WESTCLIFFE, COLORADO
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

HISTORY

The Mining History of Custer County  

Mining is what developed the towns of Silver Cliff, Querida and Rosita. In 1875, Rosita was a settlement of just a few families, when silver was discovered; the town grew to five and six thousand people. Two years after finding silver in Rosita, a man in Silver Cliff found a vertical cliff in the middle of the town that had a black coating on it which turned out to be a high grade of silver called Horn Silver, the “cliff of Silver” was named Racine Boy Mine. He filed a claim on that cliff and began to scoop off the top with a Skip pulled by a mule. His discovery paid well for a while, the lower the cliff got, the less silver he found. In 1879, for every ton of ore he got five ounces of silver; he waked away and left the cliff. That same year, another man decided to sink a shaft at the very top of the hill behind what was left of the “cliff of silver”, where the town of Silver Cliff got its name. This new mine on the top of the hill developed into the largest and deepest silver mine in the state of Colorado. It was about three thousand feet deep and had two hoists in it. It had the largest steam hoist in Colorado. The mine was named Gyser. The Gyser mine ran two twelve hour shifts with approximate two hundred men on each shift.

Time Line of the Cloverdale Mining Camp and Ore Mill  

1919: A hunting party uncovered a copper vein on the north face of Eagle Peak, 9 to 9 ½ miles up the mountain, and the first Cloverdale claim was filed.

1923-1928: The exploration increased supplies were brought in by burro trains, horseback and on foot. Construction began on a graded access road and was completed in 1928.

1929: Despite the Great Depression a 50 ton flotation ore mill, including a pumping plant for water pipe lines, ore and rain cars were all put into place for operation of the Ore Mill.

1931: All machinery, fully equipped assay office, hydroelectric and pumping plants were in operation. 12 miners and 2 young boys were working when on October 28, 1931; disaster and a major fire destroyed most of the mill and camp.

1942: The War Production Board closed down all gold mines.

1943-1945: The mine was closed.

1946-1952: Limited operations were permitted. Work in the tunnel was slow.

1953-1969: Theft to snow storms virtually destroyed the operation. To this very day the mine has not been abandoned. In 1968-1969, Harriett Porch took control of the camp. She cleaned and repaired the mining cabins, dug out the tunnel entrance and opened the assessment holes. She put the affairs of the mine in order after years of disrepair.

2004: Soon you too will have the opportunity to share in this fascinating experience and join them in an awesome journey into mining history. Treks up the mountain for overnight stays in the original mining camp and tours of the mine are planned for the summer.

You should plan for an experience of a lifetime. Information can be obtained by writing to Cloverdale Ore Mill, P.O. Box 9, Hillside Colorado 81232 or on the web at cloverdalemines.com

And now the new explorers come in campers and cars. They too fall in love with this valley of space and pure, high air and unbelievable beauty. The fortunate stay. Some built summer homes and others come back, time and again, to camp, to fish and hunt, to ski or just to look.

LOCATION
Custer County is in Central Southern Colorado. Westcliffe, the county seat, is 56 miles west of Pueblo and 75 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. The county includes parts of the Wet Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo range. The elevation varies from 6700 feet to 14,294 feet at the top of Crestone Peaks. Between the two ranges is the fertile Wet Mountain Valley which runs about 60 miles north and south and is only nine to twelve miles wide.

CLIMATE
Nearer the high dryness of New Mexico than the cold of northern Colorado, the climate is ideal: cold, clear and dry in the winter, warm in the summer and sunny all year round. Fall is most beautiful of all with the spun-gold aspens and the first snow crowning the big range.

The area is semi-arid to arid with a low humidity and little precipitation. In an average year there is a total of 16 ½" of precipitation including 88" of snow. The mean average temperature is 43.7 degrees. With 345 days of sunshine each year and with the low humidity, even the winter weather is pleasant most of the time in spite of temperatures that are frequently below freezing.

OUTDOOR FUN
Custer County has incredible beauty. Our beautiful valley is bordered with 14,000 foot peaks on one side, and the incredible peaks covered Wet Mountains on the other side. Were proud of our 200,000 acres of public land and our 52 lakes for your vacation pleasure; there’s hiking fishing, and hunting. With Custer County’s 320 days of sunshine a year, it is a place to runaway to all year, and more.

CAMPING AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
Campgrounds are available at Lake DeWeese, Alvarado Campground and throughout the San Isabel National Forest. Backpack camping is allowed in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area.

There are 9 “fourteeners” just waiting for you to explore them. Be fully prepared as these mountains challenge even the most experienced climbers.

FOUR WHEELING, HUNTING AND FISHING
The Rainbow Trail has a unique four wheel experience. It’s a beautiful trail in a shady, forested area that is 90 miles. The famous trail will take you to various peaks and high country lakes.

Elk, Mule Deer, Big Horn Sheep and Wild Turkey are abundant in the beautiful Custer County’s National Forests and wilderness areas.

Clean water and plenty of fish, who can ask for more? There are over 52 lakes and 370 miles of stream is Custer County. Lake DeWeese and Grape Creek are easy accessible other lakes such as Hermit Lake, Horseshoe Lake and Rainbow Lake can be reached with your four wheel drive vehical.

Area Map