| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy 4 | CR3B | 2.21 | 11,120 to 13,000 ft. | Rock Outcrops | 2-3 hours |
BLM, Tres Rios Field Office
29211 Highway 184, Dolores, CO 81323
(970)882-7296
Closure:
July - Best, mid to late
August - Best
September - Best
October - Early snows may close the pass
Accessed:
Old Hundred Boarding House Trail - Hike
In 1904, John Slattery reopened the Buffalo Boy after years of inactivity. The Buffalo Boy showed great promise because it had not yet been systematically developed. In 1909, Joseph Bordeleau organized the Continental Mining Company to lease the property. Over the next three years, miners would encounter rich gold ore in the vein, lose the trace, develop the ore formation further, reestablish contact, and repeat the cycle. Overall, the operation was moderately successful until a lawsuit among the owners froze the operation.
The Buffalo Boy reopened concurrently with the Mountain Queen. In 1925, the Vertex Mining Company signed a lease, hired a crew of twenty-five, and invested capital to modernize the infrastructure. The company installed an air compressor underground and provided workers with a boardinghouse equipped with a rare hot-air furnace. For three years Vertex enjoyed sound production of medium-grade ore with significant profits going to shipping and smelting. Thus, in 1929, the company built a mill at the mouth of Stony Gulch, near the old site of Niegoldstown. The mill featured the flotation system to ensure the efficient recovery of gold, silver, lead, and zinc. Vertex commissioned a tramway to lower the payrock to the new mill, a boardinghouse, and new surface facilities. These plans were under way when the economy collapsed in 1929, and Vertex finished the costly improvements probably under the presumption that the economy would correct itself within a short time. Vertex brought the mining and milling combination into full production in 1930 only to later suspend operations as the metals prices tumbled.
Jessen, Kenneth Ghost Towns Colorado Style Vol 3, 1st ed. Loveland, Colorado: JV Publications LLC, 2001. Print.
Kindquist, Cathy E. Stony Pass Silverton, Colorado: San Juan County Book Company, 1987. Print.
Wolle, Muriel Sibell Stampede to Timberline Athens, Ohio: Swallow Press, Ohio University Press, 1949, 1974. Print.
Twitty, Eric Historic Mining Resouces of the San Juan County, Colorado United States Department of the Interior: OMB No.1024-0018, Print.
You will come to another switchback with a mine on the other side of Rein Creek. At the switchback the road will now head up Rocky Gulch passing an old cabin on the left side of the road. Past the cabin you will pass two tram towers on the right and them come to the large Buffalo Boy Mine tram station on the left.
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Buffalo Boy Mine tram station photo by: Adam M |
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Buffalo Boy Mine tram station looking at towers photo by: Adam M |
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Buffalo Boy Mine tram station interior photo by: Adam M |
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The road will continue past the tram station doing a small S turn as it passes the collapsed adit of the mine. Next you will come to a rocky section of road with one of the rock outcrop obstacles as you head past the head of Rocky Gulch. The road will continue to climb up toward the ridgeline going through another small S turn with a short spur on the right that goes to the Rocky Gulch Trail. Continue on the main road to the left passing another rocky section of road before coming to the end at the top of the ridge. Here you will have great views at 13,000 feet.