The San Juan Triangle of Colorado: Mountains of Minerals

The spectacular landscapes of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado are graphic evidence of the violent geology that concentrated a wealth of minerals in the triangle loosely defined by the picturesque mining towns of Telluride, Silverton and Ouray. An ancient hunting ground of indigenous peoples, these rugged high peaks concealed gold and silver discovered by westerners only in the last 150 years. These discoveries spurred mining booms and engineering feats as man worked to penetrate the ore- and crystal-laden cliffs and peaks. Modern visitors to the San Juans still collect minerals in the many prospects and trek the highways and byways that were first carved into the mountains by the pioneers. The mining history and stunning scenery of the San Juans is impossible to ignore, as are the Mountains of Minerals that make them so.