It is reported that “three to four train loads of lumber and mining timbers were shipped daily from Wheeler.” During that time Wheelers became a major shipping point for Summit County. In 1900, Seth Crawford became Wheeler’s first official mayor. The billiard hall, blacksmith and wagon shop were saved along with Crawford’s Saloon which remained the hot spot. The rail line ran from Denver through Georgetown and the Ten Mile Mining District of Wheeler and then went on to Kokomo and Leadville.ġ882 a fire burned down the general store, post office, milk house, storage shed, and Judge Wheeler's private office. Transportation through this region was difficult and Wheeler eventually housed a stage coach stop in 1879 and a railroad station in 1882. Because the location was central to the mining activity of the region, Wheelers became a cross roads and favorite watering hole for the 10,000 miners that were prospecting up and down the Ten Mile Canyon in towns such as, Frisco, Masontown, Cunningham, Excelsior, Curtin, Uneva Lake, Officers, Solitude, Bensons, Graveline, Recen, Breene, Kokomo, Robinson, Buffers, Carverns, and Carbonateville. Wheeler had a hotel, general store, post office and hay ranch which supported a large sheep herd.ĭuring this period the town had several names in addition to Wheeler Wheeler’s Ranch, Wheeler Station, Wheeler Flats and Wheeler Junction. Since the ore supply was minimal, the town of Wheeler's main industry was logging and the production of lumber needed for the mines and cabins that were active through the Ten Mile Canyon. Wheeler was the first town known to have been built in the valley. Judge Wheeler purchased the 320 acre property for $740.00. Wheeler built the town of Wheeler at the base of Copper Mountain, between the present day Super B and A lifts. If you know where to look, a few of the mine entrances and miners' cabins can still be seen today in secret locations throughout the resort. Much more ore and some rich copper and silver veins were eventually found in the Kelleher Mine, May Raney Mine, and Lupton Boy Mine, all on Wheeler Mountain. Some small mines on Copper included Sunset Lode, Amanda Lode and the Good Samaritan Lode. On Copper Mountain some silver was found in mines such as Storm King Tunnel, Reconstruction, Reno, and the Dorsey Mine. There was a mine shaft dug on the peak of Copper Mountain which yielded some low-grade copper but the operation was unprofitable due to its extreme elevation. Unless the miners didn’t tell anyone, not much gold or silver was found. It goes without saying, but follow all resort rules, evaluate conditions as you go, and ski at your own risk.In the mid 1800s during the Colorado gold rush, a few miners ventured to Copper Mountain looking for gold. All of the insights here are simply our opinions based on many runs down the hill. Copper’s Top 5 Tree Runsĭisclaimer: ETR’s Guide to Copper Mountain is an entirely subjective, unofficial guide to the mountain and is not officially associated with Copper in any way. We have also provided pro-tips, images, and directions to help you make the most of your turns. By clicking on the links or images below you can read articles on our favorite runs for each major type of terrain, for a near complete review of the best of Copper. So much so, in fact, that we thought it would be fun to do a unofficial, ETR-styled guide to the mountain. We have been skiing and riding Copper for years. When you throw in the fact that it’s close to Denver, is located right off of I-70, and avoids the Disneyland-level crowds of the evil empire resorts nearby, this summit county refuge is hard to beat. It’s like this hill was custom designed to provide a nice sampling of every conceivable type of skiing. At Copper you can find it all: steeps, glades, powder, bowls, huge vert, bumps, expansive acreage, and of course, naturally divided terrain that sets up the mountain perfectly. Few other places offer such an incredible mix of terrain. This gem has been a local’s favorite for decades and with good reason. Copper Mountain is one of the absolute best ski resorts in the state of Colorado.
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