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Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums _ Historical Equipment and Tales _ Hill Top Mill / Leavick Mine

Posted by: amorton Jun 21 2012, 09:12 PM

So thought I would share some pictures from an outing my fiancee and I had about a week ago. We climbed Mt. Sherman which is between Leadville and Fairplay. We accessed it from four mile creek road just south of Fairplay. The trail winds through the old Leavick Mine and past the Hill Top mill and summits at 14,172 feet. I figured people here would appreciate some of the old buildings and equipment we passed by. Round trip was around 6 miles

Leavick Mill along road going up to the mine / trail head

Dauntless tunnel and the old tracks leading out

Part of the engine for the ore carts from the tunnel

Summit Mt. Sherman with turquoise lake and Leadville in the upper right. Lauren myself, and Juneau and Luna the adventure dogs.

Looking down the valley we just came up

Posted by: amorton Jun 21 2012, 09:17 PM

Hill Top Mill this this is at 12,200 I think It's hard the beleive that the old-timers built things like this.

Posted by: amorton Jun 21 2012, 09:22 PM

A large boiler / oven I think. There were bits of slag all over so they wer cooking the ore someplace.

This was what was left of the main wheel for the tram system

Posted by: amorton Jun 21 2012, 10:37 PM

Here are some close up shots of the Ore they were mining this was laying around the base of the Hill top mill. The mine was primarily a silver mine with other minerals as bi products. So this should be some Colorado silver Ore.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jun 23 2012, 10:38 AM

Fantastic outing update and pictures!! Thanks for sharing with us. I love how the old mining building sites look. Those old buliding tell a story of a great part of our history. Proof of the hard work and dedication those made to make it happen! Making some cabachons from the ore would be cool! I think the first closeup picture piece has some great colors and would probably polish out nicely. Maybe you could talk the claim/mill owner into letting you have a few pieces to work? confused0082[1].gif Just a thought.

Thanks again for sharing your adventure with us. Great pictures!! Someone has a good eye for that perfect picture shot!

Posted by: swizz Jun 24 2012, 06:31 AM

Great pics... and ponderous to think about.
Thanks for sharing your journey!

Posted by: Kurt Oct 27 2013, 09:53 AM

Very nice write up, and great pics. Thanks.

Posted by: Crusty Oct 28 2013, 12:37 PM

Amazing site!

Need to get my fat ass in shape so I can get up to that elevation myself

Thanks for sharing the pics!