Marble Mountain Colorado Gold

Stories of hidden conquistador gold and skeletons in chains are associated with the caves of marble mountain.

Marble mountain colorado gold.

Marble mountain is located in south central colorado approximately 12 miles southwest of westcliffe. Ranked the 427th highest colorado peak at 13 266 ft marble mountain may not seem like it is especially notable but wait until you see this sangre de cristo range and its many unique. However in 1541 three spanish monks from the coronado expedition forced the indians into slave labor to extract gold from the cave. According to michael o hanlon the caves of marble mountain have produced more lore and tall tales than any other localities in the colorado sangres.

Of these caves marble cave and white marble halls cave are best known. Colorado is full of purple mountain majesties so you may wonder how we can pick just one to feature in the case of today s summit it was a no brainer. Marble mountain is located in the sangre de cristo mountains range in southwestern colorado about 11 miles from westcliffe colorado. The trailhead for the standard route is the rainbow trailhead and is gained via the south colony road on the east side of the range near westcliffe.

So here s two lost mines near or on marble mountain in south central colorado. How i heard the story of la caverna del oro the cave of gold as a young boy growing up in denver colorado in the 1960 s and 1970 s i never could even imagine the prospects of owning a computer smart phone or. The quarry employed around 125 men. Marble peaked in 1914 with around 1 500 residents.

At its peak the colorado yule marble company employed several hundred men at the enormous finishing mill at marble with a high percentage of them being skilled laborers from italy. Workers hand polish marble slabs at the yule marble co.