Historic Trail Map of the Leadville 1° × 2° Quadrangle, Central Colorado

By Glenn R. Scott

Prepared in cooperation with the
Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Department, and the Colorado Railroad Museum

Pamphlet to accompany
Scientific Investigations Map 2820

2004

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey

The PDF for the report is 84.36 mb

Figures

1. Index Map of the Leadville 1° × 2° Quadrangle, Showing Major Geographic Features and Communities.
2. Map Showing Details of the Historic Features in the Eastern Part of the Leadville 1° × 2° Quadrangle
3. Route of the Colorado Midland Railway Across Hagerman Pass via the Hagerman Tunnel
4. Map Showing Leadville and Vicinity
5. Map Showing the Route of the Treasury Mountain Railroad Southward from Marble, Colorado

Photographic credits:

Except as noted otherwise, photographs are courtesy of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Department. The photographer (where known) and Denver Public Library call number for each photograph are shown at the end of each caption.

All historical photographs, sketches, and engravings are clearly referenced so that viewers can readily review the originals in the source institutions. A few of the illustrations have enhancements that are meant to complement the overall publication design. We are careful not to alter the context of these wonderful visions of an era but, rather, to use them to evoke a sense of time and place.

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"Map of Colorado Territory," dated 1861. Courtesy Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Department.

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Introduction

Colorado contains the equivalent of fourteen 1° × 2° areas the size of the Leadville quadrangle, and each area contains about 7,200 square miles. The Leadville quadrangle contains all or parts of 13 counties, named here with their dates of founding:

Chaffee Feb. 10, 1879

Delta Feb. 11, 1883

Eagle Feb. 11, 1883

Garfield Feb. 10, 1883

Grand Feb. 2, 1874

Gunnison Mar. 9, 1877

Lake Nov. 1, 1861

Mesa Feb. 14, 1883

Park Nov. 1, 1861

Pitkin Feb. 23, 1881

Rio Blanco Mar. 25, 1889

Routt Jan. 29, 1877

Summit Nov. 1, 1861

The formal Colorado Territory was established on February 28, 1861, and Colorado officially became a State in 1876. Settlement of the Leadville area started in the late 1850s when ore deposits were discovered there. Miners spread out across most of the mountainous parts of the State in search of minable deposits of gold, silver, and other valuable minerals. The mountains were then in a completely primitive state. Only simple undeveloped trails were then being used. The Ute Indians were the principal users; however, parties from the Great Plains tribes occasionally traveled into the mountains for berries and game. Many of the historic trails in the quadrangle were used by Indian Tribes long before trappers and settlers of European ancestry reached the area. After beaver pelts were found to be useful for the manufacture of men's fur hats, fur trappers and traders rode horses or walked into the primitive areas with their rifles and traps in pursuit of beaver in the 1830s and 1840s. Probably most of the creeks and many of the rivers were dammed by beaver. A market for the beaver pelts was readily available at all of the four fur-trade posts along the South Platte River south of the present town of Greeley: Fort St. Vrain, Fort Jackson, Fort Vasquez, and Fort Lupton. The fur trappers and traders also sought trade with the Indians, often trading with them for bison hides. Bison were scattered throughout the lower parts of the mountains, but not in the immense herds that occupied the Great Plains. Buffalo hunting was not a very profitable business in the mountains.

The earliest recorded exploratory use of the Indian trails in this area by Europeans was in about 1844 by John C. Fremont's second expedition. That party visited the eastern part of the Leadville quadrangle, including the present sites of Dillon, Fremont Pass, the Mosquito Range, the Blue River, Middle Park, and Hoosier Pass (Ewan, 1950, p. 30 and 31). At that time access was only by horseback or on foot because of the bouldery or drowned valley bottoms or because of the narrowness of the valleys.

Discovery of gold in the Rocky Mountains in central Colorado in 1858 led to the discovery and use of several new trails to the streams that had placer deposits. Few trails had destinations to populated areas within the Leadville quadrangle until the discovery of gold placers and the establishment of the earliest towns in the late 1850s. Previous to that there were no major wagon roads that crossed the quadrangle.

The first roads generally were established along animal trails or Indian trails and then were improved by toll road builders or government road builders. When the trails were built, an effort was made to choose level routes; however, very little grading was done, so the horses, mules, or oxen were constantly traveling down into valleys and back up the other side, and fording streams where necessary. Roads passable for wagons were graded in places and generally were free from tree stumps, large boulders, and deep ruts. Diaries kept by some of the travelers on these roads give accounts of stages turning over when traversing steep banks along valleys. Deep streams had to be bridged; shallow streams were forded. Many of the post roads and toll roads listed and shown on this historic trail map were built quickly and had very rough surfaces compared to the paved and even to the unpaved roads today. Over the years, many types of vehicles used the primitive roads, ranging from huge freight wagons to Conestoga wagons and small delivery wagons. Passenger vehicles also varied considerably in size from large stagecoaches to surreys, buggies, open spring wagons, or even hand carts such as those used by the Mormons during their immigration to Utah. Travel on the roads must have been especially difficult after strong rains or heavy snowfall. On mountain roads, heavy snowfall generally shut down all passenger traffic. In this report the actual routes of travel of stages from one point to another can be ascertained by reference to the lists of post roads which describe the most-used routes of travel in the Leadville quadrangle.

Stage lines and stations were established along the major routes between towns and cities. The stages traveled as rapidly as the drivers could get the horses or mules to run. Teams were changed about every 10–15 miles at stations where extra stock were kept in order to provide rested and vigorous animals that could maintain the schedules. These stations were called "swing" stations, but they provided little comfort to the passengers, because stops were only long enough to change the teams. About every fourth station was equipped with a kitchen and dining room so that the passengers could take meals along the routes. These stations were called "home" stations. Some had beds, but generally the stages did not stop for the night, and the passengers had to eat a quick meal, then climb back on and sleep in the coaches as they traveled through the night. Some stations were log cabins; others in the dryer areas were made of adobe or, rarely, clapboard.

Several incentives led to the establishment of stage lines in Colorado. The principal need was for transportation of people, but almost as important was the transport of freight and mail, which constituted a large part of the profit for the stage companies. Many contractors began transporting freight as soon as roads were built. However, operators of the stages had to submit bids to the Post Office Department for the privilege of carrying the mail, and competition along some stage lines was very keen, even though the profit was somewhat meager. Although the stage routes were established by the mail contractors to haul mail and passengers, the traffic along the roads also included freighters, immigrants, and gold seekers.

During most of the time the trails were used, travel was rather hazardous. The best known reason was that the resident Indian Tribes were antagonized by the intrusion of the European settlers into their native lands, which led them to try to discourage settlement by attacking the settlers. In the Leadville quadrangle the Ute Indians were particularly troublesome. Treaties between the Indian Tribes and the U.S. Government were agreed to, but were commonly broken either by the Indians or the settlers. In the early years (1858–1863) when there were fewer travelers into Colorado, there was much less trouble than in the later years (1864–1869) when travel increased. The trouble escalated when the military attempted to prevent the Indians from harassing travelers along the stage lines. To protect travelers along the stage routes, the military fortified and stationed troops at some of the existing stage stations. New forts that had cavalry soldiers were also built along some of the trails. Travelers were forced to travel in groups and the cavalry controlled the number of wagons in each traveling group and provided escorts to assure their safety from Indian attacks.

Whereas on the plains the only sources of water for travelers were from scarce springs, ephemeral water holes, and a few ephemeral streams, in the mountains there were many streams, springs, and small lakes. Many of the trails followed creeks directly up to a mountain pass and then descended along a different stream on the other side. Nearly all of the water in the streams and springs was cold, clear, and drinkable; however, some springs gave forth hot water. Hot springs are fairly common in the Leadville quadrangle. Many of them are labeled as hot springs on the trail map. Some were renowned and became tourist destinations, such as those at Glenwood Springs and at Soda Springs at the eastern foot of Mount Massive.

Westward movement and settlement was encouraged by the Homestead Act of 1862. Many persons displaced by the Civil War moved onto the newly opened land even though the resident Indians were still a potential threat. However, after the General Land Office completed the land surveys in the 1880s, many of the Tribes had already moved out of the area. Much of the land became safe for settlement and small towns sprang up, generally spaced no more than 10 miles apart—about the distance a team and wagon could travel to town and back in a day. Roads were built to connect the new communities and to provide access to the major trails. Finally, railroads were built westward into the Colorado mountains and connected the mountain communities with the plains.

After settlements were established in the mountains, a system for the distribution of mail became more formalized. The first mail routes in the west were called Star Routes. Prospective carriers had to bid for mail routes that had been publicly advertised. Contractors had to provide their own transport and other equipment to deliver the United States Mail; however, they were also permitted to carry freight, passengers, and express.

Before the Star Routes were established, mail, freight, and express had been delivered by the stage companies. According to McCullough (1998), upon arrival of the mail, the carrier would empty the mail sacks into a large wooden box. Those expecting mail would sort out their own letters. Mail might be delivered only once a week or even less often. In 1866, mail to the Leadville area was transported by people who volunteered to bring the mail from postal sources closer to Denver and who commonly were paid per letter for their service.

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Unsolved Problems

Locations of some stage stations, road ranches (the popular name for stage stations that offered food, livestock, and lodging in the 1860s), and ghost towns are not well known, because there are few detailed maps or descriptions of the exact locations of these features. Most of the available early maps were very generalized and lacked a surveyed grid. Even after the General Land Office township grid became available, cultural features were located differently on many of the published maps. Some place names listed in the toll road charters could not be located or accurately placed by me on the Leadville trail maps. In addition, many of the trails and features, such as stage stations, were abandoned before the land was surveyed and before the counties were organized, so these features cannot be found on the land plats or on county deed records. After the stage lines were abandoned, the station buildings were almost immediately torn down and scavenged as material for constructing buildings elsewhere.

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Method of Preparation of the Trail Map

The most reliable sources for accurately identifying and locating the trails are aerial photographs, the original General Land Office (GLO) land plats, and the early GLO surveyor's field notes that were prepared only a few years after the trails were in use. The railroads were located from many excellent published maps, railroad time tables, and books. The names and locations of towns were obtained from old maps, gazetteers, postal guides, and the earliest site localities in the official applications for the establishment of Post Offices. The correct location for many towns was obtained from U.S. Postal Service site maps; however, some towns did not have site maps, so accurate locations of those towns cannot be assured. In addition, the locations of Post Offices have changed over the years; nevertheless, each place where a town's Post Office existed is shown. Published articles about events along the historic trails in the quadrangle were a great help in preparing the map. Hundreds of U.S. Geological Survey aerial photographs (taken mostly in the 1950s) of the mineral and coal mining areas at a scale of about 1:20,000 were examined with a stereoscope to locate the railroads, mining settlements, and some of the trails; in addition, trails plotted from the land plats were searched for on the aerial photographs. Many segments of the trails are still detectable on the aerial photographs because almost none of the Leadville area was ever plowed. Very little use of some of the trails was made after the middle of the 19th century. Only the aerial photographs of mining areas were studied stereoscopically in order to find old trails; many segments were found. Aerial photographs outside of the mining areas were not readily available to me, but some were examined. Therefore, most of the trails ultimately were plotted from those shown on the land plats made from 1876 to 1890, and from old privately published maps. Finally, the trails, railroads, stage stations, towns, and other features were transferred to mylar base maps of the Leadville quadrangle.

More than 110 books and articles and more than 100 published and unpublished maps were examined to obtain information for this map. Unfortunately, locations of many cultural features varied from map to map, and the exact locations of some features were difficult to determine; therefore, those features may not be accurately located. Where the location of a town or other feature is uncertain, the term "location?" is added on the map.

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Acknowledgments

I extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the following U.S. Geological Survey managers for their unwavering and enthusiastic support of the last three trail maps I've published (Denver, Trinidad, and Leadville): Diane N. Wells (Associate Regional Executive for Geology), Tom Fouch (former Central Regional Executive for Geology), Randall G. Updike (Central Regional Executive for Geology), Elly Brouwers (former Associate Regional Executive for Geology), Terry D'Erchia (Chief, Central Publications Group), and Randy Schumann (Team Chief Scientist, Central Earth Surface Processes Team).

This map was prepared principally at the request of the librarians in the Western History and Genealogy Department of the Denver Public Library. Also, other researchers of early immigration trails and of Colorado history have requested that preparation of the historic trail maps of Colorado be continued. Most of the research was done in the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library. Its comprehensive collection of maps and books about the history of the Western United States was the primary source for most of the information. For their kind help, I thank the department personnel, especially Philip J. Panum, map specialist. The official records of Colorado that are preserved in the Colorado Archives provided almost all of the information about toll roads in the quadrangle. After I had searched Archive records for many days, I fortunately was offered the loan of the research notes of the late Paul D. Harrison, Sr., that contained his records of all toll roads in Colorado. The Colorado Historical Society Library helped solve some special problems. Postal site location applications were studied at the Denver Regional Office of the National Archives and at the local office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Also the General Land Office plats were studied at the National Archives office on the Denver Federal Center. Both the General Land Office plats and surveyor's field notes were examined at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 2850 Youngfield St., Wheat Ridge, Colorado. I benefited greatly from the assistance of the BLM staff, especially Andrew J. Senti, historian of the BLM, who is very knowledgeable about the BLM records and maps. The U.S. Geological Survey Library, Building 20, Denver Federal Center, gave access to early topographic and geologic maps and also to the field records of the geological surveys of the mineral mining lands in the Leadville quadrangle; these materials permitted me to more accurately locate all of the railroad spur lines that went to the mines. The U.S. Geological Survey National Mapping Division Mapping Center helped me to study a small part of their immense coverage of their low altitude aerial photographs of the Leadville quadrangle. I thank William H. Bauer, the expert on U.S. Post Offices in Colorado, who examined the list of place names in the Leadville quadrangle, and restricted the use of the title "Post Office" to only those places that actually had official Post Offices. Other places that did postal business, such as Oro City, are called unofficial Post Offices. Sam McGeorge, President and Executive Director of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum at Leadville, located Shantytown and a second community of Tintown, which I had not been able to find. Kenton Forrest of the Colorado Railroad Museum reviewed the text and maps and suggested many revisions of railroad names and routes, and made suggestions about content that improved the accuracy and made it easier to understand which rail lines actually operated in the map area. I am very grateful to him for compiling the list of railroads in the Leadville quadrangle. I benefited greatly by the use of the ghost–town books by Bancroft (1961), Brown (1968), Eberhart (1959), Griswold and Griswold (1996), and Wolle (1955, 1974, and 1977). Ralph Shroba, a geologist of the U.S. Geological Survey, who is a skilled map reviewer, examined the maps and text and suggested many corrections and additions.

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Historic Trails

The trails shown on this map were derived mostly from maps of Colorado made from the middle 1800s to the early 1900s. Maps made by the U.S. Forest Service of National Forests within the boundaries of the Leadville quadrangle provided the locations of many trails. Books about mountain passes and toll roads contained names and approximate locations of some important trails. All of the trails on the historic trail maps are approximately located and could not be directly used as Revised Statute 2477 right–of–ways.

Revised Statute–2477 is a brief but important Federal law that helps control the legality of roads. The exact wording of the 19–word statute is: "The right–of–way for construction of highways over public lands, not reserved for public uses, is hereby granted." A most informative article about RS–2477 was written by Ed Quillen and published in the Colorado Central Magazine, number 85, March 2001, entitled "RS–2477 old roads and new controversies." On October 21, 1976, a Federal Land Policy Management Act went into effect that specifically repealed RS–2477, but all existing RS–2477 rights–of–way were to be honored. Before any of the trails on this historic trail map can be considered as RS–2477 trails, the appropriate county legal authority should be consulted.

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Abbreviations and Symbol Used in this Report

& = and

BLM = U.S. Bureau of Land Management

Br. = Branch

Co. = Company

Jct. = Junction

n.g. = narrow gauge

Rd. = Road

R.R. = Railroad

Ry. = Railway

s.g. = standard gauge

Sta. = Station

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Road Building in the Mountains of the West

One of the first big problems in the mountains was getting people and their tools into the mountains and getting their products back out to buyers. According to Blair (1980, p. 38), Edwin Harrison started the first extensive road building enterprise in Lake County in 1877. Roads were built or improved into California Gulch and up Stray Horse Gulch to the Gallagher's holdings and to Breece's Iron mine. Harrison improved the road over Weston Pass to link his holdings in Alma with those in Leadville. In 1879 a group who formed the Mosquito Pass Toll Road Company built the first good road over the 13,180–foot Mosquito pass. Other early road builders were the Long brothers, Jacob and John, and their partner Charles Derry. Their road was built to get the ore from the J.D. Dana mine in Iowa Gulch to the market. The first ore shipped from the mine went by jack train to Alma on October 26, 1876. They then started building a road from Iowa Gulch to California Gulch so they could ship their ore by wagons instead of the costly jack trains. The two most effective tools for road building were the mule–drawn road scrapers and dynamite. The main roads in 1878 were from Leadville to Stray Horse Gulch, California Gulch, Iowa Gulch, Granite along the Arkansas River south of Leadville, Cache Creek west of Granite, and Twin Lakes. In addition, roads from Leadville were built over Weston Pass and Trout Creek Pass. Another road ran westward from Leadville to the foot of Mount Massive.

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Roads Established or Proposed Under General Assembly Session Laws, Colorado Territorial Corporations and Charters, 1859–1876

(Information is from the Colorado Archives (toll road index cards to certificates of incorporation of road companies, Secretary of State, microfilm roll 1, 1864–1899). Charter, volume and page numbers, and dates of incorporation are shown for most roads. Includes some toll road charters from Hill (1949). Some road alignments could not be shown on the trail map because of crowding. Some segments of trails project outside the Leadville quadrangle; such segments are described. Some proposed roads were never built. The descriptions of the roads are mostly quoted from the original certificates. The spelling and usage of some words, although not in current use today, are retained from the original descriptions. For example, the spelling of the words "ranche" [ranch] and "canon" [canyon].)

Adelaide and Rock Creek Toll Road Company, v. 3, p. 471–472, June 18, 1881. Over the range from Slate River to Rock Creek. One terminus is at Adelaide in the Slate River Valley and the other at or near the town of Schofield on Rock Creek in Gunnison County (Snowmass Mountain 7.5–minute quadrangle)

Alma and Breckenridge Toll Road Company, Charter 2543, v. 2, p. 424–425, Mar. 23, 1880, via Hoosier Pass. From Alma then up the Platte Valley and across Hoosier Pass to the Blue River then down the Blue River to Breckenridge

Aspen and Ashcroft and Taylor Grange Toll Road Company, v. 14, p. 506–508, July 15, 1886, route not stated

Aspen, Hunter Creek, and Leadville Toll Road Company, v. 3, p. 441–442, Dec. 31, 1880. From Aspen then up Hunter Creek to the apex of the Continental Divide then east to city of Leadville

Aspen, Maroon Creek, and Gothic Toll Road Company, Charter 7034, v. 13, p. 6–8 (listed as two or more charters), Aug. 31, 1885, and Sept. 3, 1885; v. 3, p. 479–480, Aug. 11, 1881. From Aspen, Pitkin County, crossing Castle Creek to the east bank of Maroon Creek, then up Maroon Creek and up Elk Mountain and connecting with Silver Knight Road in Gunnison County to or near Gothic in Gunnison County

Bakerville and Leadville Toll Road Company, Charter 1873, v. 1, p. 229–230, Mar. 1, 1879, and v. 3, p. 479–480, via Loveland Pass. From Bakerville, Clear Creek County, then running up the main branch of South Clear Creek southwesterly on the best route to Loveland Pass, then down the west slope of Summit County along the north Snake River to the south or main Snake River to bridge crossing Blue River near and above mouth of Ten Mile Creek then up the valley of Ten Mile Creek to Carbonateville via Chalk Ranche and Chalk Mountain to Leadville

Birds Eye and Leadville Toll Road Company, v. 4, p. 53–54, April 20, 1880. From Birdseye (north of Birdseye Gulch) to Leadville

Blue River, Black Lake, and Mount Powell Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 436–437, March 26, 1880. From where the county wagon road crosses Black Lake Creek, 300 yards south of the Blue River, then following the west bank of stream to just below the outlet of Black Lake and finally to the inlet of Black Lake

Bradford & Blue River Toll Road, v. 4, p. 635–636, Oct. 11, 1881. Mostly outside the Leadville quadrangle (see Scott, 1999, p. 9)

Breckenridge, Buckskin Joe [Laurette], and Hamilton Wagon Road Company, November 8, 1861. From Breckenridge up Blue River and Hoosier Gulch thru Ute [Hoosier] Pass, then down [South] Platte River to Buckskin Joe Gulch. Also a branch of road from Hamilton then up bank of Tarryall Creek following Left Hand Fork toward summit of mountain and along same to a point intersecting the main line of said road in Montgomery Mining District

The Buena Vista, Aspen City, and White River Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 300, Mar. 3, 1880. From Buena Vista in Chaffee County to the White River Agency in Summit County. From Buena Vista up Cottonwood Creek then over Cottonwood Pass into Taylor Park. Then up Taylor River and through Taylor Park and across the divide at the head of Taylor Park. Then to the head of Castle Creek, then down Castle Creek to Highland. Then north to Aspen. Then down Roaring Fork Creek to Grand River. Then northwest to White River Agency

Central City and Montgomery Wagon Road Company, Charter March 11, 1864. From Central City via Breckenridge to Montgomery with a branch to Jefferson (see p. 21 of Scott, 1999)

Chalk Creek and Elk Mountain Toll Road Company, crossed Tin Cup Pass and over Taylor Pass to Ashcroft and Aspen (Wolle, 1974, p. 153)

Chalk Creek, Rancho, Carbonateville, Ten Mile, and Cokomo (Kokomo) Toll Road Corporation, v. 1, p. 226–227, Feb. 28, 1879. From Chalk Creek Ranche in Lake County near the line between Lake and Summit Counties and then to Carbonateville then by Robinson mine to Cokomo in Summit County over the route known as Horse and Foot Trail from Chalk Creek Ranch to Ten Mile and Cokomo

Colorado and California Wagon Road Company, Jan. 11, 1867. From a point 6 miles west of Empire City to Bear River to a point on the Denver & Pacific Wagon Road opposite the point where the Berthoud Trail intersects with said road then up the north side of Clear Creek to Jones Pass, over the pass to head of Williams Fork of the Grand River, then down Williams Fork to Middle Park and west to Grand River and Gore Pass to Bear River

Copper Creek and Maroon Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 214 and 216–217, Feb. 18. 1880. At the northeast line of survey of Gothic City and running along Copper Creek to the summit of the divide between Copper Creek and Maroon Creek, Gunnison County

Cottonwood and Roaring Fork Toll Road Company, Charter 2227, v. B, p. 382–383, Nov. 29, 1879. From a point at the Cottonwood Toll Road in Gunnison County and running through Taylor Park following the old Ute Trail as near as may be to Roaring Forks in Gunnison County

Crystal City Toll Road Company, Charter 4006, July 18, 1881, vol. 3, p. 624. From Scofield, Gunnison County, and following Rock Creek down to its junction with Roaring Fork in its most practicable route

Crystal Park Toll Road and Investment Company, v. 14, p. 617–618, Oct. 6, 1886

Crystal River Toll Road Company, v. 14, p. 483–485, June 30, 1886. From a point on the west bank of Crystal River (sometimes called Rock Creek) near the confluence of Yule Creek and Crystal River in Gunnison County, down the valley of Crystal River to the point known as Satank in Garfield County

Currant Creek Wagon Road Company, Charter 984, Apr. 10, 1874 (vol. A?). Route not stated

Currant Creek Toll Road Company, Charter 18335, Mar. 20, 1895. Via Currant Creek Divide? A pass? Route not stated

The Deep Creek and White River Toll Road Construction Company, v. 5, p. 460, May 5, 1883. From the mouth of the Eagle River, up the northeast side of Deep Creek and down the South Fork of White River to the old White River Agency with a bridge from at or near the head of Grizzly Gulch to Carbonate, Garfield County

Denver, Bradford, and Blue River Wagon Road Company, Oct. 11, 1861. From Denver via Bradford, North Fork of the South Platte River, and Hamilton in South Park, to Breckenridge on the Blue River in Middle Park, with a branch from a junction 10 miles from Bradford, on the main line of said road, to Clear Creek, or Vasquez Fork, near Golden City

Dotsero Toll Road Company, v. 5, p. 522–523, Mar. 2, 1883. From a bridge that crosses Eagle River above the mouth of Gypsum Creek in Eagle County then west along north bank of Eagle River to town of Dotsero

Eagle City and Leadville Toll Road Company, Charter 2097, Sept. 5, 1879, via Tennessee Pass, v. 1, p. 580–582, Aug. 23, 1879. From Eagle City via Fishback(?) to Leadville, a wagon road. Beginning at southern line of Eagle City, then up to Piney on Tennessee Creek crossing the range at Tennessee Pass, then down the Tennessee Fork of the Arkansas River about one and a half miles then along the base of the mountain on north side of said stream and crossing the Arkansas River near the mouth of Big Evans Gulch, thence in a southerly direction and entering Leadville from a northerly direction in Summit and Lake Counties

Eagle City and White River Toll Road Company, v. B, p. 280–282, October 27, 1879. From the north end of 5th Street in Eagle City then westerly to the base of Baxter Mountain then down the Eagle River via Redcliff to its junction with the Grand River, then along the Grand River and near the Ute Trail to the White River Agency in the State of Colorado

Eagle River and Gunnison Valley Wagon Road Company, v, 2, p. 120–121, Jan. 14, 1880. From a little beyond Battle Mountain, down Eagle River, then southwest to the Roaring Fork River and into the Gunnison Country, and to Summit County, and to Gothic City, Gunnison County

Eagle River Road Company, v. 4, p. 189–190, May 17, 1880. From the county line on Tennessee Pass, down Buckeye Gulch to Eagle City then along Eagle River about 10 miles below the junction of Brush Creek on Eagle River, then by way of Gypsum Creek Pass (Cottonwood Pass) to the junction of Frying Pan Creek with the Roaring Fork then following along Roaring Fork to near the junction with Castle Creek, then up Castle Creek to the town of Highland, then beginning at a point where the above route leaves the Eagle River continuing down said Eagle River to its mouth

Eagle River Toll Road Company, v. 1, p. 513–515, July 14, 1879; v. B, p. 450, August 6, 1879. From Eagle City and Red Cliff then down Eagle River through Battle Mountain Park to Coronado and the conjunction of the Eagle River with Grand River, about 50 miles. The company built two bridges over the Eagle River that allowed easier transport of ore out and supplies in

Emma and Jerome Park Toll Road—no further information

Empire and Grand River Wagon Road Company, v. 4, p. 216–218, Dec. 9, 1880. From Empire west 5.5 miles to Freeman Sawmill in Atlantic Mining District, then from north of old Freeman Sawmill on the Georgetown & Middle Park Wagon Road up the valley of Middle Clear Creek through town of Atlantic and the District of Atlantic in Clear Creek County and along the north bank of Middle Clear Creek about 4 miles to where the "Old Jones Road" crosses said Middle Clear Creek on its way to Jones Pass, then along a line of said Jones Road down to the headwaters of Williams Fork then down Williams Fork along Jones Road to the Grand River in Grand County, Colorado

Empire and White River Wagon Road Company, v. D, p. 352–354, Aug. 7, 1871. From Empire City, Clear Creek County, to White River Indian Agency starting at western boundary line of Empire City on "best" route up Middle Fork of South Clear Creek, via Freeman's Saw Mill and thru Berthoud's Pass, to Hot Sulphur Springs on Grand River in Summit County and by "best" route thru Gore's Pass to White River Indian Agency, the end

Empire City, New Pass (Loveland Pass), Breckenridge and Montgomery City Road Company, August 15, l862. From Empire City to Georgetown, via South Fork of Vasquez River (Clear Creek) over Loveland Pass and to Breckenridge and then Montgomery City on head of South Platte River (Ridgeway, 1932; Gilliland, 1987)

Evans, Leadville, and Green River Toll Road Company, v. 1, p. 175–176, January 18, 1879. From Leadville through Tennessee Pass to the head of Eagle River then down river to the lakes then to mouth of Eagle River then to Grand River then across Grand River to Egeria Park to Hot Springs then northwest to the northwest corner of Colorado at or near mouth of Red River in Colorado

Fairplay and California Gulch Wagon Road Company, Articles of Incorporation 126, July 10, 1865, v. B, p. 17. From Fairplay (Fruth(?) Park) to the old toll gate at the foot of [Mosquito] Range, then over said range to California Gulch

The Gay Toll Road Company, v. 5, p. 210, March 5, 1883. From a point on the east side of Rock Creek about a mile from the confluence of Rock Creek with Roaring Fork River then northwest to a "sage brush park," then one–half mile west thru the park to a small creek then crossing creek to the northwest about 2 miles to another crossing of same creek then west thru a gap formed by creek thru a sandstone ridge near the foot of Huntsman's Hills. Then south to the north end of the Gay Coal Claim, the terminal point. Also with an extension not described here

Georgetown and Breckenridge Wagon Road Company, Jan. 11, 1867; and v. D, p. 150–153, Oct. 29, 1869. From Georgetown up west branch of South Clear Creek to junction of Grizzly Fork, up Grizzly Fork and thru Irwin Pass on North Fork Snake River then down Snake River and up Blue River to Breckenridge. Also a branch road from junction of Kelso Creek then up Kelso Creek

Georgetown and Ten Mile Road Company, Charter 1847, Feb. 3, 1879, v. 1, p. 198–199. From Georgetown and over the range and down the Snake River and up the creek from Snake River to Montezuma, then by way of Ten Mile Creek to Recen and Kokomo and by a feasible route to Leadville. Stages from Denver to Georgetown operated from 1879 to 1886

Glenwood Springs, Carbonate, and Eagle River Wagon Toll Road and Telegraph and Telephone Company, v. 10, p. 386–387, Mar. 26, 1885. To construct a Wagon Toll Road and Telegraph and Telephone Company line from Glenwood Springs in Garfield County up and along on either side of the Grand River crossing it by bridges, ferries, or fords to the mouth of Grizzly Creek then up said creek to Carbonate then up river to mouth of Eagle River at Dotsero in Eagle County

Glenwood Springs and Trappers Lake Toll Road Company, v. 17, p. 451–453, Nov. 6, 1888, route not stated

Gore Pass and White River Wagon Road Company, Jan. 11, 1867. From Gore pass via Egeria Park, Dome Mountain, and White River to intersect, in Simpson's Park, with the Salt Lake Road opened in 1865

Grand and White River Toll Road Company, v. 11, p. 120, Dec. 12, 1882. From a point on the Grand River opposite the mouth of Eagle River, then following the Old Ute Trail in a northwest direction to the White River Agency commencing again on the Grand River opposite the mouth of Roaring Fork River then running north up and across Grizzly Canon Creek and to the head of said creek, there forming a junction with the road projected from the mouth of Eagle River to the White River Agency

Grand River and Carbonate Toll Road Company, Charter 5518, Mar. 3, 1883, v. 5, p. 208–209. From the west end of the bridge crossing the Grand River above the mouth of the Eagle River then west along a dry gulch and near the old Ute Trail to White River Agency, from thence south to Coffee Pot Springs, then west to Carbonate, the terminus

Hamilton and Breckenridge Wagon Road Company, vol. C, p. 301–303, Articles of Incorporation 330, Sept. 10 and Oct. 23, 1867. From Hamilton, Park County, then along north side of Tarryall Creek thru Tarryall to the base of the range then via the Breckenridge [Boreas] Pass to the summit of the range then down the north side of Indiana Gulch to the valley of the Blue to Breckenridge, Summit County

Hamilton and Montgomery Wagon Road Company, Jan. 27, 1866. From Hamilton via Tarryall, Dead Wood, and Little French Creek, across the range and ending at Montgomery

Kelly's Toll Road in Eagle County in the north half of T. 5 S., R. 80 W., in the 1880s, route not stated

Leadville, Hunter Creek, and Aspen Toll Road Company, Charter 3492, Mar. 11, 1881, via Hunter Pass, v. 7, p. 258–259. From Malta to the mouth of Halfmoon Gulch to the head thereof and to the head of Lackawanna Gulch then around the head of Lackawanna Gulch over the Continental Divide between the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork Creeks, then west to the head of Hunters Creek, then down the creek to Aspen

Leadville, Roaring Fork, and Grand River Toll Road Company, Charter 2249, v. B, p. 429–431, Dec. 4, 1879, via Sunbeam Pass. Beginning at Leadville thence along the most practicable route to Twin Lakes then up the Mountain Boy Pass (same as Independence Pass?) to the foot of Sunbeam Pass, thence down Independence Gulch for the distance of about four miles crossing the range dividing Hunter's Creek from Roaring Fork, thence down Hunters Creek to Roaring Fork, thence by the most practicable route to Grand River

Leadville and Aspen Toll Road Co., a road between Independence and Aspen, route not stated

Leadville and Eagle River Toll Road Company, v. B, p. 291–292, April 16, 1879. To construct a wagon road between Leadville and Eagle River, route not stated

Leadville and Lime Creek Wagon Road Company, v. 7, p. 293–294, June 9, 1881. From a point on the Leadville, Frying Pan, and Roaring Fork Wagon Road near the Leadville and Company's sawmill, then west up Lake Park Gulch to Evans Pass, then along the west slope of the mountain in a northwest direction to the head of Lime Creek, a distance of 10 miles from Evans Pass

Leadville and Soda Springs Omnibus and Toll Road Company, v. 4, p. 304–305, May 1, 1880, v. 16, July 14, 1887. From foot of Main Street at the west boundary of Leadville and running northwest to a point west of a brick yard then north, crossing the Arkansas River to the race course then northwest to Soda Springs. The Company had constructed 4.5 miles of excellent road and owned one omnibus, one span of horses and harness, two water tanks for sprinkling the road, two wagons, seven miles of fence, two toll houses, and two hundred seventy dollars worth of tools

Leadville and Ten Mile Toll Road Company, Charter 1786 and 1890, v. 1, p. 108–109, Oct. 28, 1878, Oct. 31, 1878, v. 1, p. 255–257, Mar. 14, 1879, and Mar. 17, 1879. From Leadville to junction of the Snake, Blue, and Ten Mile Rivers to connect with the Georgetown and Middle Park Road in Summit County

Leadville and Ten Mile Toll and Wagon Road Company, v. 1, p. 227–229, Mar. 1, 1879. From Leadville to run northwestward, cross Evans Gulch to the Arkansas River then to the Chalk Ranch then over the pass to near the head of Ten Mile Creek to Carbonateville

Leadville, Eagle River, and White River Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 222–223, Feb. 20, 1880. From Leadville, then northwest to the Evans Creek, then down the west side of creek to the Arkansas River then across the Arkansas and along the base of Sawatch Range and along base of Chalk [Sawatch] Range across Tennessee Park and the canon between the upper Tennessee Park, then over Tennessee Pass and then down the north side of White Pine Creek to Little Piney Creek then down said creek to Eagle River, then down Eagle River, along the base of Balten(?) and Horn Silver Mountain to Red Cliff, down the Eagle River to near its junction with Grand River, then crossing Grand River and along and near the Ute Trail to the White River Indian Agency near White River

Leadville, Frying Pan, and Roaring Fork Wagon Road Company, Charter 2406, Feb, 13, 1880, v. 2, p. 160–161, Feb. 9, 1880. From Leadville to Ute City by way of Lake Park Fork of Arkansas River then to Summit of main range then to lake on North Fork of Frying Pan then to Sixty One Camp, then to divide between Woody Creek and Hunter Creek then to north of Hunter Creek and then to Ute City (Aspen), the terminus

Leadville, Malta, and Soda Springs Toll Road Company, v. 4, p. 317–318, June 19, 1880. From Leadville to Soda Springs by way of Malta

Leadville, Massive City, and Roaring Forks Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 354–355, Mar. 11, 1880. From a point on the Arkansas River about 2 miles north of Leadville to its junction of Lake Park Creek then west to Mt. Massive, to Big Frying Pan Creek, then down Frying Pan Creek to Roaring Fork, then along Roaring Fork Creek to its junction with the Grand River, being the northwest terminal

Leadville, Roaring Fork, and Gunnison Toll Road Company, v, 2, p. 458–459, April 1, 1880, Charter 2561, Apr. 3, 1880. From the west end of Chestnut Street, in Leadville, then running west on the south side of California Gulch via the town of Malta to the Arkansas River. Then running in a southwest course to Half Moon Gulch or Half Moon Pass. Then up the pass southwesterly near the range to Roaring Forks and town of Aspen, Gunnison County. Stage fare from Leadville to Aspen was $8.00, through three toll gates

Leadville, Twin Lakes, and Gunnison Toll Road Company, v. 1, p. 363–364, May 6 1879; v. 1, p. 374–375, May 12, 1879. From Leadville via Twin Lakes, Lake Creek and Washington Gulch trail to Gunnison Valley. A minimum amount of work was done on the road west and south of the Twin Lakes and none on the Lake Creek Pass itself

Malta and Twin Lakes Toll Road Mining and Town Company, v. 2, p. 28–29, Jan. 20, 1880. A wagon road between Malta and Twin Lakes

Maroon Toll Road Company, v. 6, p. 198–199, Mar. 4, 1881. From Aspen to Gothic, route not stated

The Middle Park and Grand River Wagon Road Company, v. 5, p. 290, March 2, 1883. From the termination of the Georgetown, Empire, and Middle Park Wagon Road at or near the Junction Ranch in Grand County to the town of Carbonate in Garfield County. From there to Hot Sulphur Springs in Grand County passing the Ostrander Ranch following down the Grand River to the confluence of the Grand and Grizzly Creek, passing thru Eagle County then up the creek to the town of Carbonate in Garfield County

Montgomery and Gertrude Wagon Road Company, Charter 3842, June 7, 1881, via Hoosier Pass, v. 6, p. 318–319, June 3, 1881. From Montgomery and up the Platte River to the Gertrude mine about 5 miles (on North Star Mountain)

Mosquito Pass Wagon Road Company, v. 1, p. 92–93, Oct. 8, 1878. Also called Mosquito Pass Toll Road Company. From the forks of Mosquito Creek above the town of Mosquito (sometimes called Sterling) via Park County, then west and over the Mosquito Range through Mosquito Pass and down west side of range to Evans Gulch and Oro City in California Gulch. From 1879 to 1880 four major stage and freight lines operated over the road

Mount Carbon and Grand River Toll Road Company, Charter 2610, Apr. 19, 1880, v. 2, p. 548–549, Mar. 25, 1880. From the northwest corner of the NE 1/4 of sec. 20, T. 15 S., R. 86 W., then up the east side of the East Branch of Ohio Creek to Mount Carbon coal banks, then along said east branch in a northerly direction for about 1.5 miles and from thence along said east branch in a northwesterly direction for about 2 miles and from there by the most practicable route to Irwin City and Ruby Camp and from there by the most suitable route, yet to be determined by survey, to the Grand River

Park Range Road Company [Leadville] (No. 1), v. A, p. 196, Apr. 30, 1877. From a point a mile below the Cold Spring Ranch near Malta, then easterly to the old Union ranch, then up Union Creek to the top of the Continental Divide between Lake and Park Counties, then down the South Fork of the South Platte River to the public road from Fairplay to the Salt Works. Dissolution on Apr. 20, 1880

Pitkin and Virginia City (Tincup) Toll Road Company, v. 6, p. 498–499, April 4, 1881. From Pitkin down Willow Creek to Virginia City; up the east fork of Quartz Creek and South Frying Pan; also up Roaring Forks Creek about 10 miles, then via Red Mountain Trail to Twin Lakes Creek; also from Aspen to old Highland on Aspen Mountain, then to Taylor Park, and do all the things incident thereto

Red Canon Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 588, January 11, 1877(?). From Squaw Creek near its junction with Eagle River, down Eagle River thru the Red Canon to a point opposite the mouth of Gypsum Creek. All in Summit County

Red Cliff and Gore Creek Toll Road Company, v. 13, p. 379–380, Feb. 18, 1882. A wagon road between Red Cliff and Gore Creek Park in Summit County to run up Willow Creek to where divided and down to the park

Red Cliff and Gore Creek Wagon Road Company, v. 5, p. 306–307, April 6, 1883. From Red Cliff in Eagle County to mouth of Gore Creek. To Cleveland along the Eagle River Toll Road, then to Rock Creek along the Belden mine Road then northwest to Astor City then down Eagle River to the mouth of Gore Creek

Red Cliff Wagon Road Company, Charter 5577, Apr. 9, 1883, via Tennessee Pass, route not stated

Red Mountain and Ashcroft Toll Road Company, v. 13, p. 372–374, Dec. 31, 1881. From the Miners Ranch near the southwest corner of Lake County at a point one–third mile from the confluence from the north and south forks of Lake Creek and running southwest along the South Fork of Lake Creek to Lake Creek or Red Mountain Pass in Chaffee County then west to Ashcroft in Pitkin County

Rifle Creek and White River Toll Road Company, v. 12, Certificate of Incorporation number 43, Mar. 9, 1887. From a point to intersect the old Government Road from White River at Roynors Ranch on Rifle Creek near the Government crossing. Then northerly up Rifle Creek and through the hogback canon, and then up Middle Rifle Creek by the most practicable route to the White River at or near the town of Meeker, Colorado

Roaring Fork Toll Road Company, Charter 2193, v. B, p. 301–303, November 5, 1879. From the mouth of Pass Creek, one terminus, to the mouth of Castle Creek, the other terminus, in the state of Colorado. The road to run from Castle River to Taylor River at the head thereof, then down Taylor River to Willow Creek then to the other terminus in Montrose quadrangle

Schofield and Sheep Mountain Toll Road Company, v. 7, p. 521, May 11, 1881. Snowmass City near the foot of Sheep Mountain. From Schofield to Whopper Mountain then along the north fork of Rock Creek to Snowmass City then from Snowmass City to Sheep Mountain

South Park, Alma, and Leadville Toll Road Company, Jan. 22, 1878, and Charter 1625, v. B, p. 5, Feb. 14, 1878. From a point near Lechners Coal Bank in South Park, Park County, to town of Leadville. From Lechners Coal Bank west over foot hills of Silver Heels Mountain to Alma, then via Mosquito Gulch, Mosquito Pass, and Evans Gulch to Leadville

South Park, Alma, and Ten Mile Toll Road Company, Charter 1937, v. 1, p. 335, April 19, 1879. Beginning at a point on the line of the Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad near the Eight Mile House and the base of Mount Silverheels in Denver 1° × 2° quadrangle to Alma, thence along the Platte to the head then across the range to head of Ten Mile Creek and then to Carbonateville

South Park, Blue River, and Middle Park Wagon Road Company, February 5, 1866. From Tarryall via Breckenridge down Blue River to mouth of Snake River then to Middle Park, Summit County, where road intersects Overland Wagon Road. Also a branch from mouth of Snake River, up Snake River ending at Silveropolis (Scott, 1999) in Summit County, Denver 1° × 2° quadrangle

Sweetwater and White River Toll Road Company, v. 10, p. 558, June 18, 1885. From the town of Dotsero near the junction of the Eagle and Grand Rivers to the mouth of the South Fork of the White River by way of Deep Creek and Sweetwater River and down the South Fork of the White River with branches to Carbonate and Defiance Mining Camp in Colorado

Tarryall and Arkansas River Wagon Road Company, August 14, 1862. Known as the "California Gulch Road" from Fairplay in Park County then past Weston's Ranch and across Snowy Range between the South Park and the Arkansas River to California Gulch passing near the Union Ranch and Anderson's Ranch (Scott, 1999, p. 23)

Taylor River and Spring Creek Toll Road Company, v. 4, p. 448, August 19, 1880, route not stated

Ten Mile and Eagle River Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 98, January 29, 1880. From mouth of West Ten Mile Creek in Summit Creek at the terminus of the Bakerville and Leadville Toll Road on West Ten Mile Creek. Beginning at or near the east end of West Ten Mile, then running up the north side of West Tenmile Creek about 8 miles to the Black Lakes, the summit dividing the waters of Ten Mile Creek and the Eagle River. Then down the Fork of Piney about 6 miles, a northwest and southeast direction to the south fork of Piney that empties into the main Piney opposite the head of Willow Creek, then down the Piney to Eagle a distance of 10 miles in a west direction

Ten Mile Wagon Road Company, Charter 2372, v. 1, p. 221, Feb. 2, 1880. From Bakerville to Carbonateville to transport freight, passengers, and public mail and to erect toll gates and to collect toll

Tennessee Pass and Red Cliff Wagon Road Company, v. 5, p. 308–309, April 9, 1883. From Tennessee Pass in Eagle County to Red Cliff. From Tennessee Pass then by Taylor, westerly from Little Piney Creek to Mitchells then down Little Piney Creek to Eagle City along the line of the Eagle City and Leadville Toll Road. Then across Eagle Park and down Homestake Creek to the mouth of said creek, then up the Eagle Creek to Red Cliff along the line of the Eagle River Toll Road

Twin Lakes and Arkansas Toll Road Company, v. 9, p. 8, Feb. 28, 1881. From the station on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad known as the Twin Lakes Station then west by a bridge across the Arkansas River then up the bluffs on the west bank of the Arkansas River to the valley of Lake Creek, then along the valley of Lake Creek on the north or south bank of said Creek to the Lower Twin Lake. Then along the southern and western shore of Lower Twin Lake to the village of Twin Lakes between the two lakes, also commencing at some point on the above route along the valley of Lake Creek and along the north side of the Lower Twin Lake to the village of Twin Lakes between the two lakes

Twin Lake and Gunnison Toll Road and Mining and Town Company, route not stated

Twin Lakes, Roaring Forks, and Grand River Toll Road Company, Charter 2098, v. 1, p. 582, Sept. 5, 1879, via Sunbeam Pass (Hunter or Independence Pass). From the end of the county road on Lake Creek in Lake County and running thence up Lake Creek to the Forks of said Creek thence up the north fork of said Creek to the Mountain Boy Gulch, and up said Mountain Boy Gulch at the foot of Sunbeam Pass (Independence Pass?), thence over Sunbeam Pass and down Independence Gulch to the Roaring Fork Creek, thence down Roaring Fork Creek to the "Indian boundary" near the mouth of the Frying Pan Creek in Summit County, then to the Grand River (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 507). (Toll 25 cents for a pack animal; $8.00 fare from Leadville to Aspen on the stage.) The stage stops westward from Twin Lakes were: (1) Twin Lakes, (2) Four Mile Park, (3) Red Mountain Inn, 0.5 mile below forks of the Lake Creek, (4) Myers Camp, (5) Brumley (Bromley?), and (6) Independence

Ute Pass Toll Road Company, Charter 5013, v. 13, p. 599, July 12, 1882, via Ute Pass. From a point on the Blue River in Summit County opposite the Ute Pass and where the trail over Ute Pass leaves the Blue River then as near as practicable following the trail over the Ute Pass to Williams River in Grand County then up and along said River following said River to a point near the Ready Cash mine in said county from Blue River to the summit of Williams River mountain range in Summit County and from summit of said range to terminus of road in Grand County in Colorado

Virginia and Roaring Fork Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 276, Mar. 5, 1880. From Virginia City (Tincup) in Gunnison County, then to Hillerton in Gunnison County then to a point on the Cottonwood Toll Road near Willow Creek, then through Taylor Park along the line of the Old Ute Trail then to Roaring Forks (through later Aspen), north of Gunnison County

Western Colorado and Grand River Toll Road Company, v. 4, p. 500, September 8, 1880. From Aspen down the Roaring Fork to the mouth of the Frying Pan Creek then west to west line of Colorado. Also the building of a road up each [some] of the tributaries of Roaring Fork and Grand River: Rock, Sopris, Capitol, Snowmass, Maroon, Castle, Difficult, Frying Pan, and North [named creeks and rivers]

Western Union Toll Road Company, v. 2, p. 134, February 2, 1880. From Carbonateville, Summit County, to the White River Agency. From Carbonateville west to Eagle River, then down Eagle River via Eagle City, Red Cliff, and the Eagle Laper(?). To the junction of said Eagle River with the Grand River then along and near the Old Ute Trail to the White River Agency

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Mountain Passes in the Leadville Quadrangle

(Information included for each pass: name, alternate names, altitude, names of the opposite two drainages leading from the pass, location, county or counties, published 7.5' U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle where located, and type of access. Includes much information from Helmuth and Helmuth (1994).)

Anthracite Pass (The Gap), 10,280 feet. From North Anthracite Creek to Yule Creek, NW l/4 sec. 12, T. 12 S., R. 88 W, Gunnison County/Pitkin County, Marble quadrangle. Foot trail

Avalanche Pass (Coyote Pass, Silver Creek Pass), 12,100 feet. From West Fork Avalanche Creek to Carbonate Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 18, T. 11 S., R. 87 W., Gunnison County, Marble quadrangle. Foot trail

Blue Hill Pass, 7,660 feet. From Cottonwood Creek to Gypsum Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 34, T. 5 S., R. 86 W., Eagle County, Cottonwood Pass quadrangle. Automobile road

Booth Creek Passes, 11,780 and 12,060 feet. From Piney River to Booth Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 13, T. 4 S., R. 80 W., Eagle County, Vail East quadrangle. Foot trails. One pass crosses between Upper Piney Lake and Pitkin Lake via a tributary east of Booth Lake; the second pass uses a "west" fork of Booth Creek Pass at 11,780 feet or the east fork of the creek that comes out of the lake (Helmuth and Helmuth, 1994)

Bowman Pass (Roaring Fork), 12,241 feet. From Bruin Creek to Bowman Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 31, T. 11 S., R. 83 W., Gunnison County/Pitkin County, New York Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

Break Neck Pass (Warm Spring Pass), 10,910 feet. From Sheep Creek to High Creek, north of center of sec. 26, T. 10 S., R. 78 W., Park County, Fairplay West quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Browns Pass, 11,372 feet. From Sheep Creek to High Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 15, T. 10 S., R. 78 W., Park County, Fairplay West quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Buckskin Pass, 12,462 feet. From Minnehaha Gulch to Snowmass Creek, NE corner sec. 16, T. 11 S., R. 86 W., Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. On Snowmass Trail. Foot trail

Buzzard Pass (Hightower Pass), 8,026 feet. From Buzzard Creek to Alkali Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 28, T. 8 S., R. 92 W., Mesa County, Hightower Mountain quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Capitol Pass, 12,060 feet. From Capitol Creek to Avalanche Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 34, T. 10 S., R. 87 W., Pitkin County, Capitol Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

Carbonate Creek Pass, 11,900 feet. From Carbonate Creek to North Fork, Lost Trail Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 18, T. 11 S., R. 87 W., Gunnison County, Snowmass quadrangle. Foot trail

Central Pass, 12,340 feet. From Big Horn Creek to North Rock Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 28, T. 4 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County/Summit County, Willow Lakes quadrangle. Foot trail

Coberly Gap, 9,260 feet. From Alkali Creek to Milk Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 23, T. 3 S., R. 84 W., Eagle County, Castle Peak quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Columbia Pass, 12,460 feet. From New York Creek to Columbia Creek, SE corner sec. 19, T. 11 S., R. 83 W., Pitkin County, New York Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

Conundrum Pass, 12,780 feet. From Conundrum Creek to East Maroon Creek, in NE 1/4 sec. 17, T. 12 S., R. 85 W., Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

Cottonwood Pass (Gypsum Creek Pass), 8,280 feet. From East Coulter Creek to Cottonwood Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 13, T. 6 S., R. 87 W., Eagle County, Cottonwood Pass quadrangle. Automobile road

Crooked Creek Pass, 9,995 feet. From Brush Creek to Crooked Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 15, T. 7 S., T. 83 W., Eagle County, Crooked Creek Pass quadrangle. Automobile road

Dagget Pass, 10,780 feet. From Timber Creek to Turkey Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 6, T. 6 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County, Red Cliff quadrangle. Automobile road

Daly Pass, 12,500 feet. From Capitol Creek to West Snowmass Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 35, T. 10 S., R. 87 W., Pitkin County, Capital Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

Dick Pass, 8,146 feet. From Thirteenmile Creek to Fourteenmile Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 11, T. 3 S., R. 94 W., Garfield County, Thirteenmile quadrangle. Automobile road

Difficult Pass, 12,020 feet. From Difficult Creek to Bowman Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 36, T. 11 S., R. 84 W., Pitkin County, New York Peak quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Eagle River Pass, 11,140 feet. From East Fork of the Eagle River to Tenmile Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 34, T. 7 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County/Summit County, Copper Mountain quadrangle, pass buried by Climax mill tailings (Robinson tailings pond)

East Hightower Mountain Pass, 9,390 feet. From Owens Creek to West Willow Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 27, T. 9 S., R. 91 W., Mesa County, Spruce Mountain quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

East Maroon Pass, 11,820 feet. From East Maroon Creek to Copper Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 13, T. 12 S., R. 86 W. Before the railroads reached Aspen, stagecoaches from Crested Butte traveled daily over Maroon Pass, and down Maroon Creek to Aspen. Gunnison County/Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

East Snowmass (Snowdrift) Pass, 12,700 feet. From East Snowmass Creek to Willow Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 3, T. 11 S., R. 86 W., Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

Eccles Pass, 11,900 feet. From South Willow Creek to Meadow Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 19, T. 5 S., R. 78 W., Summit County, Vail Pass quadrangle. Foot trail

Electric Pass, 13,500 feet. From Conundrum Creek to Castle Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 35, T. 11 S., R. 85 W., Pitkin County, Hayden Peak quadrangle. Foot trail on south side of Cathedral Peak

Fall Creek Pass, 12,580 feet. From French Creek to Fall Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 17, T. 7 S., R. 81 W., Eagle County, Mount of the Holy Cross quadrangle. Foot trail

Fancy Pass, 12,380 feet. From Cross Creek to Fancy Creek, center sec. 25, T. 7 S., R. 82 W., Eagle County, Mount Jackson quadrangle. Foot trail

Fremont Pass (Alicante Pass, Arkansas Pass, Tenmile Pass), 11,318 feet. From Tenmile Creek to Arkansas River, SE 1/4 sec. 11, T. 8 S., R. 79 W., Lake County, Climax quadrangle. Two railroads, the D.S.P. & P. and the D. & R.G., and the Climax Post Office at Fremont Pass were once almost the highest in the United States. Only the Ibex Branch east of Leadville was higher. Although Fremont pass was named for John C. Fremont, he never crossed it. Automobile road, Colorado Highway 91

Frigid Air Pass (Fravert Pass) 12,380 feet. From North Fork of Crystal River to the East Fork of the Crystal River, NE 1/4 sec. 32, T. 11 S., R. 86 W., Gunnison County, Snowmass Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail

Graham Park Divide, 10,575 feet. Foot trail from the north at Stray Horse Gulch to the south to Graham Gulch, SW corner sec. 19, T. 9 S., R. 79 W., Lake County, Leadville South quadrangle. Foot trail

Graham Pass, 12,540 feet. From Grizzly Creek to Graham Gulch, SE 1/4 sec. 29, T. 11 S., R. 82 W., Lake County/Pitkin County, Independence Pass quadrangle. Foot trail

Grassy Pass, 12,260 feet. From Cross Creek to Lime Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 27, T. 7 S., R. 82 W., Eagle County, Mount Jackson quadrangle. Foot trail

Gunsight Pass, no information available

Hagerman Pass (Cooke Pass, Fryingpan Pass, Saguache Pass), 11,925 feet. From Busk Creek to Ivanhoe Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 18, T. 9 S., R. 81 W., Lake County/Pitkin County, Homestake Reservoir quadrangle. The Busk–Ivanhoe Tunnel was used by the Colorado Midland from 1893 to 1922, then renamed the Carlton Tunnel for automobile use. Four–wheel drive trail. The pass is on the Continental Divide Trail

Half Moon Pass, 11,650 feet. From Notch Mountain Creek to East Cross Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 28, T. 6 S., R. 81 W., Eagle County, Mount of the Holy Cross quadrangle. Foot trail

Halsey Pass (Hasley?), 12,100 feet. From the North Fork of the Crystal River to the East Fork of the Crystal River, SE 1/4, sec. 31, T. 11 S., R. 86 W., Gunnison County, Snowmass Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail

Hardscrabble Saddle Pass, 8,859 feet. From Hardscrabble Gulch to Abrams Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 35, T. 5 S., R. 85 W., Eagle County, Suicide Mountain quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road, passable only from the east

Hartman Divide, 7,940 feet. From Sheephorn Creek to Colorado River, SW 1/4 sec. 30, T. 1 S., R. 81 W., Grand County, Radium quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road, closed

Harvey Gap, 6,200 feet. Sec. 24, T. 5 S., R. 92 W., Silt quadrangle

Haystack Gate Pass, 9,756 feet. From North Thompson Creek to West Divide Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 4, T. 9 S., R. 90 W., Mesa County/Pitkin County, Quaker Mesa quadrangle. Four–wheel drive trail

Heckert Pass, 12,700 feet. From Bear Creek to Snowmass Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 6, T. 11 S., R. 86 W., Pitkin County, Capitol Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

Hell Gate, 10,400 feet. On Ivanhoe Creek in the SW 1/4 sec. 3, T. 9 S., R. 82 W., Pitkin County, Nast quadrangle. Now a primitive automobile road?

Hells Gate, 6,600 feet, NW 1/4 sec. 6, T. 3 S., R. 86 W., Eagle County, Dotsero quadrangle. Now a primitive auto road?

Hoosier Pass (Montgomery Pass and Ute Pass), 11,539 feet. From the Middle Fork of the South Platte River to the Blue River, NW 1/4 sec. 13, T. 8 S., R. 78 W., Park County/Summit County, Alma quadrangle. Pass used by the Ute Indians. Automobile road. Pass is on the Continental Divide Trail

Horseshoe Pass, 13,180 feet. From Empire Gulch to Horseshoe Gulch, NE 1/4 sec. 11, T. 10 S., R. 79 W., Lake County/Park County, Mount Sherman quadrangle. Four–wheel drive trail to the east, no access from the west

Hunters Pass, an early name for Independence Pass

Independence Pass (Hunters Pass, Ute Pass), 12,095 feet. From Roaring Fork River to North Fork Lake Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 8, T. 11 S., R. 82 W, Lake County/Pitkin County. Toll 25 cents per pack animal in the 1880s(?). Independence Pass quadrangle. Colorado Highway 82, closed in winter from November through May

Indian Camp Pass, 9,724 feet. From Buck Creek to Dry Sweetwater Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 5, T. 3 S., R. 88 W., Garfield County, Deep Lake quadrangle. Automobile road, a former Indian crossing

Kokomo Pass, 12,022 feet. From Cataract Creek to Kokomo Gulch, NW 1/4 sec. 21, T. 7 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County/Summit County, Copper Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail. Pass is on the Continental Divide Trail and the Colorado Trail

Lost Man Pass, 12,810 feet. From Roaring Fork River to Lost Man Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 29, T. 10 S., R. 82 W., Pitkin County, Mount Champion quadrangle. Foot trail

Lost Ramada Pass, 13,300(?) feet. From North Fork Crystal River to Snowmass Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 28, T. 12 S., R. 86 W., Gunnison County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

Luens Pass, 12,408 feet. From Tenmile Creek to Sawmill Gulch, NW 1/4 sec. 10, T. 7 S., R. 78 W., Summit County, Breckenridge quadrangle. Foot trail. Pass is on the Colorado Trail

McClure Pass, 8,763 feet. From Lee Creek to the Crystal River, SE 1/4 sec. 1, T. 11 S., R. 89 W., Pitkin County/Gunnison County, Placita quadrangle. Automobile road

McCord Pass, 10,825 feet. From Piney River to Sheephorn Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 6, T. 3 S., R. 81 W., Eagle County, Lava Creek quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Midway Pass, 11,841 feet. From Coleman Creek to Midway Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 28, T. 10 S., R. 83 W., Pitkin County, Thimble Rock quadrangle. Foot trail

Missouri Pass, 11,986 feet. From Cross Creek to Missouri Creek, NE corner sec. 35, T. 7 S., R. 82 W., Eagle County, Mount Jackson quadrangle. Foot trail

Mosquito Pass, 13,186 feet. From Birdseye Gulch to South Mosquito Creek, center NE 1/4 sec. 11, T. 9 S., R. 79 W., also was a toll road. Called the highest pass in North America. Was first traveled by wagons on July 6, 1879, by Wall and Witter, nicknamed the "Highway of Frozen Death." Park County/Lake County, Climax quadrangle. Four–wheel drive trail

Muddy Creek Pass (Muddy Pass), 8,625 feet. From Muddy Creek to Piney River, NW 1/4 sec. 29, T. 3 S., R. 82 W., Eagle County, Lava Creek quadrangle. Automobile road

The Narrows, 7,240 feet. Gunnison County, Bull Mountain quadrangle, SE 1/4 sec. 35, T. 11 S., R. 90 W., a dike narrows a tributary of West Muddy Creek. Foot(?) trail

New York Pass, 12,265 feet. From New York Creek to Bowman Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 32, T. 11 S., R. 83 W., Gunnison County/Pitkin County, New York Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

The Notch, 11,795 feet. From East Brush Creek to Lime Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 11, T. 7 S., R. 83 W., Eagle County, Mount Jackson quadrangle. Foot trail

Paradise Divide (Paradise Pass), 11,250 feet. From Rock Creek to the north to Slate River to the south, NE 1/4 sec. 22, T. 12 S., R. 87 W., Gunnison County, Oh–be–Joyful quadrangle, same place as Yule Pass. Four–wheel drive road

Pearl Pass, 12,705 feet. From Copper Creek to East Brush Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 13, T. 12 S., R. 85 W., Gunnison County/Pitkin County, Pearl Pass quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Ptarmigan Pass, 11,777 feet. From Laskey Gulch to South Fork of Williams Fork River, SW 1/4 sec. 22, T. 4 S., R. 77 W., Grand County/Summit County, Dillon quadrangle. Foot trail, a former Indian trail

Ptarmigan Pass, 11,765 feet. From Resolution Creek to Wilder Gulch, SW 1/4 sec. 29, T. 6 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County/Summit County, Pando quadrangle. Automobile road from south side and four–wheel drive road from the north side

Red Buffalo Pass, 11,540 feet. From South Willow Creek to Gore Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 13, T. 5 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County/Summit County, Vail Pass quadrangle. Foot trail

Red Mountain Pass, 12,860 feet. From Lincoln Creek to Peekaboo Gulch (South Fork Lake Creek), SW 1/4 sec. 7, T. 12 S., R. 82 W., Chaffee County/Pitkin County, Independence quadrangle. Former wagon road, now a rough foot trail on the Continental Divide

Rifle Gap, 5,800 feet. On Rifle Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 18, T. 5 S., R. 92 W., Garfield County, Rifle quadrangle. Automobile(?) road.

The Saddle, 9,340 feet. From Shane Gulch to Lonesome Gulch, SW 1/4 sec. 26, T. 2 S., R. 79 W., Summit County, Squaw Creek quadrangle. Foot trail

Schofield Pass, 10,707 feet. From South Fork of Crystal River to East River, NW 1/4 sec. 18, T. 12 S., R. 86 W., Gunnison County, Snowmass Mountain quadrangle. Automobile road on the south side and four–wheel drive road on the north side. Pass used by Ute Indians

Searle Pass, 12,020 feet. From Searle Gulch to Guller Creek, SE corner NW 1/4 sec. 9, T. 7 S., R. 79 W., Summit County, Copper Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail, on the Colorado Trail

Shrine Pass, 11,089 feet. From West Ten Mile Creek to Turkey Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 8, T. 6 S., R. 79 W, Summit County/Eagle County, Vail Pass quadrangle. Automobile road, a former Indian trail

Silver Creek Pass, 12,260 feet. From East Fork of Avalanche Creek to the North Fork of Lost Trail Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 16, T. 11 S., R. 87 W., Gunnison County, Snowmass Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail

Snowcat Pass, 12,510 feet. From East Fork Eagle River to the Arkansas River, SE 1/4 sec. 4, T. 8 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County, Leadville North quadrangle. Foot trail on Continental Divide

Snow Lake Pass, 12,540 feet. From Deluge Creek to Gore Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 3, T. 5 S., R. 79 W., Eagle County, Willow Lakes quadrangle. Foot trail

South Fork Pass, 11,840 feet. From South Fork of the Fryingpan Creek to Lost Man Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 19, T. 10 S., R. 82 W., Pitkin County, Mount Champion quadrangle. Foot trail

South Halfmoon Pass, 12,880 feet. From South Halfmoon Creek to Echo Creek, center sec. 7, T. 11 S., R. 81 W., Lake County, Mount Elbert quadrangle. Foot trail, on the Continental Divide Trail

Spud Pass, 11,740 feet. From Deep Creek to North Anthracite Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 16, T. 12 S., R. 88 W., Gunnison County, Marble quadrangle. Foot trail

Sugarloaf Pass, 11,075 feet. From Lake Fork of Arkansas River to Colorado Gulch, SW corner sec. 14, T. 9 S., R. 81 W., Lake County, Homestake Reservoir quadrangle. Foot trail, on the Colorado Divide Trail

Taylor Pass, 11,928 feet. From Taylor River to Express Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 11, T. 12 S., R. 84 W., Pitkin County/Gunnison County, Hayden Peak quadrangle. Four–wheel drive road

Taylor Creek Pass, 9,980 feet. From Cattle Creek to Taylor Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 26, T. 7 S., R. 86 W., Eagle County, Toner Reservoir quadrangle. Foot trail. Pass road gives access to the Red Table Mountain Road (Helmuth and Helmuth, 1994, p. 215)

Tellurium Pass, 12,620 feet. From Brooklyn Gulch to Tellurium Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 33, T. 11 S., R. 83 W., Gunnison County/Pitkin County, New York Peak quadrangle. Foot trail

Tenmile Pass (see Fremont Pass)

Tennessee Pass, 10,424 feet. From South Fork of the Eagle River to Tennessee Creek, SE 1/4 sec. 10, T. 8 S., R. 80 W., pass was an old Indian Trail and was used by trappers and fur traders as early as the 1830s. In 1879, a wagon toll road that crossed the pass was opened between Leadville and Redcliff and stage service was started. At 10,424 feet it was the highest Continental Divide crossing in Colorado. A community was started near the pass in the 1880s. A narrow gauge railroad was built over the pass in 1881; a third rail was added in 1891. A tunnel under the pass was built by the D. & R.G. R.R. in 1890 and a second bore was built in 1945. Passenger service on the trains was stopped in 1964. An auto road over the pass was built in 1913. Located in Eagle County/Lake County, Leadville North quadrangle. Auto road on U.S. Highway 24. Pass is on the Continental Divide Trail and the Colorado Trail

Trail Rider Pass, 12,410 feet. From Snowmass Creek to North Fork of Crystal River, NE 1/4 sec. 13, T. 11 S., R. 87 W., Gunnison County/Pitkin County, Snowmass Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail

Trapezoid Pass, 12,850 feet. From West Maroon Creek to East Maroon Creek, NE corner sec. 2, T. 12 S., R. 86 W., Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

Trough Road Pass, 8,329 feet. From Colorado River to Beaver Creek, NW 1/4 sec. 10, T. 1 S., R. 81 W., Grand County, Sheephorn Mountain quadrangle. Automobile road. Pass is on an extension of the Midland Trail toward Salt Lake City (Helmuth and Helmuth, 1994, p. 223)

Two Elk Pass (Peck Pass), 10,970 feet. From Black Gore Creek to Two Elk Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 25, T. 5 S., R. 80 W., Eagle County, Red Cliff quadrangle. Foot trail

Uneva Pass, 11,900 feet. From Officers Gulch to North Tenmile Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 11, T. 6 S., R. 79 W., Summit County, Vail Pass quadrangle. Foot trail, on Continental Divide Trail

Utah Pass, 12,820 feet. From the East Fork of Homestake Creek to West Tennessee Creek, SE 1/4 NW 1/4 sec. 15, T. 8 S., R. 81 W., Eagle County/Lake County, Homestake Reservoir quadrangle. Foot trail

Ute Pass, 9,568 feet. An old Indian trail. From Williams Fork to Pass Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 3, T. 3 S., R. 78 W., Grand County/Summit County, Ute Peak quadrangle. Automobile road

Vail Pass (Black Gore Pass, Low Divide, and Pottery Pass), 10,603 feet on eastbound lane; 10,662 feet on westbound lane of I–70. Was also a Ute Indian trail. From Black Gore Creek to West Tenmile Creek, NE 1/4 sec. 16, T. 6 S., R. 79 W., Summit County/Eagle County, Vail Pass quadrangle. Automobile highway I–70

Warm Spring Pass (see Break Neck Pass)

Watson Divide, 7,582 feet. From Snowmass Creek to Roaring Fork River, SW 1/4 sec. 1, T. 9 S., R. 86 W., Pitkin County, Woody Creek quadrangle. Automobile road passable in good weather

West Maroon Pass, 12,500 feet. From West Maroon Creek to East Fork of the Crystal River, SE 1/4 sec. 4, T. 12 S., R. 86 W., Gunnison County/Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

Weston Pass, 11,921 feet. An old Indian trail. From Big Union Creek to South Fork of the South Platte River, SE 1/4 sec. 35, T. 10 S., R. 79 W., Park County/Lake County, Mount Sherman quadrangle. A corduroy road that was started in the 1860s when it was considered a part of the old Ute Trail. In 1873, the Hayden Survey party found a usable road over the pass. Later, several improved roads and stages traversed the pass: (1) in 1862 the Tarryall and Arkansas River Wagon Road Co. built a road between Fairplay and California Gulch, (2) the C.O.C. & P.P. used the road, (3) the Park Range Company used the road for about three years. The Wall and Witter Stage Company used the road many times. During the use of the pass by stages there was one really treacherous stretch on the Leadville side of the pass called Rocky Point where many drivers and passengers were injured when stages ran off the edge of the road. The trip to Leadville over Weston Pass was a tiresome trip indeed. The stagecoaches were tossed about like vessels in a rough sea on the bumpy road. Drivers were paid from $50 to $80 per month. The hours were long and the work dangerous. There were many accidents on the Weston Pass route (Murray and Lee, 1978, p. 27). The west end of the road was at Nine Mile House on the Arkansas River. The road to the pass was called the Weston Pass, Fairplay, and Leadville Road. The road that crosses the pass was improved in the 1950s and is accessible by automobiles except on the west side for cars with low clearance

Willow Pass, 12,580. From Minnehaha Gulch to Willow Creek, SW 1/4 sec. 10, T. 11 S., R. 86 W., Pitkin County, Maroon Bells quadrangle. Foot trail

Yule Pass, 11,700 feet. From Yule Creek to Slate River, NE 1/4 sec. 22, T. 12 S., R. 87 W., Gunnison County, Snowmass Mountain quadrangle. Foot trail

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Post Roads in the Leadville Quadrangle in 1881

(The following material is quoted or paraphrased from Crofutt's (1885) Grip–Sack Guide, which contains two separate listings of post roads. This material is from the first list. A post road was a road, along which were stations that housed horses for travelers, stagecoaches, wagons, and riders that transported mail and other goods. A "hack" is a horse–drawn passenger wagon.)

No. 13. From Georgetown via "High Line" (Loveland Pass), west and southerly, via Silver Plume, Montezuma, Junction City, and Frisco, to Kokomo, 44 miles and back, daily, from May 1st to October 31st of each year. Stage

No. 14. From Georgetown, southerly, via Decatur, Chihuahua, Montezuma, Haywoods, Dillon, and Frisco to Kokomo, 50 miles and back. Daily in the summer months. Hack

No. 17. From Breckenridge, west of north, via Blue River and Williams' Fork, to Hot Sulphur Springs, Middle Park, 62 miles and back, once a week. Hack

No. 23. From Breckenridge, north to Frisco, then south to Kokomo, 26 miles, and back, three times a week. Wagons and hacks daily

No. 40. From Webster, west, via Hall's Valley, Montezuma, St. John, Preston, and Lincoln City, to Breckenridge, 39 miles and back three times a week. Hack

No. 41. From Como northwest, via Hamilton and Conger, to Breckenridge, 18 miles and back, six times a week. Concord Coaches

No. 42. From Fairplay, west, via Alma, to Dudley, 7 miles and back, six times a week. Coach

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An Act to Establish and Regulate Territorial (Free) Roads

"Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of Colorado Territory"

"Section I. That the nearest traveled road between the following named places is hereby declared a Territorial Road, to–wit: From Fort Lyon, by way of Pueblo, Canon City, Platte Valley Ranch and Fairplay, to Laurette. South Park & Leadville Short Line."

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Freighting Business in the Leadville Quadrangle

There generally were two types of freight companies: those that hauled from town to town and those that hauled ore from mines to a smelter or rail yard. The long–haul companies generally charged much higher rates. Blair (1980) has an excellent discussion about freighting. Freight from Denver usually cost $50 a ton in the summer, but much more in the winter. The rates were based on both weight and distance of haulage. For certain types of merchandise, the rate could be as high as $500 per ton. Before the railroads were built into the quadrangle, the freight rates were terribly high. The rates dropped greatly when the first railroad arrived. Indeed, the rates dropped even more after more than one railroad came in and brought more competition. Some freighters owned their own rigs and they made more money than those who worked for a freighting company. Almost 600 teams were hauling ore in the quadrangle by 1878. Ore haulers were paid by the ton and most wagons hauled between 15,000 and 17,000 pounds. Wagons weighed about 3,000 pounds empty. For short hauls and lighter loads the rate of haulage was about 50 cents per ton. For a long haul and heavier load the rate would be several times as high. Griswold and Griswold (1996, p. 230) state that the weight of ore hauled was 4,000 pounds per wagon.

The number of horses and their weights varied some. Generally, four–horse teams were used. The principal team was called the wheelers. They were hitched directly ahead of the driver and on each side of the oak tongue. These horses weighed about 1,400 to 1,600 pounds apiece. It was their job to provide most of the pulling power and to do the backing if necessary. The front pair of horses were called leaders. They were smaller and more agile and they weighed less—1,000 to 1,300 pounds apiece. Their job was in maneuvering the wagon as directed by the driver. They generally were hitched to an iron rod that extended back under the wagon tongue and connected to the front axle of the wagon. If a greater weight of merchandise was to be hauled, a swing pair of horses in a six–horse hitch was used. This swing team was added between the leaders and the wheelers to add to the pulling power of the whole team.

The wagons were large and strong, being made of durable wood. The wagon beds were about 11 feet long and 3 feet wide. The sides were about 19 inches high, but had extra sideboards that would extend the height to almost 4 feet. A chain was extended across the top middle of the bed to keep the sides from spreading too much. The ore that was being hauled was very heavy because it was composed of metallic minerals that weighed much more than an equivalent volume of quartz or common sedimentary rocks. The lead–silver ores were particularly heavy, as were the gold ores. According to Ingersol (in Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 230) the ore was hauled to the smelting works by four– or six–mule teams. For the most part, the driver did not sit on the wagon, but rode the nigh (left) wheeler, guiding his team by a single very strong rein which led to the bits of the leaders, and operated the brake by another strap. The driver was in the position of a steersman in the middle of his craft, and his "bridge" was the saddle. Every load was set upon the scales, recorded, and then shoveled into its proper bin (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 230).

According to Brown (1968, p. 227), the wagon trains were the first delivery service for light materials and the mail. In Montgomery, for instance, all mail came by way of a weekly delivery from the Overland Express Company. There later was a daily express line in operation between Montgomery and Buckskin Joe. This made connection with the semiweekly service being operated in Buckskin Joe by the Green and Duncan Express Line. In July 1862, W.C. McClellan and A.B. Williamson started a four–horse service with Concord coaches. In this service from Denver, the route crossed Kenosha Pass to South Park and had stops in both Montgomery and Buckskin Joe. They took passengers, express shipments, mail, and commercial parcels. In 1879, the three main freighting companies were The Leadville Forwarding Company, Wood Brothers, and Russell and Company. Three thousand animals were used by the three companies. In January 1887, the Pacific Express Company and the Rio Grande Express Company said that business was so good that extra delivery men and teams had been hired to handle the shipments. In 1862, the Overland Express Company and later the Green & Duncan Express Line were used to deliver mail weekly to the small towns near Alma. Several companies ran freight from Leadville to Twin Lakes and Aspen: Jim McGee, Three–Finger Jack, Holbrook, Finn Davis, Lewellen Black, and John Borrel. Most of the freight originated in Granite or Leadville where it had arrived by rail.

In Aspen during 1880 and 1881, there was almost no one to haul ore or freight. Consequently in December 1881 (Wentworth, 1950, p. 127), Frank M. Thompson, Walter Seaton, and William Blodgett organized a transportation company to haul ore from the Spar mine in Aspen to Leadville, and to transport merchandise from Leadville back to Aspen. Their enterprise was very difficult because of the terribly cold winter of 1881, resulting in especially difficult conditions across Independence Pass. However, their success prompted another company, the Davis' pack train of about 50 animals, to start hauling freight over the pass. The pass was open to pedestrian traffic and to travel by pack trains. The first wagon to travel from the Arkansas River area over the pass was operated by J.B. Gerard in the summer of 1880. He started from Twin Lakes and about six weeks later his wagon finally appeared on the bank of the Roaring Fork River.

According to Griswold and Griswold (1996, p. 230), "four major routes were used by the freighters [from Leadville]: the one with the heaviest traffic was from the Denver, South Park & Pacific's end–of–track (which was still at Webster during April and early May, but by mid–May was on the western side of Kenosha Pass), then across South Park and Weston Pass, and up the Upper Arkansas River Valley and California Gulch to Leadville; the second most used route was from Colorado Springs over Ute and Trout Creek passes and northward along the Arkansas; the third was from Canon City on the Grape Creek–Texas Creek–Arkansas Valley road; and the fourth, used primarily for conveying thousands of tons of hay, oats and other grains to the Leadville market, was from the San Luis Valley over Poncha Pass, down along the South Arkansas River and northward up the Arkansas Valley road."

"From the junction of the Weston Pass road with the Arkansas Valley road, twelve miles south of Leadville, there was but one roadway over which all of the traffic had to travel, frequently resulting in a continuous line of wagons, stagecoaches, private vehicles and horseback riders, all crowding their ways into Leadville."

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Routines and Perils of Stage Travel

The first mining activity and strong settlement in Colorado took place in the late 1850s in the Central City and Idaho Springs regions. In the Leadville area, the first strong placer gold mining activity was in California Gulch from 1859 to about 1864, but the really big boom of mining didn't happen until the late 1870s. Many stage lines had been in business for nearly 20 years before Leadville really felt the need for additional transportation services. Although the need could be quickly filled by several existing lines (including the Spotswood and McClelland Stage Company, the Wall and Witter Stage Company, and the Barlow and Sanderson Line), the real problem was that a topographic barrier was formed by the Front Range. Most of the stage lines were in business east of the mountain range, so there were only two practical solutions; either go over the mountains or go around them. If the stage lines went around the high mountains, they would need to travel many extra miles. If they went over the mountains, they faced hazardous travel all year and terrible weather during the winters. Ultimately, the stage lines took both courses. Some went southwest across Kenosha Pass, South Park, and Trout Creek Pass, then traveled northward on a shelf road along the east side of the Arkansas River to Leadville. Others went southwest through South Park to Fairplay and then westward over Weston Pass, on an old Indian road called the Ute Trail, a difficult road, improved in some places by placing small logs across it (a corduroy road). The Weston Pass road reached the Arkansas River at Nine Mile House, followed the Arkansas River northward to Malta, then turned eastward into Leadville. When Weston Pass was impassable, the stagecoaches went around the mountain south over Trout Creek Pass and turned northward to Leadville.

The Spotswood and McClelland Stage Company (or McClellan and Spotswood South Park Line [South Park Stage Company]) had been running a stage line since 1865 on their Denver and South Park Stage Line. In 1877 Robert W. Spotswood and William McClelland won a contract to run mail service into Leadville, also west over Mosquito Pass in 1879. They spent part of 1877 buying supplies and making arrangements to extend their Denver and South Park Stage Line into Leadville. Spotswood and McClelland's coaches started from Denver, and their route apparently went west from Morrison and followed essentially the route of modern U.S. Highway 285 through the Front Range, across South Park to Fairplay, over Weston Pass, to Nine Mile House, then to Leadville. Spotswood and McClelland was a very successful company. They had two stages running each way daily. During their contract that started in 1877 at the start of the big mining boom in Leadville, they ordered 200 horses, 12 Concord coaches, and 50 sets of harness. In 1879 they ran a stage service over the Mosquito Pass Toll Road. Spotswood and McClelland sold out to Wall and Witter in 1879 (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 310).

Wall and Witter ran a stage line (Wall and Witter Fast Line—later South Park Stage Company) to Leadville that ran south over South Park and then west over Weston Pass. They traveled eastward to pick up passengers from the terminus of a railroad. They claimed to meet the trains more promptly to pick up or leave off passengers than the other stages would. They would leave Leadville at 8 a.m., arrive at Fairplay (by Weston Pass) at 4 p.m., leave Fairplay (the next morning) at 6:30 a.m., arrive at end of track at Webster at 4 p.m., leave the end of track at 2 p.m., arrive at Fairplay at 7 p.m., leave Fairplay at 8 a.m., and arrive at Leadville at 5 p.m. On September 18, 1881, when President James A. Garfield died, Wall and Witter provided the hearse for the local funeral procession. Mosquito Pass was an alternate route from Alma Junction into Leadville, but it was a more difficult route and seldom used until 1879 when it was smoothed out. They were the first company to offer service over the new route in 1879. The Wall and Witter Stage Company also ran a stage line from Red Hill (just north of Fairplay) to Leadville in 1879. They started a daily line to Independence in late June 1881; at first the coaches went only as far as Bromley. At its peak the Wall and Witter Stage Company kept 400 horses, 11 freight wagons, and seven stagecoaches in use. Wall and Witter was still in business in Denver in 1886.

Barlow and Sanderson's Southern Overland Mail system was extended to Leadville in 1878, when Leadville was experiencing a spectacular boom. Previously in 1878 they had been running a line from Canon City to Salida and up the Arkansas River. Sam Abbey was the agent in Leadville; his office was in the livery barn of Wall and Witter, well–known stage men in the region (Pueblo, Colorado, Chieftain, July 9, 1878). Jared L. Sanderson took a special interest in the Leadville extension. In September 1878, several new coaches and 44 horses were placed along the line, and in October Sanderson went south from Denver to Canon City, where he announced that all of his lines were prosperous. A tri–weekly in addition to daily service was added in January 1879. The next month Sanderson went to Saint Louis to buy 200 more horses for the line. It was announced also that approximately 12 new Concords and 50 sets of Concord harnesses had been acquired. On March 10, coaches and 156 horses were received. So heavy was the volume of business that the Canon City–Leadville service became three times daily. At the peak of the rush in 1878, the above three stage lines together brought in twelve fully loaded coaches a day to Leadville (Dorset, 1970, p. 260–261). In 1880, daily stage lines ran from Leadville to these many destinations: Kokomo, Breckenridge, Georgetown, Buena Vista, Fairplay, Alma, Red Cliff, Aspen City, Twin Lakes, and various smaller mining camps.

The following information illustrates the difficulties of running a stage line in the mountains and the variety of routes that were used. Six major coach lines linked Summit County to the outside world in the early 1880s (Gilliland, 1987). The best companies used Concord coaches and charged passengers 12–15 cents per mile. The worst used rough open wagons and charged much lower rates. The six main routes were: (1) Georgetown via Peru Creek Valley to Kokomo in the North Ten Mile district, daily during the summer; (2) Breckenridge to Hot Sulphur Springs in Middle Park via the Blue River, once weekly; (3) Breckenridge to Kokomo, via Frisco (26 miles, three times weekly); (4) Webster to Breckenridge, via Montezuma, then to Saints John, then next to Preston, Lincoln City, and Breckenridge (39 miles, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday); (5) Como and Hamilton to Breckenridge, 18 miles over Boreas Pass—six times weekly in Spottswood and McClelland's Concord coaches; and (6) Georgetown to Kokomo (and connecting to Leadville) via Montezuma and Frisco (daily in Concord coaches).

Griswold and Griswold (1996, p. 1589) gave an account of the trials of making a trip over Independence Pass from Leadville to Aspen:

"Once, it was during the dead of winter, and the snow had been falling until it was as much as ten feet deep, the round trip to Aspen proved to be one of my worst experiences. Although traffic was heavy, the snow drifted so badly that the road was not kept open. We were at a place, between Bromley's and the top of the range for three days and nights in a traffic jam. That may sound odd, but it was true. Someone got stuck in the snow, teams began to line up, unable to pass, until they reached in both directions for a great distance, and it was impossible for anyone to advance in either direction. We finally cleared up the jam by carrying sleds, stages and wagons and their loads out of the road and to new positions. It was mighty labor and we were all exhausted from our efforts."

"Then at other places, where the way down was steep, we traveled too fast. At this time I was driving a six horse team with wagon and trailer. It was almost impossible to hold the heavy load. At times I found it necessary to put four roughlocks on the trailer and two on the wagon to keep them under control. Even then one of my wheelers fell and was dragged at least 100 feet before we could get stopped but it didn't kill him. Of course the price of feed rocketed at the stopping places, and we paid ten cents per pound for hay and grain. The round trip required fourteen days and nights and I lost $100 on my last trip which was also my worst."

"No student of geology ever knew the varieties and species of mud in this country until they have peered at the topography of the present day road between this city [Leadville] and Aspen. From the beginning to the terminus of the trip it is a sea of fathomless mud and terra firma is encountered in every consistency, so that when the traveler alights from the coach upon his return there is no mistaking where he has been. He is coated with the article from the centre of his bald and shining pate to the tips of his shoes, and the jaunt that was made a few days since was a mountain experience that the travelers will never forget in their sojourn here on earth."

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Stage Companies that Operated in the Leadville Quadrangle

(The second and major Leadville mining boom began in 1878. Stage lines continued operating until July 1880 when the Denver & Rio Grande Railway arrived in Leadville. Then all of the stage lines into Leadville lost most of their business. However, stage lines continued business as usual in the towns that did not have railroads.)

Agnew and Fisk in 1879 started a Gunnison passenger wagon from Leadville to Gunnison every morning

Aspen and Glenwood Springs Stage Line (See Leadville, Aspen, and Glenwood Springs Stage Line)

Broncho Dave Braddock's Stage Service (Gilliland, 1987). It ran from Breckenridge to Swan City, Delaware Flats, and Galena Gulch along the Swan River. The service began on February 21, 1881, and later expanded with a route from Breckenridge to Lincoln City in French Gulch. Braddock had great difficulty in keeping his line running because of injury to his horses and the trouble of keeping his stage line running in the winter. On the road from Braddockville to Swan City in some winters his company had to shovel the snow nearly the whole distance

Colorado Springs Stage Line. Routes not stated

Cottrill, Vickroy, Barlow, Vaile, and Barnum in 1862 operated a stage line to Fairplay and Laurette

Denver, Auraria, & Colorado Wagon Road Company. Went to Fairplay (Scott, 1999, p. 6)

Denver and Leadville Express was in operation until 1879 when it quit running. The line was used by passengers bound for Leadville on the Denver South Park and Pacific Railway. They would transfer to the Denver and Leadville Express or to the Wall & Witter Line at Weston or to the Mosquito Pass Toll Road

E.H. Gaylord and Company private line. Routes not stated

Georgetown and Leadville (or Leadville & Georgetown) Stage Company. The company reduced the fare from Leadville to Kokomo to $2.75 on May 6 and 7, 1880. A snowstorm shut down the line for at least a week. Such disruptions of stage service were common on stagecoach lines in the winter

Kirk and Shaw stagecoach road from Marble to Crystal City (Brown, 1968). The stages followed the narrow road past Lizard Lake for 6 miles to Crystal City. Business in Crystal City was seriously damaged by the 1893 silver devaluation

Leadville and Aspen Toll Road Company in June 1881 asked for contributions to permit them to remove the snow and open the Independence road to Aspen. Wall and Witter; Carson's Stage and Express Line; and McDonald, McLain, and Company, a dealer in feeds, started taking passengers, but only as far as Gilmore's Stage Station (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 873). Gilmore's stage station was about 15 miles west of Twin Lakes at Bromley and 29 miles from Leadville by stage. Everett was 9 miles west of Twin Lakes

Leadville, Aspen, and Glenwood Stage Line. Their change of horses five times between Leadville and Glenwood Springs required more than 100 horses, 16 drivers, 4 blacksmiths, 20 stages, and 4 horse sleighs during the winter. John Wall of Wall and Witter said in March 10, 1885, he used 32 horses from Leadville to Aspen. Four changes of four horses each were made each way on the trip. Between Leadville and Everett, horse–drawn stages were used on the dry road, then a sleigh was used on the snow–covered road until 9 miles from Aspen. A trip equal to any in the Alps

Leadville, Aspen, and Glenwood Springs Stage Line, run by J.C. Carson starting on April 20, 1886. Carson was told that one of their stages had been swept off Independence Pass at an altitude of about 12,000 feet. Not true. Two stage sleighs were blocked by the slide, but the passengers left the sleighs and made their way down to the toll gate where there was a stove. The passengers were rescued the next morning

Leadville and Colorado Springs Stage Line. Routes not stated

Leadville and Denver Dispatch Company ran stages over the Mosquito Pass Toll Road in 1879

Leadville and Georgetown Stage Line. Routes not stated

Leadville and Gunnison Road. Routes not stated

Leadville & Red Cliff Stage Company ran sleighs over Fremont Pass on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week, leaving Van Camp's Grocery at 9:00 a.m. each day

Leadville and Soda Springs Omnibus & Toll Road Company. Routes not stated

Leadville and Ten Mile Express Company, servicing the mines in the Ten Mile District, had to change from a tri–weekly to a daily schedule

Leadville Mining Railroad Company planned to built a line from Malta up California Gulch, serving the placer, hydraulic, and free gold mining activity in that vicinity. From Leadville they would run a feeder line to the Iron Hill mines, and the main line would go across the base of Carbonate Hill, crossing Stray Horse Gulch and over Fryer Hill and to practically every other mine in the district

Leadville, Roaring Fork, and Gunnison Toll Road

Leadville, Twin Lakes, and Aspen Road finally was able to open the last stretch of the Independence to Aspen road in November 1881, but snow soon necessitated the use of sleighs

Leadville, Twin Lakes, and Gunnison Toll Road Company. The road was planned to go down along the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers to Gunnison City. Only a minimum amount of work was done on the road west and south of the Twin Lakes and none on Lake Creek Pass itself (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 237)

Leadville, Twin Lakes, and Independence Stage and Express Line established by John Christopher Carson. Passenger rates were $1.00 to Twin Lakes, $1.75 to Everett, and $3.50 to Independence. Carson opened a new line Thursday Nov. 17, 1887, with coaches drawn by 8 horses from Glenwood Springs to New Castle, and on Nov. 21, 1887, the daily line was extended from New Castle to Meeker, Colorado (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 1888). Carson sent his last stage from Leadville to Aspen on October 24, 1887. Aspen then was served by train

Leadville, Twin Lakes, and Roaring Fork Company in the spring of 1881 was unable to keep the Independence Pass road open because of heavy snow, but promised to open it when the weather would permit (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 770). The road probably was opened soon after July 15, 1881

W.C. McClelland and Ab Williamson used a four–horse service with Concord coaches from Denver and across South Park. They delivered passengers, mail, and express (Brown, 1968, p. 227)

McDonald and McLain Stage Line crossed Independence Pass in 1881. They charged $1.00 to Twin Lakes, $1.75 to Everett, and $3.50 to Independence just west of the pass

Dan McLaughlin Stage Line. McLaughlin ran four–horse stages from Red Hill to Leadville beginning in June 1880. As Buckskin Joe grew, a terminal stagecoach station was built at Breckenridge, and the Dan McLaughlin Stage Line carried passengers, freight, and gold shipments from there to Denver in 1862 (Brown, 1968)

The Missouri Stage Company, a successor to Hall & Porter, was permitted in 1861 to carry the U.S. Mail on a branch line up the Arkansas River and to Fairplay in South Park

The Pacific Express Line picked up freight and passengers from the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Ry. at Weston in 1879. In 1889 the Pacific Express Company said that their business was so good that extra delivery men and teams had been hired. The Rio Grande Express Company also expressed the same about their business in 1889

Fred S. Rockwell and George H. Bicknell started a new stage line from Leadville to Aspen on November 22, 1881. Their first trip started on Nov. 25, took two days, and was without hazard. However, later trips caused damage to both people and equipment. In January 1882 they sold their company to Wall and Witter (Griswold and Griswold, 1996)

J.L. Sanderson and Company in late winter or spring of 1884 sold its Colorado stage system to the Colorado and Wyoming Stage, Mail, and Express Company

The Silas W. Nott Stage Company. The High Line over Loveland Pass. Nott first chose the option of running a stage line over Argentine Pass, down the Snake River, and up Ten Mile Canyon to Leadville. However, because of the much lower altitude (1,500 feet) of Loveland Pass, compared to Argentine Pass, he decided to create a road over Loveland Pass, down Snake Creek, and up Ten Mile Creek. Inasmuch as the speed of completion was important, the road work was started in the winter, starting in February 1879. Although working in the winter would cost three times as much as in the summer, the road could be completed by the spring of 1879. The road crossed the pass at 11,992 feet above sea level and actually was finished in June. Stage service started immediately, and by the end of summer ran daily to Kokomo. The route from Georgetown to Leadville was 60 miles and took 12 hours. The route was 70 miles shorter than routes from Denver to Leadville. From Georgetown, the route connected at Kokomo with Leadville stages. The fare from Georgetown was $7 to Kokomo and $10 to Leadville. Nott used Concord coaches in the summer and sleighs in the winter. Actually, the Loveland Pass route proved to be safer and easier than the lower altitude Weston Pass route. The toll at Loveland Pass ranged from 5 cents a head for loose stock to $1.00 for a team and wagon. However, the Loveland Pass Toll Road was abandoned in 1883. A toll road over Argentine Pass was built in 1869 from Georgetown to Montezuma. About 1883, the counties bought the road for a public highway, but it was not kept up and soon it was impassable for teams and wagons

South Park Stage Company, owned and personally managed by Messrs. McClelland & Spotswood

Stevens and Company, owned by H.B. Gillespie, built a wagon road over Taylor Pass in 1880. Later the same company started the first stage route over this road. They called it the Express Creek Road (Helmuth and Helmuth, 1994, p. 214)

Ten Mile Express and Stage Company, owned by Ed Cooke and Perley Wason, of Leadville, serviced Howland and Tabor City in Lake County, also Robinson Camp, Ten Mile City, Carbonateville, and Kokomo in Summit County. The company later took the name Leadville and Georgetown Stage Line, and their stages were run between those two cities (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 305 and 361). One–hundred and twenty–five horses were used by Cooke and Wason. The line in 1880 brought in about 25 people a day from Buena Vista

The Tenmile Toll Road Co. built a grade from Georgetown across the Front Range to Recen and Kokomo. Stagecoaches operated over the road between 1879 and 1886 (Brown, 1968, p. 202). The fare from Denver to Georgetown was $7.00. After the stagecoaches and railroads reached Leadville, food in Leadville became much more varied than before. Vegetables, fruit, and other produce that could not be grown at Leadville became available and supplemented the local meat fare, which was in itself quite variable and included deer, elk, bear, grouse, and quail

Ten Mile Transportation Line, owned by C.B. Ayres. Route not stated

Tennessee Pass Wagon Road was an old Indian Trail that was used by trappers and traders as early as the 1830s. In 1879, a wagon toll road was opened between Leadville and Redcliff and stage service was started

Twin Lakes and Roaring Fork Toll Road. A wagon road over Independence Pass and on to Aspen was being completed in June 1881 (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 873)

Twin Lakes and Roaring Forks Company built a toll road and charged 25 cents for one pack animal (Helmuth and Helmuth, 1994). The stage stops westward from Twin Lakes were: (1) Twin Lakes, (2) Four Mile Park, (3) Red Mountain Inn one half mile below the forks of Lake Creek, (4) Myers camp, (5) Brumley (or Bromley), and, finally, (6) Independence. Stage fare from Leadville to Aspen was $8.00—the stages passed thru three toll gates. Concord stages came to Twin Lakes from Leadville. According to Eberhart (1959, p. 214), at Twin Lakes the passengers and luggage would be transferred to canvas–top stages for the steep haul over Independence Pass. Four horses were used for the gentler stretches, but six horses were required for the steep part of the pass. Many stages and freight wagons bound for Aspen used this route from Leadville until a rail route reached the boom town of Aspen

Wells Fargo Express Company opened a new office in Leadville in October 1887. Routes not stated

Weston Pass (11,921 feet). A wagon road was started in the 1860s in the Mount Sherman quadrangle on an old Indian trail called the Ute Trail. Three road companies traversed the pass: (1) The C.O.C. & P.P., (2) in 1862 the Tarryall and Arkansas River Wagon Road Co. built a road between Fairplay and California Gulch, and (3) The Park Range Co. started a route and ran it for about 3 years in the 1870s

C.T. Wheaton Eagle River Line. Routes not stated

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Leadville Street Railway

In the fall of 1879, a grand plan was proposed to build the Lake County Street and Horse Railway and to run a line along the streets of Leadville, then down California Gulch, on to Soda Springs, and possibly to Twin Lakes. Nothing came of that plan (Griswold and Griswold, 1996, p. 398). In 1881, new plans were made to operate a Leadville street railway. The city council passed an ordnance granting Mr. L.M. Dorr the license to build a streetcar railway to be operated using horses or mules. By June 1881, Mr. Dorr, superintendent of the new City Railway Company, announced that the first installment of streetcars and iron rails had been shipped from St. Louis to Denver. The Leadville street railway was to be the highest in the world. On August 4, 1881, the first trip of the first streetcar in Leadville took place. That was a memorable occasion for Leadville. On August 6, a grand party was held and four new cars were displayed at the corner of Harrison and Seventh Street—with their resplendent mule teams ready to convey the visitors to the end of the line while a band played music. Each car carried about 40 passengers. The cars were white with lively blue tops and green ends. The stock and equipment were housed at 704 Harrison Avenue, the principal street in Leadville. The route of travel was along Harrison Avenue from Chestnut Street to the corner of Eighth and Harrison, up Eighth to Poplar, and then north to the Denver and Rio Grande station. The city railway company was completed without one dollar of debt, and yet only three years before that, Harrison Avenue had been a "wilderness" of sage brush and pinon pines. Several problems were immediately obvious about the cars and their motive power: (1) the cars were overly large and (2) the animals to pull the streetcars were small mules, and they were able to pull the streetcars only on the level and not through snow. Also, the station was in the center of the line instead of at one end. After it snowed and ice formed on the tracks, the railway could not be used, so a horse–drawn sleigh was used. When the snow melted, the sleigh could not be used, and the railway tracks remained frozen in ice, preventing the use of the railway. As a result, the first large snowfall showed that the streetcars were unable to cope with snow; therefore, the street railway never returned to business in 1882. To see a sketch of the Horse Railway and the team of mules, see Feitz (1971)

The Herdic Coach Company started business in early July 1881. The company had six Herdic coaches, each drawn by a team of horses, but not on rails. Each coach could carry eight passengers. The coaches had a regular route from the Clarendon Hotel to the D. & R.G. Depot. However, inasmuch as the coaches did not run on rails, they were free to go anywhere. The Herdic coaches were more able to go through the snow than the street railway; however, even the Herdic line also had to shut down because of the depth of the snow.

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Aspen Street Railway

Wentworth (1950, p. 274) quotes a newspaper clipping (probably from the Aspen Times), "September 7, [1889]. A street railway is to be constructed and put in operation in Aspen." Nothing further was reported about the supposed railway. However, in September 1889, the city council granted a charter to the Aspen City Railway to build a municipal streetcar line. Although electric streetcars had by this time been perfected and were already operating in Denver, there was no mention of building such a system in Aspen (Fletcher, 1995). "The first horse car arrived in early December 1889, and three weeks later a second car arrived and service began. The completed system eventually totaled somewhat over two miles, stretching from the fairgrounds, through neighborhoods and downtown, to the railroad stations. The horse cars started their route at the Roaring Fork River and near the Colorado Midland tracks, then went west on Durant Avenue to Original Street, then north one block, then west four blocks on Cooper Avenue to Mill Street, then three blocks north to Main Street, then west to 3rd Street and about eight blocks to Maroon Avenue, then west to 8th Street, and then ended their tour near the Fairgrounds. (See p. 13 of Fletcher (1995) for a map of the route.) Charles Hallam advertised his new subdivision with the slogan "Regular Street Car Service Guaranteed." It was not uncommon for a burgeoning community to point with pride to the fact that it had public transport. Aspen was no different. Fletcher believes that the horse–car system was abandoned during the time of the 1893 depression and the closing of most of the Aspen mines.

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Railroads Operated in the Leadville Quadrangle

Railroads were requested by the people of Leadville for a long time before they finally got one. Then, within a few years, they obtained three railroads. The Denver and Rio Grande (narrow gauge) was building along the Arkansas River near Canon City, having settled its fight with the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe concerning access to the Royal Gorge, and it made haste to reach Leadville and that newly opened area. The Denver and Rio Grande was the first to reach Leadville on July 22, 1880. In 1878, the Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad (narrow gauge) had already been working up North Fork of the South Platte River. Gradually they moved toward the goal of Leadville, during which time they had several conflicts with the Denver and Rio Grande, and by 1884 were approaching the city; however, even then they had to complete the last few feet of track in the dark of the night in February 1884. The Colorado Midland Railway (standard gauge) had been incorporated since November 23, 1883, but did not run lines into Leadville until August 31, 1887. The Colorado Midland also had problems with the right–of–way and use of the trackage within Leadville and it too finished its final run in the dark of the night. The Colorado Midland had the most difficult time running their rails into the Leadville quadrangle. One problem was that the routes that were the easiest places to lay rails had already been taken by the other railroads. The second problem was that the Colorado Midland was a standard gauge train, so it needed more space to run the tracks. Curves were broader, bridges and tunnels had to be larger, and the total expense was considerably larger.

The most complicated part of the Colorado Midland Railway line was the section westward from Leadville across the Continental Divide to Aspen. To cross the high mountains of the Continental Divide, a major tunnel, the 2,061–foot Hagerman Tunnel at 11,528 feet altitude, was constructed in 1887 just south of Hagerman Pass (figure 3). In addition, a very long curved trestle, the most elaborate and spectacular in Colorado, called the Hagerman Trestle, was built along the eastern approach to Hagerman Pass and Hagerman Tunnel; it was 1,084 feet long, 84 feet high, and 200 degrees in curvature. Snowfall in 1899 was so great that the Hagerman Tunnel could not operate and was shut down. Fortunately in October 1899 Hagerman had bought the Busk–Ivanhoe Tunnel which was 575 feet lower (at 10,953 feet) and almost two miles long. It saved 575 feet of climbing by the trains, as well as 13 snowsheds and 12 bridges and trestles. The Busk–Ivanhoe Tunnel was called the Carlton Tunnel after 1921. It was afterward abandoned as a train route and was used by autos in alternating east–west and west–east strings of cars (Ormes, 1963, p. 133–139).

Within the mining area from Leadville to the east, there also was an extensive system of rail lines to connect the mines to each other, to the smelters, and to the regional railroads. Immediately

Historic Trail Map of the Leadville 1° × 2° Quadrangle, Central Colorado

By Glenn R. Scott

Pamphlet to accompany Scientific Investigations Map 2820

Table of Contents

Figures

Pamphlet to accompany
Scientific Investigations Map 2820