Victor and Cripple Creek are towns within an important mining district of Colorado. Both were the center of the gold mining industry from about 1880-1910. A number of mines remained open after this, however the total number were substantially reduced. Both towns are above 8500 feet above sea level. During the boom years, they were among the largest towns in Colorado, and the most prosperous. Cripple Creek is slightly larger than Victor, and today has a number of small stakes casinos in its downtown area. Both towns burned to the ground, at least once, and after 1890, rebuilt using brick.
Cripple Creek and Victor have both had their ups and downs. At the present time, a very large gold mine complex takes up a large portion of the area around Victor. At times in the past, the towns have almost been totally abandoned. According to various accounts, beginning in the 1950's and 60's flatlanders started to take an interest in the two towns, as potential Summer homes. This increased the population of the areas, until the casino boom of the 1990's hit. In addition, newer gold mining techniques, employing leaching ponds, which enable the recovery of formerly poor grade ores, aided in the revival of the area.
Perhaps the most famous
person from the Cripple Creek and Victor areas is the late Lowell
Thomas, a well known journalist. He grew up in Victor, where
his Father was a physician. He worked for a while for a local
paper, the office of which still stands. As he once put it, "Everyone
knows Cripple Creek is really a suburb of Victor."
The following pictures were taken along the Vindicator Valley Trail, just outside of Victor, on a hillside filled with old gold mines. The total length of the trail is about 2 miles. The trail is clearly marked with fences. For those unfamiliar with the dangers of exploring old mining districts and areas, there is a disclaimer at the trailhead that walking the trail is done at one's own risk, and not to leave the trail's marked boundaries. Having walked the trail myself, I found it well marked, and was not concerned about my safety. If I left the trail however, by climbing the 4 foot high fence, I'm not sure I would have felt that way. Be forewarned, if you are a flatlander. The trail starts at over 9000 feet above sea level, and has some elevation change. This can quickly take the wind out of your sails if you are in a hurry. There are benches in spots to sit and enjoy the view, which if you are feeling winded, make nice resting spots. This particular trail is maintained by local organizations, and with some help by the current gold mine in Victor. At the trailhead there is a brochure you can pick up, free of charge, that describes some of the mines you will see. They also have a book for visitors to sign. As I put in the remarks column, 'the're no hills like this in Jersey.'
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1. Trailhead of the Vindicator Valley Trail, outside of Victor, CO. The trail winds around a hillside of the Vindicator Valley, one of the most famous gold mining areas in Colorado. The Teresa Mine can be seen in the distance.
2. Sign near the trailhead of the Vindicator Valley Trail, with instructions to visitors not to leave the trail's boundarys. The lower sign provides a list of the organizations that are involved with efforts to maintain the trail. At this point, hikers face a decision as to which route to take. My guide, pictured in the adjacent picture, advises flatlanders to take the route to the right.
3. View of the Teresa Mine.
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4. View of the upper Vindicator Valley(Gold Hill to me). The level portion of the hillside, above the mine, in the middle of the picture, is part of the active gold mining operations, in Victor.
5. View of my tour guide, on the Vindicator Valley Trial. As you can see, it is a wide, well maintained trail.
6. View of the western side of the Vindicator Valley. A number of abandoned mines can be seen. Behind this hill is the town of Victor.
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7. Mine head of the Vindicator Mine, or one formerly owned by David Moffat. Moffat made his money in the mining business. Eventually, he formed the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad. His dream was to connect Denver to Salt Lake, by way of Craig, Colorado, however, he ran out of money before reaching Salt Lake. Eventually, the D&SL was purchased by the competing Denver, Rio Grande & Western, and became known as the Moffat Road. The Moffat Tunnel, under the Continental Divide, west of Rollinsville, and Winter Park, was named for him.
8. View of old goldmine ruins on Gold Hill in Victor, CO.
9. Another view of some old gold mine ruins on Gold Hill in Victor, CO. The level portion behind and above the old mine(center of picture) is part of the active gold mine complex in Victor. It is part of the 'super roadway' for the mine's extremely large dump trucks.
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10. View of an old gold mine, further up Gold Hill, Victor, CO.
11. Another old gold mine on Gold Hill, Victor, CO.
12. View of the hills surrounding Victor, CO.
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13. Mine hoist structure, Vindicator Mine, Gold Hill, Victor, CO. It is possilbe to access the Vindicator Valley Trail, from a public road in this area. From my understanding, this upper portion of the Vindicator Valley area(Gold Hill to me) used to be known as the town of Independence.
14. Tableu, showing the relative depth of various mines on Gold Hill, Victor CO. The two horizontal lines represent drainage tunnels which were bored into the district, to drain water from the rocks, allowing deeper shafts to be bored. The deepest shafts in the Gold Hill complex, reached over 2000 and 3000 feet deep, respectively, below the mine head.
15. One of the processing buildings, still standing, from the Vindicator Mine, Victor, CO. The Vindicator, was one of the most prosperous mines, and one of the longest in operation, within the district. Several hundred men worked here in its prosperous days.
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16. View of a dilapidated gold mine, on Gold Hill, Victor, CO. You can see here that the trail is clearly marked. Frankly, you would be a fool to leave the marked trail.
17. View of the Teresa H. Mine, Gold Hill, Victor, CO.
18. View of one portion of the currently active Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Co. in Victor, CO. The current mine is more of a 'strip mine' operation, than one which employes miners in deep underground shafts. This shot was taken from the road leading the the mine's overlook. Between, and behind the bush, you can see the 'super highway' built for the mining dump trucks. The 'super highway,' is slightly wider than the mining dump truck, about as wide as a conventional 3 lane Interstate. You have to cross this highway, to reach the scenic overlook. My advice is to do as the signs posted there suggest, and yield to mine vehicles.
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19. View of Victor, CO, as seen upon returning to town, from the currently active gold mine's overlook.
20. Dark picture of Cripple Creek, CO. Good luck in the town's casinos!
I hope you enjoyed this brief look at some of the sites in the Victor/Cripple Creek area. If you want more information about Victor & Cripple Creek, visit the websites below:
Refrences:
Victor Colorado, City of Gold Mines, Where History Comes Alive. Brochure. Victor Chamber of Commerce
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Updated 11/12/2003
(c) Copyright, J. Carl Shaw, 2003. All rights reserved. Photos may be used by giving credit to the photographer.