked claims along the projection of the fault. The Homestake Mining Company optioned the Bulldog Mountain properties in 1963 and began an extensive exploration program. Homestake's Bulldog Mill began production in 1969. Other companies did exploration in the Creede District in the 1970's but did not develop any additional production. The Homestake's Bulldog Mine closed in 1985 due to very low metal prices.
The Creede District has produced nearly 5 million tons of ore yielding over 84 million ounces of silver plus substantial amounts of lead, zinc, copper, and gold.
Mining History Association", Internet.
Jessen, Kenneth Ghost Towns Colorado Style, Volumn 3, 1st ed. Loveland, Colorado: J.V. Publications, 2001. Print.
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Humphrey Mill foundation photo by: Joyce M |
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From the intersection kiosk, where North Creede use to be, you will head up East Willow Creek through some private residences. The road is graded and follows the creek. At the mine reclamation site there is another information kiosk. To the left of this parking area the road will continue by starting a series of switchbacks that climbs the side of Campbell Mountain.
The road will continue up through the trees to the top of the ridge. There are a few mine structures and some short spur roads that go off into the trees.
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Upper section in the trees photo by: Adam M |
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Over the ridge the road will quickly head down past the Midwest Mine and follow Nelson Creek out to where it connects with the West Willow Creek road.
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Lower section in the trees photo by: Adam M |
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From here you can head down through the Amethyst and Commodore mine complexes, or head up to follow West Willow Creek around and back to Creede.