Montezuma Mine, Colorado. Gold Rush Expeditions, 2014
Channel: Gold Rush Expeditions, Inc.
Date: 2014-11-24

The Montezuma Mine was originally located in 1878, near the apex of the lode that would be come to be known as the Smuggler Lode. By 1884 the mine had been producing thousands of tons of silver and lead ore along with a lot of gold. Old historical documents show that the gold was processed at the lower or 6th level as they shipped all of the silver and lead down to be smelted in Leadville. Somewhere around 1896-7, a larger mining company began digging in near the river following placer gold and silver bits. They called this mine the Carribeau, named for a lake or sea in Europe. They worked in and hit the Smuggler vein at a lower instance. Unlike the upper mine, these claimants immediately patented the property once they were producing ores. Around 1900, the Carribeau, working up, intersected with the Montezuma as they worked down.

The Montezuma Mine has a documented 12.8 miles of drifts, raises, winzes and cross-cuts.