The Trust for Land Restoration invites the public to its fourth annual Red Mountain Mining District Monitoring Day, Thursday, September 30th. Participating volunteers will inspect and photograph ten conserved, historically-significant sites, above or in Ironton Park, including the Yankee Girl, the Guston Depot, the Corkscrew Turntable, the American Girl, the Turk & White House, the Larson Brothers, Beaver Belfast and the Idarado Houses properties.
The Trust for Land Restoration is uniquely positioned as the only non-profit organization that pursues the conservation and preservation of scenic vistas and mining landscapes in the San Juan Mountains. Active since 2000, we specialize in collaborative land conservation that benefits land owners and the public.
In 2015, TLR purchased and gave fourteen mining claims to the U.S. Forest Service. In 2016, we completed donation of the two mining claims that comprise the historic Corkscrew Turntable to Ouray County. In 2018, TLR negotiated and acquired a mining claim near the top of Red Mountain Pass that included an important SNOTEL snow, rain, and climate data gathering site on behalf of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Southwest Water Conservation District. Current projects include saving the Idarado Houses and acquiring one hundred acres of mining claims on Brown Mountain, with the intent of donation to Ouray County.
Monitoring Day volunteers will meet at the Ouray County Museum at 420 6th Avenue in Ouray at 9:00 a.m. to form groups and carpool. We should complete our work by early afternoon and return no later than 2:00 p.m. Our monitoring will require up to two miles of hiking, depending on your group. Please bring a sack lunch, water, and dress for the weather. This promises to be a great day!
For more details and to RSVP, please contact Pat in our Ridgway Office at 970-626-3236 or email willits@independence.net.