Chaffee County Colorado

Chaffee County Borders the Continental Divide near central Colorado. Chaffee County produced 370,000 gold ounces, largely from lode mines, but with small amounts from placers and base metal mines. The main area of interest is in the gravel bars and benches all along the Arkansas River from Buena Vista southeast 25 miles to the Fremont County line and near Granite, which is close to the county line 15 miles northwest of Salida. There are many placers. In Lost Canyon Gulch, Chalk Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Pine Creek, Bertscheys Gulch, Cold Run Gulch, Gilson Gulch, Oregon Gulch, and Ritchey's Patch, you will find rich history and all had abundant placer workings. There are many small mines scattered throughout County that produced lode and by-product gold.

BUENA VISTA

Southeast 5 miles of Buena Vista, at Free Gold on Trout Creek, the area mines produced lode gold. East, to Riverside, 6 miles off U.S. 24, last 2 miles are difficult, altitude, 12,000-13,000 feet, area copper-lead-silver mines produced a by-product of gold. Northeast 13 miles, just South of Trout Creek Pass, area mines produced lode gold. West 14 miles, near headwaters of Cottonwood Creek, small mines produced lode gold. The Chalk Creek district is in the west part of county near headwaters of Chalk Creek, 16 miles northwest of Nathrop. It had a total production, 250,000 ounces of by-product gold. Some 20 area mines in T15S R80 and 81E, but chiefly the Mary Murphy Mine was the largest producer, with 220,400 ounces of by product gold. The area creek gravel's have minor placer deposits.

GARFIELD

The Monarch district is near Garfield at an elevation of 10,000-10,500 feet. The total production was between 15,000-20,000 ounces of by-product gold. The area mines in T49 and 50N, R6E, on old dumps there are gold showings. The Madonna Mine was a major producer of lode gold.

GRANITE

South of Granite 3 miles along Clear Creek, the area mines produced lode gold. 4 to 10 miles farther southwest there were numerous placers. West of Granite 15 miles, on Clear Creek, at Winfield (La Plata), elevation 9,750-12,000 feet, is a mineralized area 1-3 miles west and southwest of Winfield. Many small mines produced lode gold. In T11 and 12S R79E, with part of district in Lake Co, The area Creek gravel's contain placer gold. The area mines produced lode gold. The area in north part of county, extending north into Lake County, along Cache and Clear Creeks, there are many placer workings. Years ago I found some real nice gold on a claim on Cache leased by the Colorado Prospectors Association. This is how I got the idea for the name Mike Higbee's Prospectors Cache.

NATHROP

South of Nathrop 2-3 miles, along Browns Creek, in Browns Canyon near U.S. 285, are some decent placers.

SALIDA

West of Salida at Monarch Pass, the area mines and dumps have gold showings. South of Salida 4 miles is the Cleora Mine that produced copper, near U.S. 50, with a by-product of gold. North of Salida 4 miles, In the Trout Creek Hills via Route 291, is the abandoned Sedalia Copper Mine ore dumps contain a by-product gold showings. West of Salida 8 miles, on east side of the Arkansas River Valley, at Sedalia, area mine dumps contain gold in abundant sphalerite. North 11 miles, along Turret Creek, area mines produced a by-product gold. North by Northeast 16 miles, to Calumet (Whitehorn) in Fremont County, elevation 9,500-10,000 feet, the area mine dumps have gold showings.

TWIN LAKES

The Red Mountain area, from Twin Lakes west to the Continental Divide elevation 11,000-12,000 feet, difficult to reach, many area old mines above valley produced lode and by-product gold.