We ventured in on a mine cart…

Bachelor- Syracuse Mine Photo by Nicki Hurd

listened to mining lore…

Bachelor- Syracuse Mine Photo by Nicki Hurd

until the cart got stuck.

Gold Hill by Andrew Leggett

Ouray was founded around 1870 when gold and silver was discovered in the in the San Juan mountains, the gold rush lead to the many mining communities that are now small towns.

After having the  miner’s breakfast they offer, we traveled by rail into Gold Hill and got stuck in the pitch black darkness.  It added to the intrigue, although I felt bad for the guide who had to wade back out through the water covering the floor of the cave, and get something to lever us back onto the track.

According to the tales, the miners were immigrants from Ireland that worked very hard and did not have it easy.  Some things never change, like exploiting immigrants, but it lead to the establishment of the communities along the Skyway. August, 2009