United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest Service

Rocky Mountain

Research Station

General Technical

Report RMRS-GTR-38

September 1999

Historic Avalanches in the 

Northern Front Range and 

the Central and Northern 

Mountains of Colorado

M. Martinelli, Jr.and Charles F. Leaf
Martinelli, M., Jr.; Leaf, Charles F., compilers. 1999. Historic avalanches in the 

northern front range and the central and northern mountains of Colorado. 

General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-38. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 270 p.

Abstract

Newspaper accounts of avalanche accidents from the 1860s through 1950 have 

been compiled, summarized, and discussed. Many of the avalanches that caused 

fatalities came down rather small, innocuous-looking paths. Land use planners can 

use historical avalanche information as a reminder of the power of snow avalanches 

and to assure rational development in the future.

Keywords: avalanches, avalanche accidents, avalanche damage, avalanche fatalities, 

snowslides

Authors

M. Martinelli, Jr. is a retired principal meteorologist. He led the Mountain Snow 

and Avalanche Research Work Unit at the Rocky Mountain Forest and Range 

Experiment Station until 1985. 

Charles F. Leaf is a consulting hydrologist and water resource engineer with the 

Platte River Hydrologic Research Center in Merino, Colorado. 

Publisher

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Fort Collins, Colorado

August 1999 You may order additional copies of this publication by sending 

your mailing information in label form through one of the following 

media. Please send the publication title and number.

Telephone (970) 498-1719

E-mail rschneider/rmrs@fs.fed.us

FAX (970) 498-1660

Mailing Address Publications Distribution

Rocky Mountain Research Station

3825 E. Mulberry Street

Fort Collins, CO 80524-8597

Cover Photo: An avalanche cascading over a cliff in its track. The debris from this wet slab 

avalanche in May 1973 set up very hard soon after it ran. (Stacy Standley photo.)
Historic Avalanches in the Northern Front 

Range and the Central and Northern 

Mountains of Colorado

M. Martinelli, Jr. and Charles F. Leaf

Contents

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. ii

Figures iii

Introduction............................................................................................................1

Data Sources .........................................................................................................4

Avalanche Knowledge and Awareness....................................................................... 4

Severe Winter Storms ............................................................................................. 9

Early Avalanche Control .........................................................................................10

Case Study Possibilities ......................................................................................... 13

Avalanche Chronology ...........................................................................................14

Some Human Interest Highlights............................................................................. 15

Discussion and Conclusions...................................................................................17

Newspaper Accounts Concerning Avalanches in the

Northern Front Range of Colorado 1861-1950 ...............................................19

Newspaper Accounts Concerning Avalanches in the 

Central and Northern Colorado Mountains 1862-1945 .................................. 87

References......................................................................................................... 209

Appendix A ........................................................................................................ 215

Appendix B......................................................................................................... 217

Table 1 — Fatalities, Northern Front Range 1861-1951.............................................. 218

Table 2 — Fatalities, Central and Northern Mountains 1962-1945 ............................ 219

Table 3 — Chronological Summary of Avalanches in the Northern Front Range........ 220

Table 4 — Chronological Summary of Avalanches in the Central and Northern 

Colorado Mountains...................................................................................... 231

Table 5 — Alphabetical Listing of Place Names Mentioned in the Avalanche 

Accident Accounts of the Northern Front Range...............................................245

Table 6 — Alphabetical Listing of Place Names Mentioned in the Avalanche 

Accident Accounts of the Central and Northern Colorado Mountains................. 255

i
Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the work of Mr. Dan Abbott, author and railroad 

buff, in searching the Georgetown Courier, and of Miss Jo D. Nimie, a YACC enrollee, 

in searching the Summit County Journal. We also thank John Hahn of Crested Butte, 

Pauline Marshall of Silver Plume, Max Dercum of Montezuma Road, John Ophus of 

Salida, and R.H. Kindig of Denver for their help in identifying and locating features 

and/or the loan of photographs. 

A special thanks to Carol LoSapio, whose computer skills, unlimited patience, and 

strong positive attitude made it possible to bring a long dormant effort to final fruition.

The financial and moral support of Chuck Troendle and R.A. Schmidt of the Rocky 

Mountain Station is also deeply appreciated.

ii
Figures

Figure 1. — Map of western Colorado showing the primary mountain areas mentioned in this report. ................ 2

Figure 2. — Aerial view of upper Hall Valley, A, and upper Deer Creek, B. The approximate location 

of the Whale Mine is indicated by C. ...................................................................................................23

Figure 3. — Monument, in the Silver Plume Cemetery, to the 10 people killed by an avalanche on 

Republican Mountain on February 12, 1899............................................................................................37

Figure 4. — Rescue workers searching for victims of the February 12, 1899, avalanche at Silver Plume 

(Silver Plume Historic Society). ......................................................................................................... 43

Figure 5. — Sherman (16) and Brown Mountains (15) from Cemetery Hill at Silver Plume. Other features mentioned in the accounts are Pelican Tunnel (2), Maine Mine shaft (3), Illinois Tunnel on ridge 

between Cherokee and Willihan Gulches (6), upper tunnel Wisconsin Mine in Cherokee Gulch (7), 

and Montreal Mine (11) (USGS Professional Paper 63, p1. XXIII).............................................................45

Figure 6. — Seven-Thirty Mine, in Brown Gulch, looking north-northwest from Griffin Monument 

(USGS Professional Paper 63, p1. XXX).............................................................................................. 47

Figure 7. — Railroad to Camp Francis and the Big Five Mine from Boulder (modified from Ormes 1975, 

by permission). .................................................................................................................................. 51

Figure 8. — Locomotives number 30 and 31 and a snowplow lie on Big Five Siding — near the mouth 

of Adit-Dew Drop tunnel. Compare with figure 9 (R. H. Kindig Collection, Denver). ..............................52

Figure 9. — The two locomotives and the snowplow on the Big Five Siding after most of the snow had melted. 

Compare with figure 8 (A. A. Paddock Collection, Boulder Historic Society). ..........................................52

Figure 10. — Aerial view of upper Leavenworth Creek showing location of Santiago Mine, Waldorf Mine [tunnel], 

Argentine Pass, McClellan Mountain, and Stevens Gulch (Lovering 1935, p1. I).......................................55

Figure 12. — Close-up view of the avalanche debris from the April 23, 1921, avalanche at Silver Plume. 

 The Town Hall is to the left, a private home to the right (Silver Plume Historic Society). ........................ 70

Figure 11. — Avalanche debris piled against the corner of the Town Hall at Silver Plume. This avalanche, 

which ran on April 23, 1921, flowed around the back of the Town Hall (Silver Plume Historic Society)........ 70

Figure 13. — The site of the April 23, 1921, avalanche as seen in August 1981. The debris of the Sebelia 

and Benso homes shown in the previous two figures was piled against the corner of the Town Hall 

between the building and the butane tank............................................................................................. 72

Figure 14. — This August 1981 picture shows the avalanche path above the eastern end of Silver Plume, 

where Mr. Charles Sebelia was killed on April 23, 1921. The white-fronted building is the Town Hall mentioned in account 78. ......................................................................................................................... 72

Figure 15. — An avalanche splitter wedge up hill from a high voltage transmission tower in Peru Creek. 

Photo taken June 25, 1964................................................................................................................... 77

Figure 16. — Part of the Greys Peak 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. ........................................................................................................ 83

Figure 17. — Part of the Montezuma 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. [Figure 18 fits below this one.] ............................................................ 84

Figure 18. — Part of the Montezuma 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. [Figure 17 fits above this one.]............................................................. 85

Figure 19. — Part of the Georgetown 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. ........................................................................................................ 86

page

iii
Figure 20. — The Ruby Chief Mine Tunnel as it appeared in August 1981...................................................... 99

Figure 21. — Smith-Hill anthracite coal mine on the southwest edge of Anthracite Mesa in the Slate River 

drainage about 4 miles northwest of Crested Butte, June 1981. Six men were killed and 21 injured by 

an avalanche at this site on January 31, 1883. .......................................................................................102

Figure 22. — Bruiser the dog that survived the snow slide that killed five men at Carey’s Camp in 

Conundrum Gulch on March 10, 1884. (Aspen Historic Society photo; Wentworth 1976, P. 76)...............109

Figure 23. — Avalanche path at Woodstock, as it appeared in June 1981. The lower limb of the railroad 

switchback was just above the willows and below the coniferous trees to the left of the avalanche path. 

The upper limb was just below the horizontal line of low vegetation where the avalanche path widens. 

The buildings were below the lower limb of the switchback in the foreground willows. .............................113

Figure 24. — This aerial view of the western approach to the Alpine Tunnel shows both limbs of the 

switchback on the South Park Railroad. The tunnel is behind the mountain in the top center of 

the picture. The site of the railroad town of Woodstock, which was wiped out by an avalanche on 

March 10, 1884, is marked A. The path down which the avalanche ran extended from about 

A' to A. (Charles Webb photo; Helmers 1971, P. 146.) ...........................................................................114

Figure 25. — Rescue party bringing in some of the bodies from the Woodstock Avalanche accident 

(Lathrop 1954, by permission). ........................................................................................................... 115

Figure 26. — April 1884 — men clearing avalanche debris from the March 10, 1884 avalanches, at 

Woodstock. (Lathrop 1954, by permission.) ......................................................................................... 115

Figure 27. — Avalanche-damaged trees 1-1/4 miles from the summit of Ruby Peak (in the background) 

above Irwin. This damage occurred not far from the Bullion King Mine where four people were 

killed by an avalanche on February 26, 1891. This photo was taken in June 1981.......................................141

Figure 28. — Looking down the Ruby Peak avalanche path toward the Ruby Chief and Bullion King 

Mines. The Ruby Chief Mine is located just left of the road along the left side of the picture. 

The Bullion King property is adjacent to the cleared area (light colored spot at the edge of the 

trees) near the right margin of the picture. Figure 27 was taken from the mine, on the small 

ridge just above the road, in the middle distance near the left margin of this photo. There is

strong evidence of avalanche activity at that spot and along the opening in the trees that extends 

another 600 feet to the right. This photo was taken in August 1981. ..................................................... 142

Figure 29. — Irwin with Ruby Peak (12,644 feet elevation) in the background. The avalanche that 

destroyed the Bullion King Mine in February 1891 probably started just to the right of the summit of 

Ruby Peak. The building in the foreground was built in 1880. The barrels on the roof were to 

catch rainwater which could be dumped on the roof in case of fire, which was a serious threat to 

all the old mining towns (Borneman 1975) (Denver Public Library, Western History 

Department Collection)..................................................................................................................... 142

Figure 30. — The town of Tomichi as it appeared in the 1880’s. The Magna Charta Mine was to the right 

of the buildings shown here. The avalanches that hit the mine in 1884 [122] and the town and the 

mine buildinigs in 1899, [158] ran down this shoulder of Granite Mountain. (Photo from 

Crofutt, 1885, P. 228).........................................................................................................................152

Figure 31. — Avalanche path on the southeast flank of Granite Mountain and the dump of the Magna 

Charta Mine near the old mining town of Tomichi as they appeared in June 1981. The avalanches 

that hit the Magna Charta Mine buildings as reported in accounts 122 and 158 are thought to 

have come down this path.................................................................................................................. 154

iv
Figure 32. — The Augusta Mine on the left flank of Poverty Gulch as seen from the floor of the gulch. 

The mine is the light colored spot that appears on the near edge of the bench in the large bowl 

between Cascade Mountain (left) and Mineral Point (right). The mine is actually located back 

against the headwall of the basin which is about 0.3 mile from the near edge of the bench. 

This photo was taken in August 1981. ................................................................................................. 163

Figure 33. — The Augusta Mine from the near edge of the bench mentioned in Figure 32. Although 

the floor of the bench is relatively flat, the slopes above the road leading to the mine are steep 

and dangerous. This photo was taken in August 1981........................................................................... 163

Figure 34. — Snowslide Gulch at Monarch, August 4, 1981. The avalanche that came into Monarch 

on February 4, 1907, ran down this path. Since then, heavy quarrying has drastically altered 

the path. The town was located along the railroad in the foreground. ................................................... 169

Figure 35. — Avalanche damage caused by the February 4, 1907, avalanche at Monarch. The flatroofed building is the Blatchford Hotel mentioned in account 172A (John Ophus Collection, Salida).........171

Figure 36. — The Eclipse avalanche path, mine dumps, and roads at Monarch as they appeared in 

June 1981. The February 6, 1907, avalanche is thought to have released in the saddle of the 

skyline ridge. The low building in the lower right corner is the Madonna Mine. The large 

cuts and fills and the huge tailing piles are the result of recent quarry activity. They were 

not present in 1907. ........................................................................................................................ 175

Figure 37. — This is thought to be debris from the February 6, 1907 avalanche at Monarch that

 hit the boarding house of the Eclipse Mine, killing F. Y. Harris. The building pictured here

 has been identified as the Number 4 Tunnel of the Eclipse Mine by Mr. George McKeen, a 

former resident of Monarch (John Ophus Collection, Salida)................................................................. 176

Figure 38. — Colorado and Southern rotary snowplow 99201 at Baker Tank on Boreas Pass near 

Breckenridge in 1936 (R. H. Kindig Collection, Denver). ...................................................................... 179

Figure 39. — Parry Peak (A) - Gordon Gulch (B) (Twin Lakes) avalanche paths. Gordon Mine is at (C) 

and Pomroy Gulch at (D). Slides from this area ran to the valley floor in 1884 [128], 1899 [157X], 

and 1962 [Page 1]. A smaller avalanche on January 19, 1916 [182] probably did not reach the valley. 

The January 21, 1962 avalanche killed seven people. The 1884 avalance took no lives, the 1899 event 

killed one man and the 1916 avalanche killed two men. This photo was taken January 23, 1962................. 185

Figure 40. — Imprint of rotary snowplow blade in avalanche debris at the Uneva Lake Avalanche near 

Curtin in Ten Mile Canyon in 1936. When debris was deeper than the rotary blades, men had to 

shovel the snow down so the plow could handle it. Trees and rocks in the snow severely damaged 

the rapidly spinning blades (R. H. Kindig Collection, Denver)............................................................... 194

Figure 41. — A Colorado and Southern passenger train moving through the cut in avalanche debris 

at the Uneva Lake Avalanche near Curtin in Ten Mile Canyon in 1936 (R. H. Kindig Collection,

 Denver). .........................................................................................................................................195

Figure 42. — “Big Mike” Avalanche path and the site of the Curtin or Uneva Lake station on the 

High Line Branch of the Colorado and Southern Railroad in Ten Mile Canyon above Frisco. 

Foundations of the buildings at Curtin are in the square opening in the trees (lower left corner). 

The railroad was just below the lower edge of this picture which was taken in June 1981. ....................... 197

Figure 43. — Topographic map of Ten Mile Canyon showing approximate location of Curtin (A)

 at Railroad Mile Post 122 (also called Uneva or Uneva Lake), Railroad Mile Post 123 (B), and 

Wheeler which is about 2200 feet south of (C)................................................................................... 200

v
Figure 44. — Looking south up Ten Mile Canyon from the top of the highway cutbank, near Highway 

Mile Post 199. The old Colorado and Southern Railroad grade (left of the stream) is now a 

paved bicycle path. Mile Post 122 on the Colorado and Southern Railroad and Curtin (Uneva 

Lake) were just left of the lower left corner of this picture. Railroad Mile Post 123 was close 

to the place where the two lanes of Interstate 70 curve to the right (June, 1981)...................................... 201

Figure 45. — Part of the Independence Pass, 7-1.2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned 

in the newspaper accounts are circled. ...............................................................................................203

Figure 46. — Part of Sheet 5 of the Gunnison County maps (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. ..................................................................................................... 204

Figure 47. — Part of Sheet 2 of the Gunnison County maps (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. ......................................................................................................205

Figure 48. — Part of the Mt. Lincoln, 15-minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. [Fig. 49 fits below this one.] ............................................................. 206

Figure 49. — Part of the Mt. Lincoln, 15-minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. [Fig. 48 fits above this one.] .............................................................. 207

vi
“A mile above a concussion jolted the cliff; a terrific echo to the 

pistol-shot. Down came the slide — gently at first — so far away it 

seemed only as wide as one’s hand. In an instant the snow shot from 

under the two men. A mile of snow, bristling hairlike with root-torn 

pines, thundered down the slope. Mason and Salarado, forgetful of 

each other, were whirled into the air; and fell back on a huge slab of 

ice that crashed down that tumbling mountainside unbroken by the 

mass of fighting logs around it. This piece of ice on which they lay was 

thick and solid; laced and interlaced with tough brushwood frozen in. 

This woven acre rode the avalanche like a sled. A crag a quarter of a 

mile ten feet ahead, passed with a roar. A huge pine whipped by faster 

yet. That rocky spur half a mile down — now behind — was a pain in 

the ear. Faster, faster, dropping, falling, sailing — they are standing 

still; but on either side, up from below, the air and the mountains pour 

— then blackness.” (Thomas 1969)

vii

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



Historic Avalanches in the 

Northern Front Range

and the Central and 

Northern Mountains 

of Colorado

1861-1950

M. Martinelli, Jr., and Charles F. Leaf

Introduction

About 5:30 Sunday morning, January 21, 1962, an avalanche released high in Gordon Gulch, 1 ̊ miles west of the small town of Twin Lakes, Colo. 

Within a few minutes, a family of five and both children of a second family were dead. 

In addition, six buildings, seven vehicles, and two small trailers were demolished and 

three more buildings were damaged. Avalanche debris extended well into the flats 

along Lake Creek, 1,000 feet beyond the road along which the houses had been 

built. Most of the local residents had no idea this avalanche could come anywhere 

near the houses. A few old timers from nearby Leadville, however, recalled that the 

“Twin Lakes Avalanche” had crossed the road “about 70 years ago”.

Avalanche accounts later in this report show this avalanche ran to the valley floor 

in May 1884 and again in February 1899, when it killed one person. A smaller 

avalanche on this path in January 1916 killed two miners, but probably stopped 

short of the road. This is a classic example of the type of accident that can usually be 

prevented if good avalanche records are readily available and are used to make sure 

homes and other highly vulnerable structures are not built in hazardous locations.

Colorado House Bill 1041, passed in 1974, establishes procedures and the legal 

mechanism for land use zoning based on natural hazards, including avalanches. 

The basic idea for avalanche zoning is first to identify and map known avalanche 

paths; then to determine, for each path, the area that will be covered by the largest 

avalanche likely to occur within some predetermined time interval — often taken
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



Figure 1. — Map of western Colorado showing the primary mountain areas mentioned in this report.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



as 100 years. Land use planners can use this information to assure rational 

development in much the same way the 100-year flood is used to plan activities and 

development along rivers.

Mears has developed guidelines for determining the degree of avalanche hazard 

for a given path based on field evidence of the frequency and size of events on the 

path (Mears 1976). He also has mapped the avalanche paths and delineated the 

degree of hazard around them for selected areas of potential development in central 

Colorado (Mears 1979).

Ideally any avalanche hazard evaluation based on a return interval should be 

developed from records that are at least twice as long as the return interval. This, 

plus the fact that large infrequent events have the greatest potential for catastrophe, 

make a strong case for extending records of avalanche frequency and size as far back 

in time as possible. 

This publication is an attempt to extend the avalanche record for selected parts of 

Colorado as far back as existing data permits. The newspapers from the old mining 

camps were our chief source of information. Avalanches, especially large, destructive 

ones, were well reported. Over two hundred accounts have been located, analyzed, 

and are published here. These accounts are numbered consecutively, starting with 

early events in the Front Range, to facilitate cross referencing and indexing. A and 

B suffixes are used to designate second and third accounts of the same accident. 

The X and Y suffixes are used to keep later entries in chronological order. In the 

text when reference is made to a specific account, the account number is given in 

square brackets. 

Comments inserted into the original newspaper articles by the authors are 

enclosed in square brackets. Some of the old articles were damaged or otherwise 

difficult to read. These omissions or the authors’ interpretations of these data are 

enclosed thus { }.

Many of the accounts are explicit enough to permit the sites to be located in the 

field. A few give sufficient detail to be used for checking the empirical techniques 

for calculating avalanche runout distances. The accounts also give a good idea of 

how much the early mountain dwellers knew about avalanches.

Historic accounts were compiled for two geographic areas — the Northern Front 

Range and the Central and Northern Mountains. The Northern Front Range area 

consists primarily of the mountains east of the Continental Divide and north of 

Highway 285; however, the southeast corner of Summit County is included because 

events from that area are closely related to those across the ridge in Clear Creek 

County and were extensively covered in the Georgetown and Silver Plume newspaper. 

The Central and Northern Mountains include all or part of the Medicine Bow, 

Mosquito, Gore, Sawatch, Ten Mile, and Elk ranges (Fig. 1). Armstrong (1976, 

1977, and 1980) has made similar historic compilations for San Juan, Ouray, and 

San Miguel counties in southwestern Colorado.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



Data Sources

Three newspapers, the Georgetown Courier, the Leadville Herald Democrat, and the Summit County Journal were the primary sources of information. 

Additional data were obtained from the publications of the naturalist Enos Mills 

(1911, 1915, and 1921); mining engineer T. A. Rickard (1903, 1907); and several 

books about the geology, mining, railroads and ghost towns of the study areas. 

Gallagher (1967), Williams (1975), Williams and Armstrong (1984) and Logan & 

Atkins (1996) have documented avalanche accidents in the United States in more 

recent times.

Avalanche Knowledge and Awareness

Many of the avalanche concepts we accept and use today were well known by the miners and mountain dwellers a century ago. These people lived and 

worked in the steep, snow-covered mountains year round. They learned many 

things about avalanches by direct observation and personal experience.

A few examples of avalanche concepts that appeared in the newspapers and 

non-technical literature of the era are given below. Although at times somewhat 

exaggerated, most are basically sound. The publication of these accounts in 

newspapers and readily available books and magazines indicates the information 

was generally available even though most of the events referred to, such as the 

Liberty Bell accident and some of Enos Mills observations, took place in the San 

Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado.

In 1903, T. A. Rickard, a respected mining engineer and former state geologist 

(1895-1901), wrote: 

“As a rule, it is possible to predict the track of snowslides because they 

commonly follow the line of destruction marked out by them in previous 

years, but as a matter of fact, the great injury to life and property due to 

snowslides is just the one which is caused by the unexpected slide which 

takes an entirely unsuspected line of descent. Such was the cause of the 

Liberty Bell catastrophe, for, of course, the buildings were erected at a spot 

confidently believed to be immune from such a danger. 

“The destructiveness of the snowslide must be seen to be appreciated; 

buildings and tramways are as toys before its fierce oncoming and men in the 

path of its descent are as straws in a whirlwind. In fact, much of the damage 

is due to the vacuum caused by the rapid motion of a mass of snow and the 

cyclonic disturbance which follows in its wake. I have often watched them 

descending a neighboring ravine, when myself out of all chance of danger. 

The thunder of its tempestuous descent first calls one’s attention, and then 

one sees the mass of snow gathering underlying rocks, uprooting trees, amid 

a quickly gathering mist of snow particles driven fiercely by the whirlwind in 

the rear. The rushing mass will not stop at the bottom of the slope, but its 

momentum will carry it some distance up the opposite declivity, while all the 

forest trembles and the air is darkened with a snow mist.” ...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



This article points out that avalanches usually follow the same path each time 

they run. However, it emphasizes the potential for catastrophe when the occasional 

avalanche deviates from its usual path and establishes a new one. This potential 

for serious consequences when avalanches break out of their familiar paths is still 

a serious problem for planners and others concerned with avalanche zoning. The 

destructive force, the turbulent snowdust cloud, and the ability of fast-moving 

avalanches to cross the valley floor and climb part way up the opposite slope are 

also emphasized. 

Two years later the Georgetown Courier for March 5, 1905, carried an article 

titled “Rocky Mountain Avalanches” that quoted Dr. J. Q. Allen of Telluride, Colo. 

Some excerpts from that lengthy article are given here:

“My first experience with a slide was at Creede, Colo. I, with three 

other men, was on the side of a mountain looking at some mining property. 

We were above timber line and about half way from the bottom of the gulch 

to the top of the mountain. I did not think at the time of danger, as the 

snow where we were was only 18 inches deep.

“The field suddenly cracked and the snow below us moved down a foot 

or two. This took away the support of an immense mass of snow above us, 

where it had blown over the top of the ridge to a depth of 15 or 20 feet. It 

broke the crest of the ridge and all of the snow on our side of the mountain 

came down upon us. The mountain curved around us in a circular manner 

and the width of the slide was more than 1,000 feet, we being about in the 

center. I glanced up, on hearing the snow break, and acting upon my first 

impulse, turned my back to the avalanche. It struck me first on the legs, 

and I sprang into the air as high as I could. The mass passed under me, 

and by the terrific rush of the snow I was kept on top all the way down into 

the gulch, about 500 feet.

“I was the only one free, and proceeded to dig the others out. As the 

snow frequently packs after running almost to the consistency of ice, this 

was no easy matter. The man next to me was buried in a perpendicular 

position, with only his hair visible. I had to free his body down to his 

ankles before I could pull him out. The last man reached was dead when 

extricated. The rest of us escaped with slight bruises. It was the next July 

before articles we lost were found.

“The first slide at the Liberty Bell mine ran at least one mile. The snow 

was left 25 feet deep in the gulch, and probably more than that in places, 

possibly a maximum depth of 40 feet. There was no mass of ice in the 

slide, only snow, solidly packed by the impact of the moving mass. The 

vertical distance which this slide descended was fully 3,000 feet. The slides 

all started above timber line, at an altitude of from 12,000 to 13,000 feet. 

The first 1,000 feet of the course of the slide referred to was at an angle of 

about 40°, the next 500 feet, 20° and the balance of the way about 15° from 

horizontal. Of course, the upper part of the range is much steeper than 

this, in places almost perpendicular, but the snow does not accumulate to 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



any extent on such a steep surface, merely striking against the wall of rock 

and falling down to where it can stick to the surface until it accumulates to 

great depth.

“The current of air produced by an avalanche is often terrific. The 

swiftly moving mass of snow creates an air pressure in front and a partial 

vacuum behind, producing currents strong enough to destroy buildings 

untouched by the snow. The difference in air pressure within and outside of 

a building is sometimes sufficient to actually blow the structure to pieces.

“Of course, avalanches usually run in well beaten tracks; but 

occasionally the wind will so drift the snow as to throw the slide out of 

the regular course. This explains why we often see the slide cutting down 

through timber, which is evidence in itself that no slide has run there for 

many years before.

“The causes which operate to start the slide are various. When a 

heavy fall of snow has taken place early in the winter, as soon as it is heavy 

enough it will move regardless of the time of day or of any other influence. 

Slides that occur in the month of April are usually caused by the heat from 

the sun. When a large field has accumulated high up on the side of the 

mountain, and has been frozen to the earth, it will remain until the heat of 

the sun loosens it from the bottom. In our locality [Telluride] these slides 

usually start about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. In loose, freshly-fallen snow, 

very little is needed to start a big slide. The firing of a gun or a sudden 

gust of wind may be sufficient. If a small bunch of snow no larger than 

an orange, drops from a little cliff and starts rolling down the side of the 

mountain, it may enlarge rapidly enough to start an immense avalanche.”

Additional generally accepted concepts appear in the above excerpts. For 

example: The sudden collapse of a snow layer is enough to trigger an avalanche. 

Avalanche debris quickly becomes so dense and tough that it completely immobilizes 

a victim. Dangerous amounts of snow usually do not accumulate on slopes much 

steeper than 40°, because the snow tends to slide off such steep slopes in small 

amounts during the storms. Turbulent air currents associated with some avalanches 

cause damage beyond the path of the moving snow, and unusual winds can cause 

unusual snow deposition in the starting zones, which may cause the avalanches to 

follow unexpected paths.

Although the above ideas are still generally accepted, the idea that spring 

avalanches occur when the snow which “has been frozen to the earth” all winter 

is “loosened from the bottom” by the “heat of the sun,” is misleading. Spring 

avalanches are now considered to be the result of the weakening of snow layers 

or the lubrication of a snow layer boundary by melt water, which is produced at 

the snow surface and drains downward. Present-day avalanche authorities would 

agree, however, that spring avalanches result from an increase in solar energy and 

that they often occur in mid afternoon.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



A later account by Enos Mills (1915), a naturalist and “government snow 

observer”, who had observed numerous avalanches in the Colorado Mountains, is 

also informative:

“Snow-slides may be said to have habits. Like water they are governed 

by gravity. Both in gulches and on mountainsides, they start most readily 

on steep and comparatively smooth slopes. If a snow-drift is upon a thirtydegree incline, it may almost be pushed into sliding with a feather. A slope 

more steeply inclined than thirty degrees does not offer a snow-drift any 

visible means of support. Unless this slope is broken or rough, a snow-drift 

may slide off at any moment.

“In the course of a winter, as many as half a dozen slides may start from 

the same place and each shoot down through the same gorge or over the 

same slope as its predecessor. Only so much snow can cling to a slope; 

therefore the number of slides during each winter is determined by the 

quantity of snow and the character of the slope. As soon as snow is piled 

beyond the holding-limit, away starts the slide. A slide may have slipped 

from this spot only a few days before, and here another may slip away a few 

days later; or a year may elapse before another runs. Thus local topography 

and local weather conditions determine local slide habits, — when a slide 

will start and the course over which it will run...Slides of this kind — those 

which promptly make away with new-fallen snow by carrying it down through 

stream channels — may be called Storm, or Flood, slides. These usually are 

formed in smooth gulches or on steep slopes.

“The other kinds of slides may be called the Annual and the Century. 

In places of rough surface or moderate slope there must be a large 

accumulation of snow before a slide will start. Weeks or even months may 

pass before storm and wind assemble sufficient snow for a slide. Places 

of this kind commonly furnish but one slide a year, and this one in the 

springtime. At last the snow-drifts reach their maximum; warmth assists 

starting by melting snow-cornices that have been held through the winter; 

these drop, and by dropping often start things going. The Annual slide does 

man but little damage and, like the Flood slide, it follows the gulches and 

water courses. Wind and calm, gravity, friction, adhesion, cohesion, geology, 

temperature and precipitation, all have a part and place in snow-piling and in 

slide-starting.

“The Century slides are the damaging ones. These occur not only at 

unexpected times, but in unexpected places. The Century slide is the deadly 

one. It usually comes down a course not before traversed by a slide, and 

sometimes crashes through a forest or a village. It may be produced by 

a record-breaking snow or by snow-drifts formed in new places by winds 

from an unusual quarter; but commonly the mass of material is slowly 

accumulated. This may contain the remnant snows and the wreckage 

spoils of a hundred years or more. Ten thousand snows have added to its 

slowly growing pile; tons of rock-dust has been swept into it by the winds; 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



gravel has been deposited in it by water; and gravity has conducted to it 

the crumbling rocks from above. At last—largely ice—it breaks away. In 

rushing down, it gathers material from its predestined way.”

The Storm or Flood avalanche is now called a direct action or new snow 

avalanche (i.e., it is the direct result of a snow storm). Mills’ Annual avalanche 

refers mostly to infrequent avalanches that usually run as wet or spring avalanches. 

The snowpack usually fails in the older layers of snow and may or may not break 

through to the ground. His idea that the Century avalanche consists of snow from 

numerous winters is completely erroneous. He seems to be describing ice falls from 

a glacier. The large, full-depth avalanche may result from unusually large storms, 

uncommon storm patterns, unusual wind-loading patterns, or some combinations 

of these events, but in Colorado they involve the snow of only one winter. His 

observations that the frequency of avalanches varies greatly from path to path is 

certainly valid.

The newspaper accounts that appear later in this report support additional 

concepts that may not have been generally understood at the turn of the century 

but are an important part of our current avalanche knowledge. Some of these 

concepts and a few of the accounts that illustrate them are: 

1.	 Many avalanches run during or just after large storms: Large amounts of 

fresh snow often lead to vigorous avalanche action [14, 34, 45, 62, 95, 109, 

125, 129, 132, 168].

2.	 When avalanche and storm conditions are bad, it is wise to avoid travel for

a few days: This allows the new snow to settle and become more stable [95, 

108, 135, 149].

3.	 Chances for a live recovery after a long burial are much better if the victim

is buried amidst debris from a building or has some other type of protection from the snow: Suffocation is the most frequent cause of death among 

avalanche victims. Foreign material such as logs or lumber creates many air 

pockets. It also supports the snow. Such foreign material, however, increases 

the difficulty of locating the victim by probing and of removing the snow during 

rescue operations. In the accounts listed here there are four events where people 

were recovered alive after 14 to 18 hour burials and one of a live recovery after 

49 hours [14, 77, 78, 110, 110A, 118, 126, 163A, 172, 172A, 172B].

4.	 Buried victims can often hear sounds from above, but can seldom make

themselves heard: This phenomenon has been reported from many areas of 

the world. The reason for it is not certain. It may be that the absence of sound 

in the snow makes it easier for the victim to detect faint sounds from above; 

whereas the normal sounds above the snow mask faint sounds coming from the 

buried victim. So far snow has not been shown to be a one-way filter for audible 

sounds [14].

5.	 People can be killed by exceedingly small avalanches or can survive unbelievable encounters, depending on local conditions and luck: The avalanche 

that killed W.M. Wooding in April 1884 near Silver Plume was only 8 or 10 feet 

wide and less than 300 feet long [20]. The avalanche that killed six people at 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)



the Smith-Hill Coal Mine near Crested Butte in January 1883 was reported to 

be “not a very large one” [117]. On the other hand, there were many reports 

where people were carried 500 to 2000 feet by avalanches and survived with either minor or no injuries [3, 13, 20, 48, 117, 135, 137, 138, 163, 163A, 179].

6.	 Rescuers should make a quick search for any visible evidence of buried victims: It is important to locate and free buried victims quickly. On the average, 

the chances for a live recovery drop below 50-50 after the first half hour. Locating the victims by any method other than visual contact is very time consuming. 

In the cases listed below rescuers located the victim after seeing either a hand or 

a foot extending above the snow [48, 72, 91, 138, 172A].

7.	 People will often rebuild or remain in dangerous areas unless restraints

are imposed and enforced: Certain of the mines were good examples of this. 

Many of them were hit or threatened repeatedly [19 & 40; 40 & 42; 36 & 43; 

49, 51, 53, 54 & 81]. There are also accounts of the same home being hit in 

1913 and again in 1921 [59, 77, 78]. 

In addition to the above, one case was found [74] when an avalanche occurred 

at about the same time as earthquake tremors were recorded nearby. This is an 

interesting interaction that is not well documented in Colorado. McSaveney (1978) 

and Field (1965), however, give accounts of rock and snow avalanches caused by a 

large earthquake in Alaska, and Higashiura and others (1979) report several small 

avalanches caused by an earthquake in Japan.

Severe Winter Storms

The winter of 1898-1899 has been called the “winter of the big snow” for most of the mountainous area of Colorado. Gilliland (1980) reports that in 

Summit County “on November 27, 1898 flakes began to tumble from a cloudy 

sky, by 9 am the next day five feet of snow covered the ground. Snow fell every day 

from November 27 until February 20. Snow cover rose to roof-top levels. Tunnels 

across main street were used to connect business in Breckenridge. In Montezuma 

snow shoulder-to-chin-high, accumulated overnight. Old Dillon and other Summit 

County towns were buried [by snow] high as two-story buildings. After the “winter 

of the big snow” (1989-1899)...came a spring of blockbuster snowslides...Grey’s 

Peak snow melt set off a massive avalanche that reduced the town of Rathbone 

[formerly called Decatur] to splinters on a fine spring 1899 day.

In Leadville Blair (1980, p. 203-208) says during two weeks in January 1899, 

almost five feet of snow had fallen. The railroads were stranded and roads drifted 

and impassible. On January 28, three Rio Grande engines hooked in tandem set 

out to clear the Blue River Branch over Freemont Pass. A few miles out of Leadville 

an avalanche hit the lead engine and rolled it over. The second engine was thrown 

to its side. The third engine stayed on the track but the caboose was swept off the 

track and buried in the snow. In early February a telephone line repair crew saw 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

10

thirty six snowslides in a fourteen mile stretch between Leadville and Twin Lakes. 

Snow was nine feet deep on the level in Twin Lakes on February 22. An additional 

five feet of snow fell during February and almost four feet during the first six days 

of March. Between January 15 and March 28 (10 weeks) 187 inches of snow fell 

on Leadville. One day during this period a team of horses hauling a load of lumber 

to the upper end of Big Evans Gulch was stopped when the runner of the sled hit 

the top of the steeple of the old Evansville School.

Vandenbusche and Myers (1970, p. 30-31) quote the Denver Post for February 

11, 1899 that the winter 1898-1899 was the worst old timers in Marble, Colorado 

could remember. The road from Crystal to Marble was under ten to fifty feet of 

snow and temperatures dropped to -35 degrees F. on several occasions.

The railroads were particularly hard hit. On February 4, there were twentyfive avalanches across the railroads in the 34.7 miles between Dickey and Leadville. 

The next day, five locomotives were trapped in the snow and avalanches debris in 

the eleven miles between Glenwood Springs and Shoshone (Denver Evening Post, 

February 4 & 5, 1899). Snow blocked the railroad at Snowden, ten miles south 

of Leadville (Blair 1980, p. 204) and an army of snow shovelers and snow plows 

failed to keep the Colorado Midland Railroad open near Hagerman Pass west of 

Leadville (Eberhard 1974, p. 230).

As bad as this winter was, old time railroad men said the winters of 1871-72 and 

1884 were as bad if not worse for the railroads. (Denver Evening Post, February 

5, 1899, p. 8.) 

Other shorter periods of heavy snowfall were recorded. March 8-10, 1884 was 

a period of heavy snow and strong winds on Aspen Mountain. Old timers said it 

was the worst storm in the Roaring Fork Valley in the past five years. Snow depth 

on Aspen Mountain was estimated to be 10 feet on the level [125].

In early February 1909, the railroad loop between Georgetown and Silver Plume 

was closed by heavy snow as were several of the other mountain railroad lines [177]. 

The 1908-1909 winter was considered one of the hardest winters since 1884 in 

the Eagle River Country [178].

Tables 3 and 4, pages 220 and 231 emphasize the well established fact that heavy 

snowfalls in steep terrain produce numerous avalanches. Fatalities and property 

damage depend on how many people, structures, trains or cars are in the vicinity. 

In our study almost 14 percent of the recorded fatalities happened in the three 

months of January, February, and March 1899. Miners, teamsters and railroad 

men were the usual victims of past years. In years to come, the victims may well 

be cross country skiers, snowboarders, and snow mobilers seeking fresh powder 

on steep, timber-free terrain.

Early Avalanche Control

Apparently, primitive avalanche control measures were routinely used in 

Colorado during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Enos Mills (1915) 

discussed control methods and even referred to the Swiss practice of revegetating 

avalanche areas as follows:
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

11

“Although a snow-slide is almost irresistible, it is not difficult, in 

many localities, to prevent slides by anchoring the small snow drift which 

would slip and start the slide. In the West, a number of slides have been 

suppressed by setting a few posts in the upper reaches of slopes and 

gulches. These posts pinned fast the snow that would slip. The remainder 

held its own. The Swiss, too, have eliminated many Alpine slides by 

planting hardy shrubbery in the slippery snowy areas. This anchorage gives 

the snow a hold until it can compact and freeze fast. Shrubbery thus is 

preventing the white avalanche.”

Mills (1921) recounted his participation in a more adventuresome method of 

avalanche control as follows:

“Next morning I was up early and all ready when the foreman came out 

and asked, `Has the Ferguson run yet? Well, then, tell Sullivan to start her.’ 

Looking in my direction, he added, `Tell him to take this fellow along.’

“I followed Sullivan’s example and seized a ten-pound rock fragment 

on the dump, then hurried along, trying on web shoes to keep up with 

Sullivan’s long skee strides. `The Ferguson,’ I learned, as we hustled along, 

was the name of a gulch; and the thing the foreman wanted started was the 

snow in the upper end. Several times each winter, as soon as snow from 

storm or wind accumulated in the gulch or on the summit rim, the snow ran 

out in a slide—the Ferguson slide. When it failed to start promptly of its 

own accord after a heavy snowstorm the miners started it. It was dangerous 

to use the road over the gulch, half a mile below, with the snowslide 

impending. A slide of several hundred tons of snow could rush the full 

length of the smooth steep-sided gulch in a minute or less, although it was 

from a quarter to a half a mile deep and more than a mile long.

“The mine building stood on the top of the plateau a short distance 

from the head of the gulch. Whirling winds made a current down the gulch, 

but as they swept over the rim the current was broken and much of the 

wind-carried snow was dropped forming in a few hours an enormous snow 

cornice at the upper rim of the gulch. Here we stopped.

“`Throw her there,’ directed Sullivan.

“My ten-pound rock made a snowy splash. Instantly a wagon-load of 

snow slipped, then the entire cornice caved off and the whole mass of snow 

in the upper end of the gulch started sliding. With a rush and roar it swept 

down the gulch. Whirling, back-flying snow filled the sky above the canyon 

with snowflakes and snow dust. The Ferguson had run.”

Modern day avalanche control specialists occasionally see avalanches release when 

their two-pound, hand-thrown explosive hits the snow, well before it detonates. It 

is still not known how often and for how long such hair-trigger conditions exist.

Brown 1977 (p. 92) reports a variation of this technique used by the miners at 

Crested Butte. On their way to work in the morning they often strapped sticks of 

dynamite to their legs under the trousers to keep the explosive warm. When it was 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

12

necessary to cross a potential snowslide path, the miners would put a few sticks on 

long poles and detonate them. The concussion {often} caused the slide to run. 

Early structural measures employed to control avalanches were apparently 

successful. Enos Mills (1921) documented this success at one mine as quoted 

below:

“One mine which I visited was on a steep slope above the tree line and 

not far from the top of the mountains where winds blew deep drifts. Twice 

these snowdrifts had slipped, and the huge slides had swept down upon the 

buildings and carried them, smashed, to the bottom of the canyon a mile 

below. But for several years these snowdrifts had not slid, for they were 

securely anchored by four rows of stout posts across the slopes where snow 

accumulated. Sometimes stone walls are used for the purpose. The snow 

settles over, hangs on, is held fast.” ...

At one mine site where structural control was unsuccessful, Mills reported that 

“two men were placed on lookout after each snowstorm to fire warning shots the 

instant the slide started.”

Rickard (1907) also testified to the success of structural defenses as quoted 

below.

“...In Ouray, Silverton, Telluride, and Creede—all in the region 

formerly known as ‘the Silvery San Juan,’ but now identified chiefly with 

profitable gold mining—are localities where snowslides are of yearly 

occurrence. One of the worst seasons in this regard was the spring of 1884, 

when a series of slides came down into the canyon of the Animas, below 

Silverton so as to blockade the Rio Grande Railroad to Durango. In March 

1902, as already related, 18 men were killed at the Liberty Bell Mine, above 

Telluride; the mill buildings were swept away and the tramway was severely 

injured. Since then the management of the Liberty Bell has built a V-shaped 

crib-work of solid timbers, filled with rock, in the path of the slide that did 

this damage. Their foresight was rewarded during the spring of 1906, for 

the snow broke away as before, but the slide was divided by this obstacle 

and did comparatively little harm.”

Early defense structures of the type described by Rickard were also mentioned 

by Armstrong (1976) who pointed out that earth mounds were also used to protect 

at least one mine in San Juan County.

Vandenbusche and Myers, 1970 (p. 90-96) report that by 1915 the mill at 

Marble, Colorado was well protected from avalanches by a fifty-foot high retention 

wall made of huge blocks of excess marble. The wall, located on the north bank of 

the Crystal River and leaning slightly toward the river and the mountain, intercepted 

the avalanches and deflected most of the snow back into the river. This wall 

successfully protected the mill from three massive avalanches that accompanied a 

month long series of severe snow storms that ended on January 26, 1916. It was 

obvious, however, that had there been another avalanche it would have flowed 

over the accumulated snow and overtopped the wall. Later that year the wall was 

extended upward another fifteen feet. This solved the avalanche problem at the 

mill.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

13

Modern structural control of avalanches is discussed in the Avalanche Handbook 

(Perla and Martinelli, 1975) and several other publications and translations (Frutiger 

and Martinelli, 1966; Mears, 1981; U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 

1975; and Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, 1961).

Case Study Possibilities

One of the objectives of this study was to acquire data on runout distance for very large avalanches. Once in a while, for reasons not completely 

understood, an avalanche will run much farther down its path than usual. This is 

the type of rare event that has the potential for catastrophe if it were to occur in 

a heavily populated area. For this reason it is important to allow for these events 

when mapping avalanche hazards for zoning purposes. 

In order to do this with the empirical calculation procedure now available, we 

must know the appropriate friction coefficients to use to predict the runout distance 

for this type of avalanche. One way of acquiring this knowledge is to calibrate the 

equations against known events called case studies. A complete coverage of the 

techniques used and 12 examples are given elsewhere (Leaf and Martinelli, 1977).

Several of the following newspaper articles, while not technical, contain sufficient 

data to be useful for this purpose. These include the avalanches at Twin Lakes in 

May 1884 [128]; Willihan Gulch on February 18, 1899 [34, 34A, 34B}; SevenThirty Mine (in Brown Gulch) on February 25, 1899 [36]; Monarch in February 

1907 [172, 172A, 172B]; Sherman Mountain in April 1921 [77, 78]; and at Mount 

Owen [Ruby Peak] January 1883 [166]. Other events may also be useful if old 

mine locations and building sites can still be located in the field.

We can use the Brown Gulch avalanche of February 25, 1899 as an example of 

a case study for runout distance computations. Newspaper account [36] says the 

avalanche “...broke away from Brown Mountain near the Seven-Thirty Mine...[it] 

started at three points, all joined in a mad rush down Brown Gulch...and terminated 

on the banks of Clear Creek a mile distant from the starting point.”

Although this is not as explicit as we would like, it is useful. We assume from 

the description and from the terrain given on the topographic map (Fig. 19; page 

86) that one of the starting points was on the southeast flank of Brown Mountain 

at an elevation of about 11,160 feet, northwest of the Seven-Thirty Mine. Another 

starting point could have been on the north side of Brown Gulch at an elevation of 

about 11,200 feet just above the “G” in the word Gulch (Fig. 19; page 86). 

Even though these points are not a mile from the stream, they are likely places 

for an avalanche to start, and the distance given is almost surely an estimate.

A terrain profile (Appendix A) from the first starting point down the gulch and 

out to the bank of Clear Creek shows a gradient that varies from 24° to 31°. We 

consider the runout zone to start at an elevation of about 9,280 feet where the 

gradient decreases to 6.4°. 

To use the procedures outlined elsewhere (Leaf and Martinelli, l977) to calculate 

runout distance, we must choose values to describe the avalanche and the terrain over 

which it traveled. The average depth of snow that broke away from the starting 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

14

zone (h') gives an idea of avalanche size. Experience has shown this varies from 

0.5 m for commonly observed avalanches to about 1.2 m for very large avalanches 

(Sommerhalder, 1966). Since this avalanche ran during a period of very great 

snowfall [74], we chose 1.5 m for h' to indicate an unusually large avalanche. Next, 

we selected a value of 0.15 for the coefficient of sliding or kinetic friction, μ. This 

relatively low value indicates the avalanche ran in fresh, dry snow during the cold 

part of the winter. Next we set a value of 600 m/s2 for the coefficient of turbulent 

friction, Ê, to indicate the avalanche ran down a gulch or gully (Leaf and Martinelli, 

1977, p. 5). The runout distance computed from these values (Appendix A) was 

119 meters (390 feet) — about half the observed runout distance of 700 feet. The 

value of Ê was then increased to 750 m/s2, a value usually used for avalanches that 

run down open or unconfined mountain slopes. This was done because it was 

thought such a value might also be appropriate for gullies with a deep snow cover. 

The runout distance calculated with μ= 0.15, h' = 1.5 m, and Ê = 750 m/s2 was 

almost exactly 700 feet.

This one example is not conclusive evidence that these μ and Ê values are the best 

to use for this type of avalanche. However, if this approach is used on enough case 

studies, eventually we will learn which coefficients engineers and planners should use 

to compute runout distance for a wide variety of snow and terrain conditions.

Avalanche Chronology

The accounts given here begin during the mining era of the mid-1800’s and end in 1950. Since the early 1950’s more complete and systematic 

avalanche records have been taken as part of the Forest Service’s avalanche studies 

(Gallagher 1967, Williams 1975, Williams and Armstrong 1984) and the continuing 

avalanche forecasting program in Colorado (Logan & Atkins, 1996).

During the period 1861-1951 for the Northern Front Range and 1862-1945 

for the Central and Northern Colorado Mountains, we have been able to document 

that 209 people were killed in avalanche accidents [Tables 1 and 2; pages 218 and 

219]. In addition, hundreds were injured or caught in avalanches and survived 

uninjured. Of the 209 deaths, 85 were in February (about 41%).

Many of the multiple-death accidents involved boarding houses or homes. Some 

of the most tragic accidents involved family groups. All six children of the widowed 

Mrs. Doyle were killed at Woodstock in March 1884 [126]. Four members of the 

Reed family died when the Whale Mine boarding house in the upper Hall Valley 

about 3  ̊ miles south-southeast of Montezuma was hit in January 1877 [9]. Mr. 

and Mrs. Domenico Destefane and their two children were killed in their home 

near Silver Plume in February 1899 [34, 34A, 34B]. Mrs. Sweezy was killed, her 

husband and one child were lost and presumed dead, while another child was rescued 

uninjured, at Tomichi in March 1899 [158, 158B]. The six Nason children, 4 

to 19 years of age, were orphaned when their parents were killed and their home 

demolished at Monarch in February 1907 [172, 172A, 172B].
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

15

Two years after the Woodstock accident, Mrs. Doyle filed suit in the United 

States Court against the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad. She charged 

the railroad company had cut all the timber off the mountain for ties and timber, 

thus making the avalanche possible [133]. She claimed five thousand dollars per 

child plus twenty thousand for injury and damage to herself and personal property. 

The outcome of the trial is not known to us.

Avalanches were widespread and very destructive some winters and hardly 

noticeable in others. The successive winters of 1882-83 and 1883-84 accounted 

for about 28% of the avalanche fatalities in the Central and Northern Mountains 

for the 88 years following 1862. These were not particularly bad winters in the 

Northern Front Range with only one death in each of the winters. The winter of 

1898-99 was bad in both areas, with 19 killed in the Northern Front Range and 

10 killed in the Central and Northern Mountains. January and February 1899 

were months of tremendous storms and great avalanche activity all over the state. 

The chronology of avalanches is summarized in Tables 3 and 4 (pages 220 and 

231) for the two regions. These tables also give data on location, victims, damage, 

and sources of information. Dates given in column 2 of the tables and at the 

beginning of each newspaper account are the dates of the reports, not necessarily 

the dates of the avalanches.

Some Human Interest Highlights

The newspaper accounts contain many interesting and informative details of the accidents and associated weather events. They also give a good feeling for 

the concerns and attitudes of the people of that era. The unique and individualistic 

writing style is refreshing and in sharp contrast to the syndicated news reporting 

so common today. A few of the more unusual, even bizarre, events are presented 

here.

The capricious nature of avalanches is illustrated by an article in the Georgetown 

Courier for Saturday, April 23, 1921 which reported a small avalanche near Silver 

Plume [79] as follows: “The slide at the Plume [Silver Plume] swept a sitting hen 

about 400 feet. When found, the hen was still on the nest, with only two broken 

eggs. Snowslides had no terrors for that chicken.”

Accounts 137, 110 and 110A are examples of men whose time had not come. 

The first tells about a man caught in an avalanche that buried him to his waist. 

Before he could free himself, a second avalanche hit him and left him encased, 

“to his neck in a vice of ice, earth and snow.” Then a third avalanche covered his 

head, pinned his right arm to his side, and left his other arm sticking up through 

the snow. Using his bare hands, he freed himself after four hours of digging. The 

last two accounts concern a man who was in a mine shaft loading an ore bucket 

that his partner was lifting to the surface with a windlass. An avalanche overran the 

spot. The man on the surface held onto the windlass until the avalanche passed. 

The other was at the bottom of the snow-filled mine shaft and presumed dead. 

Rescuers found him 49 hours later in an “upright position, the pick above his head 

and held by his left hand...the palpitations of his chest were barely perceptible...{his} 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

16

face was terribly discolored...chin forward on his chest...extremities were cold 

as ice...arms were rigid and stiff...eyes were fixed.” The rescuers got him to the 

surface and pried open “his teeth, which were set in the cold embrace of death” 

and “administered some whiskey to him.” He regained consciousness after several 

hours under a doctor’s care and said he had remained conscious for about 8 hours 

after the snow hit him, but could remember nothing after that. He was expected 

to recover in a few days.

Dogs figured in several of the accounts. In one case [95] three men and a 

dog were caught and rolled several hundred feet by the Rothchild avalanche near 

Montezuma. According to the article, “After pawing himself to the surface the 

shepherd {dog} dug the snow away from the face of his master, then proceeded 

to do the same for Brophy, and then located the body of Burch.” Burch was 

dead from suffocation. The other two, after freeing themselves and trying to 

revive Burch, walked to Montezuma. In another case [124] an avalanche victim’s 

dog was rescued alive from under a bunk in a snow-filled cabin 33 days after the 

accident that killed his owner and 4 other men. The first rescue party missed the 

dog when the men’s bodies were recovered. A later party, searching for some of 

the victim’s personal effects, found the dog and nursed him back to health. In a 

third case [172B] H.L. McCabe said that just before the avalanche of February 4, 

1907 hit the town of Monarch, his dog came to the bed in which he was sleeping 

and pulled the covers from him, but before he had more than time to wonder at 

the dog’s strange action, the crash came. Did the dog know that a calamity was 

impending and try to warn his master?

Several other interesting incidents were reported in connection with the 

Monarch avalanche of February 4, 1907 [172A, 172B]. The reporters seemed to 

feel it appropriate that “Steve Skinner, owner of the saloon, was found on the floor 

of his place of business with a keg of beer on his chest. His head was driven through 

the floor and his skull crushed...It was evident that his death was instantaneous...

Brains scattered about furnished mute testimony of sudden death.” The other 

incident is on a more positive note. Five of the Nason children were asleep when 

the avalanche struck and demolished the boarding house which was their home. 

They were thrown out the second story window and covered with flying snow. 

Four were quickly dug out. “The baby of the family, a bright 4-year-old boy, was 

found uninjured...after being buried fourteen hours. He was tucked away under 

a section of the roof, snugly rolled up in a feather bed...A section of the roof had 

fallen over him in such a way that snow and rock could not reach him, but [he] 

was in such a small space that he was overlooked for a long time. He was happy 

and laughing when taken out.” ...

The most gruesome account concerns the 10 miners killed at the isolated 

Homestake Mine near Tennessee Pass [130]. Although the men were not found 

until late April, the avalanche probably occurred two months earlier. They were 

all in a bunkhouse that was crushed and completely covered with avalanche debris 

that was so hard it had to be cut with an ax. The body of one of the men “bore no 

trace of injury...{it} stood erect, the head slightly thrown forward as if listening, 

the arms half raised as in defense, the whole position indicating apprehension...the 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

17

bodies of three men were found in an upper bunk, clasped in each others arms...the 

attitude indicated suffocation...The limbs of the poor unfortunate were so strongly 

interlocked as to require the united efforts of six or eight men for a full half hour 

to separate them.” Others were found as though they had never awakened, one 

was in “the attitude of prayer,” still others were crushed by logs when part of the 

building collapsed. All of the faces were covered with a “half inch of white mold” 

that made identification difficult.

A picturesque description of how hard it was snowing on top of Independence 

Pass during an April storm in 1886 [149] is given by a man who said he “had 

one horse by the tail and another by the bridle but could see neither of them.” 

This storm disrupted stage travel over Independence Pass and caused a number 

of avalanches.

Discussion and Conclusions

Even though it is generally agreed that newspaper articles tend to emphasize the more spectacular events and sometimes sacrifice accuracy for 

timeliness, a great deal has been learned from these old accounts. The era covered 

by this study was one when many people were living in places dictated more by the 

presence, or suspected presence, of minerals than by safety considerations. Most 

of the people were from the Midwest or East and had only recently moved to the 

mountains. In spite of this, they seemed to have a working knowledge of many 

of the basic concepts of snowpack stability still accepted by modern mountaineers 

and snow scientists.

In spite of the relatively heavy mountain populations and occasional large 

accident, fatalities for the two areas combined averaged only 2.3 per year for the 

89-year period. Losses were erratic with 41% of the fatalities in the five biggest 

years and 34% in the five biggest individual months. There were nine accidents 

with 5 or more fatalities. These account for 33% of the total.

The largest single accident took 13 lives at the small railroad community of 

Woodstock between Pitkin and the Alpine Tunnel on March 10, 1884 [126]. Two 

other accidents took 10 lives each. One occurred above Silver Plume on February 

12, 1899 when an avalanche demolished five homes [34, 34A and 34B]. The other, 

at the Homestake Mine near Tennessee Pass, is thought to have happened in late 

February 1885 when a bunkhouse was covered by an avalanche [130].

Field examination of the old sites has been informative. The path on the east 

face of Ruby Peak mentioned in accounts 116 and 152 is very large. It and other 

paths such as those in accounts 34, 36, 77, 78, and 128 have long and well-defined 

runout areas that help establish the appropriate friction coefficients to use when 

computing maximum avalanche runout distance and impact force. Some of the 

other sites revealed small and innocuous paths whose appearance belies their deadly 

past. For example, the path down which the avalanche ran that wiped out Woodstock 

is not large nor are the ones that produced the avalanches that hit the Magna 

Charta Mine near Tomichi [122, 123, 158, 158A]), or the Benzo [Benso] home
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

18

in Silver Plume [59, 77, 78]). The avalanche that hit Monarch on February 4, 1907 

[172, 172A, and 172B] ran down a path that has since been almost completely 

removed by the expansion of the limestone quarry. 

These smaller avalanche paths are perhaps the most dangerous of all. The large 

paths are obvious and demand respect, even from inexperienced individuals; the 

smaller ones are easy to ignore and to misjudge.

The relatively long period of record furnished by these accounts gives a glimpse of 

just how severe conditions can be. Most people familiar with Colorado weather and 

avalanche conditions during the past several decades would not expect avalanches 

in the vicinity of Ward, Colorado, to be large enough to roll locomotives off the 

track. Yet this happened on April 18, 1901 [45]. Nor would they expect people 

to be killed in their homes in Idaho Springs by avalanches (Dec. 31, 1913 [69]). 

The severity of some of the storms is illustrated by the weather mentioned in the 

accounts. In April 1862 the snowcover at Georgetown was 5 feet deep [62]. It 

was 4 to 4 ̊ feet deep on numerous occasions [62, 77, 78 and 157]. The large 

storm of late January 1899 left 8 feet of snow on the level at Breckenridge [157]. 

Snowfall at Georgetown reached 89 inches during the first week of December 1913 

[77] and 66 inches during one week in April 1933 [83]. “One of the worst storms 

ever experienced in Colorado” hit on February 9-10, 1909 [177]. Nearly all the 

passes were blocked by snow. Poncha, Cumbres, and Marshall (which had not 

been closed for years) were all closed as was the Georgetown loop of the Colorado 

and Northern Railroad. Tennessee Pass, which seldom had problems, was kept 

open with difficulty. 

The long period of record also emphasizes that avalanches are relatively rare 

events that are highly dependent on weather factors. Long periods of little or no 

action are common. Highly active periods vary in length and frequency. Continuous 

avalanche records are needed to document the location of as many avalanches as 

possible, and to assure accurate information on the occasional, very large or unique 

event, since these are the ones that pose the greatest threat. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

19

Newspaper Accounts Concerning Avalanches 

in the Northern Front Range of Colorado

1861-1950

Places mentioned in these newspaper accounts are listed alphabetically in Table 

5 (page 245). Many are also marked on the topographic map segments that appear 

as Figures 16 to 19 (pages 83 through 86).

1. Rocky Mountain News, Monday, March 6, 1861

“From Mr. C. M. Ferrell of Golden City, who has lately returned from a 

trip up the North Fork of the South Platte [also called Hall Valley, see [9]], 

we learned that a man was lately lost while prospecting in that mountain 

district by being precipitated in a snow slide down a steep declivity, nearly a 

thousand feet. The man’s name was J. T. Shetler. His brother went down in 

the avalanche with him but was dug out...All efforts to find the missing man 

were useless. The avalanche was an immense one...[it] carried with it large 

trees, huge rocks, and vast masses of loose earth and fallen timber. 

[From the Snow Slide Disaster file at the Colorado Historic Society Library, 

Denver. The original article was not seen.]

2.	 Colorado Miner, Thursday, February 26, 1874

Fatal Accident

 “The following comes to us from Montezuma under date of Feb. 

17th: No doubt the many friends of Charles Fix, well known in and around 

Georgetown, will be pained to hear of his death. He went out yesterday 

morning to shoot some quail, and was gone so long that his brother, 

becoming alarmed, went in search of him. He followed his tracks to the 

edge of a large snow slide when all trace of him was lost. It is supposed 

that he was caught by the slide and buried beneath it. Every effort has been 

made for the recovery of his body, but all in vain so far. There are but few 

persons in the gulch at this time, and there is also great danger of another 

slide, so that comparatively nothing can be done.

3.	 Colorado Miner, Saturday, April 25, 1874

“Last Wednesday a snowslide occurred at the Stevens Mine, a large body 

of snow slipping from the dump a distance of thirteen hundred feet to the 

valley below. Mr. Charles Roach, a workman at the mine, was carried 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

20

down with the avalanche, the entire distance, fortunately escaping with 

his life, but having his left hip dislocated. He was brought down to 

Silver Plume, and Drs. Guthrie and Lemon were called and reduced the 

dislocation. It was a rapid ride and fortunate escape.”

4.	 Colorado Miner, Saturday, January 16, 1875

“A snow slide occurred last Sunday on Kelso Mountain near Baker 

Mine. Mr. R. H. Wood was caught and carried about 700 feet, but he 

fortunately escaped with only a crippled hand.” 

[The Baker lode is on the east slope of Kelso Mountain west of the Stevens 

Mine at an elevation of about 12,000 feet (Lovering 1935, p. 69).]

5.	 Colorado Miner, Saturday, March 27, 1875

Snow Slide

A canyon filled with 20 acres of snow

“About noon on Wednesday, the rapid tapping of the fire bell caused 

the immediate congregation of a large crowd on Alpine St., when the word 

was passed that a snow slide had occurred in the gulch next below Silver 

Creek, coming into the valley west of and about opposite Stewarts Mill.

“Instantly shovels {were} procured, and several hundred men were 

rushing down the valley to the scene of the disaster, some on horse back, 

others in wagons but the majority on foot. Reaching the gulch, it was found 

to be filled up with boulders, green trees torn up by the roots, and great 

masses of snow, as far up as the eye could grace, while far above, in a great 

horse shoe at the head of the mountain could be seen the line showing 

where the snow drift had broken away and slipped down into the narrow 

gulch.

“James Fallon with his brother, had been working a lode in that vicinity, 

and occupied a cabin situated on the side of the gulch. His brother and 

Jasper Bell had gone up on the mountain some little time before the 

accident occurred, leaving James in the cabin. He heard a roaring noise, 

and stepped out of the cabin, only to see the rushing avalanche of boulders 

and snow coming down the gulch with a face of nearly 15 feet.

“Almost instantly he was involved in the shower of flying rocks, and 

jumped behind a large pine tree for protection. A moment afterwards the 

tree was torn up by the roots, and Fallon was carried down the gulch with 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

21

the tree lying across his breasts. Fortunately an immense rock, that would 

weigh several tons, struck the tree with such force as to hurl it off the body, 

releasing him from his most imminent peril, but he found it impossible to 

extricate himself from the avalanche, and was carried down about 400 feet 

to a point where the central mass crowded him out upon the side of the 

gorge.

“The cabin was completely covered with snow, but not moved from its 

place, as it was out of the main force of the slide.” 

[The victim’s name was given as O’Fallon in the Denver Daily Transcript for 

March 27, 1875.]

6.	 The Greeley Tribune, Wednesday, April 14, 1875

“From Fairplay Sentinel — Early in the morning of the 4th the miners 

employed on the Champion Lode, Geneva district...were startled by a low 

rumbling noise—almost immediately the bunk house was crushed and 

buried in an immense snowslide. Six men were in the house — of the six, 

one was injured slightly.” 

[From the Snow Slide Disaster file at the Colorado Historic Society Library, 

Denver. The original article was not seen.]

7.	 Colorado Miner, Saturday, April 24, 1875

Dreadful Disaster

Three Men Buried Under an Avalanche

“Some months since three miners, Wm. G. Morgan, Chris Jensen, and 

Patterson Martin, bought a mine called the Silver Queen, which they were 

engaged in working up to the day of their sudden and tragical death. The 

mine is located high up on Sherman Mountain, over 2,000 ft. above Silver 

Plume. The cabin occupied by the miners was built of logs, and located in 

a little sag or depression, some 300 ft. distant from the mine, and near the 

foot of a cliff that towered above it nearly 600 ft.

“The men had not been seen for some time, but nothing very strange 

was thought of it, no regular road or trail ran by the mine, and it was too 

far away for the miners to come down except on business. On Friday of 

last week, two of Jensen’s friends, concluded to go up and see how he was 

getting along. When they reached the mine, they saw that a snow slide had 

occurred from the beetling cliff above, unroofed the cabin, and buried it 

eight feet deep in the snow.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

22

“On Saturday morning a large number of men went up to the mine. The 

slide had evidently swept off the roof, which was carried some little distance 

away, without disturbing the walls. The snow had then filled the house and 

was packed in hard and frozen.

“It will perhaps never be known just when the avalanche occurred. From 

the fact that the unfortunate men were in bed, it is evident that it must 

have happened after night. The fact that the bodies were frozen hard, and 

that the snow was also frozen around them, leads to the general belief that 

the slide probably occurred about the time the one took place below town 

which caused Fallon’s death.” [5] 

[Account 34B says this avalanche was in Willihan Gulch. The major avalanche 

of February 12, 1899 occurred in Willihan and the adjacent Cherokee Gulch. See 

accounts 34, 34A and 34B.]

[There is another account of the Morgan-Jensen-Martin accident in the Weekly 

Rocky Mountain News, April 28, 1875 (p. 4, c2).]

8.	 Colorado Miner, Saturday, February 19, 1876

Fatal Accident

A Snow Slide Carries a Man over a Precipice

“Charles Ritchie lost his life on Democrat Mountain last Tuesday. He 

was coming home with Mr. Thomas, with whom he was boarding, and 

when just over the brow of the mountain, 1,500 ft. above Churches Mill, 

in crossing the gulch they lost the trail, and went lower down to cross. In 

doing so, they had to cross a field of snow. Mr. Richie sat down to slide, 

and the moment he did so the snow started. Mr. Thomas, was only about 

three feet from him, and the snow started above and under him, but being 

on his feet, he succeeded in reaching the edge, and saving himself.

“Mr. Ritchie, however, was carried down the mountain side and over a 

precipitous ledge of rock 50 ft. high landing him near the end of a wood 

slide. He was seen falling, and before Mr. Thomas reached town for the 

purpose of giving the alarm, his body had been found by parties who 

hastened to the scene of the terrible disaster. When found, life was extinct, 

his skull and jaw being literally smashed. 

“The accident occurred at a place within a quarter a mile of where James 

Fallon was killed last year [5]. The unfortunate man fell, and rolled, and 

slid a distance of nearly a thousand feet.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

23

9.	 Weekly Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, January 17, 1877 (p. 3, c. 3)

Snow Slide

Eight Persons Buried in the Mountain of Snow

“One of those fearful visitations peculiar to all mountain countries, and 

known in Colorado as a snow slide, occurred at the head of Hall’s Gulch, Park 

County, at 10 o’clock on Sunday morning last, sweeping the boarding house of 

the Whale Mine a quarter of a mile down the gulch, and burying its inmates, 

eight persons in all, under a mountain of snow, from which the bodies can not 

be rescued until the summer thaw reduces the drift. Owing to a break in the 

telegraph line between Morrison and Hall’s Gulch, information of this terrible 

accident did not reach Denver until last evening, when Hon. Ziba Surles was 

informed of the details through a letter from J. McDonald, the operator of 

Grant, dated January 9.

Figure 2. — Aerial view of upper Hall Valley, A, and upper Deer Creek, B. The 

approximate location of the Whale Mine is indicated by C. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

24

“As near as can be ascertained the boarding house containing six men, 

one woman and a child, and it is said that one of these escaped, though a 

letter from D. N. Cassell failed to confirm this item of good news, but says 

all the inmates were buried beyond reach. James, John, and Matthew Reed, 

and the child of the latter, together with J. H. Ralph, are among the lost. 

The woman’s name is not given, nor are the names of the other two men. 

The Reed’s have relatives or friends in Central, who have been informed by 

telegram from Morrison of the sudden and terrible events under notice.” 

[This same article appeared in Greeley Tribune, Wednesday, January 17, 1877 

(p. 2, c. 5). Another article appeared in Colorado Miner for February 19, 1877.]

[The Whale Mine is located at the head of Hall Valley about 3-1/2 miles south 

of Montezuma. It has seven adits between 12,100 and 12,530 feet (Lovering 

1935, p. 113).]

10.	The Greeley Tribune, Wednesday, January 17, 1877

“Details of a 2nd fatal snow slide came from Mr. G. W. Lindgreen, 

superintendent of the Champion Property at the head of Snake River, who 

reports destruction of the company’s building by an avalanche in night of 

January 8, between 11 and 12. He and three other men were in one of the 

houses, Moses Proffit, J. Ruebard and the cook Peri Claus, better known as 

‘French Pete.’

“The building was about 1000 feet above Snake River and 800 feet 

from the summit and right under a ledge which was supposed to protect the 

building in case of an avalanche. When it came it took the front or lower 

edge of the house and crushed it taking the roof partly off and filling the 

house. French Pete was in a lower bunk and crushed to death instantly.” ... 

[From the Snow Slide Disaster file at the Colorado Historic Society Library, 

Denver. The original article was not seen.]

11.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, February 20, 1879

Snow Slide at Geneva

“The News of Tuesday gives the particulars of a snow slide at Geneva 

last Thursday afternoon, that carried away the Company’s office in which 

there were three men, and four men who were outside. Nickie Benny 

was instantly killed, and Dan Cameron badly wounded internally, with a 

frightful cut in the left side. He had been removed to Grant and a doctor 

telegraphed for. Bruny’s [Benny’s]1 body had not been recovered, and may 

not be found before spring.

1 Throughout these accounts there are many discrepancies in the spelling of proper names. This is 

probably due to reporters using phonetic spelling for unfamiliar names. In some accounts sic or a 

parenthetical spelling is given.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

25

“The slide is said to have been a mile and a half long and a half mile 

wide. The timbers of the office, which were 12 x 14, were broken into bits 

not over a foot long. 

“Friday evening another slide occurred near the same place that killed 

twelve pack horses and jacks and wounded another. A number of men were 

covered up but none lost. Six slides have occurred up Geneva Gulch since 

last Thursday evening.”

12. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, February 27, 1879

Geneva Avalanches

“The frequent occurrence of avalanches, or snowslides as they are 

more commonly called, in Geneva Gulch, has already given that section a 

reputation that will cause it to be remembered with as great dread as those 

sections of the Alps where so many lives have been lost in the past by the 

same destructive agent—the avalanche.

“Geneva Gulch, situated almost directly south of Georgetown and about 

twenty miles distant, is a valley some seven miles long flanked by mountains 

that rise to a height of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the valley, their tops 

being from a few hundred to a thousand feet above timber line; the side, of 

which are more perpendicular and smoother than are often seen among the 

mountains of Colorado. 

“In that gulch is located the property of the Revenue Mineral Company, 

an English mining corporation, that gives employment to about fifty men, 

two of whom met death within a week by being caught in fearful slides that 

without a moment’s warning swept them down the mountain side to their fate.

“From Mr. William Thomas, one of the men employed by the company, 

we learn the particulars of two of the slides that proved fatal. The first 

occurred on Thursday the 13th, which swept down the side of the mountain 

directly over the mouth of the tunnel, carrying away the ore house and a 

shed on the dump as if they were but straws, and also two men, Nicholas 

Bennie and Dan Cameron, the former being in the ore house at the time 

and the latter on the trail. Mr. Bennie was probably killed by the crushing 

of the ore house, which was literally smashed into bits, and carried down 

the side of the mountain and buried in the snow where it will be impossible 

to find the remains until the snow melts. Mr. Cameron, who was rescued 

alive but badly injured, was taken to Grant, at the mouth of Geneva Gulch, 

where he is now improving and will undoubtedly recover.

“After passing the tunnel, the slide continued down the mountain 

about one thousand feet perpendicular to the bottom where it swept two small 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

26

buildings away, one of which was used for an office, and at the time 

contained several men who fortunately escaped without serious injury.

“On Friday another slide occurred about a mile down the gulch that 

caught a pack train belonging to Anthony Barrett, who was packing stores 

to the mine. The train was stretched along the trail in single file—the usual 

manner, when without a moment’s warning the mass of snow and boulders 

shot across the trail and dashed twelve of the twenty animals down the 

mountain, killing them almost instantly. A man by the name of Kelley was 

also caught in this slide but was fortunate enough to escape without serious 

injury. 

[This incident also reported in The Tribune, Denver, Colo., Tuesday, 

February 18, 1879 (p. 4, c. 3).]

“On Wednesday the 19th, occurred another slide, which proved fatal 

to Charles Allen, a well known and highly esteemed former resident of 

Brownville. On that day a party of twelve men with the seven remaining 

jacks went down to the mill, about three miles below the boarding house, 

for the purpose of packing up a lot of stores, and on their return they 

passed what was considered the dangerous part of their journey and reached 

a belt of heavy timber about three-fourths of a mile from the boarding 

house, where they felt safe, Allen making a remark to that effect as they 

entered it; when another slide came dashing down [Revenue Mountain] and 

in less time than it takes to write it, swept eleven of the twelve men, and one 

of the jacks, into the gulch below. All but the unfortunate Allen and Inos 

Stevens, foreman of the mill, escaped without injury.

“Stevens was considerably bruised though not seriously, and Allen was 

carried down about 200 feet and buried under two feet of snow, which was 

packed so tight around him that probably his death was caused more by that 

than by the bruises he received. Mr. Barrett lost another jack in this slide, 

which makes a loss of thirteen of the twenty-one that he took over there last 

fall; a serious misfortune to one who cannot afford it.

“The boarding house at the Gilman Mine was swept away by a slide that 

is supposed to have occurred on the 13th, but as no work was going on at 

the mine, the house was unoccupied and no one was injured.” ...

[This incident also reported in The Tribune, Denver, Colo., Friday, February 

21, 1879 (p. 4, c. 1).]

13.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 8, 1880

Montezuma Snowslide

“Have had several snowslides. One young man named Conant [first 

name could not be ascertained] is supposed to have been killed. He was 

working with another man on the Cashier Mine. It is customary to have 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

27

their mail left in a box at the foot of the range and on the opposite side of 

the gulch from the mine. Mr. Conant started after the mail and nothing has 

been heard from him since a snow slide came down the mountain soon after 

he left his cabin. There are two letters in the mailbox for him, and were 

there at the time of the accident, which occurred a week ago last Friday.

“Another snowslide carried Wm. L. Sampson down Glacier Mountain 

for the distance of five hundred feet covering him completely up. The snow 

passed over him, leaving him clinging to a rock; nothing serious beyond a 

bad scare, the snow being new and soft at the time.” 

[The Cashier (Champion) Mine is located on the southeastern slope of Teller 

Mountain, 1-1/4 miles due west of Webster Pass and 3 miles south of Montezuma. 

There are four adits from 12,000 to 12,450 feet (Lovering 1935, p. 75).]

 [The first silver ore discovered in Colorado was found on Glacier Mountain, 

1864 (Lovering 1935, p. 66).]

14.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 20, 1881

The Fatal Avalanche

“Last Friday afternoon this community was shocked by the report that the 

cabin owned by W. M. Pinckard, in Willow Gulch, between Brown and Hanna 

Mountains, had been swept away by a snowslide and all of the occupants 

killed. This report was shortly afterward modified by another stating that W. 

M. Pinckard had been taken out alive, and that his cousin, Knox Pinckard, and 

the cook, a colored woman named Mrs. Lucy Jones, were killed.

“The accident was caused by the heavy snow storms that prevailed 

during the preceding week, which left a body of snow on the ground in that 

locality about six feet deep. The mountain side at this point is very steep, 

and when heavy bodies of snow fall it is liable to come down the mountain 

in the form of a snow slide at any moment.

“The cabin occupied by the unfortunate party was a log structure 

situated at the western edge of the gulch, partly embedded in the bank 

and partly projecting into the gulch. On that day all of the occupants were 

in the cabin, as it was next to impossible to reach the claims they were 

engaged at developing on account of the deep snow, and as both of the 

Pinckards had been to town on the preceding day in the deep snow, and 

reaching home at midnight they felt much fatigued after their hard trip.

“On Friday at about 12 o’clock, noon, they were visited by Deputy 

Sheriff Perchard, who was on his way to the Atlantic Mine in search of some 

witness. He remained with them and took dinner, and afterwards started 

across the gulch, which at this point is about 500 feet wide, being directed 

by Mr. W. M. Pinckard so that he could keep on the trail. When he had 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

28

reached a distance of about 150 feet from the cabin, and had ascertained the 

course of the trail for the remaining distance, Mr. Pinckard turned into the 

cabin and closed the door.

“Perchard had not gained the other bank when he heard the roar of the 

coming slide, and barely reached it in time to save his life and witness it 

shoot down the gulch and sweep the cabin away. The Folsom boys, who 

occupied a cabin nearby, went to the Shively Mine in the next gulch east, 

and gave the alarm, and as quick as possible the whole of the mine force 

was upon the scene of the disaster with picks and shovels hunting for the 

lost.

“The events that transpired in the cabin after Mr. Perchard left, we 

obtain from the rescued man, Mr. W. M. Pinckard. After he left Perchard 

in the gulch, he turned and closed and locked the door and then went to 

his bunk, in the northwest corner — the corner that was in the west bank — 

and laid down on a heavy mattress and feather pillow to read some papers 

he had brought from town on the preceding day. As he did so, Lucy, the 

girl, made the remark, ‘I am going to see the poor fellow safely across,’ and 

went to the door to see how Perchard was progressing. At this moment, 

Knox stood at the stove engaged at lighting a cigarette.

“In the next instant, Lucy remarked, ‘Is that thunder?’

“Up to that moment Mr. Pinckard had heard nothing unusual, but with 

her inquiry came a sound as of a heavy mining blast far under ground. 

Before he could answer, the noise widened, deepened, reverberated, the 

whole mountain trembled and the same instant a deafening, crashing sound 

burst upon his ear and like a flash he realized their destruction. He caught 

a glimpse of the timber that formed the roof going through the air like the 

spokes of a rapidly revolving wheel and in the next instant he saw dimly as if 

a terrible cloud had settled upon him.

“Then all was quiet. As he began to realize his situation, he found that 

he was packed tightly between the logs of the cabin, which had been pulled 

over him with just room enough to move his hands and feet a little. With 

his feet he punched a hole out into the snow, and with the aid of a stick he 

made a hole so that he could breathe better. During the four long hours 

that he was imprisoned he heard at times voices, steps on the snow and 

the sound of the shovels at work. He cried out at the top of his voice many 

times but was unable to make anyone hear and had almost despaired of 

rescue when some of the men were attracted to the spot and he was taken 

out comparatively uninjured.

“The bodies of his two companions had been already found. Lucy was 

found first, covered with only six inches of snow, but Knox was buried much 

deeper and it required two hours hard work to secure the body. Both of the 

bodies were found near where they had been standing, and death must have 

been instantaneous.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

29

“Knox Pinckard had only been in the mountains since the 22nd of 

December when he arrived direct from New Orleans for the purpose of 

joining his fortunes with those of his cousin, who had been living in this 

locality during the past four years. He had enjoyed the benefits of a liberal 

education, having spent three and a half years in Paris at study in company 

with the son of Ex-Senator W. M. Guinn, of California, who was his uncle. 

The girl Lucy was formerly a slave, and when Mr. Pinckard left the South, 

she followed him, determined to share his hardships in the new land of his 

adoption, and was faithful unto death.”

[On modern maps the Hanna Mountain and Willow Gulch mentioned in 

accounts 14, 39, 72 and 78 are given as Silver Plume Mountain and Pinkerton 

Gulch. (Ellis and Ellis 1983, p. 7 and 22).]

[Fossett 1976, p. 397 lists the Seven-Thirty, Roe and Shiveley as Brown 

Mountain lodes.]

15.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 20, 1881

“Another snowslide occurred last Saturday between Brownville and 

Bakerville, in the gulch next above the one in which Knox Pinckard and Mrs. 

Jones were killed the day preceding. In this case the snow and debris shot 

across the Bakerville road and the creek and ran up the opposite mountain 

about 40 feet.”

[This was probably Cloud Gulch, south of Silver Plume Mountain.]

16.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 27, 1881

Snowslide in Summit

Decatur Almost Buried in an Avalanche

“The Breckenridge Journal of the 21st brought the first information of 

the snowslide at Decatur as follows:

“‘A person just in from Chihuahua reports a snowslide which occurred 

before he left had destroyed half the town of Decatur. The houses were not 

only buried, but destroyed entirely. The noise of the avalanche of snow, 

boulders, broken trees, etc., was appalling and heard in Chihuahua, three 

miles away.

“‘At first it was supposed the whole town was destroyed, and no hope 

was felt for the people, but investigations revealed of our informant no lives 

were reported lost, although many narrow escapes are reported. One house 

was rolled entirely over and carried fifty yards from its original foundation, 

six persons being within, and yet save bruises, none were injured. William 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

30

Parker, superintendent of the Delaware Mine, sent word by snowshoe 

messenger that he was tired of camping under impending avalanches, and 

that he wished for immediate removal for himself, family, and workmen. 

Five teams and twenty men have started to relieve the imprisoned and cutoff towns people.’” 

[In 1882, Chihuahua, located at the mouth of Chihuahua Gulch, had 54 

buildings and was the home of prospectors exploring the veins in Cooper 

Mountain, Brittle Silver Mountain, and Morgan Peak. The town was 

destroyed by a forest fire and never rebuilt (Lovering 1935, p. 66). Decatur, 

about 1 mile east of Chihuahua, is in the path of an avalanche off of Ruby 

Mountain. In 1930, there were only two houses intact, but piles of crushed 

lumber indicated where others had been. The Pennsylvania Mine was 

directly south of Decatur (Lovering 1935, p. 66). The Delaware Mine is on 

the north slope of Decatur Mountain near the mouth of Cinnamon Creek 

about 3 miles from Montezuma. The Delaware Mine was the southwestern 

extension of the Pennsylvania vein (Lovering 1935, p. 78).] [Eberhart (1974, 

p. 155) says the fire at Chihuahua was in 1889.]

16A.	 Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 27, 1881

“Snowslides have been unusually common for this season of the year 

during the past few weeks, and the probability is that with the approach of 

spring they will be more frequent. There is so much snow on and near the 

main range that many disasters can be looked for after heavy spring storms.

“Information derived from those who have come over the range since 

the slide occurred represents the damage done is comparatively slight, 

considering that the slide passed through the town. The greatest damage 

was to Boomhause frame house, which was upset. The cabins belonging to 

Steve Edwards, Mark Cowles, and Chas. Tyres were destroyed. The slide 

occurred at midnight, and before reaching town it was divided, one part 

going each side of Sawtell’s boarding house. Three jacks were killed, but 

fortunately no lives were lost.” 

[This appears to be a reference to the Decatur avalanche accident reported in 

[16].]

17.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, February 15, 1883

The Death of James M. Taylor in a Snow-Slide

“On the 2nd or 3rd of February, Georgetown added one of its citizens 

to the long list of victims of the fatal snow slides. On Wednesday, the 

7th, a telegram was received here by Lewis E. Taylor that a snowslide had 

occurred on Collier Mountain near Montezuma, and it was thought his 

brother, J. M. Taylor, had been caught in it. Mr. Taylor had the remains 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

31

shipped to Georgetown by way of the Dillon and South Park Railroad, which 

arrived on Tuesday last and were taken to Mr. Taylor’s residence where the 

funeral services were held yesterday.

“James M. Taylor had been working the Pilot Mine on Collier Mountain 

for some months past, and it was near the cabin connected with this mine 

that he was caught by the sliding snow and lost his life. It is thought that he 

had just built a fire in the stove and had gone out with a basin to get some 

snow when a snowslide coming down carried away the air pipe to the mine 

and the stovepipe on the cabin. He was evidently hit with something or 

hurled against the rock on the dump and the frontal skull bone broken. His 

death was without doubt instantaneous, as when found his pipe was in his 

mouth and his gloves in his hand.

“The dog which he had with him and which was also carried down by 

the slide, was buried under ten feet of snow, but being uninjured, dug out. 

It was the dog’s appearance at a cabin near by, and his actions which led to 

the discovery that Mr. Taylor was missing. A search party of sixteen went 

out, and after a day’s work, failed to find any trace of the body about 1000 

feet below the cabin. When found, he was in a perpendicular position with 

feet upward and very near the surface. Upon examination, it was found his 

skull, one leg, and one arm had been broken.

[The Pilot Mine is thought to be near the Sarsefield and Atlantic Mines.]

 “A snowslide is reported to have occurred in West Argentine last week, 

which made a clean sweep of everything in its road.” [28]

18.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, March 1, 1883

“All that is needed is to have a few English Tourists buried under 

snowslides to make our Rocky Mountain avalanches as famous as those of 

the Alps.”

19.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, March 20, 1884

A Snow Slide at Georgetown

“On last Saturday, a snow slide occurred above the Moline Tunnel, 

in Beeched Gulch [Silver Gulch], about three-quarters of a mile from 

Georgetown. It came down Republican Mountain with terrible force, and 

ran up Democrat Mountain about 50 feet. A cabin in its path, belonging to 

William Hunt, was demolished. No persons, luckily, were in the vicinity.”

[For a later accident to Mr. Hunt’s cabin see [40].]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

32

20.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, April 17, 1884

A Fatal Snowslide

“A miners life is continually fraught with danger. Perils of all kinds 

continually stare him in the face. The premature explosion of a blast, the 

caving of ground, and numerous other accidents incident to the mines, 

add victim after victim to the already long list. Probably the most ruthless 

death-dealer is the snowslide. It clutches its victim in the most unexpected 

manner and hurls him to death. This was the fate of W. M. Wooding on 

last Thursday.

“The slide occurred on Republican Mountain, at the Grand View Mine. 

Wooding and his partner, Geo. W. Kessler, had a contract for driving the 

lower Grand View Tunnel. On Thursday noon, they were sitting out on 

the dump, near the tunnel entrance, eating their dinner, joking the while 

— little thinking of the peril they were in. Suddenly, a chunk or two of 

snow fell from above the tunnel, giving warning of the approaching disaster. 

Wooding saw it and shouted: ‘Snowslide, George; run!’ With this remark, 

Wooding leaned over preparatory to running into the tunnel, when the 

snow struck and buried him. Kessler, who was sitting on a wheelbarrow, 

was struck by the slide and thrown about twenty-five feet upward, the 

wheelbarrow following him. He turned over two or three times, and when 

he alighted, [was] about 150 or 200 feet below.... 

“The slide was not a large one. It was about 8 or 10 feet wide. The 

snow was very wet, compact and heavy, and started just above the Grand 

View Tunnel and went down the mountain only about 200 or 300 feet. 

Hundreds of slides similar to this occur almost daily. Had no one been 

killed or injured by this one, no particular notice would have been given to 

it.” 

21.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, April 17, 1884

“A snow slide came down the gulch above Bridal Veil Falls, on 

Republican Mountain, last Friday. It was witnessed by a number of our 

citizens on the street. No damage was done.”

22.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, May 1, 1884

“Three snow slides occurred last Thursday in the vicinity of the SevenThirty Mine. The buildings of the Roe Mine were buried and swept away, 

but fortunately, no one was injured. Some men were working on the track 

of the slide, but made their escape.” 

[Fossett 1976, p. 397 lists the Seven-Thirty, Roe, and Shiveley as Brown 

Mountain lodes.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

33

23.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, February 26, 1885

“A large snowslide occurred above Bakerville last Thursday which came 

near carrying a man named McMurty to his death. The slide carried tons upon 

tons of rock and uprooted trees in its path.”

24.	Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 20, 1887

“A 3,000 foot avalanche on McClellan Mountain.”

25.	Georgetown Courier, Monday, March 3, 1890

Caught in a Snowslide

“On Monday William Shavallia, Mr. Anders and son, and Ed Riley went to 

work on the Wisconsin-Central Lode situated at timberline on Kelso Mountain. 

They had cut down the snow at the mouth of the tunnel, leaving a wall above 

the tunnel at twelve feet in height. Riley and young Anders were just entering 

the door and Shavallia and Mr. Anders just below when the slide started. Riley 

and young Anders got in the door, but it caught Shavallia and Anders, carrying 

them 800 feet down the mountain. Fortunately, Anders was left with his head 

out. He succeeded in getting out and then extracted Shavallia who was knocked 

senseless. Both men were badly bruised and wounded. 

[The Wisconsin-Central Lode is parallel and just east of Sonora Gulch. Ellis and 

Ellis 1983, p. 179.]

“A second slide started and nearly buried Taylor’s cabin. The snow up there 

is very deep and the slope of the mountain is such that most any disturbance 

will start the slide over large areas. But the rich mines and the high-grade ore 

is a great temptation to mine there. The snow this year is deeper than for ten 

years past.”

26.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 9, 1895

“An Italian, while getting down wood near the Seven-Thirty Mine on 

Monday, started a snowslide and took a ride of several hundred feet. He 

escaped with a few bruises.”

27.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 4, 1896

“Henry Amos started a snowslide one day last week as he was coming down 

McClellan Mountain, opposite the Baltimore Tunnel. He was carried down like 

a football for about 200 feet, part of the time on top of the snow and part of 

the time with a mass of snow on top of him, when he managed to grab a small 

tree and save himself from great harm, if not a swift death. He says he thought 

his moments were numbered.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

34

28.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 27, 1897

“William Conway and eleven jacks perished in a snowslide near 

Montezuma last week. Mr. Conway was engaged in packing ore from the 

Atlantic Mine on Collier Mountain, and was on his way to the mine when 

the avalanche overtook him. A large force of men spent several days 

digging for the body of Conway, which was found on Monday. Collier 

Mountain is where James Taylor of Georgetown was killed in a snowslide on 

the 2nd of February, 1883” [17]. 

[The Atlantic Mine is on the west slope of Collier Mountain about 1 mile 

east-southeast of Montezuma at an elevation between 12,000 and 12,500 feet 

(Lovering 1935, p. 68-69).]

29.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 27, 1897

“A snowslide came down Big Professor Mountain last week and 

blockaded the wagon road. 

[Big Professor Mountain is called Mount Sniktau and Little Professor Mountain 

is called Mount Bethel on modern maps. Ellis and Ellis 1983 p. 12]

“Clear Creek has been exempt from fatal snowslides for a good many 

years. 

“There have been ten fatalities: Chas. Ritchie was killed in a slide on 

February 15, 1874 [actually it was 1876] [8]; James Fallon fatally injured, 

March 24, 1875 [5]; Wm. G. Morgan and Chris Jensen, 1875 [7]; Nicholas 

Benny [Bennie], February 13, 1879 [11, 12]; Chas. Allen, February 19, 1879 

[12]; Wm. Pinckard [was not killed], Knox Pinckard, and Lucy Jones, January 

14, 1881 [14]; Wm. Wooding, April 10, 1884 [20]. 

“There were other avalanches in which there were a number of narrow 

escapes.”

30.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, March 6, 1897

“Breckenridge Journal — Frank Graham, superintendent of the 

Pennsylvania Mine, says he can count ten snowslides from his office 

window. Twelve have come down in all; seven near the Pennsylvania Mine 

on the south side of the gulch, and five on the other side, above and below 

Decatur.” 

[Delaware, Peruvian, Queen of the West, and Revenue Tariff were other mines 

in or near Decatur (Wolle 1949, p. 136).]

[Lovering (1935) locates the mines as follows: The Pennsylvania Mine is on 

the northwest slope of Decatur Mountain about 1/4 mile south of Peru Creek 

and 3 miles east-northeast of Montezuma. The mine and mill buildings were at 

an elevation of about 10,900 feet (p. 92). Peruvian and Shoe Basin veins are on 

the eastern slope of Ruby Mountain about 4 miles northeast of Montezuma at 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

35

altitudes of about 11,800 and 11,500 feet, respectively (p. 95). The Queen of the 

West Mine is on the steep east side of Horseshoe Basin, 1,200 feet northwest of 

Argentine Pass, and about 5  ̊ miles northeast of Montezuma (p. 96). The Tariff 

vein is on Copper Mountain (p. 99). See account number 16 for the location of 

the Delaware Mine.] [Gilliland (1980) gives the elevation of the Queen of the 

West Mine as 12,500 to 13,000 feet.]

31.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, March 27, 1897

“Two snowslides came down Republican Mountain Wednesday, but 

stopped before they reached the foot of the mountain. They loosened some 

boulders, however, that threatened destruction to residences. One weighing 

a number of tons rolled well out into the valley, and another made a flying 

jump over Mr. Poulson’s residence. Charley Gray was on the mountain 

in the path of the snowslide, and took shelter under a cliff. A stiff wind 

lifted his hat and carried it to parts unknown and Charley came home bare 

headed.”

32.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 4, 1899

“The first snowslide in this vicinity came down Republican Mountain 

Monday night, in a dry gulch opposite the high bridge. It spread out at the 

mouth of the gulch and was about 400 feet wide where it crossed the wagon 

road, which it covered in places to a depth of 25 feet. The taper end of 

the slide crossed the railroad tracks, covering it for a distance of 100 feet 

with from an inch to ten feet of snow. The morning train from the Plume 

whistled an alarm, which brought a gang of shovelers to its assistance. A 

force of 25 men were nearly three days in opening the road. The snow was 

packed as though it had been hammered down and there were numerous 

large boulders bedded in the mass.”

33.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 11, 1899

“A snowslide came down Bridal Veil Gulch Tuesday afternoon, from the 

summit of Republican Mountain. It was witnessed by a number of people 

who say it looked like a cloud.

“...Lewis Kennedy, who left Georgetown on Saturday, January 28th, 

ran into a snowslide [on Berthoud Pass] and being unable to extricate his 

team, he left it and went to Spruce Lodge, reaching there at 12 o’clock at 

night...the following day he returned to where he had left his team. With 

assistance, he got the horses out of the slide and into the timber after 36 

hours work.... 

“They have succeeded in opening the road on the west slope from the 

summit to Cozens’ Ranch, but nothing whatever has been done on the Clear 

Creek slope and the road is impassable.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

36

“Mr. Wm. Perrin came over Argentine Pass on Sunday on snowshoes. 

He says there have been three snowslides near the Pennsylvania Mine, but 

no damage was done other than blocking the road. Twenty-five men from 

the Pennsylvania were put at work on the road and cut their way through the 

slide in three days.”

34.	Rocky Mountain News, Monday, February 13, 1899

SNOWSLIDE CLAIMS TEN MORE VICTIMS

{Gigan}tic Avalanches Sweep down Willehan [sic] and Cherokee Gulches near Silver Plume

 {Work} of Rescue Promptly Begun, But Only Three Men 

Taken Out Alive — Were All Italian Miners

{Threat} of the Dreadful Disaster Had Been Realized for 

Several Days — More Destructive Slides Feared and People 

Take Steps to Avoid Them

“The Dead:

DOMINIC DESTEFANO, WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN

JOSEPH TONDINI

PETER TONDINI

JOHN TONDINI

GERONDO GUENZI

G. BIETTO

ENRICO NOVARIA

The Injured:

Antonio Migretto

Antonio Maleario

Guiseppe Corcunio

[The tombstones in the cemetery at Silver Plume (Fig. 3) give these names as: 

D.G. Stefane; Caterina, Maria; [and] Giovanni [Stefane]; G. Tondini; Pietro [and] 

Giovanni [Tondini]; G. Guenzi; B. Bietto; and E. Novaria.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

37

“Special to the News.

“SILVER PLUME, Colo., Feb. 12 — Simultaneously two snowslides 

occurred in Cherokee Gulch, at this place, at 8:45 this morning. Ten lives 

were lost in the thundering rush of snow, rock, and timber. The ore houses 

of the Pelican and Corry City Mines were carried away and fully $50,000 

worth of ore was carried from the basin between the mountain sides and 

lost.

“Inhabitants are terrorized, as snowslides have never been known in 

this section of the country. The vast amount of snow on the mountain sides 

frowns down on the people below, and the miners are in mortal terror lest 

a repetition of the {awful} avalanches will occur and carry away their cabins. 

All the killed are {miners or} members of their families.

Figure 3. — Monument, in 

the Silver Plume Cemetery, 

to the 10 people killed by an 

avalanche on Republican 

Mountain on February 12, 

1899.

Insert A. — Inscription on 

Monument.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

38

“The terrible snowslides came without a warning. The morning was 

clear and the sun shining brightly. So far as known, nobody received a 

warning of the disastrous slide. Superintendent Robeson of the Pelican 

Mine was {standing} outside the shaft house of the mine when he noticed a 

peculiar movement of the great mass of snow high on the mountain side.

Robeson’s Escape

“Before he comprehended the danger, the terrible roar of the swiftly 

moving mass of snow and earth instinctively drove him to a place of safety. 

He saw the {start} of the slide and reached cover before the snow reached 

the shaft house where he was standing.

“{This} slide is the most disastrous ever recorded in the northern part 

of the state. It started directly north of the place where the mountain sides 

are steep. In {seconds}, the first slide moved with terrible rapidity. Several 

of the miners were outside their cabins enjoying a rest after breakfast. They 

were cut {off with} out a moment’s warning. As the first slide began to 

move, several miners at the Pelican appreciated the danger of the situation. 

Their natural impulse was to hasten to warn their companions in the cabins 

on the mountain side, but the force of the elements was too great, and 

before they realized it tons and tons of snow were upon the cabins and had 

reduced them to splinters.

“Coming down the mountain, the mass of snow struck two cabins west 

of the mountain and the shaft house and boiler rooms of the Corry City 

Mine. The buildings were unfortunately located directly in the path of the 

{slide}.

The Fatal Slide

“A second slide took a different course down Willehan [sic] Gulch [this 

was called Willow Hen Gulch in the Denver Evening Post, February 13, 1899 

p. 6], east of Sherman Mountain, between the Pelican and Seven-Thirty 

Mines. That slide carried {away} cabins in which there were seven miners, 

all of whom found death in the uncontrollable mass that bore destruction 

with it.

“Superintendent Robeson, who noticed the movements of both slides, 

declares the scene was horrible. Timbers of huge proportions were ground 

into splinters by the ponderous mass of swiftly moving snow and ice, and 

before a bird could have winged away it was upon the humble habitations of 

the poor miner.

“The awful, terrorizing noise accompanying the descent of the snow 

will linger in the memory of those who heard it. The sight of the irresistible 

mass falling upon the city drove people from their homes. The tracks of 

both slides were most marked.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

39

Origin of the Slides

“They began on steep mountain sides which descend into large basins. 

On these basins the snow had been piling for many weeks; great combs 

of ice hung {overhead}. Nobody who glanced at the mountain side could 

apparently have fully realized the danger. The snow had been drifted by the 

wind into every {crevice} along the slopes of the mountains, and thousands 

of tons of rock and such must have moved with the slide. All Saturday night 

and early Sunday morning a fierce gale raged. This unusual movement of 

wind is supposed to have {started the} snow on its destructive descent.

“Both slides were simultaneous, as though arranged by nature to entrap 

the inhabitants of the cabins below. A large portion of the slide which 

started at the top of the western gulch stopped at the foot of the basin 

before it reached the lower part of the gulch. That was most fortunate. 

Had it continued it would have {destroyed} a large number of houses in the 

town, including the new schoolhouse. As it was, a part of the slide reached 

to within 100 feet of the building. {Some} days ago there was a meeting of 

the directors of the school. They looked at the vast quantity of snow upon 

the mountain sides as a menace to life, and ordered the school closed for 

fear that a slide would occur.

“As the first innocent looking snow bank moved toward Willehan [sic] 

Gulch it did not appear dangerous, but it gained volume, and before it had 

descended 100 feet it had gained tremendous bulk and was moving with 

incredible speed toward the cluster of humble homes.

“The forces cannot be imagined. In lightning speed it bore down on 

the basin and overwhelmed with terror the inhabitants of the cabins. As the 

ponderous mass pounced upon the unprotected cabins, its destructive force 

was spent, grinding them to splinters and crushing their walls like eggshells. 

On and on it carried its innocent victims with cruel determination to destroy 

existence and landed them in the basin below. In a few short minutes, 

cabins, inhabitants and all their belongings were buried beneath a vast 

expanse of snow many feet deep.

Damage at the Pelican

“The slide that came down Cherokee Gulch also made a sudden stop 

or the damage would have been much greater. It carried away the engine 

and boiler rooms of the Corry City Mine, but left a portion of the ore 

houses standing. This slide stopped on the Eagle Bird dump, just above 

the blacksmith shop of the Pelican Mine. In the Pelican Mine working at 

the time were about twenty-five men. The terrible noises accompanying the 

slides aroused them at their underground work, and when they hastened to 

the surface they appreciated that the life of the miner under the surface is 

sometimes safer than above the ground.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

40

“Scattered over the mountain side leading into Cherokee Gulch are 

numerous ore houses of the Pelican Mine. These ore houses were well 

stocked. The workings of the mine have many surface outlets at which ore 

houses are located. None of these houses are standing. It is estimated that 

fully $50,000 worth of ore was stored in them. This ore has been swept 

away and will be lost to the owners of the property.

“As soon as the report of the catastrophe spread, both gulches were 

visited by hundreds of people who were willing to lend a hand to the work 

of rescue. Word of the disaster soon reached Georgetown and people 

came from there to assist in the noble work of searching for the dead and 

injured. The thermometer registered 15 degrees below zero, but the work 

was promptly begun and prosecuted. Scattered along the mountain side 

here and there were a few timbers which served to guide the work of the 

rescuing parties. The brave miners who were attracted to the scene worked 

heroically.

First of the Rescued

“Inside of five minutes the rapidly moving shovels of the rescuers 

encountered the body of Antonio Migretto. He was more dead than alive, 

but the spark of life was apparent and immediate attention was given him. 

Willing hands carried him to a sled and he was brought into the depot here, 

where every medical attention was given him. Soon after Antonio Maleano 

and Guiseppe Corcunio were found. They were almost dead and were 

brought here at once and given medical attention.

“The first bodies found were those of Mrs. Destefano and her children. 

The mother had her arms clasped about the inanimate form of her younger 

child. The other child was found a short distance away. The mother had 

evidently seen the avalanche approaching and had made an attempt to save 

her child in escaping from the house. The bodies were brought here on a 

sled. The work of rescue continued, and in the remains of the Destefano 

cabin a cook stove with the fire still burning was unearthed. The chicken 

coop of the modest home was next found, and the thirteen chicks were 

uninjured. 

“As the work went on the bodies of Peter and John Tondini, Gerondo 

Guenzi, G. Bietto and Enrico Novaria were uncovered. They were not 

badly mutilated but the severe pressure of the snow told on their blackened 

faces. The bodies of Joe Tondini and Dominic Destefano have not yet been 

found. It is known definitely that they perished. Destefano left his cabin 

shortly before the slide came down and was walking in the direction of this 

city when the avalanche caught him and hurried him to destruction. It is 

probable that his body will be one of the last recovered.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

41

Improvised Morgue

“A vacant building here was transformed into a morgue where the 

bodies were placed side by side. They are being prepared for burial. The 

sight around the improvised morgue is heartrending, the fact that a woman 

and two children are counted among the dead makes the sight more 

harrowing. The heroic workers continued their labors until after dark and 

when they returned to the city, they visited the morgue and stood with 

uncovered heads in the presence of death. The large number of people who 

are engaged in the search makes it almost positive that all the bodies will be 

recovered. Two Swedes were at first reported missing. The cabin in which 

they were living was swept away but the men spent the night here and were 

fortunate in not going to their cabin early in the morning.

“The situation here is considered still serious. More slides are expected 

and should they come to-night a large portion of the city might be buried. 

A slide down Brown Gulch is looked for at any time from above the SevenThirty. Men are engaged there in sacking the ore and packing it into the 

tunnel. There is about $10,000 worth of ore in the ore houses and should 

they be swept away the majority of it would be lost. Such a slide would bury 

a number of houses at the bottom of the gulch including the Brownsville 

schoolhouse.

People Moving Out

“People are moving out of the threatened localities. There are other 

gulches adjacent to the city where slides are likely to occur. The snow 

overhangs the Seven-Thirty Mine in dangerous fashion to-night and all the 

men on that property as well as the Pelican have been ordered away or to 

take care of themselves. Late this afternoon a small slide occurred at Bridal 

Veil Falls but did no more damage than to fill the wagon road with snow. 

“The slides traveled for at least two miles and worked a furrow in the 

mountain sides at least ten feet deep. [We assume this refers to the slides 

in Willihan and Cherokee Gulches. The travel distance was closer to one 

and a half miles than to two miles.]”

People Expected The Slide

Senator Gallagher Says Many 

Families Moved From Harm’s Way

“According to Senator Joseph Gallagher, of Silver Plume, who is making 

his headquarters at the St. James, the people of that town have been in 

constant fear of an avalanche such as swept down Pelican gulch yesterday. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

42

‘For more than a month,’ said he last evening, ‘we have felt that there was 

danger of an occurrence like that of to-day, and have taken precautions 

accordingly. On account of this danger there has been no school in 

the school house above town for several weeks. My home is located 

within about 100 yards of the course of the slide, and when I heard of 

the catastrophe I was worried considerably, but early this evening I was 

informed that my family had taken my advice and had moved to a safer 

locality to remain while the snow lasts. 

‘The people who suffered either did not care to heed the counsel that 

was given them or were unable to find other quarters. I know of many 

families that moved out of the gulch for fear of a slide.’ ”

34A.	 Rocky Mountain News, Tuesday, February 14, 1899 (p. 3, c. 5)

SEARCH FOR SLIDE VICTIMS

One Body Recovered and 

One Man Still Under the Snow

South Plume Threatened by 

an Avalanche off Leavenworth Mountain

Searchers Find Remains of Joe Tondini 

on Site of His Cabin – Destefeno’s Body Will 

Probably Lie Under the Snow till Warm Weather

Special to the News.

“SILVER PLUME, Colo., Feb. 13 — People have not yet wholly 

recovered from the awe and terror with which this community was stricken 

by the awful calamity which occurred yesterday morning. But few miners 

went to their usual occupation to-day, many volunteering to continue 

the search for the missing bodies of those known to be dead and buried 

somewhere under the piles of snow which marked the course of the 

avalanche that worked such havoc and destruction of human life. The 

weather has been warm to-day, with a little snow falling in the forenoon, 

but the wind has not been blowing, and as the snow has a chance to settle, 

people are feeling that there is no immediate danger of more slides coming 

down upon the town until there is more snow and wind.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

43

“Early this morning the searchers commenced the work of looking for 

the bodies of Destefeno [sic] and Joe Tondini (Fig. 4). The latter was soon 

found by digging where the cabin had stood, as it had not been swept away, 

as was at first supposed. The searchers did not think of looking there 

yesterday, as the bodies of his two brothers had been found some distance 

from the place. The body was brought to town and placed in the morgue 

with his dead brothers and the other victims of the avalanche. 

“After the finding of Tondini, all hands turned their attention to the 

other gulch, where the body of Destefeno [sic] is supposed to be buried 

under the snowslide. Long iron rods were fashioned into probes, and a line 

of men started from the bottom of the slide and with the probes and shovels 

explored it carefully clear up to the place where the Destefano house stood, 

but all to no purpose. No trace of the missing man could be found, and 

late to-night the search was given up. It is not likely that the body will be 

found until the sun removes the snow.

Slide Phenomenon

“A remarkable phenomenon in connection with the mighty avalanche 

was the great cloud of snow which it raised in its swift, death-dealing flight. 

The sun was shining brightly for the first time in weeks and a high wind was 

blowing which whirled a great deal of snow around, but all at once the sun 

Figure 4. — Rescue workers searching for victims of the February 12, 1899, 

 avalanche at Silver Plume (Silver Plume Historic Society). 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

44

was darkened as if obscured by a dense cloud, and the air was filled with 

flying snow, so that it was impossible to see more than a few feet anywhere 

in town. People did not know what to think, but concluded that a denser 

cloud than usual was sweeping down the gulch. Mr. Cyrus Land, who lives 

in the southeastern part of town saw the great cloud of snow arising along 

the gulches and knew too well what it meant. He rushed over into the main 

part of town and gave the alarm.

34B.	 Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 18, 1899

An Avalanche Kills Ten People

“The most disastrous snowslide within the history of Clear Creek County 

occurred about 8:45 o’clock last Sunday morning in Cherokee Gulch and a 

small ravine about 1000 feet west, sometimes called the Willihan Gulch or 

the Boom Ditch. Cherokee Gulch heads near the summit of Republican and 

Sherman Mountains in a sag a mile or more in width. Willihan Ravine heads 

near the western extremity of the sag, and between the two is a narrow ridge. 

Cliffs covered with immense overhanging hoods of snow tower above them 

along the crest of the main mountain. These immense hoods of snow broke 

off, part being precipitated on the Cherokee Gulch side, but the major portion 

falling into Willihan Ravine, in which snow slides are of yearly occurrence, 

three already having taken place in it this year, but they were small affairs. It 

was in this ravine that Wm. G. Morgan, Chris Jensen, and Patterson Martin 

lost their lives in a snowslide in 1875 [7].

“The avalanche of Sunday was more extensive than that of any previous 

year, and did not stop until it was within a short distance of the school 

house in Silver Plume.

“...Near the Maine Mine is quite a colony of Italians, their little cabins 

extending from Willihan to and beyond Cherokee Gulches some 1200 

and 1500 feet. Many of these little houses were directly on the line of the 

avalanches, and were crushed in like eggshells, covering the occupants with 

several feet of hard packed snow and smothering them to death.

“That portion of the slide that came down Cherokee Gulch stopped 

at the Pelican No. 2 level. A portion of the building over the shaft on 

the Corry City Mine was destroyed, and the engine and boiler displaced. 

An ore house on the No. 1 level of the Pelican Mine, in which there were 

four or five wagon loads of ore, was crushed in and covered with ten feet 

of snow.... A large amount of cord wood and mining timbers that was 

stacked up in the gulch, was picked up and carried along in the wreck.

“Five cabins were destroyed. A few were swept down the mountain 

wholly and crushed. Others were crushed in and portions of the structures 

carried off. One of the homes that was overtaken by the disaster was that 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

45

of Domenico Destefane. Of a family of four, not one escaped.... The 

building was partly crushed in and covered with six feet of snow.”...[For 

further information see account no. 72.]

[Brown (1968, p. 336) says final tally in this avalanche was “around twenty” 

dead. This is not confirmed by any of the material we saw.]

35.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 18, 1899

“When a person can successfully dodge a streak of lightning, then it will 

be possible for him to get out of the way of a snowslide. The Silver Plume 

school has been closed until the first of March on account of the danger of 

snowslide wrecking the building.

Figure 5.— Sherman (16) and Brown Mountains (15) from Cemetery Hill at Silver Plume. Other features 

 mentioned in the accounts are Pelican Tunnel (2), Maine Mine shaft (3), Illinois Tunnel on ridge between 

 Cherokee and Willihan Gulches (6), upper tunnel Wisconsin Mine in Cherokee Gulch (7), and Montreal 

 Mine (11) (USGS Professional Paper 63, p1. XXIII).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

46

“Another small snowslide came down Bridal Veil Falls Gulch Sunday, 

and buried the wagon road under several feet of snow. A fox was taken out 

of the last snowslide.

“Snow is eight feet deep on the level at Yankee, and drifts about twenty 

feet. The Brownsville school has been closed on account of the danger of a 

snowslide in Brown Gulch.”

36.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 25, 1899

Another Awful Avalanche

Three Human Lives Lost

The Seven-Thirty Buildings Destroyed

“An avalanche equal to that of February 12th, broke away from Brown 

Mountain, near the Seven-Thirty Mine, at four o’clock Wednesday morning, 

destroying a large amount of property and costing three human lives. The 

slide started at three points, all joining in a mad rush down Brown Gulch, 

a narrow ravine, which it left packed with snow of varying depths, and 

terminated on the banks of Clear Creek, a mile distant from the starting 

point. At the mouth of the gulch the snow is piled up fifty feet deep.

“One started at the Montreal Mine (Fig. 5) of the southern slope of 

Brown Mountain. Just below the mine, under the cliff, was the home of Dan 

Fitzpatrick in which he had lived for more than thirty years. The snow in 

sliding over the cliff fell upon the cabin, crushing it in and burying its lone 

occupant under a mass of snow, earth, and rocks.

“Another slide started on the eastern slope of Brown Mountain, and a 

third in Brown Gulch a short distance above the Seven-Thirty Mine. Both 

these slides headed directly for the main buildings, destroying a number 

of vacant cabins just above the mine, the engine house, ore and boarding 

house, blacksmith shop, two stables and a portion of the office building. 

“In a room over the ore house three men were sleeping, two of which 

were killed...close by the ore house was a stable in which were two 

horses. All had been engulfed and buried out of sight.”... [For additional 

information see account no. 72.] [Another contemporary account appeared 

on pg. 1, Denver Evening Post, Wednesday, February 22, 1899.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

47

Figure 6. — Seven-Thirty Mine, in Brown Gulch, looking north-northwest 

from Griffin Monument (USGS Professional Paper 63, p1. XXX).

37.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 25, 1899

“Mr. Charles Peck says that the reported slide near Empire Pass, which 

is pointed out from Georgetown, can’t be seen from a nearer view. It is 

reported there was a snow slide in East Argentine or in the Horseshoe Basin 

this week that buried three Italians, and one near the Stevens Mine that 

brought down a deer.”

38.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 25, 1899

“A large snowslide came down Republican Mountain at the north end of 

town [Silver Plume] last Friday, but did no damage. Seventeen snowslides 

have taken place in Daily District. Some of them were nearly two miles 

long.

“Nearly thirty years ago Albert Johnson, Pat McLaughlin and two others, 

while engaged in making a survey near the head of Brown Gulch, started 

a snowslide which carried them down the mountain several hundred feet. 

McLaughlin was the only one to receive severe injuries, his legs being 

broken. Mr. Johnson lost his surveying instrument.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

48

39.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 25, 1899

Snowslides of Past Years

“So far as known, there have been but eight snowslides in Clear Creek 

County in which lives were lost, the last one previous to this winter being 

fifteen years ago. The first of which there is any record occurred on 

Democrat Mountain on the 15th of February 1874...[probably account no. 2].

“On the 24th of March, 1875, James Fallon attempted to escape from 

a snowslide on Democrat Mountain...[5]. Three men who were living in 

a cabin located under a high cliff on Sherman Mountain, were buried one 

night in the winter of 1875 by an immense hood of snow falling upon their 

cabin, crushing it in. The fatality was not discovered until April {7}.

“On February 13, 1879, two men were caught in a slide in Geneva 

District, killing one of them...[11]. On the 17th of the same month, eleven 

men were caught by a snowslide in that district, but all escaped except 

one...[12].

“The cabin located in a gulch between Brown and Hanna Mountains, 

was crushed in by a snowslide on January 14, 1881, killing two people...[14]. 

On April 10, 1881, one man was killed and one carried down several 

hundred feet by a snowslide on Republican Mountain.”... [This is the only 

report we found of this accident.]

40.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, March 4, 1899

“A snowslide carried away the ore house at the Josephine Mine, West 

Argentine. Tony Madison stepped into the tunnel just in time to escape. 

“Monday afternoon a snowslide started from near the summit of 

Republican Mountain and ran down a steep ravine to Silver Gulch, which 

it crossed, leaving a deposit of snow in the gulch about 50 feet deep, and 

shot up Democrat Mountain for several hundred feet. Turning, it went over 

a cliff of rocks and fell upon the Moline Tunnel blacksmith shop, wrecking 

that building and destroying a portion of the tramway, and then passed 

on down Silver Gulch and stopped at the edge of Mr. R. 0. Old’s yard. A 

cabin and blacksmith shop belonging to Mr. Wm. Hunt, and standing in the 

path of the slide as it came down Republican Mountain are missing. Four 

men were on their way up the mountain, who would have been in its path if 

it had occurred a few minutes later. The slide was more than a mile long, 

and where it started, it left a perpendicular cliff of snow 15 or more feet in 

height and a thousand feet in length.” [For previous damage to Mr. Hunt’s 

Cabin see [19].]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

49

41.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, March 11, 1899

“A slush slide came down Bridal Veil Gulch Wednesday. It moved very 

slowly, but created a good deal of noise.”

42.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, May 27, 1899

“The shop at the Josephine Mine, which was carried away by a snowslide 

[40], has been rebuilt and work at developing the mine commenced.”

43.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 14, 1900

A Grist of Snowslides

“Six snowslides occurred in the vicinity of Silver Plume last Saturday. 

The only one that did any damage was at the Seven-Thirty, where the roof 

of one end of the compressor house was crushed in. No damage was done 

to the machinery. Lester Wilson was the only person in the building. He 

heard the slide and rushed out, and catching his foot in the doorway as he 

rushed, probably thought that all was up with him. 

“Another slide covered the Pelican Road with fifteen feet of snow for 

a distance of sixty feet. No effort was made to shovel it out, and several 

of the ore wagons were left on the road near the slide. Subsequently, they 

were covered up by another slide. 

“One slide about 300 feet long started at the top of the mountain 

and stopped at the base opposite the railroad pavilion. Work has been 

suspended at the Seven-Thirty Mine until the danger from snowslides is 

past. There is said to be immense masses of snow in the cliffs above the 

mine.”

44.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 21, 1900

Heaviest Snowfall on Record

“The snowfall that followed the phenomenally early thunder and 

lightning storm on the night of April 3rd, left a record never before equaled 

here within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. In thirteen days’ times it is 

estimated from measurements that more than eight feet of snow fell. Much 

of the snow melted as it fell, while the first foot that came down resolved 

itself speedily into two inches of slush.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

50

“Snow continued to fall more or less regularly for more than a week. 

The best estimates and the most careful measurements put the first 

fall at not less than five feet. After an intermission of two days, a new 

invoice commenced arriving Saturday night, and Easter morning found 

eighteen inches of new snow, and the storm showing no indications of any 

abatement. Nor did it stop but for a few minutes at a time until Monday 

noon, when about three feet at least had fallen.

“The first storm caused six snowslides on the morning of the 7th in the 

immediate vicinity of Silver Plume. The road at the Seven-thirty Mine was 

blocked, and the danger of slides caused a cessation of work at the mine 

until the 13th. The fall on the 11th again stopped work, and the road which 

had been cleared was again blocked and the snow so deep and soft that it 

was impossible Monday morning to get through it afoot.

“The weight of the snow on house roofs was so great that it became 

dangerous and many had it removed before the roofs came down on their 

heads. The old barn on 7th Street was overloaded and is in a state of 

collapse, and the roof of the old Washington Mill fell in under the weight.

“Sunday evening the train made no effort to go beyond Georgetown, 

but on Monday noon, under {a} good head of steam and a single coach, the 

engine and a band of shovelers broke the road to Silver Plume. The road 

to Blackhawk was blocked for several days. There is now apprehension that 

when the snow commences to melt, it will cause dangerous landslides, and 

a rush of water down the creek that will do a great deal of damage to the 

railroad.

“The only storm that came near equaling this one was in April, 1862, 

when from three to five feet of snow covered the mountains, and wagon 

roads were blocked for some time. On the 21st of May 1876, snow followed 

a thunder storm and continued for several days. Four feet of snow fell in 

Georgetown and a blacksmith shop standing on the site of F. A. Maxwell’s 

office was crushed in and a cabin in lower town went under. It caused a 

landslide in Griffith Gulch ‘which brought down the accumulation of rocks 

and dirt of fifty years.’

“Right here it might be remarked that it is somewhat singular that 

all landslides, be they ever so often, bring down the accumulation of the 

previous fifty years, as in the case of Griffith and Taylor and Silver Creek 

Gulches. On the 23rd of April, 1885, between three and four feet of 

snow fell in one night, causing numerous snowslides, and crushing in the 

roof of the roller skating rink standing on the ground now covered by the 

Centennial dump. This has not been surpassed for the amount of snowfall 

in so short a time.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

51

45.	The Switzerland Trail of America (Crossen 1962, p. 127-132)

“At 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, 1901, two locomotives of the Colorado 

and Northwestern Railroad were hit by an avalanche near Camp Frances (1 

mile S. of Ward or 14 miles W. and 3 miles N. of Boulder) (Figs. 7, 8, and 

9). Four men were killed and one injured. The locomotives were slightly 

damaged. The two locomotives were hitched double-headed behind a 

gondola filled with gravel and a wedge snowplow. The locomotives were 

trying to buck through the snowdrifts on Grassy Mountain above the Big 

Five Mine siding. A recent storm had just deposited about four feet of new 

snow on top of the old snow. The third time the train hit the snowdrift, 

an avalanche started in an area of fire-killed trees above the railroad. The 

avalanche mowed down the dead trees and hit the train which rolled 400 

feet down the mountain. The locomotives came to rest against a switch of 

the Big Five Mine siding near the mouth of the Adit-Dew Drop Tunnel.

“Killed in the accident were W. J. Hannan (engineer), F. M. Milner 

(fireman), E. B. Fitzgerald (fireman), and W. H. Blair (conductor). James 

Marks, engineer of the rear locomotive, was injured but survived. An 

eyewitness account of this accident was published in the Boulder Daily Camera 

of December 4, 1941 in the column ‘People I Meet’ by Forest Crossen.” 

[Another account (Brown 1968, p. 83) gives the date of this accident as April 

24, 1901, which appears to be an error.]

Figure 7. — Railroad to Camp Francis and the Big Five Mine from Boulder (modified from Ormes 1975, by permission). 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

52

Figure 9. — The two locomotives and the snowplow on the Big Five Siding after most of the snow had 

melted. Compare with Figure 8 (A. A. Paddock Collection, Boulder Historic Society).

Figure 8. — Locomotives number 30 and 31 and a snowplow lie on Big Five Siding — near the mouth of 

Adit-Dew Drop tunnel. Compare with Figure 9 (R. H. Kindig Collection, Denver).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

53

46.	Summit County Journal, Saturday, December 13, 1902.

SUDDEN DEATH

William T. Smith Killed in a Snowslide

“Summit County has just sustained the loss of another good citizen, 

William T. Smith, of Dillon. The particulars are substantially these: 

“On last Sunday several boys of Dillon with guns, went out into 

the woods hunting for wild game. Their route was up what is known 

as Elk or Straight Creek, in a northeasterly direction from Dillon. 

The source of the creek is near the dividing ridge or range between 

Summit and Grand Counties, and its water flows into the Blue River 

at a point one mile north of Dillon.

“In this Straight Creek Gulch, five miles from the Blue, is 

located a sawmill owned and operated by {the} deceased. There the 

snow is about two feet deep. A deer showed himself to the young 

hunters, and one of them took a shot at it, wounding the animal. In 

bounding away toward the range, the deer left a trail of blood on 

the snow. The boys followed the trail till they became tired, and, 

night coming on, they abandoned the chase and started for home.

“On their way home they stopped at the sawmill and related to 

Smith their experience during the afternoon. Smith remarked that 

in the morning he would go out and track the deer and ‘put him out 

of misery.’

“Early Monday morning Smith took his gun and started after 

the deer. The trail was followed up the gulch for five or six miles, 

thence up on the divide and over on the Williams Fork side, into 

Grand County. There it was that Smith met a sudden and awful 

death. The country is rough and rocky, with numerous cliffs strung 

along the side of the mountain. Some of these ledges of rock 

descend abruptly to depths of from 10 to 100 feet. From the crest 

of one of these cliffs, a small snowslide swept poor Smith onto 

jagged rocks 200 feet below. Death was instantaneous.

“An examination disclosed the fact that Smiths neck, back, legs, and 

arms were all broken, and his face smashed.” [Interstate highway I-70 is 

now located in the Staight Creek drainage. The Eisenhower Tunnel is at the 

upper end of this drainage.] 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

54

47.	Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 28, 1903

“Last Monday a snowslide occurred on the Bullion property, at 

Montezuma, which caught five men who were doing some work on a trambucket. The snow carried them down the hill over half a mile, and stopped 

only at the timber. It is almost a miracle that none sustained injuries other 

than a few slight bruises.”

48.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 1, 1905

Caught in a Snowslide

“Oscar Hoffman and Chas. Gileen, who are operating the Arapahoe 

group of claims in the Argentine District, dropped down from the clouds 

last Sunday. They report plenty of snow on the range, a fact which is 

causing them no end of worry. A slide occurred a short time ago, sweeping 

away about forty sacks of high grade ore, the estimated value is about 

$6,000 to the ton.

“On their journey to this city, Mr. Hoffman got tangled up in a small 

slide and was escorted down the mountain side a distance of 700 feet. 

When discovered by Mr. Gileen, only one boot was visible. He was rescued 

and is none the worse for the experience.”

49.	Silver Plume Silver Standard, Saturday, March 17, 1906

“A snowslide swept down upon the boarding house at the Santiago 

Mine in East Argentine District yesterday morning about four o’clock and 

partially demolished it, but, fortunately, no one was seriously injured. The 

men employed at the mine and a woman who was doing the cooking for 

them, fifteen in all, fled in their night clothes to the Paymaster Mine some 

distance away and nearly all had their feet badly frostbitten. The snow up 

there is eight or nine feet deep, and the men who were grading the railroad 

have all been laid off.“

[Lovering (1935, p. 104-105) mentions the Santiago, 

Commonwealth, and Centennial Mines as though they were all one. 

The Santiago is on the southeast slope of McClellan Mountain 

at an elevation of about 12,000 feet (Figs. 10 and 16). It is about 

 ̊ mile northwest of Waldorf Tunnel and 6-2/3 miles northeast of 

Montezuma. He located the Commonwealth Tunnel at about 1/4 

mile north of the Santiago Mine at an altitude of about 12,000 feet. 

No mention was made of the Paymaster Mine.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

55

Figure 10. — Aerial view of upper Leavenworth Creek showing location of Santiago Mine, Waldorf Mine 

[tunnel], Argentine Pass, McClellan Mountain, and Stevens Gulch (Lovering 1935, p1. I).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

56

50.	Silver Plume Silver Standard, Saturday, March 31, 1906

“Operations will be resumed at the Santiago the first of the coming 

week after being suspended since the snowslide.”

51.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, June 9, 1906

“The production from the Argentine has been considerably less since 

the enforced suspension of work on the Santagio Mine, caused by the 

snowslide in March when the boarding house and other buildings were 

swept away, fortunately, however, without the loss of life.... Tents will 

be pitched for temporary shelter...later on when the snow is gone, new 

buildings will be erected for all necessary purposes. When this work is 

completed Manager Rogers intends building a tram road from the mine 

to Sunset Peak to meet the aerial tramway now being erected from Silver 

Plume to that point.” 

52.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 16, 1907

“A snowslide last week swept away a number of the poles of the 

Transcontinental Company’s telephone line, and several sections of airpipe.”

53.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, January 30, 1909

“A snowslide occurred near the Santiago Mine Monday, but no damage 

was done. Another slide came down Republican Mountain and stopped just 

below the Mary Meyers dump.”

53X.	 Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, February 10, 1909

“One of the worst snowstorms ever experienced in Colorado closed the 

Georgetown loop railroad line” [177].

54.	Idaho Springs Mining Gazette, Thursday, January 26, 1911

“A snowslide in East Argentine District last Saturday came within an 

ace of taking away the buildings at the Santiago, Paymaster and North 

Star Mines. The slide occurred just between the Paymaster and Santiago 

properties.”

55.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, January 28, 1911

“L. G. Davenport narrowly escaped taking a short ride in a snowslide 

last Monday near the Santiago Mine. Davenport was on his dump when he 

saw the mass of snow break loose at the top of the mountain and at once 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

57

started to escape it. He first ran into the blacksmith shop and attempted 

to get under the bellows, but finding no room there, he began a hot-foot 

across the hill, and as he passed the mouth of the North Star Tunnel, 

M. Bonham grabbed him and pulled him into the tunnel just as the slide 

passed.”

56.	Idaho Springs Mining Gazette, Thursday, February 22, 1912

“A snowslide occurred in Argentine District Sunday morning and four 

steel towers of the Colorado Central power line were swept away. One of 

them was so badly damaged, it will be of no further use. A gang of men 

went to the scene of the catastrophe Monday morning for the purpose of 

making repairs. In the meantime, the line was out of commission.”

57.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 24, 1912

Power Line Towers Wrecked by a Snowslide

“A heavy snowslide occurred on Ruby Mountain, west of Argentine 

Pass last Sunday, which wrecked three transmission towers of the Central 

Colorado Power Company and put the line out of commission for several 

days. Two miners’ cabins were also carried away. The slide occurred west 

of the point where the emergency line branches from the main line over the 

range.

“The tower where the line branches was built below a body of timber 

and was thought to be safe from snowslides, which occur on Ruby Mountain 

every winter. The cabins were also built below the timber and it is 

supposed the snowslide must have been through the timber. Two towers 

below the emergency tower on the main line were completely wrecked and 

one was carried away out of sight. The emergency tower was pulled over 

by the strain on the wires. Several men were sent up from Georgetown on 

Monday to commence repair work, and Monday’s train brought two and 

Tuesday’s train two more of the company’s men from Leadville, who were 

unable to get into the district from that point on account of the roads being 

blocked.”

58.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, May 4, 1912

“Mr. E. W. Fairchild, who last year was employed by the Montezuma 

& Western Railway as an expert to help examine the mines here with the 

efficient consulting engineer, Robert S. Billings, has been retained this 

winter to keep track of weather conditions, the locations of snowslides, and 

to measure their width and depth, so as to be able to report intelligently to 

the Montezuma & Western engineers this summer.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

58

59.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 6, 1913

“Three buildings were carried off their foundations at Silver Plume by 

a snowslide from Sherman Mountain. One building was occupied by Mrs. 

Benzo [Benso] and her children, who were taken out injured. 

“C. Nelson got caught in a snowslide above Clear Lake [on South Clear 

Creek, 2  ̊ miles south of Georgetown] on Thursday and worked three hours 

to extricate himself.

“About one o clock Friday morning, a small snowslide [in Georgetown] 

wrecked a chicken house belonging to Harry Nash, and crushed in one side 

of the kitchen at the home of Mrs. Parker [64 and 78].

“John O’Connell, Oscar Johnson, and Joe Wood, who have been working 

on the Illinois Lode [on Republican Mountain west of Cherokee Creek], 

became separated in the deep snow when returning Friday afternoon. 

O’Connell was caught by a slide which carried him to the creek, where he 

was found in semi-conscious condition. Johnson and Wood found refuge 

in the Cashier Mine and a party from the Plume went to their rescue this 

morning.” [See 77 and 78 for another accident to Mrs. Benzo’s home.]

60.	Idaho Springs Mining Gazette, Thursday, December 11, 1913

“A rock and snowslide came down the gulch up Virginia Canyon near 

the old toll gate last Saturday afternoon, tearing away the chicken house 

back of the kitchen at the home of Carl Anderson. A monster rock made 

its way through the kitchen door and landed in the center of the bedroom. 

Twenty-two chickens were killed.

“A small snowslide occurred last Friday in Grass Valley which did 

considerable damage to the barn in the rear of A. Nordstrom’s home. A 

slide just below the cemetery did much damage to the old Allen house. A 

great amount of debris crashed into the rear of the building filling one of 

the rooms half full.”

61.	Idaho Spring Mining Gazette, Thursday, December 11, 1913

Two Men Near Death

Snowslide on Brown Mountain above Silver Plume

Sweeps John O’Connell ‘Down the Mountain

“A snowslide occurred last Friday morning in Brown Gulch above 

Silver Plume, and that the lives of three men were not snuffed out seems 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

59

miraculous. The slide broke loose just below the dumps of the upper 

workings of the Seven-Thirty Mine, and swept {away} everything lying along 

its course for a considerable distance. John O’Connell, who was riding 

a mule, happened to be in line, and as a result both he and the animal 

disappeared from view. Oscar Johnson and Joe Wood, who are operating a 

lease on the Seven-Thirty, were swept to one side. They took refuge in an 

old deserted cabin near the Cashier Mine, not daring to venture forth in the 

raging storm until the following morning when they made their way back to 

their own cabin.

“As soon as the report of the slide had been received in Silver Plume, 

rescue parties were organized. The news had gone forth that O’Connell, 

Johnson, and Wood were buried beneath the snow. The first man to be 

found was O’Connell, a searching party running across him that evening 

as he was endeavoring to make his way into town. He was found to have 

escaped serious injuries, although he received a bad shaking up.

“After searching part of the following day for Johnson and Wood 

without finding them, the belief became general that they had met death 

in the disaster. That evening, however, they were found in their cabin. 

Neither had in the least way been injured.

“The mule that O’Connell had been riding met death in the slide, and 

just how O’Connell escaped being crushed to death in being whirled down 

the mountain remains yet unexplained.

“The slide occurred in the same gulch that another one took place in 

1900. At that time seven men were killed and to this day two of the bodies 

were never recovered.” 

[This may refer to the slide of February 12, 1899 [34] when seven men, one 

woman and two children were killed. We found no records of any snowslide 

fatalities in this area in 1900.]

62.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 13, 1913

Some Previous Heavy Falls of Snow

“There have been quite a number of heavy falls of snow in this region in 

past years, but none within the limits of Georgetown equaled the fall of last 

week. The first heavy snowfall in the county of which there is any record 

was in April, 1862, when the ground was covered to a depth of about five 

feet. In the spring of 1875 there was a heavy fall of snow on the mountains 

causing a number of snowslides, one of which came down the gulch 

between Republican and Democrat Mountains and covered twenty acres of 

ground in lower town. James Fallon was mortally injured in this slide. [5] 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

60

Another slide occurred on Sherman Mountain, in which Wm. G. Morgan, 

Chris Jenson [Jensen], and Patterson Martin lost their lives [7].

“On the 22nd of May, 1876, snow fell to a depth of four feet, which was 

believed to have been the deepest since 1862. The snow was heavy and 

crushed in a number of buildings, and the roofs of many other buildings 

were endangered. This was followed by a number of disastrous landslides. 

A monster slide came down Griffith Gulch and extended to Taos Street. 

Another landslide from Griffith Mountain filled several ice houses 

belonging to Albert Selak. One on Beaver Brook threw a locomotive into 

the creek. 

“On March 6, 1881, the heavy fall of snow delayed the train ten hours. 

On the 23rd of April, 1885, between three and four feet of snow fell in one 

night and crushed the rink building. In January 1883, there was a heavy 

fall of snow over most of the state. In May 1889, three feet of snow fell in 

Georgetown within a week. On the 29th of May 1894, a snowstorm turned 

into a torrent of rain that lasted 44 hours and converted the streets to the 

lower part of town into rivers. The railroad was washed out in the canyon 

and no trains were run from the 30th of May until the 7th of June.

“In February, 1889, snow was three feet deep in the park. Three 

persons were killed by a snowslide at the Seven-Thirty Mine and ten men 

[ten people; seven men, one women, 2 children] perished in a snowslide in 

Cherokee Gulch.” [34, 34A, 34B, and 36]

63.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 13, 1913

Empire News

“The snowstorm of last week did considerable damage to many 

buildings and sheds in and around town. The power house at the Empire 

Tunnel, between town and the railway station has a dilapidated appearance. 

The roof has caved and unless attended to at once the building will be a 

total wreck. The large building at the Golden Empire, built about ten years 

ago, is a total wreck, and but little of the lumber can be saved. The town 

hose house has a caved-in roof. The damage is small owing to the roof 

being built out of corrugated iron. By having the roof repaired at once, 

further damage can be averted.

“A small slide broke the sash and windows where Jack Trenberth lives. 

The only complaint that Jack makes is that he objects to the snow coming 

into the house at two a.m., thereby compelling him to shovel snow in full 

evening dress. At the home of Al Rockwell a shed at the rear of the house 

was struck by a slide and driven through the end of the house, breaking 

many dishes and damaging many pieces of furniture.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

61

“The Red Men’s building came near being listed as a wreck. [See [78] 

for another account of damage to this building.] Some passer-by heard 

the building creaking and soon several of the members were busy getting 

the snow off the roof. Upon examination, it was found that the {building} 

was shoved out about eight inches. Large iron rods were forged and the 

building braced into place.

“The shed back of Maire’s livery barn collapsed and demolished a buggy 

owned by our road overseer. A snowslide struck the building of the Duluth 

and Empire Mining Company and covered the building to the top of the 

roof. The house was not damaged, thereby proving that it pays to hire men 

like Anton Mueller and E. E. Kock to erect your buildings. The above is the 

total list of damage done in this section.” 

64.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 13, 1913

“A snowslide came down Republican Mountain opposite the Loop 

Bridge Tuesday afternoon and buried the wagon road under twenty feet of 

snow...and one snowslide near the Alspaugh cabin that was about eight feet 

deep.

“A snowslide from Republican Mountain covered the Silver Plume 

road within the limits of Georgetown to a depth of five to twelve feet for a 

distance of about 40 feet. A force of men has been employed ever since in 

putting the road in traveling condition. 

“The snowslide from Griffith Mountain last week, after filling the deep 

railroad cut, shot across and broke through a window at the home of H. 

Nash, filling rooms with two or three feet of snow, and covered the roof of 

a part of the building to a depth of three feet. The railroad cut back of the 

house probably saved it from being crushed or swept from its foundation. 

The slide also took a shot at the home of Henry Kneisel, breaking the 

bathroom window and filling the room with snow. Mr. Nash lost his chicken 

house and about a dozen chickens, others being dug out alive. Mrs. 

Parker’s chicken house was partly wrecked, and the kitchen of her home was 

well nigh {demolished}.” [59, 68, and 78]

65.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 13, 1913

“Mr. Marcus Bonham and son, Bert, who are leasing on the 

Commonwealth Mine in East Argentine, were driven out of their cabin 

Thursday of last week by a snowslide, and sought refuge for the night in the 

unoccupied cabin of the Mt. McClellan Mines Company.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

62

66.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 13, 1913

“The rotary snow plow left Denver at three o’clock Monday morning and 

reached Golden at ten o’clock, and started for Georgetown at 11 o’clock, 

with three engines and thirty men. The rotary reached Georgetown between 

seven and eight o’clock Wednesday evening. A hundred or more citizens 

congregated at the depot to see the machine bore its way through the snow. 

It was the first time a rotary snow plow had been brought into use on this 

branch of the Colorado & Southern Railroad.

“After cleaning up the side track at the depot, the rotary with three 

engines pushing, started for Silver Plume. Considerable difficulty was 

encountered when the rotary hit the snowslide from Griffith Mountain, 

which was not only deep but filled with rocks and stumps. The rotary 

reached Silver Plume about midnight, soon after the work train left 

Georgetown, the passenger train pulled in, the first since Wednesday 

evening of last week.”

67.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 20, 1913

“John Johnson was killed by a snowslide which wrecked his cabin on 

Collier Mountain, near Montezuma. A searching party, after several hours 

shoveling, found his body hunched in the bed as though he had been killed 

while trying to get up.”

68.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 20, 1913

“The reflex from the Griffith Mountain snowslide hit Henry Kneisel 

harder than the slide itself. When the rotary snowplow got at work in the 

cut back of Mr. Kneisel’s house, it sent a stream of packed snow, rock and 

chopped wood through eight lights of glass, each 20 x 32 inches, and filled 

three rooms with a conglomeration that kept Mr. Kneisel at work for several 

hours. Harry Nash, who had just succeeded in removing the snow that the 

slide left on his house and in his yard, was again deluged with snow and 

his home buried three feet deep in packed snow that cracked the plastering 

overhead and broke out a window and filled a room three or four feet deep.” 

[64]

69.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, January 3, 1914

“John McKenzie died above Freeland Friday morning about nine o’clock. 

On Thursday afternoon he was out with his snowshoes when a snowslide 

overtook him and buried him about four feet under the snow...”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

63

Snowslide at Idaho Springs

“An aged man and his wife, whose names we have been unable to learn, 

were victims of a snowslide at Idaho Springs Wednesday night. They were 

dug out of the wreck at two o’clock in the morning.” 

[We have assumed they were killed by the avalanche.]

70.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, March 21, 1914

“A section of the power line to the Waldorf Mine was taken out by a 

snowslide near the Stevens Mine last Sunday. The Hydro Company has had the 

line repaired in order to furnish power to the Tobin Tunnel.” (Figs. 10 and 16)

71.	Idaho Springs Mining Gazette, Friday, January 7, 1916

TWO MINING MEN SWEPT TO DEATH 

IN SNOWSLIDE ABOVE SILVER PLUME

County Surveyor A. H. Osborne and 

Eddie Collins Buried under Avalanche

“Were Engaged Yesterday Morning in Making Surveys in the Vicinity 

of Old A P. Tunnel in West Argentine — Bodies Not Yet Recovered 

— Although Half Hundred Men Have Been Working Heroically for Thirty 

Hours.

 “A. H. Osborne, deputy U.S. mineral surveyor of Georgetown, and 

Edward Collins, well known young man of Silver Plume, were caught by 

a snowslide yesterday morning eight miles above Silver Plume, and are 

believed to have been instantly killed.

“Searching parties who left for the scene of the catastrophe within an 

hour following the report being received in Silver Plume, had failed to 

find any trace of either Osborne or Collins up until this noon. Thirty men 

worked all day Thursday and Thursday night, while a relief crew was on 

hand early this morning to proceed with the search for the bodies of the 

missing men.

“Osborne was making some surveys of some mining property owned by 

Collins which is situated in the vicinity of the old A. P. Tunnel near the main 

range in West Argentine district. They were proceeding up the gulch near 

the Josephine Mine when the big slide broke down upon them, sweeping 

everything before it in its wild fury.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

64

“The slide was fully 50 feet wide and had an average depth of at least 

12 feet. According to the statement of Ray Buckley of Silver Plume, who 

happened to be on his way to the Josephine Mine, and who witnessed the 

slide in its descent down the mountain...”

[The Josephine Mine is on the north slope of Kelso Mountain. There are three 

adits at altitudes of 10,893; 10,801; and 10,651 (Lovering 1935, p. 85).] 

[The Atlantic-Pacific (A.P.) Tunnel’s eastern portal is on the west side of Sonora 

Gulch at an elevation of about 11,000 feet and only a short distance above the 

stream in Steven’s Gulch. Sonora Gulch is the prominent ravine on the north face 

of Kelso Mountain.] 

[The centerline of the tunnel extends S 15° W about under the center of Kelso 

Mountain and passes under the Continental Divide about halfway between Grey’s 

Peak and Mount Edwards. The west portal is on Ruby Mountain above Decatur 

in Summit County, Ellis and Ellis 1983, p. 178-181.]

71A.	 Georgetown Courier, Saturday, January 8, 1916

ARTHUR H. OSBORNE AND EDWARD COLLINS 

PERISH IN A SNOWSLIDE

“Georgetown was stunned by an appalling disaster Thursday, which 

resulted in the death of Arthur H. Osborne, U.S. Deputy Mineral Surveyor 

of Georgetown and Edward Collins of Silver Plume, who were engulfed in a 

snowslide from Kelso Mountain.

“Mr. Osborne was engaged in surveying mining claims for Edward 

Collins and Ray Buckley, who were assisting. The three had partaken of 

their noonday lunch and started up A. P. Gulch (probably Sonora Gulch), 

which is about 30 feet wide with precipitous sides. Suddenly the snow broke 

away from the smooth mountain side, not more than 50 feet above them. It 

came with such a rush that it carried Osborne and Collins from their feet, the 

former carrying a transit and the latter an ax and tape line. Buckley, who had 

nothing to impede his movements, scrambled out of the snow. The last he 

saw of Osborne and Collins they were sitting on the snow and being carried 

down the steep and narrow gulch by the rapidly moving snowslide, which 

stopped about half a mile below the starting point.

“Buckley, being unable to find his companions, went to the Josephine 

Mine, 1 and  ̊ miles away, for assistance...night found about 40 men on 

the ground. The slide was from 5 to 7 feet deep. On account of the 

precipitous sides of the gulch with no place to throw the snow, it was 

deemed best to commence at the foot of the slide and work up the gulch. 

The men were engaged all night long shoveling snow, and all day Friday.

“No news had been received from the rescue party up to six o’clock 

Friday.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

65

71B.	 Georgetown Courier, Saturday, January 15, 1916

Bodies Recovered of Snowslide Victims

“The bodies of Arthur Osborne and Edward Collins...were found 

Saturday morning about half way up the avalanche. The body of Osborne 

was found under five feet of compact snow, and that of Collins under 18 

inches of snow. Both were lying on their faces, head down. Collins’ neck 

and back were broken, and Osborne’s left shoulder was dislocated or 

broken. The transit, ax and tape line were found near the bodies, which 

were about 15 feet apart.

“Osborne had been engaged for several days in surveying mining 

locations for Edward Collins (19 years old) and Ray Buckley, who were 

assisting him in the work. Thursday noon they started across a ravine on 

the mountain side which was covered to considerable depth with snow. 

Buckley was in the lead, followed by Collins, and then by Osborne.

“On reaching the middle of the ravine, Buckley sank into the snow up 

to his waist. He told his companions to watch out, as there was a hole. 

Just as he got out Collins dropped into the hole, and in his efforts to get 

out, started the snowslide, which broke away about 50 feet above him. 

Buckley was on the edge of the moving snow and saved himself. Collins 

and Osborne were immediately engulfed in the slide and in a few moments, 

carried out of sight. The snowslide, instead of piling up at the foot of the 

ravine (Sonora Gulch), made a sharp turn and continued down the gulch 

(Stevens Gulch) for a distance of nearly 2500 feet.”

72.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, January 15, 1916

Snowslides of Past Years

“As far as known there have been eleven snowslides in Clear Creek 

County in which lives were lost, the last one previous to this winter being 

17 years ago. The first of which there is any record occurred on Democrat 

Mountain on February 15, 1874, in which Charles Ritchie was carried over 

a precipice and killed. [This is an error—Ritchie was killed February 1876 

[8].]

“On March 24, 1875, James Fallon attempted to escape from a 

snowslide on Democrat Mountain by climbing a tree, but his supposed 

refuge was uprooted and carried along in the wreck [5]. William G. 

Morgan, Chris Jensen, and Patterson Martin, who were living in a cabin 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

66

located under a high cliff on Sherman Mountain were buried one night in 

the winter of 1875 by an immense hood of snow falling upon their cabin, 

crushing it in [7]. The fatality was not discovered until April.

“On February 13, 1879, Nicholas Benny and Dan Cameron were caught 

in a slide in Geneva district. Benny perished but Cameron escaped, 

although injured [11 and 12].

“On the 17th of the same month, 11 men were caught by a snowslide in 

that district, all escaped except Chas. Allen [12].

“The cabin occupied by Wm. and Knox Pinckard and a colored cook 

by the name of Lucy Jones, located in a gulch between Brown and Hanna 

[Silver Plume Mountain] Mountains, was crushed in by a snowslide on 

January 14, 1881. Knox Pinckard and the colored woman were killed, but 

Wm. Pinckard was rescued alive. This is the slide started by Jim Perchard’s 

voice when he halloed ‘good-bye’ [14].

“On April 10, 1884, W. M. Wooding was killed and Geo. W. Kessler 

carried down several hundred feet by a snowslide on Republican Mountain 

[20].

“The most disastrous snowslide was that on February 12, 1899, which 

resulted in the death of Domenico Destefane and his wife and son and two 

daughters.” [Number 34 shows only two Destefane children were killed.] 

The snowfall that winter was one of the heaviest of which there is any 

record. The immense hoods of snow on the crest of Sherman Mountain 

broke away at 8:45 in the morning, and sent an avalanche of snow down 

Cherokee and Willihan Gulches that did not stop until within a short 

distance of the school house in Silver Plume.... The body of Destefane 

was not recovered until April, when Peter Vigna discovered a finger 

protruding from the ice in Cherokee Gulch.

“On February 22, 1899, another avalanche equal to that of the 12th, 

broke away from Brown Mountain at 4 o’clock in the morning, killing Ben 

Nelson, John Anderson and Dan Fitzpatrick, and destroying the buildings at 

the Seven-Thirty Mine and some cabins. Ben Nelson, John Anderson and 

Peter Olsen were sleeping in a room over the ore house. The three were 

buried out of sight, but Olsen was dug out alive. Dan Fitzpatrick was killed 

in his cabin. The body of Nelson was found the latter part of the following 

April by B. C. Cotren, Sr., who discovered a human foot protruding from 

the snow. The body of Anderson was never found” [36]. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

67

73.	Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 11, 1916

SNOWSLIDE KILLS MONTEZUMA MINER

Huge Mass of Snow Crashes into Shoe Basin Bunk House 

as August Ostburg and Ed Larson Sleep; Former Dies Next 

Day

“August Ostburg, aged 45, died early Tuesday morning at the Shoe 

Basin Mine, at the foot of Argentine Pass, five miles above Montezuma, as a 

result of injuries received in a snow slide Monday morning.

“The slide crashed down the mountain at 3 o’clock, completely 

demolishing the bunk house and barn. Ostburg and Ed Larson, miners 

employed by the Shoe Basin Company, were asleep in the bunk house at the 

time. Larson was uninjured and managed to dig himself from the debris. 

He found his way to the transformer house, where he wrapped himself in 

such pieces of clothing as he could find, and hurried to Montezuma for 

help.

“Rescuers hastened to the scene and worked for nine hours in liberating 

Ostburg, who was pinned beneath the wrecked building in his bed. When 

taken out he was apparently uninjured except for minor bruises. He lost 

consciousness at no time and suffered no pain; it was believed that he 

would be on his feet in a day or two. His death, occurring fourteen hours 

later, was unexpected and doubtless due to internal injuries which were not 

manifested in any way.... 

“The slide occurred in an entirely new place, previous slides having 

taken place on either side of the present one. It came a distance of half a 

mile and was 500 feet wide. It carried before it huge boulders and a mass 

of timber, and that both Ostburg and Larson were not killed outright is 

considered remarkable.” 

[Another account of this accident in the Georgetown Courier for Saturday, 

March 11, 1916 says Shoe Basin Mine was on Ruby Mountain—buildings were at 

the foot of the mountain.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

68

74.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, December 15, 1917

Snowslide at the Urad Mines

“On Tuesday night, along about the time that the instruments at the 

College of the Sacred Heart recorded a number of earthquake shocks in 

Colorado, a snowslide came down the precipitous side of Red Mountain 

[about 6 miles west of Empire] near the Urad Mine in Daily District, 

carrying away 20,000 feet of mill timbers and about ten tons of coal. The 

slide came so close to a tent in which five men were sleeping that it jerked 

the canvas from over their heads, but left the men unharmed.... The site 

of the mill is located out of danger from snowslides, but the lumber had 

been unloaded where slides were frequent.”...

75.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, May 1, 1920

“The steam shovel at the Colorado Central Mine, working on the 

Marshall dump, was submerged by a rock and snowslide last Saturday, and 

put it out of commission. [South slope of Leavenworth Mountain 0.6 miles 

south of Georgetown Reservoir.]”

76.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, May 22, 1920

“Four men were employed two weeks in repairing the Paymaster Tunnel 

in East Argentine, which was caved in for 100 feet by a snowslide. The 

tunnel connects with the Wilcox Tunnel air shaft.” 

[In his write-up of Waldorf, which is near the head of 

Leavenworth Creek, 6  ̊ miles east-northeast of Montezuma, 

at an elevation of 11,600 feet, Lovering (1935, p. 111) says the 

Wilcox Tunnel was driven into McClellan Mountain to cut the 

Commonwealth Vein.]

77.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 16, 1921

A Record Snowfall Followed by Disasters

“After two days of blustery weather, a steady fall of snow set in on 

Thursday and continued for 24 hours. Friday morning the fall approached 

three feet, and when the storm let up in the afternoon the total fall probably 

approached four feet...it was the heaviest fall of snow since Dec., 1913, 

when on the morning of the 5th the ground was covered to the depth of 4 

1/2 feet. Trains were blockaded eight days. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

69

“The power plant gives the snowfall at 52 inches, and water 3.72 

inches.... A snowslide came down Griffith Mountain Friday afternoon and 

all but wrecked the home of Mrs. Parker in Georgetown [59, 64]. The rear 

room was crushed in and one wall of the main building badly damaged.... 

“The greatest disaster was at Silver Plume, where a snowslide from 

Sherman Mountain wrecked the homes of Charles Sebelia and Mrs. Benso. 

Mr. Sebelia, a young married man, was so badly injured that he died within 

a short time. His wife escaped with a few minor injuries.

“Mrs. Benso’s home was under a mass of snow that required four hours 

work before Mrs. Benso and one of her daughters were rescued, uninjured. 

Another daughter was thrown against a stove and seriously burned.” [See 

[59 and 78] for another accident to Mrs. Benso’s home.]

78.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 23, 1921

Avalanches Aplenty

“The snowslide at Silver Plume came from near the summit of Sherman 

Mountain and swept the mountain side clean. When it hit the back of the 

town hall, which it damaged to some extent, the slide split (Figs. 5, 11, 12, 

13 and 14). Part of the roof of the K. P. Hall was taken off and the brick 

wall damaged, and also one end of the Magnetti store building. In all, five 

buildings were utterly destroyed, some of them being small structures, and 

five others were more or less damaged.

“The home of Mrs. Benso received the full force of the avalanche. 

Nothing remains but the foundation and floor. Mrs. Benso and her 

two daughters, who were caught in a snowslide several years ago, were 

preparing to leave the house, fearing a snowslide. Mary Benso was seated 

by the kitchen stove putting on her rubbers, when without a moment’s 

warning the house was crushed and thrown from its foundation. A vessel 

containing hot water was thrown upon Mary Benso, scalding her neck, 

mouth and arms. She was left only about half buried by the snow, and was 

assisted out by Mrs. Sebelia. Mrs. Benso and Grace Benso were swept 

down the hill some distance and remained under the snow two hours or 

more before they were rescued. They were protected by a table over their 

heads, and over the table was part of the roof. Both escaped without 

serious injury. The household furniture, including a piano, was damaged 

beyond repair. 

“The near-by house occupied by Mrs. and Mr. Charles Sebelia 

was unroofed and crushed in. Mr. Sebelia was buried in the mass and 

smothered to death. Mrs. Sebelia found herself outside of the building, 

without serious injury. She believes she was thrown through a window.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

70

Figure 11. — Avalanche debris piled against the corner of the Town Hall at Silver 

Plume. This avalanche, which ran on April 23, 1921, flowed around the back of the 

Town Hall (Silver Plume Historic Society).

Figure 12. — Close-up view of the avalanche debris from the April 23, 1921, avalanche at Silver Plume. 

The Town Hall is to the left, a private home to the right (Silver Plume Historic Society). 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

71

“The slide from Griffith Mountain [1  ̆ miles east of Georgetown] that 

broke the brick walls of the dining room and kitchen at the home of Mrs. 

Parker, was about a hundred feet in width. In addition to filling up the 

railroad cut for some distance, it wrecked and carried the Parker stable into 

the yard of Gordon Kyner. Louis Parker was in the kitchen when the snow 

struck the building, and was thrown to the opposite side of the room, else 

he might not have escaped injury [59 and 64].

“A monstrous slide, about 300 feet wide, swept down Hanna [Silver 

Plume Mountain] Mountain, two miles above Silver Plume, and spread itself 

over the valley without doing any damage. Two smaller slides came down 

near the Pay Rock Mill and buried the auto road.

“Three snowslides came down Leavenworth Mountain in the region 

of the Power Company’s dam. One broke the stand-pipe in the pipe-line, 

causing an opening which sent a flood of water down the almost dry creek 

bed.

“The roof of the Red Men’s hall at Empire fell in under the weight of the 

snow. The building was used as a storage room by the Berthoud Pass road 

contractors. [Previously damaged and repaired in 1913 [63].]

“A snowplow propelled by three locomotives reached Georgetown 

Saturday night, but was unable to plow its way through the snowslide which 

filled the cut at the base of Griffith Mountain. Shovelers were put at work 

Monday, and the first train went to the Plume on Wednesday. 

“Henry Butler and Nels Williams, who came down from Argentine 

Tuesday, report snowdrifts from ten to twenty feet deep. They came down 

on bed-slats improvised into snowshoes. [Skis were originally called 

snowshoes.]

“It was impossible to ascertain the average depth of the snow on 

account there having been some wind to drift it. The electric plant reported 

52 inches. Mr. Bushnell measured four feet ten inches. Calculated on the 

weight of the snow on Mr. Swanson’s scales, the precipitation equaled about 

six feet of snow. When snow ceased to fall on Friday the platform scales at 

Swanson’s livery, 6 ft. 9 in. by 13 ft. 9 in. showed a weight of 2600 pounds, 

or 28 pounds to the square foot. Computed on the usual basis of 15 to 1 

would make about 75 inches of snow.

“Some old-timers remember the snow of May, 1876, as one of great 

depth, but the published report says it was two feet deep. Had the snow fall 

of May 29 and 30, 1885, not melted almost as fast as it fell, it would have 

been a memorable record. Snow fell continuously from Wednesday morning 

until Thursday evening. A little more than four feet of snow covered the 

ground on the morning of December 5, 1913.” [See photograph p. 29, 

Smith and Wisler 1980.] 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

72

Figure 13. — The site of the April 

23, 1921, avalanche as seen 

in August 1981. The debris 

of the Sebelia and Benso 

homes shown in the previous 

two figures was piled against 

the corner of the Town Hall 

between the building and the 

butane tank.

Figure 14. — This August 1981 

picture shows the avalanche 

path above the eastern end of 

Silver Plume, where Mr. Charles 

Sebelia was killed on April 

23, 1921. The white-fronted 

building is the Town Hall 

mentioned in account 78.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

73

79.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 23, 1921

“The slide at the Plume [Silver Plume] swept a setting hen about 400 

feet. When found, the hen was still on the nest, with only two broken eggs. 

Snowslides had no terrors for that chicken.”

80.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 10, 1926

“An immense snowslide on Blue Mountain, on the Berthoud Pass road 

last week put the telephone lines over the range out of commission. Several 

poles were broken and the wires were buried in the snow.” 

[This is probably the Dam slide—that area is called Blue Dirt Hill. In April 

1957, this avalanche killed two people when it was intentionally released by artillery 

fire. (Gallagher 1967, p. 33).]

81.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, May 29, 1926

“Joe Campbell visited the Santiago Mine Wednesday and found only 

the boarding house intact. All the other buildings had been swept away by 

a snowslide. Judging from the amount of snow stored up, Mr. Campbell 

advises the building of an ark.” (Figs. 10 and 16)

82.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, June 5, 1926

“Manager 0. B. Willmarth reports a small snowslide at the Kelso 

National Mine since the 10th of May, which carried off a blacksmith shop.” 

[The Kelso Mine is on the north slope of Kelso Mountain at an 

altitude of 10,800 feet. It was worked by the Kelso National Mining 

Company (Lovering 1935, p. 86).]

83.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 29, 1933

Record of Heavy Snows

“The fall of about five and one-half feet of snow last week is one of the 

heaviest on record in Georgetown.

“On April 1, 1876, we have a record of 15 inches.

“May 2nd of the same year supplied two feet, with two buildings 

crushed in.

“April 23, 1885, nearly three feet.

“May 5, 1893, sixteen inches.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

74

“February, 1899, heavy fall the latter part of the month. Snow more than 

four feet deep in City Park, many snowslides.

“April, 1900, heavy snow during the month.

“April 14, 15, 1903, three feet. Disastrous snowslide at Silver Plume.

“December, 1913, eighty-nine inches fell the first week.”

84.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 29, 1933

“A small snowslide swept over the power plant and part of the mill of 

the Commonwealth Company the latter part of last week, which caused 

about $500 worth of damage. It carried off about 75 feet of air pipe and 

did considerable damage to the mill, and banked up about twenty feet high 

below the mill.

“About twenty snowslides, mostly small ones, blocked the road between 

here and Silver Plume last week. The largest of these covered the road 

with ten feet of snow for a distance of 150 feet just below Silver Plume. 

On Sunday, the county commissioners called for labor and about 75 men 

responded. 

“The road was made passable that evening, after being isolated for two 

days.” 

85.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, April 4, 1936

Snow Record

“The snow depth readings for the four snow scales in Clear Creek 

County have just been completed for the end of March by the Forest 

Service for the U.S. Weather Bureau. These scales were installed during 

the summer of 1910 and readings for the end of March and April have 

consistently been made each year since.

The following comparisons are of interest:

End of March Readings

Year Average

1936 25 years

Urad Mine 58 in. 50.2 in.

Empire Ranger Station 24 in. 17.3 in.

Waldorf Mine 91 in. 43.0 in.

John Puchert’s Ranch 41 in. 16.8 in
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

75

“The depth of snow at the Waldorf and at John Puchert’s is now 

the greatest for this time of the year that appears on record since the 

establishment of the scales, while the readings at the Urad Mine and at the 

Empire Ranger Station have not been equaled or exceeded except for the 

years 1912, 1918, and 1932. The water for the scales at the end of March this 

year equals about 21% of the depth of the snow. 

“Last fall an 1800 foot snow course was laid out near the foot of 

Loveland Pass by the Colorado Bureau of Agricultural Engineering for 

the purpose of securing additional and more accurate data on snow fall. 

The Forest Service is cooperating with the State Bureau in making these 

readings. 

“The first readings have just been made by Earl Williams of Silver Plume 

and Ranger Helmick after an eleven hour snow-shoe trip to the location of 

the course. The various depths of snow and water content was determined 

by accurate instruments from samples taken at regular fifty foot intervals 

along the entire length of the course. The average of some thirty samples 

indicates 55.8 inches of water content.”

86.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 13, 1937

“The search for two Denver men, who disappeared last Sunday at the 

Berthoud Pass ski course, has been abandoned. It is believed they were 

caught in a snowslide which occurred that afternoon. If such is the case, 

the bodies may not be recovered until the snow melts in the spring.”

87.	Georgetown Courier, Saturday, May 29, 1937

Body of Lost Skier Found

“The frozen body of one of the two Denver skiers, who disappeared on 

February 7 at the Berthoud Pass ski course, was found Friday in a snow bank 

within a half mile of Berthoud Pass Inn.

“The two skiers, Joseph Oppenheimer and John S. Oberdorfer, 

disappeared last February 7, at the time of a snowslide on the ski course. 

Identification as to which of the two skiers was found had not been made.

“The rapidly melting snow will undoubtedly soon disclose the body of 

the other unfortunate man.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

76

88.	Summit County Journal, Friday, March 24, 1939

SNOWSLIDES BATTLED IN THE ROCKIES 

TO MAINTAIN ELECTRIC SERVICE

“The irresistible force conquered the immovable object when 

Tariff Slide, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, about 4  ̊ miles from 

Montezuma, Colorado, settled a score of long standing early Monday, 

February 27, 1939.

“For almost a third of a century tower No. 724 of the Shoshone-Denver 

100,000-volt transmission line of the Public Service Company of Colorado 

has safely withstood the barrage of snowslides leveled at it. Its Rock-ofGibraltar defense, heretofore, has been a protecting knoll on which it was 

built thirty years ago. Each spring Tariff Slide has turned loose tons of 

destructive force which caused the mountains to tremble as the snow and 

rock mass plunge down the 2,000-foot incline. Always the snow slide 

hurled by, leaving [towers] 724 unharmed.

“This winter it seemed that Tariff Slide prepared for a supreme try. 

Additional tons of snow piled up in the horseshoe-shaped pocket at the top 

of the slide. When the huge mass let go its mooring this time, it covered 

a wider front than ever before—nearly a fifth of a mile. The crest of the 

snow-must have been as high as a three story building. It swept down over 

the protecting knoll, lapped up over the top, uprooted the 50-foot steel 

tower from its concrete foundations, flipped it more than 300 feet in the air, 

and deposited it in a crushed mass on the opposite side of Peru Creek.”

[This happened at 1:32 a.m. A three-man crew found the break at 5:30 a.m. 

Temporary power was restored by 4 o’clock the next day followed by full service at 

5 p.m., March 1. Tons of material and equipment were carried or dragged to the 

site by a crew of over 20 men, who worked for 14 hours per day for 3 consecutive 

days in severe weather.]

[Tariff Mine is located 1,000 feet above Decatur at the base of Cooper Mountain 

and 5 miles from Montezuma (Fossett 1880, p. 492). Max Dercum, of Montezuma, 

whose mining company once owned the Tariff and Tariff East Mines, says these 

mines were in the saddle just east of the Cooper Mountain summit.] 

[The Berthoud Bulletin for March 3 and 26, 1936, has articles about other 

avalanche problems along this transmission line.] 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

77

89.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, March 12, 1943

“A heavy snowslide that came hurtling down the mountain covering 

Loveland Pass highway, three miles beyond Silver Plume early Wednesday 

morning, caused no damage or loss of life as it was too early for travel. 

It was several days before the highway was cleared for traffic.” [Several 

avalanche paths threaten the highway in this area. From the data given, it is 

not possible to identify which avalanche ran.]

90.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, March 31, 1944

Adam Frazer Snowslide Victim

“Adam Frazer of the maintenance crew of the State Highway 

Department and a member of the oiling and graveling crew, was sent to 

Georgetown in January to help keep Highway 6 clear of snow and ice. 

He met his death from a snowslide Monday afternoon while clearing the 

highway near the foot of Loveland Pass. He and a companion, Robert 

Etzler, had been sent with their bulldozer and truck to clear the highway of 

a snowslide that was blocking traffic over Loveland Pass to Climax. After 

eating their noonday lunch, they agreed that Frazer would clear the highway 

over the top of the pass.

Figure 15. — An avalanche splitter 

wedge up hill from a high 

voltage transmission tower in 

Peru Creek. Photo taken 25 

June 1964.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

78

“A second snowslide came down when Etzler was out of sight and 

hearing, sweeping the cab from the bulldozer and carrying the 15 ton 

machine down the mountainside about 100 yards. A soldier from Camp 

Hale saw the slide and came back to where Etzler was working and told him 

what had happened. The two men returned to where other men were at 

work and gave the alarm, which was relayed to Silver Plume, Georgetown, 

and Idaho Springs. Rescue crews were organized who immediately went to 

the scene and after digging snow and ice and rock for two hours, Frazer’s 

body was found crushed under the slide.” 

[This accident happened at the Seven Sisters Avalanche paths near Loveland 

Basin Ski Area on Highway 6.]

91.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, February 16, 1945

Denver Man Killed in Snowslide on Berthoud Pass

“Harold B. Willis, 45, of Denver, a salesman for the Meadow Gold 

Creamery Co., was swept to his death last Friday night by a snowslide that 

carried his automobile from the highway down a steep embankment near the 

foot of Berthoud Pass.

“Death resulted instantly from a skull fracture. The car was buried 

under snow and rocks about 400 feet down the slope and Willis’ frozen 

body was found about 150 feet further on, partly buried in the snow.

“Willis probably was caught in a slide that occurred between 9 and 9:30 

p.m. Friday and which the highway crew had cleared away by midnight. The 

search for Willis started when his employers reported he had failed to arrive 

in Denver on schedule.

“Clarence McMillian, highway supervisor, was searching the slide area 

on foot when he saw an object protruding from the snow several hundred 

yards below the road. It was one hand of Willis.” 

[This accident was at what is now known as the Stanley Avalanche Path.]

92.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, February 7, 1947

Water Measurements

“The first of the snow surveys taken annually during the four winter 

months by the Forest Service to determine how much water will be available 

for domestic, industrial and irrigation use next summer, was made recently. 

The Loveland Pass snow course which is considered representative of the 

watersheds contributing to the water supply of the counties east of Denver, 

shows an average snow fall of 33 inches which contains 7-1/2 inches of 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

79

water. The average for the past five years at February 1, is 32 inches of snow 

which stored a little less than 7 inches of water.”

93.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, February 28, 1947

“Loveland Pass was hit by a snowslide on Tuesday afternoon [February 

25]. A highway maintenance truck with two men was caught in the slide 

which closed the pass for three hours until the work crews could clear a lane 

for one-way traffic. Neither of the men was injured and the truck remained 

on the road.

“The slide occurred on the second switchback of the western slope. 

Snow sweeping down from the slopes blocked 675 feet of highway, 

according to Chas. Kemp of the Highway Maintenance Department.” 

[This was probably what is now called the Five-Car Avalanche path. It runs 

down a small drainage and crosses the highway about 1800 feet below the second 

switchback.]

94.	Summit County Journal, Friday, March 21, 1947

Loveland Pass Opened After Two Large Slides

“The Colorado Highway Patrol reported in Denver that Loveland Pass is 

open after being blocked by two snow slides Sunday [March 16].

“The first slide on the west side of the pass came Sunday morning. 

Highway crews from Dillon had almost opened the road when another slide 

in the afternoon buried the road to a depth of 35 ft. Rocks and trees were 

dumped into the road along with the snow.

“Another highway, 285, was also blocked between Jefferson and Fairplay 

by drifting snow, and the traffic was routed over secondary roads until the 

drifts were opened.”

95.	Summit County Journal, Friday, January 30, 1948

YOUTH KILLED IN SNOW SLIDE

Dog Saves Two

“Lonnie Burch, 16, of Montezuma, lost his life Saturday morning 

[January 24] in a snowslide at Montezuma while two companions escaped, 

with the help of a dog, from the slide.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

80

“The three men and the dog were caught in the avalanche of thundering 

snow as they were coming to Montezuma for supplies from their mine, the 

Shoe Basin. The avalanche was 15 feet high and 200 feet wide.

“Fred Burford, owner of Smokey, Emmett Brophy and the boy, all 

employed at the mine, were walking on snow shoes toward town, after 

waiting three days for the weather to clear so they could make the trip; the 

boy looked up as the three men and the dog were crossing the Rothchild 

slide area and exclaimed, ‘Here it comes, men!’ Almost instantly the slide 

caught them and they rolled several hundred feet in the slide.

“After pawing himself to the surface, the shepherd dug the snow away 

from the face of his master, then proceeded to do the same for Brophy, and 

then located the body of Burch. After freeing themselves from the snow and 

their snow shoes the two men attempted to revive the life of Burch, after 35 

minutes of artificial respiration, by the watch, they gave up and came on to 

Montezuma, and told of the accident, and officials were notified.”...

[The Rothschild Mine (Minerou) is on Cooper Mountain. The portal is 200 

feet above Peru Creek about  ̊ mile northwest of the mouth of Cinnamon Gulch 

and about 3 miles east-northeast of Montezuma (Lovering 1935, p. 99).]

96.	Summit County Journal, Friday, January 30, 1948

SKI TRIP FATAL

“The body of William Marquis of Denver, one of two skiers killed 

Sunday when they were caught in a snowslide near the top of Loveland 

Pass, was recovered Monday afternoon under ten feet of snow. Marquis 

was found about 100 yards from where the body of his companion, Everette 

Dierks, Denver, was recovered Sunday night a few hours after the men were 

caught in the avalanche. A third companion, Jack T. Elliot, Denver, was also 

caught in the slide but dug himself free and went for assistance.”

[This avalanche starts just north of the first major switchback on Highway 6 

about one mile northeast of Loveland pass near the top terminal of the Loveland 

Valley Chair Lift.]

97.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, March 5, 1948

Seven Sisters Slide Sunday

“Many travelers and Denver skiers were forced to spend Sunday night 

[February 28] in Dillon, or lodges in the area as a result of the half mile 

long slide on the east side of Loveland Pass, properly known as the Seven 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

81

Sisters Slide Area. The slide completely covered Highway 6 and occurred in 

the same spot as did the snowslide last year about this time, which carried 

down with it huge boulders and uprooted trees.

“No one was caught by the slide, but one car, occupied by a Denver 

couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ainsworth and a small child, was almost covered by 

the dangerous slide. They stopped in time and their car just nosed the slide 

as it stopped.”

98.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, March 12, 1948

Snow Slides Halt Local Miner

“Mr. D. M. Houston, of Georgetown, now living at the Clear Creek 

Ranch and who has been working the Alaska Mine on Griffith Mountain 

in Georgetown, has been forced to stay at work because of snow slides on 

three different occasions over the portal of his mine. Houston is doing 

development work in the Alaska {Mine}.”

99.	Georgetown Courier, Friday, March 26, 1948

“The snow slide reported by the Denver Post to be on Loveland Pass 

and of considerable proportion, was a small slide which slid down from the 

top of Mt. Parnassus. The highway department boys had it all cleaned from 

the road in twenty minutes.” 

[This slide probably came down the drainage just west of Thompson Gulch. It 

is now known as the Bard Shoulder Avalanche. To our knowledge it has not come 

to the road in the last 50 years.]

100.	 Georgetown Courier, Thursday, April 5, 1949

Snow Slide Tragedy

“At 11:00 a.m. April 1, a snowslide occurred just off the Rainbow Run 

at the Loveland Basin Ski Course. Four persons were buried in the slide. 

Craig Izett, 18; Eugene Borg, 16; and Mr. Allen Bennett, who is manager 

of the ski area, dug themselves out to safety. Sidney Prather, 17 year old 

employee of the Bennett’s, who lives at 2500 S. Washington, Englewood, 

could not dig himself out...men worked frantically all day to recover young 

Sidney. His body was found at 5:15 p.m. under five foot of snow.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

82

101.	 Georgetown Courier, Friday, March 17, 1950

Snow Avalanche Study on Berthoud Pass

“A study to determine why snow slides occur when they do, is currently 

being conducted at Berthoud `Pass. The study is being made by Mr. 

Whitney Borland of the Bureau of Reclamation in cooperation with the 

Army and the Forest Service.

“Borland is accumulating information on total snowfall, temperature, 

wind velocity, and snow structure in an attempt to learn the conditions that 

precipitate avalanches.

“Probably the most curious piece of equipment used by Borland is 

the penetrometer. With this instrument, he is able to measure the snow’s 

resistance to penetration of a blunt rod driven into the snow by dropping a 

known weight from varying heights along the road.

“By plotting these results, Borland is able to show graphically which 

layers of the snow are well consolidated and relatively safe and which layers 

are unconsolidated and could produce a snow slide, if for some reason 

such as a heavy new snow, a broken-off snow slab from a cornice, or a man, 

should disturb their equilibrium.

“The study is in its first year and, with some exceptions, is patterned 

after similar studies which have been made in the dangerous Alps country of 

Switzerland for many years.”

102.	 Summit County Journal, Friday, February 9, 1951

SNOW SLIDES ON LOVELAND

“Monday evening, large snow slides on each side of Loveland Pass held 

up traffic for several hours. It was noon Tuesday before the roadwas open 

to one-way traffic. Then more slides were reported Wednesday 

evening...Berthoud Pass on highway 40 was also closed and traffic halted 

due to slides. But with so much snow and it so wet, some thing had to give. 

Fortunately, to date, no lives have been taken nor anyone hurt in the slides.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

83

Figure 16. — Part of the Greys Peak 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). 

Places mentioned in the newspaper accounts are circled. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

84

Figure 17. — Part of the Montezuma 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. [Figure 18 fits below this one.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

85

Figure 18. — Part of the Montezuma 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in the 

newspaper accounts are circled. [Figure 17 fits above this one.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

86

Figure 19. — Part of the Georgetown 7-1/2 minute quadrangle (USGS). Places 

mentioned in the newspaper accounts are circled. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

87

Newspaper Accounts Concerning Avalanches 

in the Central and Northern 

Colorado Mountains 

1862-1945

Place names mentioned in these newspaper accounts are listed alphabetically in 

Table 6 (page 255). Many are also marked on the topographic map sections that 

appear as Figures 45 to 49 on pages 203 through 207.

103.	 Colorado Republican, Thursday, April 10, 1862

“John Aldrich, about 35 years of age, a native of Rhode Island, about 

18 of March on the route from Washington Gulch [4 to 5 miles north of 

Crested Butte] to Denver with a party of six men {was} covered by a snow 

slide while passing through Cochetope Pass. The deceased {was} buried 8 

feet under the snow...The others escaped after working about an hour and 

a half...Aldrich was found dead.”

[From the Snow Slide Disaster file at the Colorado Historic Society Library, 

Denver. The original article was not seen.]

104.	 Colorado Republican, Thursday, April 10, 1862

An Immense Snow Slide

“...from Mr. Fairbanks of Washington Gulch we gathered the particulars 

of a most terrific slide that took place there on the 20th of January. About 

a mile from the Gulch is a mountain some two miles high and very steep. A 

large and severe snowstorm had entirely filled a ravine several 100 feet deep 

on the side of the mountain and running at right angles with the Gulch. On 

the 20th just after dark the high column of snow in the ravine started down 

the mountain...carrying along a whole forest of giant pines....After reaching 

the base of the mountain its wild career continued for over a mile...some 

dozen {abandoned} cabins...were entirely covered to a depth of about 10 

feet...no one was hurt.”

[From the Snow Slide Disaster file at the Colorado Historic Society Library, 

Denver. The original article was not seen.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

88

105.	 Georgetown Courier, Thursday, February 7, 1878

Buried in a Snow Slide

“C. H. Colwell, one of the owners of the Wheeler Mine, three miles 

above Montgomery, was engulfed by a snow slide last Sunday about two 

p.m. He was on his way to the mine, and when within a few hundred feet 

of his cabin, an immense body of snow came down the mountain carrying 

him off and completely demolishing the ore house of the mine. Mr. Henry, 

one of his partners, was in the cabin at the time, and although he rushed 

out immediately on hearing the crash, could hear or see nothing of Colwell. 

The pack and one of the snowshoes of the unfortunate man were discovered 

by Henry, who, after looking in vain for some trace of him, came to Alma 

with this report. This morning, six men started in search of the body, but 

the search was fruitless, although the entire day was spent therein. A large 

party will start in the morning, fully prepared to make every possible effort 

to recover Colwell’s body. It is feared that should the slide prove as deep as 

it is supposed, that the body will not be found until spring.”...

106. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, December 25, 1879 (from the Kokomo Times)

“On Thursday morning, N. C. Bassick, while ascending Tucker 

Mountain [north of Kokomo] towards his cabin, was overtaken by an 

avalanche which broke {from} the crest of the mountain and hurled him with 

loose stones down the mountain, and a moment afterwards he lay fatally 

hurt in the broken pines several hundred feet below. He was twenty-two 

years of age.”

107. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, January 15, 1880

“Henry Comstock, a veteran miner and prospector of Middle Park, was 

buried in a snow slide on Great Mountain, on Wednesday of last week. He 

was hunting mountain sheep with his brother at the time of the accident, 

the latter being caught in the edge of the slide and escaping with some bad 

bruises.”

[The location of Great Mountain is unknown to us.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

89

108. Leadville Herald Democrat, Saturday, November 27, 1880

Snow Slide in North Park

“Georgetown, November 26 — News is just in from North Park with 

the particulars of a frightful accident there on the twenty-second instant. 

Five men, while ascending the pass between Jack and Illinois creeks, were 

overtaken with a snow slide, in which Thomas Gray and Charles Eaton were 

killed, Will Sandels badly bruised, and James Frazier had his left thigh 

broken in two places. Joe Nelson escaped unhurt. The snow slide carried 

the party three hundred feet down the mountain.

[This was likely Bowen Pass at the southwest corner of the Never Summer 

Range.]

“Cheyenne, November 26 — Advice to The Leader from North Park 

state that a party of five miners, going from Georgetown to North Park, 

were precipitated in an immense snow slide on the continental divide, on 

Saturday last. C. Eaton and Thomas Gray were killed; James Frazier had 

his thigh bone broken in two places. The body of Eaton was found buried 

in the snow. Gray’ s body could not be found. The party had been out in a 

storm five days and were nearly famished when the accident occurred.”

109. Leadville Herald Democrat, Thursday, January 6, 1881

The Snow’s Wrath

Frank Pulliam is Buried Alive in Lackawanna Gulch

“A man by the name of Sam Phillips arrived in this city last evening 

from Lackawanna Gulch [east of Independence Pass], and narrates the 

destruction of a cabin by a snow slide on Sunday last, and the death of his 

associate by the name of Frank Pulliam. It was on Sunday morning about 

nine o’clock that they were engaged in cooking breakfast. Their cabin is 

located near the base of the mountain, and the snow above is of several 

feet depth. All at once they were interrupted by a rumbling noise and the 

next moment half of the cabin together with Pulliam had disappeared. The 

contents of the room were completely destroyed. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

90

“A short distance from the cabin was a sawmill and to this Phillips had 

to make his way. The morning was a blustering one and the traveler was 

completely blinded by the snow that blew into his face, and going a few 

yards he would recede to the cabin and take another look. This he did for 

hours until the trail was extended around the spur of the mountain and the 

building at the sawmill was visible. 

“Mustering up all his courage he pushed forward, the snow reaching his 

breast in some places. Finally he reached the sawmill and going in related 

the affair to the workmen. To attempt to make their way to the destroyed 

cabin was out of the question, and so Pulliam’s body was permitted to 

remain in its snowy tomb until Tuesday when they discovered it beneath 

the fallen timbers of the cabin....The dead man had evidently been struck 

by the whirling timbers as his head presented a horrible wound, while one 

hand was smashed into jelly.”

110. Leadville Herald Democrat, Sunday, January 16, 1881

Entombing a Miner

The Horrible Death of John Wilson at Chalk Ranch

Buried by the Snow at the Bottom of a 

Shaft on the Mountain Side

“The vicinity of Chalk Ranch was the scene of a terrible disaster on 

Friday afternoon, [January 14] in which a miner by the name of John Wilson 

met his untimely end. It seems that the dead man and his companion had 

discovered a promising prospect upon the mountainside and ambitious to 

meet spring with a substantial mine they concluded to continue work upon 

it throughout the winter....

“On Friday afternoon they were engaged in their accustomed labor. 

Wilson was at the base of the shaft filling the ore bucket while his 

companion was upon the surface turning the windlass, which elevated the 

dirt to the top. Nothing unusual occurred until late in the afternoon. The 

sun, which had shone with telling effect upon its opponent, the snow, had 

thawed it considerably, and in spots it had disappeared entirely. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

91

“The men were engaged in their occupation, when suddenly the man at 

the windlass looked up and was appalled at the moving ship of snow and 

ice that had just become detached from the mountain side, and was moving 

slowly but surely, taking the massive boulders and stumps with it. Suddenly 

something yielded, and, like a weak vessel amid the tempestuous billows, it 

came plunging and maddened towards its prey. 

“The man stood transfixed to the spot, but there was not a moment to 

allow the hungry demon that was fast coming towards him, and seizing the 

windlass, he held with a death grip until the avalanche was over, when he 

laid there almost insensible. Where was his partner, was the first thought 

that dawned upon him, and the word came impulsively through the morning 

winds, ‘dead!’ 

“He looked at the shaft and found it full of snow, which was the grave 

of his companion. He went to work with his shovel, that was unrelenting 

and his strikes were vigorous. Getting down about ten feet he realized his 

inability to contend with the snow that was fast sinking, and jumping to the 

surface he came to Leadville for assistance. 

“Here three men joined him and together they went to the work of 

resurrection. They reached the mine yesterday morning and were soon 

unearthing their comrade. Until night they worked, and reaching the 

bottom of the shaft, here they found the remains of John Wilson cold in 

death, while he was crushed into a misshapen mass. He was elevated to the 

surface and taken to the ranch a short distance away. He will be brought to 

Leadville today. He was a native of Virginia, Illinois.”

[Chalk Ranch was later called Halfway, then Tabor City. Crofutt (1881, p. 148) 

says Tabor City was on Chalk Creek and on the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad 

13 miles north of Leadville, 7 miles south of Kokomo, and at the western base of 

Buckskin Mountain.]

[On modern maps this appears to be at the base of the unnamed 12,080-foot 

summit at the junction of sections 14, 15, and 22, T8S, R79W. Mount Buckskin 

is three miles southeast of this point.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

92

110A. Leadville Herald Democrat, Tuesday, January 18, 1881 (p. 4)

Buried Alive

Contending with Death in a Snowy Sepulchre

John Wilson is Imprisoned Without a Breath 

of Air for Forty-Nine Hours

The Horrible Experience of His Rescuers 

While on the Snowy Trail

“The Herald readers will remember the details of an appalling disaster 

that were given in the Sunday morning issue, in which it was stated that John 

Wilson had mourned out the death rattle under a snowy sepulchre at the 

bottom of the ‘Alice Logan’ Mine, near Chalk Ranch. Later developments 

contradict the report of his death, but leave him upon a subtle and weak 

thread of existence that may possibly reap in twain even by the gentlest 

breeze of his surroundings. 

“There is an event in Wilson’s career that will render it immortal, even 

from its horror. No one whose destiny has not engulfed him in a similar 

position and calamity can realize the terror of being imprisoned in a mine 

with the sounding winds above moaning out a dirge over the grave of one 

alive, but to all minds and the world dead. 

“It will be remembered that John Wilson was given up by common 

conclusion of his friends as having sustained death in the recent snow 

slide near Chalk Ranch. On Friday night last, about eleven o’clock, W. C. 

Chapman, who was Wilson’s associate at the mine, arrived in this city, and 

going to the Citizens’ Mining Investment Company’s room in the Merchants’ 

Building notified the friends of Wilson of the occurrence of the morning. In 

a moment they started to their feet, and inspired by the recollection of their 

old friend they determined to confront the opposition of night and howling 

weather and go to the rescue. 

“Accordingly Messrs. J. W. Virgin, a trustee of the Citizens’ Mining 

Investment Company, Charles Crown, Charles Downing and Mr. Caldwell 

mounted their horses and were soon pushing their way through the storm, 

along the Arkansas valley to where their friend was entombed. They moved 

on with as good progress as the snow would admit, and finally abandoned 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

93

the wagon road for the railroad track, where they proceeded for some 

distance, until they were interrupted by a long trestle work, a short distance 

this side of Chalk Ranch. 

“Here they were compelled to retire to the wagon road, which was some 

distance away, and leaving the track started through the snow that was above 

their waists. The wind was blowing a perfect gale, while the snow was 

falling thick and fast. They could see a light from the ranch and pushed on. 

Finally they arrived at a portion of the road where the snow had drifted so as 

to render it almost impossible to continue any further. Tired out and weary, 

they started to tramp down the snow, so as to make a path for their horses. 

Some time was spent in this, and they at last arrived at Chalk Ranch, where 

they went into the house and thawed out their benumbed limbs. 

“Stimulated, they resumed their march to what they supposed was 

Wilson’s grave, and encountered the most discouraging difficulties. The 

snow had formed a perfect stronghold against human invasion, and seemed 

to leap higher and higher, at each stop, upon the bodies of the men. They 

were instructed to take it slow and easy, and by this method much more 

would be accomplished. The horses would sink down now, almost to their 

backs and plunging this way and that were soon in foam. The men moved 

on, thoroughly fatigued and almost frozen, until they reached a little cabin, 

that had formerly been employed as a saloon and road lunch house. 

“By this time the men began to grow sleepy, and the evidences of 

freezing began to assert themselves. Several times previous Virgin and 

Downing had laid down, like resignation, beside the grave and closed 

their eyes in perfect and pleasant submission to the cold fingers that were 

rapidly closing themselves around their victim. The two other companions 

witnessed the awful and ominous evidence of death and going to the men, 

began to kick and beat them, until opening their eyes, they struggled to 

their feet and walked on apparently unconscious, or at least indifferent to 

their course. 

“Reaching the cabin above referred to, Virgin and Downing again 

surrendered and fell prostrate upon the snow, utterly refusing to advance 

another step. A short distance up the declivity of the mountain was the 

cabin to which Crews and Caldwell {managed} to reach, and building a fire 

returned for Virgin and Downing. First, however, they built a fire beneath 

a massive boulder that was near the road, and supporting the sleeping men 

to it the men started toward the cabin. They moved on with much difficulty 

and made very little progress through the obstinate element that seemed to 

exert itself in delaying the men. 

“At last, after a terrible struggle, the men attained a spot within thirty 

feet of the cabin. Here Crews, who had proceeded with such fortitude, 

yielded and sinking down upon the snow was in a moment unconscious 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

94

of the fact that death had conquered and soon he would be a subject of 

another sphere. Caldwell was now the only one left, and upon him hung the 

destiny of the three men who had lain down to die. He pushed on through 

the snow, at times almost succumbing to the drooping lethargy, and again 

summoning his strength and {?}. 

“After some time he reached the cabin and pushing the door open 

was soon bent over the stove starting the fire. Upon a shelf near by was a 

quantity of canned goods, and seizing a can of pork and beans he rushed 

from the cabin and ran to Virgin and Downing. After kicking, turning and 

beating the men were aroused and started like a hungry wolf upon the {?} 

for the pork and beans.

“Indeed it was a ‘go as you please’ between the two men as to who 

should devour the meat. After this strength began to return slowly and 

starting again they reached the cabin, where they fell thoroughly exhausted 

upon the blankets. In the meantime Crews had been taken in and was 

sleeping soundly. No one knew anything until the following Sunday 

morning when the men awoke and remembered their errand.

“Eating a hearty breakfast they started for the mine and proceeded 

to dig for Wilson. They worked vigorously until about 10 o’clock, when 

they saw Wilson in an upright position, the pick above his head and held 

by his left hand. Everybody was surprised to find the man alive, and the 

palpitations of his heart were scarcely perceptible. His face was terribly 

discolored, and his chin fell forward on his breast. His extremities were 

as cold as ice, and perfectly void of any sense, whatever. The abode of 

the remaining spark of life was across the breast, and even his {face}. The 

arms were rigid and stiff, as were the limbs and there was little hope. 

Wilson’s eyes were fixed and there was every evidence that death had taken 

possession of the man.

“They elevated him to the surface, and wrapping the semi-corpse in a 

blanket started for the cabin. His teeth, which were set in the cold embrace 

of death, were pried open and some whiskey administered to him. Finally 

they arrived at the cabin, and cutting his clothes from his stiffened limbs 

he was placed in bed and a physician sent for from Robinson’s camp. He 

was but a short distance from eternity when the doctor arrived, who went to 

work immediately to his restoration.

“After several hours of work and careful nursing Wilson recovered 

his consciousness and looking around was apparently ignorant of the 

surroundings. When informed of what had happened he said that he 

remembered being down in the mine, but thought when the snow had fallen 

in upon him that he had been struck violently with some implement. He 

said that his consciousness held for about eight hours and knew nothing 

after that.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

95

“Wilson had survived in his tomb for about forty-eight hours and this 

established beyond doubt that the days of miracles are not at an end. He 

is now lying in his cabin, near Chalk Ranch, and it will require several days 

to recover sufficient strength to leave his bed. Mr. Virgin returned from 

the place yesterday, and in reply to a question from the reporter as to the 

{chances} of recovery said that while there was life there was hope.”

111. Leadville Herald Democrat, Thursday, January 20, 1881

Killed by a Snow Slide

Cassius M. Price is Instantly 

Taken Off Near Red Cliff

The March to the Rescue of a 

Large Number of People of the Town

“ ‘This is the season of snow slides,’ said a gentleman who has just 

arrived from the mountains to a reporter yesterday, and the numerous 

occurrences would lead one to that conclusion. Hardly is the pencil 

suspended from the narration of one snow slide until it is envied [sic] by 

that of another with details just as sorrowful. On Tuesday last about noon 

Cassius M. Price of Red Cliff, well known in this city, as he was a frequent 

visitor, was engulfed in a snow slide about three miles from his home, while 

he was in search of game. The following is a statement of Michael Nemis, 

who was in company with the deceased at the time of the calamity, and 

submit it to the readers:

‘We, the deceased and myself, left Red Cliff about ten o’clock a.m. 

on the 18th day of January to climb Horn Silver Mountain to hunt for 

mountain sheep. We walked up the Eagle and White River toll road 

about four miles, and then ascended the mountain (Horn Silver) about 

half a mile. At this point I was fifty feet ahead of the deceased and 

walking on the north side of a little creek and he was walking up the bed 

of the creek.

‘My attention was attracted by a peculiar sound, and looking up the 

mountain I saw about two hundred feet ahead of me the snow breaking 

up, and a body of it about three feet high and fifteen feet wide, start 

to slide down the gulch or creek, gaining force, volume and speed as 

it came toward us. The deceased, who had seen the break-up of the 

snow at the same time as myself, called my attention to it and I told him 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

96

to look out, but the deceased, instead of stepping out of the way and 

avoiding the danger, only laughed and said something to the effect that 

“that was nothing” or he “wasn’t afraid”. The slide struck him, knocking 

him over backwards and I did not see him again alive. 

‘After the slide struck him and he disappeared, I slid down the side 

of the mountain to the gulch, and not seeing him I called him by name, 

but received no answer. At this time, the dog, which had accompanied 

us, climbed out of the snow, and I realized that the deceased had been 

buried in the slide. I immediately started for Red Cliff for help, which 

I got, about seventy-five of the citizens of the said town accompanying 

me to the place of the accident. 

‘After digging in the snow about three-quarters of an hour, the 

deceased was found lying on his back and covered with about two feet 

of snow. His snowshoes, rifle and gloves were found at different places, 

buried in the snow, but all were found higher up the gulch than the 

body of the deceased. After the body was found every effort was made 

by myself and some of the others to resuscitate the deceased by friction 

and otherwise, but after working in this endeavor for about threequarters of an hour without any signs of life from the body, the effort 

was given up as fruitless, and the body of the deceased, Cassius M. 

Price, was conveyed to the town of Red Cliff, by his friends.

Signed, M. Nemis’

Subscribed and sworn to before me this eighteenth day of January, 

A.D., 1881.

E. R. Hawley, Justice of the Peace.

‘I hereby certify that the above statement is in my opinion the truth and 

nothing but the truth, and that being one of the party of citizens who went 

to the rescue of the deceased Cassius M. Price, I can vouch for the truth 

of the statement concerning the events following the report of the above 

named Michael Nemis, that the said Cassius M. Price was buried in a snow 

slide.’

E. R. Hawley, Justice of the Peace.

“A gentleman who arrived from Red Cliff yesterday afternoon, said that 

the announcement of Price’s unfortunate ending convulsed the entire city in 

excitement, and at the time the word came the court was in session and the 

jurors rushed out of the court room, before the judge had time to declare 

it adjourned. Four men upon horses proceeded in advance of the party 

and broke the road so as to permit the rescuers to reach the place where 

poor Price was entombed in the snow. When they found his body it was 

still warm, and there were evidences of life remaining. But all efforts were 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

97

unavailable, and placing the inanimate form in a sleigh they returned in a 

funeral train to the city. Intelligence of his sad and lamentable ending has 

been telegraphed to Topeka, Kansas, where his relatives reside and in all 

probability the body will be sent there for interment.

112. Grand Lake Prospector, December 1882

“...Shortly after breakfast the morning of 12/14/1882, the men having 

gone to work in the tunnel [Hidden Treasure Mine]. He, [J.C. Harmon] 

decided to break a new trail for them from the bunkhouse to the mine...even 

this early in the winter, snow was piled deep in the mountains...with an 

angry roar hundreds of tons of snow and debris engulfed him” [112A, 112B, 

and 118].

112A. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, December 21, 1882

A Fatal Snow Slide

“On Thursday of last week, Mr. Jules C. Harmon, superintendent of the 

Colorado and Kentucky Mining and Smelting Co.’s property, in the Rabbit 

Ears Mountains, was killed by a snow slide. The Company has been sinking 

the discovery shaft of the Hidden Treasure Lode during the winter, and Mr. 

Harmon was superintending the work. He had just announced to the men 

in the shaft that it was time to close, and started down the mountain, which 

in that place is very steep, and in the form of a horse-shoe. Before the 

miners had got out of the shaft, they heard the slide, and on reaching the 

surface nothing was seen of Harmon. His body had not been recovered on 

Saturday.“

[The report of this accident in the Rocky Mountain News for December 19, 

1882 (p. 3, c. 4) said Harmon was a world renowned roller skater [118].]

112B. Grand Lake Prospector, Saturday, December 23, 1882

“The immense amount of snow which covers him [Jules C. Harmon], 

reinforced by continual storms, make it utterly impossible for poor humanity 

to do ought but wait until the bright sun of spring shall dissolve the 

beautiful but pitiless shroud which now envelops him.”

[The body was recovered the 10th of the following June and was buried there 

in Bowen Gulch.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

98

115. Gunnison Daily Review Press, Monday, January 29, 1883 (p. 3, c. 1)

ACCIDENT AT IRWIN

Michael Lawler Caught in a Snow Slide and Killed.

“Irwin, Colo., Jan. 28, 1882

“Ed. Review-Press: The second death by snow slide occurred yesterday. 

[The first death was J. W. Goodspeed on the 26th at Cinnamon Mountain 

[116 and 118].] About five o’clock in the afternoon, Michael Lawler and 

Thomas Owens, owners of the Elk Lode, started for town, intending to 

return on Monday. The former was shod with Web shoes and the latter with 

the Norwegian. While passing around the dump of the Venango Mine they 

were caught and carried down by a great slide that extended in width from 

the Belmont Tunnel to the new Venango Tunnel, a distance of about one 

thousand feet. 

“When the slide started Owens was about one hundred feet in advance 

of Lawler. He says that when he came to a stop he found his snow shoe 

pole still in his hands, and succeeded in making with it a hole through 

which he obtained air. Having extricated himself with great difficulty, he 

started back and began a search for Lawler, but could find no sign of him. 

He at once started for town and soon a large number of men armed with 

shovels started for the slide, keeping up a search during the night.

“Today, about one o’clock, the body was found near the brink of Elk 

Creek. It was covered by about four feet of snow, firmly packed. There 

was no sign of a struggle, and death from suffocation must have taken place 

before Owens got out.”...

116. Gunnison Daily Review Press, Tuesday, January 30, 1883

SERIOUS SNOW SLIDE!

Another Accident from A Terrible Snow Slide near Irwin.

Eight Miners Buried Beneath a Mantle of Cold White Snow.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

99

One Killed Outright and Two Others Probably Dying.

“Still the sad news crowds itself upon us. Yesterday our citizens 

attended the funeral of one of their number who was killed by a snow slide. 

Late last evening the news reached town of the burial of another who had 

made this town his home formerly. His body still lies beneath a hundred 

feet of snow. This morning word again reaches us of another in Ruby camp, 

a mile north of Irwin. Eight men are buried beneath an avalanche of snow, 

which came down Mount Owens [Owen]. Houses were swept away, mining 

property destroyed two men badly injured and one killed. This is the third 

disaster within the last three days in this county.

“Early this morning news reached Gunnison over the telephone from 

Irwin that a fearful snow slide had swept down Ruby mountain, at a {point} 

one and a half miles north of the town, and that the Durango, Ruby Chief, 

Oaks [Oakes], Old Schick [Shiek] and Howard Extension shaft houses were 

all swept away, and a number of men buried beneath a mountain of snow 

(Fig. 20).

Figure 20. — The Ruby Chief Mine Tunnel as it appeared in August 1981.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

100

“Men were busy digging for the lost miners. Later the word came 

that all but the two men who were working on the day shift of the Howard 

Extension were found, of whom William Coleman was badly injured 

internally, the remainder were unharmed, having been in the mines at the 

time of the slide. At half-past 10 o’clock this morning the other men were 

dug out. Tom Brown was injured seriously, being nine hours in the snow, 

and it is doubtful whether he will recover. The other man, Frank Ranander, 

was dead when found.

“The slide took place about 1 o’clock this morning. It started near the 

summit of Mt. Owens [Owen], a very high mountain. In order to reach 

the shaft houses the avalanche had to cross a deep gulch, rise over a hill 

of considerable height and descend the second slope where Oakes Mines, 

owned by W. E. Grover, who had been stopping in Gunnison for some time, 

are located. His loss will amount to about $500. From here the avalanche 

descended to the bottom of the gulch, then over a second rise, where it 

struck the Ruby Chief on its third descent. To those who have visited this 

locality, it seems impossible that a snow slide from Mt. Owens [Owen] 

should extend to the Ruby Chief Mines. [Field examination of this site 

indicates the avalanche did not come from Mt. Owens {Owen}. It must have 

come down the conspicuous path on Ruby Peak (Fig. 27).] 

“The seven men who were dug out alive are confident that there were 

but eight men buried. However, a close inquiry is being made to ascertain 

whether there were any others in the locality of the slide.”...

“The Review-Press yesterday recorded the death, by a snow slide at 

Irwin, of Michael Lawler, an old and respected citizen of this county, and 

to-day we are called upon to record another similar accident on Cinnamon 

Mountain, in which the victim is Mr. J. W. Goodspeed, superintendent of 

the Paradise Gulch Mining Company, a resident of Gothic but formerly 

living in this city with his family on Eleventh street. Mr. Goodspeed...left 

Gothic alone on Thursday, the 25th, on snowshoes, to visit the mines in 

Paradise Gulch.

“That night he stopped at Richardson’s cabin, proceeding on his journey 

the next day expecting to reach his mine where his men were employed, 

the same evening. When within sight of the mine he was overtaken by a 

tremendous snow slide and instantly ran into the maelstrom, being covered 

by an avalanche at least one hundred feet in height from which death must 

have been almost instantaneous.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

101

“As his presence was hourly expected by the miners employed, the 

foreman of the mine looked in the direction from whence he expected 

Mr. Goodspeed, and noticing that there had been a snow slide he at once 

instituted a search. Repairing to the scene, fresh snowshoe tracks were 

visible which at once told the sad story — a human being was buried 

beneath at least one hundred feet of snow.

“When it was ascertained beyond the possibility of a doubt that the 

body buried was that of Mr. Goodspeed, and that it was in a mass of 

thousands of tons of snow, all attempts to hunt for the remains were 

deemed inadvisable and search was therefore postponed until the snow 

melts away in the spring [115 and 118].”...

117. Gunnison Daily Review Press, Wednesday, January 31, 1883 (p. 1, c.

3)

AWFUL AVALANCHE!

A Fearful, Death-Dealing Snow Slide Near Crested Butte

Hurls Six Men into Eternity and Buries Twenty-Four Others

Beneath a Mountain of Snow, Injuring Many Seriously.

Full Particulars of the Catastrophe

List of the Killed

Death Dealing Avalanche

“About four o’clock this morning an avalanche of snow swept down 

the mountain side at Crested Butte and carried with it one of the boarding 

houses at the anthracite coal mines [Smith-Hill Mine] (Figs. 21 and 23), 

in which there were thirty-six men... There were thirty (sic) men in the 

boarding house at the time; six were killed and fifteen wounded as reported 

at noon. A large force of men were searching for the other nine men.

“Those who were killed are as follows: Philip Carmin, Logan Inman, 

Louis Richards, William Moore, Chas. Betts and J. J. Raymond. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

102

Those who were so seriously injured that their recovery is extremely 

doubtful, are as follows: 

Messrs. Mahoney, Anderson, Blance, Lovelle, and J. J. McClusky. There 

are many others less seriously injured.

“The anthracite coal mines are situated some three [or four] miles above 

Crested Butte directly opposite Oh-Be-Joyful Creek and 1600 feet above 

Slate River....The slide was not a very large one, but its destruction was 

frightful. With the exception of the boarding house, but little damage was 

done to the property. The tramway and plant were not damaged.”...

Later

“The latest news from the scene of the fearful disaster is that there 

were six men killed, four so badly injured that they are not expected to live, 

eleven injured less seriously, and all the others secured unharmed....

Figure 21. — Smith-Hill anthracite coal mine on the southwest edge of Anthracite Mesa in the Slate 

River drainage about 4 miles northwest of Crested Butte, June 1981. Six men were killed and 21 

injured by an avalanche at this site on January 31, 1883.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

103

117A. Rocky Mountain News, Thursday, February 2, 1883

Special to the News.

THE FATAL SLIDE

“Gunnison, Feb. 1 — Further news from the scene of yesterday’s fatal 

snow slide do not contain any startling features. It has been definitely 

ascertained that only six persons perished, although another is reported 

missing.

“The Following are the Names of Those Killed with Their Residences:

LOUIS RICHARDS, Silver Cliff;

J. J. RAYMOND, Iowa; 

CHARLES BETTS, aged 24, Silver Cliff

PHILLIP KERMIN [Carmin], Kenosha, Wis.

RAYMOND AND LOGAN INHAN

“The Seriously Wounded are:

Bruce Hill, dislocation of spine.

James Delbridge, collar bone broken. 

J. J. McCloskey, spinal concussion. 

James Mahoney, severely injured in the spine and back. 

Harry Carter, bruised on the shoulders and hips. 

Tony Lavelle, hurt on shoulder.

W. H. Manning, shoulders, hips and knees.

Peter Swenscon, back and breast.

“Thirteen others were slightly wounded.”...

[These two accounts agree on five of the fatalities. The sixth is given as 

William Moore in [117] but as Raymond Inman in [117A]. We did not resolve 

this difference.]

[Lathrop 1954, (p.230-232). A short wooden trestle across the Slate River 

along the 4-mile railroad spur between Crested Butte and the Smith-Hill Coal Mine 

was in the path of a frequent avalanche and was found up the opposite hill every 

spring. This spur line was usually not operated during the winter.] 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

104

118. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, February 8, 1883

Avalanches of Snow

“Snow slides have been more numerous during the past two weeks, than 

at any time in the known history of the state.

“On the 26th, J. W. Goodspeed, superintendent of the Paradise Gulch 

Mining Company near Gunnison, was caught in a slide on Cinnamon 

Mountain [Fig. 47] and buried 100 feet under the snow. His body cannot 

be found before spring [116].

“On the 27th, Michael Lawler and Tom Ownes [Owens], two miners of 

Irwin, were caught in a slide near the Durango Mine and carried down into 

the gulch. Ownes [Owens] escaped, but Lawler was killed and his body was 

not found until noon the next day [115].

“The slide at Ruby Basin started at the top of Ruby Peak at midnight and 

swept down the mountainside, carrying everything before it. The buildings 

of the Durango, Ruby Chief, Howard Extension, and Oakes mines were 

crushed into kindling wood. The machinery on the Ruby Chief was carried 

away and eight men were buried in the snow. Five were taken out all right 

except slight bruises; two, Coleman and Tom Brown, were seriously injured 

and may die, and one miner, Frank Rhinelander [Ranander], was taken out 

dead. The force of the slide was perfectly indescribable. Houses, trees, 

and rocks were carried down, and the whole mountainside was left perfectly 

bare. The loss to buildings and machinery will be fully $10,000.00 

[116].”...

[Many avalanches crossed the 12-mile branch of the railroad from Crested Butte 

over Kebler Pass to the towns of Irwin and Ruby. They were especially troublesome 

where the track was cut into a steep hillside west of Kebler Pass. Here they often 

left 30-40 feet of snow on the uphill side of the track (Lathrop, 1954).]

“The passenger train which left Gunnison for Crested Butte, when 

within about six miles of Crested Butte, divided, and the engine was struck 

by a snow slide and ditched under about twenty feet of snow.

“On Wednesday of last week, a snow slide on Sheep Mountain, near 

Robinson, swept Jas Ryan with his team and a heavy load of ore to the gulch 

below.

“On Tuesday, a snow slide near Bonanza carried away a tent in which 

were three men and an engine house and engine. The men miraculously 

escaped with their lives, but were badly injured.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

105

“Last Saturday a snow slide covering more than an acre of ground on 

Red Peak, near Frisco, buried a blacksmith named Fred Plath under 30 

or forty feet of snow. His comrades made a vain attempt to recover the 

body....

“The news of another destructive avalanche in Middle Park on 

Monday of last week has just been received. It occurred on Rabbit Ear 

[Ears] Mountain, and not far from the Wolverine where Jules Harmon was 

swallowed up a few weeks since [114]. [On modern maps the Wolverine 

Mine is about one mile south of Bowen Mountain in the Never Summer 

Range.]

“Four men, Jack Williams, E. R. Doty, Thos Booth, and Mike Flynn, who 

were employed by Stokes and Royer on the Saponis Mine were just sitting 

down to dinner at 4 o’clock in the afternoon when the destroyer came which 

swept them with the cabin down the mountain side. At the time Stokes 

and Royer were approaching a short distance from their cabin and seeing 

the coming danger, ran for their lives to the protection of some large trees 

standing near. They barely escaped. They then commenced a search for the 

men whom they had seen swept away. After eighteen hours search, Flynn 

was found under about ten feet of snow, but still alive although badly frozen 

and otherwise injured. The other three men were found last Tuesday, dead 

and badly bruised.”

119. Gunnison Daily Review Press, Monday, February 5, 1883 (p. 2, c. 3)

Snow Slide at Tomichi City

“We learn from reliable authority that a snow slide occurred at Tomichi 

City on Friday morning, the 2nd, and swept away nine cabins belonging 

to the miners. All the cabins at the time were unoccupied excepting one 

in which was living a Mr. De Groot who heard the slide coming and in a 

second had the presence of mind to lie down at the lower side of a cutting 

and the cabin and the slide were swept over him and he escaped with slight 

injury. The cabins were worth about $150 each (Fig. 30; page 152).

“At about the same time there was a slide at White Pine a couple of 

miles below, and John Morris, the party who heard it coming, saved his life 

by running into the tunnel.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

106

120. Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, November 28, 1883

Under the Snow

Fatal Snow Slide

Special to the Herald.

“Aspen, Colorado, November 27 — Charlie Davis and a man named 

Kelly, while returning last evening from work on the Raj...Mine, near 

the Montezuma, were caught in a snow slide and both buried, but Kelly 

managed to extricate himself and, being unable to find his companion, 

started for assistance. When a searching party found Davis life was extinct. 

He was covered with three feet of snow, but it is supposed that he struck a 

rock and broke his neck.”...

121. The Daily Rocky Mountain News, Denver. Friday, February 15,

	 	 1884

SMOTHERED BY SNOW

A Pitkin Miner Swept Into Eternity 

by an Awful Avalanche.

The Narrow Escape Made by His Two Friends 

and Companions.

Graphic Story Related by One of the Surviving Parties.

“Mr. Charles Miller, who arrived from Pitkin Tuesday night, gives the 

details to a Leadville reporter of a snow slide disaster in which his partner, 

John Riser, was killed and he himself barely escaped with his life. The 

affair was a singular one, in the annals of Colorado slides there not being 

an instance where the victim or victims suffered in same manner or had an 

experience similar to that of Riser. His tortures were not unlike those of the 

‘the man overboard’ who has battled vainly with the waves in view of those 

who would rescue if they could, and finally exhausted, sinks to death in 

sight of friends and almost within hearing of prayers for his escape.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

107

‘It was a terrible experience,’ said Mr. Miller, ‘one that I shall not soon 

forget. Mr. Riser and myself were on our way from Aspen to Pitkin, on the 

Queen’s Gulch trail. It was last Friday evening [February 8]. As we were 

jogging along down the gulch toward Pitkin, and congratulating each other 

on the speedy conclusion of our tiresome journey, we heard a sort of 

DEEP, SULLEN, ROAR, 

something like that of a rough sea breaking over a shoal. I was several 

yards in the lead, opening the trail, which had been filled and almost 

obliterated by nearly four feet of snow. The mountain side at that point 

was steep and covered with fallen timber. Both of us halted in our tracks, 

mystified for the moment by the noise. As the disturbance grew louder 

and I could faintly hear the cracking of trees and branches, I realized our 

danger and shouted, ‘Look out for the slide, it will be on us in a minute!’ I 

floundered forward in the snow, but instead of following me Riser took the 

back track. In less time than consumed in the telling 

BLINDED and SMOTHERED, 

I felt myself being dragged down, down as if by the heels, like one 

being taken away from land by an ocean undertow. This sensation was brief, 

and I found I was again stationary. Struggling to my feet in an instant, the 

strangest sight one ever beheld was exposed to view. The roar was dying 

away into a gentle echo of what it had been. I stood on the brink of a bank 

of snow at least ten feet high. For nearly a hundred feet in width and as far 

as the eye could reach up the mountain side, the ground was clear of snow 

and trees. The space looked like a hewn pathway. Below me I could see 

the mass of snow, trees and rocks tossing over and over like the high waves 

in a sea storm, rolling on towards the bottom of the gulch a thousand feet 

beyond. On the crest poor Jack would now appear, his head and shoulders 

about the destructive mass, 

HIS ARMS WILDLY SWINGING 

and beating the air—and then he would become lost under a huge 

billow of the avalanche. You can imagine the feeling one who was powerless 

to act, viewing such a spectacle. Soon it was all over, a graveyard silence 

feel upon the scene, and the work of devastation was done.

“Behind us,” continued Mr. Miller, ‘was Mr. S. B. Wilson, of the 

‘Yopsie’ mine. He had followed down our trail from the cabin to look at 

an avalanche which had occurred a few days previously. After the accident 

had ended I happened to look across the slide, and there he stood on the 

opposite snow bank, having made his escape quite as narrowly as I did. 

He heard the warning sound and retraced his steps, the edge of the slide 

passing within a foot or two of him. Together we picked our way over the 

timber in the track of the slide, down to the bottom of the gulch. The task of 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

108

FINDING RISER’S BODY 

seemed at first a hopeless one, the trees, rocks and rubbish having been 

piled up on top of one another by the wild besom to the height of perhaps 

a hundred feet. Wilson went to his cabin for shovels, while I remained and 

scouted around. When he returned, we concluded that inasmuch as Riser 

had remained on the surface of the slide his body could not be very deep. 

Acting on this presumption, we dug around from place to place, and an 

hour later, after having dug a “trench about twenty feet in length, we came 

upon the remains at a depth of six feet. There were only a few bruises on 

his body, he having evidently been smothered to death.”

“Riser was about 30 years of age and a native of Pennsylvania, his home 

being at New Castle.”

[The information in this article is too vague to permit even a guess as to the 

location of the avalanche. It is 40 airline miles from Aspen to Pitkin and much of 

the terrain is avalanche prone. Miller says he and Riser were going from Aspen 

to Pitkin on the Queen’s Gulch Trail. Toward the end of the article he says they 

were “jogging down the gulch toward Pitkin and congratulating each other on the 

speedy conclusion of our tiresome journey” when the avalanche hit. This suggests 

the avalanche occurred near Pitkin, not in Queen’s Gulch which is only 3 1⁄2 to 4 

miles south of Aspen. It is also evident that if they had been traveling in Queen’s 

Gulch when the avalanche hit them, they would have been going up the gulch not 

down. The key to locating the avalanche site may be the Yopsie Mine.] 

[Wentworth 1950, P238 and 1976, P 121 states: “Thursday February 16, 1884. 

Two Aspen men, John M. Riser and James Mason, were killed by a snow slide 

in Queen’s Gulch during the past week”. Since there was no mention of Mason 

in this article, it is possible he was killed by the snowslide referred to by Charles 

Miller as having occurred a few days prior to the one that killed Riser. We found 

no other reference to Mason’s death.]

122. Colorado and Utah Ghost Towns (Florin 1971, p. 72)

“...March 10, 1884 an avalanche hit the workings at the Magna Charta 

Tunnel [at Tomichi] carrying away most of the buildings but not causing any 

loss of life.

“Tom Farrell and Terry Hughes were in the blacksmith’s shop at 8 

o’clock when an avalanche from Granite Mountain hit the building. Hughes 

was thrown down the mountain but not injured. Farrell was rescued slightly 

injured from under part of the roof.

“A second avalanche hit the Magna Charta later the same day and 

completely demolished the remaining buildings. [158]. [These avalanches 

ran on the same day as the disastrous slide at Woodstock 4.5 miles to the 

north [126].]”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

109

[Wallace, 1965, p. 222-223 quoting the White Pine Cone Newspaper for March 

10, 1884, says the first avalanche started near the Kitty Quinn Tunnel, and the 

second, a larger slide, started still higher on Granite Mountain. Both slides ran 

over the same ground.]

123. Aspen on the Roaring Fork (Wentworth 1950, p. 238-239)

	 	 Wednesday, March 15, 1884

The Conundrum Gulch Disaster 

“Five men were killed at Carey’s [Cary’s] Camp in Conundrum Gulch by 

a snow slide, which was supposed to have taken place on the same day and 

hour as the one on Aspen Mountain. The bodies were brought to Aspen 

on sleds. The men working in that camp last summer numbered over a 

hundred, with a post office and election precinct. The number had become 

reduced to five. Aspen has lost twelve good men by snow slides this past 

winter.

[Earlier in the book Wentworth (1950, p. 155) gives the date of the Carey’s 

Camp avalanche as March 10 and lists the five victims as J. M. Thorne, J. P.Steeley, 

S. E. Steeley, J. F. Take, and J. E. Morris.]

“Thorne’s dog, Bruiser, was rescued alive from under a bunk in the 

snow-filled cabin 33 days after the accident. The rescue party missed him 

when they recovered the bodies of the men. A later party in search of some 

of the victims’ personal effects found the dog and nursed him back to good 

health.”

Figure 22. — Bruiser the dog that 

survived the snow slide that killed 

five men at Carey’s Camp in 

Conundrum Gulch on March 10, 

1884. (Aspen Historic Society 

photo; Wentworth 1976, P. 76).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

110

125. Leadville Herald Democrat, Friday, March 14, 1884

The Deadly Snow

It Rushes in a Terrible Avalanche

Down the Side of Aspen Mountain.

Fear Unfortunate Miners are Swept

Away with the Vallejo Shaft House.

The Beautiful Little City of Aspen

Left in Mourning and Sorrow.

“Aspen, over the range, has met with a severe affliction. For over three 

years that beautiful town has been one of the most quiet and orderly camps 

in the state. Its reputation for having a peaceful and orderly population has 

hardly been equaled in Colorado, and it is not the hand of the assassin or 

the bullet of the murderer that has broken in upon Aspen’s peace-loving 

ways, but one of nature’s elements, has brought death into its midst and 

sorrow and weeping into many a household.

“For nearly three days preceding last Tuesday [March 11], the wind and 

the snow seemed to be waging war with each other, and it was frequently 

remarked by men who have lived in Aspen since 1879, that the Roaring Fork 

valley never saw such a storm in all that time. The snow fell continuously, 

and there can be no doubt but that from three to four feet fell during the 

time, and upon Aspen Mountain it is estimated that the snow is not less 

than ten feet on a level.

“On last Tuesday evening as Mr. Church was coming down from the 

Durant Mine, he had to pass near the shaft house of the Vallejo Mine. 

When he got there he found there had been a snow slide and there was no 

sign of the house nor could he see where the shaft was. Knowing that there 

was from fifteen to twenty men at work upon each shift he hurried to town 

to give the alarm. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

111

“Soon the wildest excitement prevailed, for it was known that besides 

the men employed there, Mr. Henry Gillespie, Ed Robinson and Major 

Barber, the new manager of the Spar mining properties had gone there 

about an hour before to examine the property. In less time than it 

takes to write it, at least 150 men were on the way, toiling up that steep 

mountainside, in one of the worst ‘blizzards’ ever experienced in Colorado. 

As the foremost of the crowd reached there, Captain George W. Thatcher, 

lately appointed superintendent of the property, was seen digging out from 

under the snow.

“His account of it was that after changing shifts at four o’clock, the 

gentlemen of Spar Mine mentioned above came there to examine the Vallejo 

property. Leaving Messrs. Gillespie and Robinson in the shaft house with 

the ore sorters and top men, himself and Major Barber descended into the 

mine. They had been down there in one of the drifts but a short time when 

they heard a dull, heavy, thundering noise, and down came into the shaft 

heavy bodies of snow. Fortunately for the men below, all were in the drifts 

storing or drifting. So far they were safe, and whilst their own safety still 

demanded some action, they had fears for the lives of their friends on top. 

“After much hard climbing and working they reached the top of the 

shaft, but their labor was not ended, for there was a body of snow, but how 

deep they did not know. They began digging, and after going through about 

twenty feet of solid snow they came out into the air again, and just as the 

crowd from town had arrived there. Hundreds of shovels were soon at work, 

when presently a voice was heard and recognized as that of Henry Gillespie, 

who shouted: ‘For God’s sake give us some air as quick as possible!’ 

Soon he and Mr. Robinson were brought to the surface, and then Thomas 

Gannes, who had been reported dead. Daniel McPherson was the next one 

reached, and, long before he was released, a drink of whisky revived him, 

until he was dug out. George Cresap was also found alive. 

“The work of shoveling still went on, for all of the shift had not been 

found. The dead were: Mike Higgins, well known in Leadville, from 

Shellsburg, Wisconsin; Billy O’Brian, from Wilmington, Illinois, one of 

nature’s noblemen and part owner in the Climax group of mines in Pitkin 

county; George Marshall, well known to every old timer in the Roaring 

Fork valley, having been in that country four years; and John Megialty 

[Meginity] one of Aspen’s most respected citizens, and who leaves a wife 

and family.”... 

[See also Wentworth 1950, p. 238, 278-279 and Wentworth 1976, p. 121.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

112

126. Salida Weekly Mail, Saturday, March 15, 1884

“Pitkin, Colo., March 12 — The Woodstock calamity is the all-absorbing 

topic of excitement here. The large relief party sent up by the citizens of 

Pitkin yesterday returned about dark tonight bringing ten dead bodies on 

roughly made hand sleds (Fig. 25)....The bodies recovered and brought 

down are: Martin Doyle, aged 23; Andra [Andrew] Doyle, aged 19; Katy, 

aged 18; Marielles [Marcella] Doyle, aged 14; Maggie Doyle, aged 12; and 

Christopher Doyle, aged 10. Three bodies yet remain in the slide, being 

J. S. Brown, the operator; Joe Gerozo [Gerazo], a section man; and Joe 

Royengo [Royegno], saloon keeper.

“The bodies of Jasper M. Caswell of Tomichi, Jim Tracy, George 

Alexander, pumper; and Mike Shea, section man are also here. Old Mrs. 

Doyle, late of Golden, was rescued alive after being in the slide nearly two 

hours. Miss Celia Dillon, who was engaged to Martin Doyle, was recovering 

after being buried three and a half-hours. A committee of citizens waited 

on Superintendent D. K. Smith of the South Park this evening and he will 

endeavor to secure pay for those who rescued the bodies.

“It was an awful trip from Woodstock down with the bodies. It took the 

men all day. The corpses were upset in the deep snow many times.

“A terrible snow slide disaster occurred at Woodstock about 6:00 P.M. 

on March 10, 1884 (Figs. 23, 24, 25 and 26). The avalanche completely 

destroyed the section house, telegraph office, water tank, and some other 

buildings. A rescue party from Pitkin returned with the bodies of ten who 

were killed. They were as follows: Martin Doyle, 23; Andrew [Andra] 

Doyle, 19; Katy Doyle, 18; Marcella [Marielles] Doyle, 14; Maggie Doyle, 

12; Christopher Doyle, 10 years of age; Jasper M. Caswell of Tomichi, 

James Tracy, George Alexander, and Michael Shea. The bodies of J. S. 

Brown, the operator; Joseph Gerazo [Gerozo], and the saloonkeeper, 

Joseph Royengo [Royegno], are still in the slide. Miss Celia Dillon, 

engaged to Martin Doyle, was rescued alive after being buried in the snow 

for fifteen hours. Old Mrs. Doyle, who had been buried in the snow for 

almost twelve hours, was also rescued alive [133].” [See also 122 for two 

other avalanches on this same day at the Tomichi’ 4 1⁄2 miles south of 

Woodstock.]

[Vandenbusche (1980, p. 193-195) lists the dead as the six Doyle children: 

Martin, 23; Kate, 19; Andrew [Andra], 18; Marcella [Marielles], 14; Maggie, 12; 

and Christopher, 10. Also dead were J. S. Brown, Jasper Caswell, Jim Tracy, Mike 

Shay, and George Alexander. James Mulholland 2, the saloonkeeper, was found in 

June, and Joe Revergue [Royengo; Royegno 2], an Italian section hand, was found 

2	 The newspaper accounts do not mention Mulholland. They give the saloon keeper’s name as Joseph

Royengo or Joseph Reyegno. The section hand’s name was given as Joe Gerozo or Joe Gerazo.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

113

in the water tank in July. The only survivors were Mrs. Doyle, Cecilia Dillon, 

H. B. Alexander, and Peter Walpole. Fifty people were in the rescue party. The 

temperature was 40 below zero during the rescue. The spring had generally been 

unusually cool, but there had been a thaw in early March.]

[Helmers 1971, p. 44-48 and Poor 1976, p. 348-351, give good write-ups of 

this accident using statements from an eyewitness.]

Figure 23. — Avalanche path at Woodstock, as it appeared in June 1981. The lower limb of the railroad 

switchback was just above the willows and below the coniferous trees to the left of the avalanche 

path. The upper limb was just below the horizontal line of low vegetation where the avalanche path 

widens. The buildings were below the lower limb of the switchback in the foreground willows.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

114

Figure 24. — This aerial view of the western approach to the Alpine Tunnel shows both limbs of the 

switchback on the South Park Railroad. The tunnel is behind the mountain in the top center of the 

picture. The site of the railroad town of Woodstock, which was wiped out by an avalanche on March 

10, 1884, is marked A. The path down which the avalanche ran extended from about A′ to A. (Charles 

Webb photo; Helmers 1971, P. 146.)
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

115

Figure 26. — April 1884 — men clearing avalanche debris from the March 10, 1884 

avalanches at Woodstock. (Lathrop 1954, by permission.)

Figure 25. — Rescue party bringing in some of the bodies from the Woodstock 

Avalanche accident (Lathrop 1954, by permission). 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

116

127. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, April 24, 1884

“Engineer Arthur Bratt, of the Rio Grande, was killed in Black Canon by 

a slide upsetting the engine.”

[Vandenbusche’s (1980, p. 114) account of this accident gives the date as April 

17, 1884, and the location as 3 miles into the Black Canyon {of the Gunnison 

River}. Bratt’s first name is given as Charlie. Another engineer, Lewis Lathrop, 

was injured.]

128. Georgetown Courier, Thursday, May 1, 1884

Resistless Power of an Avalanche

“One of the grandest snow slides that ever occurred in Colorado took 

place a few days ago just back of the Upper Twin Lakes. Judge Harlan, an 

eyewitness, says it was the most sublime sight he ever witnessed. 

“Just back of Twin Lakes are Pomeroy, Gordon and Francis Gulches, on 

each side of which the mountains rise thousands of feet. The sides of these 

giants of the Rockies had been covered during the heavy and protracted 

storms with an enormous depth of snow, until the weight had become such 

that it could be sustained no longer. The Judge says that, as it happened, 

he was standing where he could see the avalanche perfectly. 

“All at once his ears were greeted with a low, rumbling sound that 

seemed like the roar of a distant storm, and almost simultaneously an 

immense volume of snow began to move down the mountain side in one of 

the gulches toward the road. The agitation seemed to break loose the snow 

from its moorings in the other two gulches, and before one had time to 

think hundreds of acres of snow were coming down the mountain with a roar 

like thunder, and filling the air with spray as they tore through the trees and 

carried everything before them. As they descended their velocity increased 

until the rapidity with which the great field of snow and debris came down 

was something terrific. 

“The distance, he says, must have been a mile from where the avalanche 

started to the valley where it stopped. So deep was the snow that a grove 

of quaking aspens, whose trees were from twenty to forty feet high, was 

completely buried from sight. Logs a foot and a half in thickness, that lay in 

the way of the slide, were snapped in two like straws; trees that were too tall 

to be covered up were torn from their rooted places in the mountainsides 

and carried like leaves with the avalanche. The velocity of air produced by 

the avalanche blew down trees that were clear outside of the track of the 

slide. Fortunately, no one was in the way, and no lives were lost. - Denver 

News [157, 157A and 182].”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

117

128X.	Denver, South Fork and Pacific (Poor 1976, p. 348)

“Alpine Tunnel was closed throughout the winter of 1884-1885 because 

of snow blockades.” Quoted from the Railway Age, September 3, 1885.

129. Aspen on the Roaring Fork (Wentworth 1950, p. 157 and 	 	 	

	 	 Wentworth 1976, p. 85)

“Ashcroft, Tuesday, March 28, 1885.

“Yesterday morning at six o’clock Messrs. Carlyle, Evans and another 

gentleman whose name we did not learn started for Tibbitt’s ranch in one of 

the worst storms of the season. They struggled along manfully through the 

pelting snow, which was almost blinding, until they had reached a point less 

than a mile this side of the range. 

“Mr. Carlyle stopped to adjust his snowshoes and Dr. Evans noticed a 

snow slide ahead. Mr. Carlyle remarked that Mr. Adair, the mail carrier, 

couldn’t have passed over, and in looking around they saw his hat and a 

little farther on his hand sticking out of the snow. They started immediately 

to dig him out but as short as was the elapsed time, about fifteen minutes, 

he was dead.”...

129A. Gunnison Review-Press, Saturday, April 1, 1885 (p. 4, c. 1)

“The remains of A. C. Adair, the Crested Butte-Aspen mail carrier who 

lost his life last Friday by a snow slide on Pearl Pass near Ashcroft will be 

buried at Aspen.”...

130. Denver Tribune-Republican, Monday, April 27, 1885 (p. 1, c. 1-2)

FINDING THE DEAD

Work of the Rescuing Party at the Crushed 

Homesteak (sic) Cabins.

ALL OF THE VICTIMS DISCOVERED

Indications that the Disaster Occurred Many Days 

Ago and its Date an Uncertain Matter.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

118

The Faces of the Dead Men Covered with 

Mold and Unrecognizable.

SOME CRUSHED, OTHERS SMOTHERED

An Apparent Lingering Agony for a Portion of the 

Poor Fellows While in Their Living Tomb.

“Special to Tribune-Republican.

“LEADVILLE, Colo., April 26 — A special train consisting of an engine 

and two coaches with sixty men and the necessary tools, snow shovels, 

etc., in charge of Superintendent George W. Cook, left here at 4 o’clock on 

this morning for the scene of the terrible calamity at the Homesteak (sic) 

mine near Tennessee Pass. The rescuing party reached the spot at 8:10 

am. Nothing was visible except the snow which had probably fallen and 

accumulated during the past two months and lay to a depth of forty feet 

over the cabins. The snow had settled and packed, rendering progress very 

difficult and axes had to be used in cutting the way through.

Three Excavations,

were made before the cabins could be located. The first structure that 

was found proved to be the one in which the provisions, food and general 

stores were kept. No bodies were found here. From this point the position 

of the other cabins could easily be determined, and the work was pushed 

vigorously in their direction.

“The bunkhouse was next reached. After clearing a space large 

enough a log was taken from the wreck of the cabin, and the first body 

was discovered. Although the building was crushed in by the slide and 

subsequent pressure, this body bore... 

No Trace of Injury,

and was not encumbered by falling timbers. Death must have resulted 

from cold or suffocation, and probably from fright. The body stood erect, 

the head slightly thrown forward as if listening, the arms half-raised as in 

defense, the whole position indicating apprehension. Near him lay one of 

his companions in a bunk; face downward with his arms crossed under his 

head. Several large logs lay upon his body, and he was undoubtedly...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

119

Crushed To Death.

“After three hours hard work the opposite side of the cabin was 

reached, where the bodies of three men were found in an upper bunk, 

clasped in each others arms. These bodies, like the first, were free from 

overhanging timbers, and the attitude indicated suffocation. The limbs of 

the poor unfortunates were so strongly interlocked as to require the united 

efforts of six or eight men for a full half an hour to separate them.

“From here the workers tunneled to another corner, where one man was 

found beside a bunk in...

The Attitude of Prayer.

“Death came by freezing or suffocation. In the bunk lay two of his 

companions, showing no sign of having been disturbed from their slumbers. 

A tunnel was then made to another corner, where two men were found; the 

first with his nose scraped off, and his head and body flattened sideways 

between two timbers which lay about two inches apart. His companion was 

crushed by the timbers, and his face and limbs were badly scratched. The 

snow around these bodies was profusely stained with blood.

“Owing to the fact that all of the faces were covered with

Half an Inch of White Mold,

the features could not be recognized. All were in nightdress, and their 

clothes were deposited near the bunks in which they slept. This and the 

color of their hair and their size furnish a doubtful clue to recognition. 

Some of the friends and relatives of the dead men were on the ground and 

identified them as nearly as it was possible.

“A clock and watch were found which had both stopped precisely at 

3:30. The clock was an alarm clock, and the alarm was set for 6 o’clock, 

and it went off when it was taken up.

A Police Gazette,

was found dated February 14, also a letter from a lady friend in Ohio, 

dated February 10, to one of the men. The letter, with his answer, sealed, 

was found near the foot of the bed. The letter will be forwarded to day with 

a request that when opened the date of the writing be given. In this way it 

is believed that the exact date of the disaster can be determined.

“From the amount that had been consumed of the three months’ 

supplies which were taken to the mine on the 1st of January, and from the 

Police Gazette and the letter that was found on the bed, it is believed that 

the slide occurred between the 20th and 25th of February.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

120

The Last Cabin.

“The third and last cabin was the cookhouse. No bodies were found in 

it. The searching party left the mine at 4 p.m. and arrived in Leadville at 

9:15 p.m. Another party leaves here tomorrow morning to bring the bodies 

to Leadville where they will be cared for by their friends. 

The names of the victims are:

MARTON BORDEN

SYLVESTER BORDEN

HORACE W. MATTHEWS 

JOSEPH MATTHEWS

JOHN LOCK

JOHN BURNS

CHARLES RICHARDS

CHRIS HARVEY

ROBERT CAMPBELL

JOHN BURNES

How the Discovery was made

“Sweeney and Conerty, the two miners who made the first discovery 

of the awful calamity, give the following story: The men at work at the 

Homesteak (sic) were nearly all intimate friends of theirs, and two or three 

were relatives. As the men had not been in Leadville since January, the mail 

addressed to them had increased to quite a bundle. No word had been 

received for weeks from the men at the mine, but their friends had no cause 

for apprehension for their safety. 

“Sweeney and Conerty resolved to go to the mine and bear the 

accumulated mail to them. With this purpose they left Leadville on Friday, 

walking across the country. Arriving at the Homesteak (sic), imagine their 

horror to find the gulch where the three cabins once stood filled with snow 

and every indication of an avalanche. The tunnel to the mine and the ore 

dump were covered with the snow. The men fired their pistols and made 

outcries, but only the echo came back as the answer. Satisfied that no living 

being was about, the two men made all possible haste to the Eight-Mile 

House [144].”... [Other accounts are in Wentworth 1950, p. 157 and 266 

and Wentworth 1976, p. 86.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

121

131. Leadville Herald Democrat, Tuesday, January 19, 1886

Snow Slide Near Gunnison

(Special Telegram)

“Aspen, Jan. 18 — A snow slide is reported from Deadman’s Gulch, 

near Pitkin (Fig. 46). It caught W. J. Fine, the well-known Gunnison county 

surveyor, and a man named Turner. The report states they were in a sleigh, 

and that the entire outfit were buried. A rescuing party has gone out to 

recover the bodies of the unfortunate men.”

Associated Press Report

“Denver, Jan. 18 — A Gunnison special to the News says F. S. Winters 

and Will Turner, returning from a surveying trip at Spring Creek, this 

evening, had a narrow escape. When directly opposite the mouth of 

Deadman’s Gulch they noticed a snow slide coming down the mountain. 

They were on horseback, and it was impossible to urge their horses in the 

four feet of snow that lay on the ground. The edge of the slide caught three 

men and horses, but Mr. Fine was only buried with about a foot of snow and 

managed to extricate himself and horse, and then assisted his companions. 

Winter and his horse were dug out alive, but Turner’s horse was killed by 

the slide, and was unconscious himself when dug out, but soon revived. It 

took them four hours to dig [him] out.” 

[Wallace 1960, p. 74 citing an article in the Gunnison Review-Press for January 

19, 1886 says Turner was able to get his hand above the snow because he was 

standing on his dead horse.]

132. Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, January 20, 1886

Snow in the Ten Mile

(Special Telegram)

“Dillon, Jan. 19 — This snowstorm is the heaviest ever known in this 

part of the state. At least two feet has fallen since Sunday.

“The High Line [of the Colorado Southern Railroad] and Blue River 

Branch of the Denver and Rio Grande are having considerable trouble with 

snow. Superintendent Cook [of the D&RG] arrived here at 2:30 p.m. today 

with the big snowplow engine ‘80’ and engine ‘70’ with the flanger. These 

engines plowed five to six feet of snow between Leadville and this point to 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

122

day. The wind is blowing very strong from the northwest, and the snow is 

drifting badly. There are two and one-half feet of snow on the level here, 

three and one-half feet on the level at Kokomo and Robinson, and four 

feet on the level at Fremont Pass. Neither the Blue River Branch of the 

Denver and Rio Grande, or High Line are moving much freight to-day, but 

concentrating their efforts to keep passenger trains moving.”

[There were two railroads between Leadville and Dillon during this era. The 

Blue River Branch of the Denver, Rio Grande Western (D&RG) and the Denver, 

South Park, and Pacific Railroad, later called the High Line Branch of the Union 

Pacific, and also the High Line or South Park Branch of the Colorado Southern 

(C&S). The D&RG had the westernmost alignment.] 

Snow Slide on Aspen Mountain

(Special Telegram)

“Aspen, Jan. 19 — An appalling snow slide occurred to-day on Aspen 

Mountain, just above and in sight of the city, doing some damage to 

property in the vicinity of the Bonanza Mines, and killing John Rose, a 

miner well known in this and the Leadville districts.”

Three Snow Slides at Aspen

“Denver, Jan. 19 — An Aspen special to the News says: It has been 

steadily snowing here for three days. The snow is now from two to three 

feet deep. At about 4 o’clock this afternoon, one of the most terrific wind 

storms ever experienced in the valley prevailed for a few moments and then 

subsided in a calm. Soon after it passed, parties on the street saw a snow 

slide of gigantic proportions pass over the Aspen mine, and an alarm was 

immediately given, and soon physicians and hardy miners started for the 

scene of the disaster.

“On arriving at the shaft house of the Aspen Mine, particulars of the 

disaster were learned. The men who were in the house heard the noise of 

the approaching avalanche and hastily secured a place of safety. John Rose, 

carpenter of the mine, was in the shop and attempted to secure a place of 

safety, but was too late. It caught him and dashed him into the door of the 

shaft house, where he was buried under tons of heavy snow. 

“The engine house was crushed in, and engine and boiler {were} buried 

under snow. Frank Ball, the engineer of Aspen, John Leonard, one of the 

owners of the Conomara Mine, John Morrison and several others were in 

the shaft house when it was struck, but miraculously escaped with but few 

bruises. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

123

“After the slide had passed John Rose was found missing, and his 

comrades at once instituted {a} search, and after hours of hard work 

found him a few feet from the engine house crushed and bruised beyond 

recognition. He was brought to town and placed in the morgue. He was 

unmarried. 

“Half an hour later another slide occurred in the adjoining gulch, which 

passed over Last Chance Mine, but without damaging effect.

“At 5:30 the fire bells announced the occurrence of another slide, an 

investigation revealing that two ore wagons and mules and drivers had 

been buried in another slide near the Late Acquisition. At a late hour the 

missing ones had not been found.

“Considerable apprehension is felt for the safety of seven men who 

started this morning for Maroon Pass for the purpose of clearing the new 

road of snow where the slide of yesterday had filled. They should have been 

back at noon. There is a report that another slide had occurred on the pass 

today, and the absent ones may have been in it” [135].

133.	 Railway Age, Thursday, January 21, 1886

“Mrs. Marcella Doyle who lost her entire family of three sons and three 

daughters, brought suit in the United States Court against the Denver South 

Park & Pacific to recover $50,000. She says her husband died in 1880 and 

left her penniless. Her three boys were 23, 19, and 10 years old respectively, 

while her three daughters were 18, 14, and 12 years old.

“Mrs. Doyle contends that she was induced by the Railroad Company 

to take charge of the boarding house at Woodstock near which place the 

company had a large force of men at work. Mrs. Doyle says that she and the 

girls cooked and that her three boys worked for the railroad. She contends 

that the Woodstock station was built directly in the path of where numerous 

snow slides had occurred, but of this fact, she alleges, she was kept in 

ignorance. 

“The slide, which occurred March 10, 1884, swept all the Woodstock 

buildings away, killing all her family and others [126]. Mrs. Doyle was 

carried down with the avalanche of snow, but was rescued sometime later, 

more dead than alive. She states that she depended on her children for 

support, and by their loss she is left without means. The aged mother 

claims $5,000 for each child and $20,000 for injuries and damages to 

herself and personal property.

“Eighteen persons were buried in the snow, thirteen of whom were 

found dead. It was one of the worst disasters from snow avalanches known 

in the history of the state. The only person to escape made his way to 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

124

Pitkin, ten miles away, to report the disaster. Those rescued alive were Mrs. 

Doyle, Hugh Alexander, Peter Wallpole, Walter Hoyt, and Mrs. Doyle’s 

niece, Miss Celia Dillon.

“Miss Dillon was found standing among some timbers beneath the snow 

where she had been held for over fifteen hours. Mrs. Doyle was rescued a 

few hours before. The rescuing party worked for forty-eight hours, but only 

ten bodies were recovered, it being impossible to rescue the other three 

bodies until later in the spring. One of the bodies, a saloonkeeper by the 

name of Joe Royengo, was not found until the following summer. Others 

killed were George Alexander, Michael Shea, Jasper Caswell, and James 

Tracy.

“It was claimed that the side of the mountain had been covered with 

a heavy growth of timber which would have prevented the slide, but that 

the railroad company had cut away practically all of this timber for tie and 

building purposes thus making the deadly avalanche possible” [126]. 

[Brown (1968, p. 14 and 40) states that in March 1884 the whistle of a train 

approaching the west portal of the Alpine Tunnel (about 6 miles east of Pitkin) 

started a snow slide that obliterated the town and took the lives of 14 of the town’s 

17 inhabitants.]

[Southworth 1997, p. 258 reports a train whistle started the avalanche.]

[In another account by Helmers (1963) no mention is made of the train whistle. 

Helmers states a train was bucking through heavy snowdrifts on the upper limb of 

the switchback above Woodstock when the avalanche released above and behind 

the train. He gives the number of fatalities as 13 out of 18. This account also gives 

several good maps and some photographs of the Woodstock area. (It is much more 

likely that the plowing action started the avalanche rather than the train whistle, 

but it has considerably less journalistic appeal.)] 

134. Leadville Herald Democrat, Friday, January 22, 1886

The Blue Line Buried Jere Mulhavey and Six Men in a 

Temporary Tomb—Thrilling Scenes Under the Brow 

of the Continental Divide—Supt. Cook and His 

Gallant Force to the Rescue.

The Chalk Ranch Avalanche

 “The Chalk Ranch avalanche was the only theme of conversation that 

seemed to interest people in this city Thursday afternoon. It was first 

reported that Jere Mulhavey and his whole section gang were under the huge 

snow slide, and Superintendent George W. Cook not only took the mogul 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

125

engine, pushing the snow plow up to the scene of the disaster with him, but 

ordered the snow plow and work train from Dillon, in addition to which the 

big snow plow, pushed by two engines, were working on the Robinson side 

of the avalanche. One of the reporters of The Herald Democrat staff was 

deputized to accompany Mr. Cook, who also took sixty shovelers and their 

Western Union linesmen with him to the scene of the disaster. 

“The train pulled out from the Leadville depot at 12:30 o’clock, and by 

1:15 had plowed through the heavy snow on the seven miles of track between 

this city and Birdseye Station. The snow plow got stuck in the snow so that 

it could move no further at Darby’s Switch, and it then became necessary 

for the sixty shovelers with Mr. Cook to make a cut through the avalanche to 

where Jere Mulhavey and his section gang were supposed to be buried. The 

first trouble was to find the railroad track, as the face of the whole country 

was changed by the tremendous land and snow slide. The telegraph poles 

had been snapped off like one might snap a clay pipe-stem, and the wires 

were too deep under the snow to be found. 

“There was also considerable question whether the railroad track 

had not also been swept away and hurled down into the valley with the 

uprooted trees, huge upturned boulders and vast fields of ice and earth. It 

became necessary to sink shafts in many directions, where the road-bed was 

supposed to be located, and after these were sunk from thirty to forty feet, 

the shovelers were delighted to find that a part, at least, of the track still 

remained. 

“In the meantime Mr. Cook, Mr. Brooks, chief of the Western Union 

linemen, and some four or five other persons, who went to assist them, went 

floundering around over the snow on the top of the avalanche, looking for 

a wire to connect with the instrument they had brought out with them. The 

only way they succeeded in getting down the steep hill, which was formerly 

a precipice, was by rolling over and over until they reached the bottom, for 

the snow was too soft to walk on. 

“They finally dug down to the top of a telegraph pole and got hold of a 

wire to which they connected the instrument and tried to make the circuit 

with a ground wire. I n the mean time the snow was falling fast and being 

driven around in drifts and eddies, and before the circuit could be made 

Mr. Cook, Mr. Brooks and their companions including the reporter were 

covered up in a drift. This must have wet the instrument and interfered with 

it so that it would not work, for after making four different attempts it was 

impossible to make the circuit.

“After floundering out of this drift the avalanche had to be climbed 

again to where the men had been working, and for this purpose a life line 

was let down from the diggings to where the distressed and snow covered 

linemen were. By means of this rope they pulled themselves to the pits the 

men were working in and Mr. Cook found that they had struck the track in 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

126

several places and found the course it took. In some places the avalanche 

had carried it forty or fifty feet. 

“At this time the men were working in chambers driven from the shafts 

they had sunk and were cutting out huge blocks of snow, which was about 

the consistency of cheese. The work was terribly severe for the men and the 

snow was so deep they had to make the cut by benching. These benches 

or steps were cut by one gang of men below the other and the snow was 

first cut from the bottom and thrown to the first bench. From the first it 

was pitched to the second, thence to the third and so on, each bench being 

about six feet above the other. 

“Mr. Cook jumped down into one of the shafts with a shovel, and was 

assisting one of the men in finding the track, when his feet struck upon 

a soft, warm body. He stopped and wiped the cold sweat from his brow, 

because he thought he had found Jere Mulhavey and his section men. With 

the assistance of the man who was working with him, he pulled out the 

dead body, and it proved to be that of a timber wolf. When the animal was 

examined there was hardly a whole bone in its body, and the skin was torn 

off its flesh in several places. About this time a terrible crashing, roaring 

and booming was heard from the top of Chalk mountain; and the whole 

top of the mountain seemed to tremble, hesitate, and finally topple over, 

after which about twenty-five acres of snow came rushing down upon them 

with the rapidity of lightning. It cut, tore, scooped out the mountain as it 

descended, with awful and indescribable noises, upon all. 

“Every one of the seventy men who saw it held his breath, but the course 

of the terrible land-slide had been preordained to do good and not harm, 

and as it tore down near the big rock cut, it carried acres and acres of snow 

and earth with it and disclosed Jere Mulhavey and his men on the other 

side, working towards us. The huge mogul engine driving the snowplow 

also became visible, and a cheer arose from the lips of one hundred and 

twelve people at once. 

“The good work continued. Pit after pit was sunk, and with the 

assistance of the second avalanche, by 4 o’clock a cut over fifteen hundred 

feet long was made through the avalanche, and the snow-plows were put to 

work to make it large enough for the trains to pass through.

“When the three gangs of men got together it was ascertained that 

although Jere Mulhavey and six of his men were covered by the soft snow 

carried on the extreme north of the avalanche they soon dug out, and, 

beyond a few bruises, will not suffer much. Mr. Mulhavey says when the 

avalanche came down they thought the whole of Chalk Mountain, assisted 

by Little Sugar Loaf and Moriarty Peak, were making a descent upon them 

simultaneously.”... 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

127

135. Leadville Herald Democrat, Friday, January 22, 1886

A SNOWY SHROUD

Additional Victims Reported Covered by the Avalanches

That Have Terrorized Aspen.

Maroon Pass the Scene of Twenty-seven 

Snow Slides in Rapid Succession.

A Leadville Freighter Takes an 

Awful Tumble from Independence

COLORADO NEWS

Twenty-seven Snow Slides for Aspen.

“Denver, Jan. 21 — An Aspen special to the News says: The results 

of the terrible snow-slide on Tuesday [January 19] continue to arrive. 

Henry Thode and a party of men on Tuesday left Aspen to open Maroon 

Pass, which is one of the most treacherous spots in the Rocky Mountains 

during the winter. The party has not yet been heard of, and considerable 

apprehension is felt for their safety. This afternoon two freighters arrived 

from the pass, and say on Tuesday afternoon a snow-slide occurred about 

two miles up the creek from Speller’s and Couers Chanis’ cabin, and that 

eight men and eighteen horses and mules had been carried {away} by the 

avalanche.

“Four of the men had rescued themselves, and after undergoing 

privations incident to such a catastrophe had found their way after a 

night’s struggling to Speller’s Cabin. The four men who escaped were the 

Huskin’s boys, Marion Stewart and Charles Miller, the victims of the slide 

being Albert Sloper, Ira Hall, from Crested Butte, James Hungerford and 

David Pattenhall of Aspen. Men from Speller’s started for the scene and 

succeeded in rescuing twelve of the eighteen mules, but up to noon today 

had not found any remains of the men. During the past three days twentyseven snow slides have occurred in the neighborhood of Maroon Pass [132 

and 143].
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

128

“Today’s incoming Leadville stage brought information that a six-mule 

team and driver went over Independence Pass this afternoon, falling nearly a 

thousand feet. The driver was rescued alive.

“This morning a miner from Conundrum Gulch stated that a fearful slide 

occurred this afternoon in exactly the same spot where occurred the fatal 

slide of two years ago, in which several men were killed [123A]. Two men 

are supposed to have been caught, but nothing is positively known.” 

[Wentworth’s (1950) report on the Maroon Creek Road avalanches are a bit 

confusing, probably because there were so many avalanches in the area at this time. 

On page 272 the date of the avalanche is given as January 20. Seven men and six 

horses were reported killed. On page 278 several avalanches were reported for 

January 16, with five victims in one and three in another. Three of the men had 

still not been found in June 1886.] 

[We could not confirm the January 16 avalanches or their fatalities.]

136. Leadville Herald Democrat, Sunday, January 24, 1886

Snow Slide at Robinson

(Special Telegram)

“Robinson, Jan. 23. — The first snow slide of the season in this vicinity 

occurred this afternoon, near Summit City, on Sheep Mountain. It caught 

the team belonging to J. L. Loomis, of the Wheel of Fortune Mine, carrying 

them down the mountain, and completely burying George Marshall and 

William Clark, two employees of the mine. Marshall succeeded in getting 

out, but could find no trace of Clark or the team. He immediately started 

for the mine and brought down a force of men, who, after one hour’s 

work, found Clark, alive, but unconscious and seriously injured. After 

considerable prospecting, the team was found. The horses were alive, but 

are supposed to be badly crippled.”

137. Leadville Herald Democrat, Tuesday Morning, January 26, 1886

BURIED AT BUTTE

Four More Victims of the Unmerciful 

Avalanche on the Mountains.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

129

The Thrilling Experience of a Miner in 

Grizzly Gulch—Covered by the Snow.

Another Slide at Aspen does Incalculable 

Damage to Machinery.

COLORADO NEWS

A Thrilling Experience

(Special Telegram)

“Salida, Jan. 25—United States Mineral Surveyor A. Storm brings in the 

news of a sensational snow slide at Independence. Thomas Hannum was 

employed by F. E. Hayden to do assessment work in Grizzly Gulch [Grizzly 

Reservoir (Fig. 45)], five miles south of Independence, and had nearly 

completed his task, when the present storm commenced. He was returning 

from a hard day’s work, when the well-known crash of the death-dealing 

avalanche met his ear. On snowshoes Hannum did his best to escape, but 

the first wave pinned him fast with a mass of snow, like a plaster of pares 

cast, enveloping him to the waist.

“Another roar and a second wave came thundering down the mountain, 

and the victim held his breath and waited for the golden gates to open; but 

the wave rolled past, leaving his body to his neck in a vice of ice, earth and 

snow. With senses nearly gone, Hannum began to struggle for life, and 

was succeeding when the ground trembled and another earthquake seemed 

about to gather him in. This time the snow covered his head, fastening the 

right arm down by his side, and left upward through to the surface. 

“Again the boatman pale failed to respond, and with returning 

consciousness the life struggle commenced anew. By moving the arm 

extended upward, an air shaft on a small scale was opened, and the arm 

released. The right arm was also soon freed, and with both, the half-frozen 

man worked with desperation, making the snow, packed as hard as earth, 

into balls and {pushed them out through the} air shaft. After four hours of 

such labor and with bruised and bleeding fingers the man released himself. 

His partners measured the excavation necessary to obtain the snowshoes 

and found it seven feet.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

130

Another Avalanche

(Special Telegram)

“Wheeler, Jan. 25 — An avalanche has just rushed down from the 

mountains and covered the Denver and South Park track for half a mile, 

and filled up Ten Mile Creek. The avalanche has extended to the Denver 

and Rio Grande track, which is covered for a distance of four hundred feet. 

Superintendent George W. Cook is on his way to the latter place with his 

snowplows and sixty men. The Denver and Rio Grande will be clear by 

night.”

Another Aspen Snow Slide

Denver, January 25. An Aspen special to the News says: “a snow 

slide of considerable dimensions passed over the Jessie Mine on Aspen 

Mountain, at noon today demolishing the machinery and mining buildings. 

Fortunately, no lives were lost. The whereabouts of sixteen coal miners who 

left Crested Butte for Aspen, eight days ago, is unknown. It is feared they 

met their death in Maroon Pass over which route they were to come.” 

More Victims of Snow Slides

Denver, January 25. A Gunnison special to the News says: “Two snow 

slides occurred yesterday morning. One was in Poverty Gulch – eight miles 

north of Crested Butte. It carried away a cabin near the Excelsior Mine and 

caught four men. John Grimes dug himself out after three hours and went 

to Pittsburg for help. The three dead were William Alexander, John St. John 

and an old man named Goss. 

“The second slide ran down White House Mountain in Crystal Basin and 

carried away the cabin occupied by Robert Corey and a man named Collins 

killing both of them.”

[Concerning the Excelsior Mine accident, Vandenbusche 1980, p. 279 citing 

Gunnison Daily Review – Press for January 30, 1886 says: the Goss mans first name 

was John and that an empty bunkhouse was also destroyed. The three buried men 

were calling for help but Grimes couldn’t free them. They were dead when the 

rescue party dug them out.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

131

138. Leadville Herald Democrat, Tuesday, January 26, 1886

The Local Legend

Buried Alive

“The thrilling and painful experience of Dennis Smith, a track walker 

for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, while buried in a snow slide, 

on Fremont Pass for five hours, on Sunday, was obtained from Mr. Frank 

Brooks, the Western Union lineman, by a reporter of this paper. Mr. Brooks 

rescued Dennis Smith from his untimely grave just soon enough to save his 

life, as the man was very much exhausted with his efforts to get out and was 

about to die from a fainting spell.

“Mr. Brooks statement was as follows. He said:

‘We had been up ‘The Blue’, about two miles west of Kokomo, and I 

had repaired a wire there, and was returning when the snow-plow stuck in 

an avalanche near the Curved Bridge on Fremont Pass. We had the pay-car 

with us and two section gangs, one from Birdseye Station and the other 

from Fremont Pass section house. The men got out to shovel the snow 

out of the track so as we could proceed, and I put on my snowshoes so as 

to reconnoiter along the line, in order to find out where the wires needed 

repairing. The snow slide was very deep in some places, and I could see 

that it had done considerable damage. 

“In looking about for wires I saw a strange looking object moving 

on the top of the snow about 160 feet below me, at what was the foot of 

the precipice before the avalanche came down. I could not tell what the 

object was at first. It appeared to me like the feet and head of a little dog 

or guinea pig that was lying on its back. The head and feet kept moving, 

and I did not feel as if I could let any living creature perish in that way so I 

hastened to the spot.

“The snow was somewhat soft and I had some trouble in getting down 

the side of the avalanche. I finally got there, however, and was horrorstricken to find that instead of being a guinea pig or a little dog’s feet, it 

was the fingers of a man who was buried in the snow above his head. He 

had twisted and bucked in his untimely grave until he had made a hole large 

enough to turn around in, but the soft snow kept falling in upon him, and 

it was this that he was trying to throw out and brush away with the hand I 

saw moving. He had a good deal of trouble to keep from being smothered, 

because the side of the avalanche was very steep, and the snow kept eddying 

and drifting down upon him as the wind drove it down the precipice. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

132

‘I came as near his tomb as I dared, and told him I would get the men 

to come and dig him out. He answered with a low moan that I could not 

understand. I then made my way laboriously and with great difficulty, even 

with snow shoes, up the steep side of the huge snow slide to the track 

which the section men were digging pits to find. I considered the matter 

on my way up and saw that no man could get to Smith’s tomb and get back 

again without snowshoes. When I inquired and found out that there was 

not another pair of snowshoes on the train I saw that I had my hands full 

of business. I got a shovel, however, and hastened back to the dying man’s 

grave.

“After going just below the tomb I commenced to cut a path through 

the snow towards him, and packed the snow as hard as I could with the 

shovel so as to form a pathway for him to walk out on. I finally succeeded 

in digging down to his feet, when he fell on the pathway I had just finished 

in a dead faint. After he came to the main trouble was to get him up the hill 

to the train. This was no easy job, but I succeeded after a time in helping 

him to the cars, where he soon warmed up and revived.

“Dennis Smith’s experience while buried alive was, indeed, a terrible 

one. He says he was walking along the track near the Curved Bridge, on 

Fremont Pass, and found it necessary in many places to shovel the snow 

from the track before he could inspect it. While he was in the act of 

clearing the track in the manner described he heard a booming, roaring and 

cracking as if it was thundering from the four points of the compass at once, 

and the heavens were about to explode and discharge its contents over the 

face of the earth. In another moment he looked up to see a mountain of 

snow on Moriarty Peak swing around, topple and tear down the precipice 

upon him as only an avalanche can.

“It took this mountain of snow only three or four seconds to travel 

the five thousand feet between the top of the peak and the awe-stricken 

railroader, and a half second more to carry him down with it over the 

precipice several hundred feet below. There was enough snow to fill up the 

precipice, and as Smith shot over the abyss on the crest of the snow slide he 

found his life saved only to know that he was buried beneath the avalanche. 

After being buried alive for about five hours and suffering, as he says, the 

tortures of the damned, he was rescued by Mr. Brooks as above stated.”

139.	 Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, January 27, 1886

A Double Slide

“Passengers arriving from Aspen last night report a most violent day on 

the {Independence} Pass, the steaming and sweating animals not coming 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

133

into the avenue until after 10 o’clock. The sun had had its effect on the 

snows, and as they were loosened below, they swept down the mountains 

like a moving universe, snapping huge trees and dislodging boulders that 

had stood there for ages. Fortunately they were below the road over which 

the sleighs dashed.”... 

140. Leadville Herald Democrat, Thursday, January 28, 1886

“...A very large snow slide came down in Eagle Canon below Red Cliff 

yesterday covering the Denver and Rio Grande tracks, on the Eagle River 

Branch to a depth of fifteen to twenty feet for a long distance. It also 

dammed the Eagle River for three hours, the river being entirely dry below 

the slide. This caused the river to rise rapidly from the obstructions, and in 

thirty minutes was one to two feet over the railway tracks in the canon. The 

pressure of the water finally became so great that a channel was made under 

the slide, and the river receded rapidly to its natural course.”...

141. Leadville Herald Democrat, Tuesday, February 2, 1886

A Fearful Fate

An Awful Avalanche

(Special Telegram)

“Kokomo, Feb. 1 — A gentleman just arrived here from Wheeler, near 

which place the High Line passenger trains are blockaded, and reports 

that this morning about 10 o’clock a frightful slide occurred, burying three 

of the railroad crew under a mountain of snow. The large force of men 

employed on the road, under the direction of Superintendent Toubey, were 

immediately set to work to recover the bodies. They were soon taken out, 

but life was extinct in all of them. The gentleman did not learn the names 

of the unfortunate victims, but they are all strangers to these parts.”

At Least Three Men Caught

(Special Telegram)

 “Breckenridge, Colo., Feb. l — A fatal snow slide took place yesterday 

morning on the High Line, in which are buried three men at least, and as 

much time has elapsed since they were entombed, there is no hope felt for 

their recovery alive. The name of one man is known as McWilliams, while 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

134

the names of two of the unfortunates cannot be learned. The slide was very 

extensive and came with great force, so that it is unknown just where to look 

for the men who are held in the cold embrace.”...

142. Leadville Herald Democrat, Tuesday, February 2, 1886

Barricade on the Blue

A Day on the Blue

“The upper Arkansas valley presented a wild and weird spectacle on 

Sunday last. From the outer limits of Leadville to the summit of Fremont 

Pass, mountain and valley were covered with snow to the depth of five 

feet....Two feet of fresh snow had fallen on Saturday night, and as if this 

were not enough to discourage all efforts to reopen the line, immense 

bodies of snow from the higher elevations had here and there slid down into 

the cuts, burying the track under masses ten to twenty feet deep, the fearful 

velocity of the slides packing six feet of the snow into the space of one.... 

“The run to Birdseye was made without incident, the new snow yielding 

but little resistance to the power of four locomotives behind the mammoth 

plow that reared its proud crest above the headlight. But their triumph 

was of short duration,...{suddenly} they came to a standstill in a mass of 

snow that towered above the stacks, and upon the surface of which one 

could walk to the top of the plow!...In an instant a hundred or more shovels 

were at work, doing that which the power of steam and the mechanism 

of invention were powerless to accomplish....The track was cleared, with 

shovels, of snow varying in depth from five to twenty feet, packed in some 

instances as hard as granite, and in some of the narrow cuts it became 

necessary to throw it upon a bench made in the sides of the drifts, from 

which it was again lifted by other shovelers to the surface. By 2 o’clock the 

snow plow and flanger had reached the summit, the working force having 

been scattered along the line for a distance of six or seven miles....

“As the trains slowly wound their way up the steep incline, all eyes were 

attracted to a spot in the valley below where a huge mass of snow had rolled 

down the mountain side, with a noise as of thunder, carrying with it a mass 

of rocks and trees, and filling the track over which the trains had just passed 

with a mass of debris twenty feet deep. This avalanche, had it occurred ten 

minutes before, would have buried a hundred men or more beneath it, and 

destroyed a hundred thousand dollars worth of property! ‘The Lord is with 

us!’ was echoed through the train....

“Deeper snow was never before seen in the Ten Mile district.”... 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

135

143. Leadville Herald Democrat, Thursday, February 11, 1886

An Awful Tomb

“Arthur Salisbury, one of the industrious compositors of this office, 

whose digits are perpetually grinding at the dreams and realities of the 

reporter, received a letter yesterday from his father, containing a graphic 

and thrilling portrayal of the awful avalanche on Maroon pass, in which he 

and a number of others were imprisoned. 

“The venerable gentleman introduces his description of the horrors that 

were endured by stating that for twenty-six days they were held in a small 

cabin at the foot of the range.

‘On the evening of the fourth day after leaving Aspen,’ [January 23, 

1886] he continues, ‘and while on our way to the Buttes, we met the stage. 

The driver reported a slide on the range that rendered it impossible to 

ascend the grade. We reached timberline, where we encountered a basin, 

upon each side of which the mountains towered.

‘Far away in the latitudes we saw indistinctly defined a jack train, 

consisting of some thirty burros or more. They were making a desperate 

effort to cut their way through the almost impenetrable bed of snow, 

and moved forward almost imperceptibly. Moving along in file the train 

described a black line over a measureless crest of white snow. The scene 

was a weird one, and presently the animals were unable to move further. 

The blanket of night began to descend, and the perilous retreat was begun.

‘At this time a blinding snowstorm was prevailing, and the soft snow 

had obscured the trail. Upon his knees one of the punchers strove to keep 

the road grade, while the burros followed, the snow holding fast to them.

‘While this was going on and while the infuriated elements grew worse, 

a horse and burro was precipitated over the side of the mountain and 

vanished in the snow drifts.

‘We then returned to our camp and went into headquarters, from which 

it was doubtful if we {would} ever emerged alive. On the following morning, 

while the snow was being twisted in all sorts of shapes, we started out if 

possible to rescue the remaining jacks that were buried in the snow.

‘We found only one and pulled him out by the tail. We then pushed 

on over the trackless expanse in an effort to find the horse. The task was 

a perilous one and the owner who is fearless in his nature finally called a 

halt. He said it was idiotic to proceed further in the jaws of death, and we 

returned with the single jack to our cabin.’
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

136

“The writer continues to describe the difficulties that multiplied each 

hour and the agony that increased as the snow fell, until the cabin in which 

they were imprisoned was obscured. Their predicament was a desperate 

one, and Mr. Salisbury says they had determined to resort to giant powder 

rather than endure the horrors of a lingering death.

“For twenty-six days they were confined in this ice box, and when relief 

came they reached the light of day with a ready made prayer for those who 

had been carried into eternity by the death-dealing snow slide upon their 

lips. The victims of the fatal Jeanette could not have endured more horrors 

for a corresponding time, and while they were confined in the cabin men 

and teams were being swept into the grave upon all sides” [135].

[We cannot reconcile the dates with the twenty-six day confinement period. 

According to account 135 the men left Aspen on Tuesday, January 19. Twenty-six 

days from then would be February 14, yet this account is dated February 11.]

144. Leadville Herald Democrat, Sunday, February 28, 1886

The Homestake Horror

Give the Money to the Child

“The Homestake horror [130] is still fresh in the minds of our citizens 

and it is not even necessary to mention the names of the ten miners who 

were crushed and smothered to death in the slide, which came tearing down 

the old mountain a little more than a year ago....

“During the week before the obsequies public meetings were held 

and committees appointed to solicit subscriptions to defray the funeral 

expenses....After the burial, another meeting of the committee was called. 

On motion $400 was sent to the widows of the married men among the 

victims; the necessary expenses that had been incurred were liquidated, and 

the treasurer of the fund...had remaining on hand a trifle over $850. On 

motion this was appropriated toward erecting a suitable monument over 

the graves of the deceased. This committee has so far not agreed upon 

the style of marble or granite to be used, and the money is lying idle in the 

banks.

“The cause for this lengthy prelude is this: A little girl — a daughter of 

one of the victims of the Homestake snow slide — lives at Denver with no 

other relative to support her than an aged grandmother, who is not blessed 

with a quantity of this world’s goods. Would it not be much better to take 

this money in the bank and use it in educating this child than to spend it in 

erecting a slab to the memory of some worthy and honest miners, but who 

by their lives did nothing that should cause their names to be handed down 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

137

to posterity, and who only by their tragic death caused the general public to 

become familiar with their names?” [130 and 130A]. 

145.	 Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, April 21, 1886

The Snowbound Trains

A War with the Elements

“Superintendent George W. Cook, of the Denver and Rio Grande 

Railroad, is fighting the snow again with all his forces. The heavy fall of 

the beautiful on Fremont’s Pass Monday night stuck three trains on the Blue 

River Branch, and on Tuesday morning Mayor Cook started out with the big 

snow plow, the flangers, nearly a hundred snow birds and the commissary 

car, with the intention of clearing off the huge avalanche that had swept 

down from Snowslide Peak, near Chalk Ranch.”...

Swept Over a Precipice

 “Mr. J. C. Carson, proprietor of the Aspen and Glenwood Springs Stage 

Line, received a telegram from Aspen on Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock, that 

a snow slide had swept the stage from the road at a point above timber line, 

on the other side of the range, about twenty miles from Aspen and thirtythree miles from Leadville [Independence Pass].”...

147. Leadville Herald Democrat, Friday, April 23, 1886

Latest from the Aspen Stage Accident

Superintendent Cook Still Cutting the Avalanche

Two Snow Slides Near Red Cliff

The Independence Snow Slide

“...A report from an agent of the Aspen–Glenwood Stage Line says: a 

snow slide covered the pass at a point half a mile below the Z, between 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

138

Freighter’s Rest and Independence....It came down in such a great volume 

on Monday that two sleighs were hemmed in at Freighter’s Rest, but no one 

was hurt.... 

Cutting Through the Avalanches.

“For the past thirty hours Superintendent George W. Cook’s outfit, 

consisting of four engines, the commissary train and superintendent’s 

coach, have been upon Fremont Pass, where fifty men have been trying to 

cut a roadway through the avalanche for the trains. At 8:30 o’clock last 

night the snow fighters reached a point within half a mile of Alicante, and 

had to stop work until daylight.

“They went to work again at daybreak Wednesday morning, and the 

report from Mr. John Flynn, trainmaster of the Denver and Rio Grande 

road, at 8:30 this morning, reports that they expected to reach the three 

trains that are snow-bound in the avalanche some time in the afternoon. He 

reports that the snow has drifted badly and lies on the track from four to 

twelve feet deep, and that at 9 o’clock it was still snowing hard....

“There are two large snow slides in the canon west of Red Cliff. One 

of them is in the Homestake Cut, and is from fifty to sixty feet in length and 

about fifteen feet deep. The extent of the other avalanche is not known 

yet....

“Two engines are stuck on the Denver and South Park Branch of the 

Union Pacific road, a mile west of Fremont’s Pass. A force of ninety men 

in charge of Division Superintendent Touhey is engaged in shoveling them 

out.” 

149. Leadville Herald Democrat, Friday, April 23, 1886

The Roads to Leadville

Opening the Stage Road over the Range—

A Toiling Wayfarer’s Account of a Disaster

The Accident at Independence

 “The stage that left Aspen Wednesday morning [April 21] did not get 

into Leadville until 5 a.m. Thursday, and was on the road nearly twentyfour hours. The driver reports that...on Monday evening [April 19], near 

Independence, a snow slide had come down from the basin on the mountain 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

139

between Freighter’s Pass and Independence and the driver of the sleigh,...

seeing that he could not drive over it, thought it best to leave the sleigh 

and ride the horses through the avalanche {debris} to the station at the foot 

of the range, where the coach was waiting {for} them. At the point where 

they unhitched the four horses from the sleigh the pass was very narrow and 

precipitous.

“After they had taken the horses out with the intention of leading them, 

one after the other, through the drift, one of the animals became frightened 

and unmanageable, and there was nothing for it but to let go the reins and 

let him plunge over the precipice....

“It appears that the storm was the most severe experienced during the 

present season. Several feet of new snow fell on the range, and on this side 

it slide [sic] in a number of places....

“The storm raged with terrible severity. One gentleman related that he 

had one horse by the tail and another by the bridle and could see neither 

one of them.”

151. The Colorado Graphic, Denver, Saturday, January 7, 1888 (p. 5, c. 2)

All Over Colorado

“...Yesterday morning about 8 o’clock as Mr. Fred Rall, better known 

as ‘Dutch Fred’ and a colored man in the employ of Aspen Water Company 

were on their way to cut the ice out of the flume which supplies the city 

mains with water, a snow slide came down the mountain on Castle Creek 

and took Rall and rolled him in its folds like a flapjack, buried him many 

feet in depth. The colored man had a crowbar in his hand, and when 

he realized his predicament he stuck the bar in the snow and ice and 

maintained his footing and was saved. On notice the manager of the 

Water Company sent up a conveyance and brought Rall’s body to Tooley’s 

undertaking rooms.”...

[From the Snow Slide Disaster file at the Colorado Historic Society Library, 

Denver. The original article was not seen.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

140

152. The Denver Republican, Saturday, February 27, 1891 (p. 1, c. 1)

CRUSHED BY THE SNOW

Two Women, One Man and a Child Carried to Their Death.

FEARFUL DISASTER ABOVE IRWIN

Avalanche Over a Mile in Extent 

Sweeps down From Ruby Peaks

BUILDINGS CRUSHED LIKE EGGS

MRS. ROPELL, Wife of the Superintendent of the Mine, 

MRS. CLARK, HER CHILD and CAPTAIN B. F. SMILEY, Engineer, 

The Victims of the snow slide — Fred St. Germain Buried 

in the Snow, but Recovered Alive After Four Hours 

— The Bodies of Mrs. Ropell and Her [sic] Child Found 

Last Night and Will Be Brought to Denver today 

— Search Continues for the Others.

“CRESTED BUTTE, Colo., Feb. 26 — [Special] — The deadly snow 

slide has claimed four victims at the Bullion King Mine, above Irwin, nine 

miles from Crested Butte. The worst snow slide ever heard of in the country 

came down from the Ruby Peaks about 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon, 

sweeping over the Bullion King Mine, carrying death and destruction in its 

wake (Figs. 27, 28, and 29).

Victims of the Slide.

“Mrs. Ropell, the superintendent’s wife; Mrs. Clark, the wife of Ed A. 

Clark, who kept the boarding-house, with her 2-year-old boy, and Captain 

B.F. Smiley, an engineer, are the unfortunate victims buried in the snow. 

Fred St. Germain was also buried, and after four hours was dug out alive, 

badly hurt.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

141

Hunting the Bodies.

“Every man in Irwin was notified and has been working hard and faithful 

ever since with the vain hope that some of them may be found alive; but 

now, twenty-four hours after the slide, none of the bodies have been 

found, and it is extremely doubtful if any would be alive at this time. The 

telephone wire was down between here and Irwin and no word could be 

sent....

Figure 27. — Avalanche-damaged trees 1-1/4 miles from the summit of Ruby Peak (in the background) 

above Irwin. This damage occurred not far from the Bullion King Mine where four people were 

killed by an avalanche on February 26, 1891. This photo was taken in June 1981.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

142

Crushed Like Eggshells.

“The slide started from Ruby Peaks, a mile and a half away, and gathered 

snow as it traveled, and when it reached Mr. Ropell’s house it struck with 

such force that the structure was crushed like an eggshell and scattered 

hundreds of feet down the mountain. The same happened with the big 

boarding house. The shaft house was a little out of the track and was but 

little damaged. The miners were all in the shaft house, having just finished 

dinner. Mr. Ropell had also just gone from his house to the shaft house. 

Had the slide been ten minutes sooner there would not have been one left 

to tell the tale....

Figure 28. — Looking down the Ruby Peak avalanche path toward the Ruby Chief and Bullion King Mines. The Ruby 

Chief Mine is located just left of the road along the left side of the picture. The Bullion King property is 

adjacent to the cleared area (light colored spot at the edge of the trees) near the right margin of the picture. 

Figure 27 was taken from the mine, on the small ridge just above the road, in the middle distance near the left 

margin of this photo. There is strong evidence of avalanche activity at that spot and along the opening in the 

trees that extends another 600 feet to the right. This photo was taken in August 1981.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

143

Later

“News has just been received that Mrs. Ropell’s body has been found. 

Life was crushed out in the snow. The remains will be brought here to night 

and shipped to Denver to-morrow or next day. The baby was also found 

and search is still kept up for the others.”

[Wolle (1967, p. 211) says four people were killed at the Bullion King Mine 

near Irwin in 1911 by a snow slide. It is not clear if this is another accident or, 

what is more likely, just a mistake in dates.]

[Wallace (1960, p. 71) citing the Gunnison Tribune for February 28, 1891 says 

the child’s name was Clark not Ropell as given in the above headline.] 

Figure 29. — Irwin with Ruby Peak (12,644 

feet elevation) in the background. The 

avalanche that destroyed the Bullion 

King Mine in February 1891 probably 

started just to the right of the summit 

of Ruby Peak. The building in the 

foreground was built in 1880. The 

barrels on the roof were to catch 

rainwater which could be dumped on 

the roof in case of fire, which was a 

serious threat to all the old mining 

towns (Borneman 1975) (Denver Public 

Library, Western History Department 

Collection).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

144

153. The Denver Republican, Saturday, March 14, 1891 (p. 1, c. 3)

THREE MINERS KILLED

Carried to Their Death by a Monster Snow Slide Near 

Crested Butte.

NO TRACE OF THE MISSING MEN

The Cabin Found Crushed in by the Avalanche, which was Half a Mile 

Wide and Filled the Basin to the Depth of One Hundred Feet—

The Men Probably Caught while Endeavoring to Leave the Place

–No Hope of Finding the Bodies until Spring.

“CRESTED BUTTE, Colo., March 13 — [Special] — Three more snow 

slide victims were reported this morning, which has cast more gloom over 

our town. M.G. Creller, Pat Murphy and Jack Griffen, who have been at 

work on the Jacob Straeder Mine, are buried beneath the snow and we 

do not know how long they have been dead or where to go to hunt their 

bodies. The slide is over half a mile wide, and it would seem that the whole 

mountain has come down, filling the basin with snow probably 100 feet 

deep.

A Dangerous Place.

“The place has been considered very dangerous. So much so that since 

the storm no one has dared to venture up there until yesterday, when S.C. 

Robinson, Scott McCullough and Scott Humason went up to see if their 

fellow-miners were safe. They found no signs of a cabin and the tunnel 

entrance entirely covered. By tunneling through the snow for thirty feet they 

came to the cabin, which was mashed in by the snow. The blankets were all 

tied up and no snow-shoes could be found and it is the general supposition 

that the poor fellows had become alarmed and started to leave, being 

caught in their attempt to escape.

No Trace of the Men.

“An entrance to the tunnel and into the mine was made, but no sign of 

living or dead could be found....
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

145

The Straeder Mine.

“The Jacob Straeder Mine...is situated high up on the western slope of 

Baxter Basin or Poverty Gulch, in close proximity to the Augusta, Excelsior 

and other valuable mines...[The bodies were not recovered.].” 

[See account 166X for other avalanches at the Augusta Mine.]

153X.	Early Days on the Eagle (Knight and Hammock 1965, p. 15)

Author H. Fulford of Red Cliff was killed by a snow slide on New Years 

Day 1892 on West Lake Creek near New York Mountain. His body was never 

found. Knight and Hammock visited the site and thought it a likely place 

for an avalanche. Eberhart 1974, p. 169 and 183, and Wolle 1949, p. 258 

also mention this accident briefly. [No newspaper account was found.]

154. Leadville Herald Democrat, Saturday, February 11, 1893

THE WHITE DEATH

Two Men Are Buried Beneath an Avalanche 

Not Far From Leadville. 

The Crew of a Rotary on the South Park

Meet with a Terrible Fate

Colorado Calamities.

Fatal Snow Slide on the South Park.

 “Frisco, Colo., Feb. 10 — A snow slide struck a Union Pacific 

snowplow and two engines at this place at 8 o’clock this morning, and 

instantly killed Engineer Lynch and Fireman Smith, and seriously injured 

Engineers Boynton and McGreevey and Brakeman Hawkins. A mountain of 

snow covered the unfortunate men, and it took several hours to dig out the 

dead and injured. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

146

Details Of the Disaster.

“Frisco, Feb. 10 — [Special] — The terrible accident which occurred 

near here at 9:15 o’clock this morning has caused intense excitement. 

The accident occurred about half a mile west of Frisco, and not far from 

Dickey, about thirty-one miles from Leadville....The rotary [plow and 

engine 263] had been ordered out in the morning to keep the track clear, 

and were standing on the track steaming up....Suddenly, the men realized 

that an avalanche was upon them. An effort was made to escape from the 

impending danger...but it was too late....

“When those who escaped alive were able to realize what had occurred, 

an awful sight met their gaze. The rotary had been knocked off the track 

and was a total wreck. Engine 263 was knocked off the side, and is covered 

with snow, while beneath a mass of snow and rock 150 feet long and ten feet 

deep were the bodies of Lynch, the engineer, and J.B. Smith, the fireman 

of the rotary. Roan, fireman for engine 263, had his nose broken, head 

bruised, but not seriously, while William Boynton, engineer of engine 263, 

is badly sprained and has a bruised ankle.... 

“Between Crested Butte and Ruby [sometimes called Ruby-Irwin] 

another slide occurred, and two Italian laborers are said to be covered in it. 

The passenger train from Monarch to Salida due at 3:45 p.m. yesterday, has 

not yet arrived and its location is not known. The snow is very deep on this 

road and the train is undoubtedly blockaded. 

“Aspen reports heavy drifting snows and trains delayed. In fact, most of 

the mountain roads are busy fighting the snow.” 

155. Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 27, 1897

Snow Slides

“The heavy fall of snow last week caused an unusual number of snow 

slides and a number of lives were lost.

“A number of slides occurred near Aspen, in one of which Charles 

Sweeney lost his life. He was engaged in wheeling rock from the Bainey 

Tunnel when the snow slide came down and caught him. He was found 50 

feet down the mountain under eight feet of snow. The body was standing 

upright. His back had been broke...

“The Rio Grande road was blockaded for several days at a number of 

places. One snow slide near Glenwood Springs was over 400 feet long, 

250 feet wide and over 40 feet deep. Another was 1500 feet long and about 

50 feet deep...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

147

“Half a dozen distinct snow slides covered the railroad between Red 

Cliff and Tennessee Pass, ranging in length from less than 100 feet to a 

quarter of a mile. One covered the track for a quarter of a mile with from 2 

to 15 feet of snow, boulders, dirt, and timber...

“A snow slide near Pitkin carried away the cabin of Martin Mentley, 

killing him and injuring several others.”...

156. Summit County Journal, Saturday, January 28, 1899

Caught in a Snow Slide

“Word was received in this city yesterday of the death of John Knodel, a 

miner, who was caught in a snow slide near Kokomo last Friday and instantly 

killed. The victim made frantic efforts to escape, but the mass of snow soon 

overtook him. His body was recovered yesterday and will be shipped to 

Denver today.”...

157. Georgetown Courier, Saturday, February 4, 1899

Storm Casualties

“The cabin of William Rudolph at Apex, Gilpin County, was carried 

away by a snow slide last Sunday, and Mrs. Rudolph and two children 

were crushed to death. Another child escaped with injuries. Mr. Rudolph 

witnessed the destruction of his home from a distance and gathered a force 

of men who soon uncovered the cabin. 

[This account is tallied in Tables 3 and 5. Another account is in the Rocky 

Mountain News, Tuesday, January 31, 1899 (p. 1, c. 1).]

“A large snow slide near Kokomo on Sunday destroyed the buildings 

and machinery on the Selma Mine. Another slide buried the mouth of the 

Wichita Tunnel under 100 feet of snow.

“Several slides have occurred at Red Cliff. A party of men engaged 

in opening a road through the snow were overtaken and buried by an 

avalanche, but no one was injured and they extracted themselves.

“Two freight trains were abandoned on the South Park road, and it is 

supposed they were buried out of sight....

“Two thousand men are shoveling snow on the roads at Leadville. No 

trains can get through and coal famine is imminent.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

148

“Two boys with a string of seventeen horses, en route from 

Independence to Aspen for provisions, were overtaken by a snow slide. The 

boys escaped with one horse, the others being carried away by the snow and 

killed.

“A passenger train plunged into a snow slide between Basalt and Aspen 

and it took a force of fifty men to dig it out.

“At Breckenridge the snow is over eight feet deep on the level.

“A [Rio Grande] passenger train ran full tilt into a snow slide nine miles 

from Glenwood Springs Wednesday night. The tender, baggage, and mail 

car telescoped, and two men were injured. A wrecking train was engaged 

Thursday in clearing the road near the wreck, when it was struck and buried 

under a slide with forty men, three of whom were killed, four injured, and 

the remainder dug out alive by a gang sent to their rescue [157B]. One of 

the workmen was thrown into the air by the slide and landed in the Eagle 

[Colorado] River, from which he escaped. [According to account 157B 

three men were thrown into the river by the avalanche. All swam ashore 

uninjured.]” 

[This large storm at the end of January 1899 also collapsed one of the snowsheds 

on the Colorado Midland Railroad between Leadville and Hagerman Tunnel, 

trapping a cattle train; blocked the Rio Grande narrow gauge over Marshall pass; 

caused some snow problems on Tennessee Pass; and put slides and drifts across the 

Colorado Midland Tracks in the Frying Pan Canyon east of Basalt (Cafky 1965, 

p. 88).] 

[For a more complete account of this severe storm which hit the eastern plains of 

Colorado as well as all the mountainous areas see Rocky Mountain News, February 

2, 1899.]

157A.	Rocky Mountain Daily News, Friday, February 3, 1899

INSTANTLY KILLED IN A SNOW SLIDE

William Manning Swept to Death at Twin Lakes–

Passengers Emerge from the Blockade

Special to the News.

“LEADVILLE, Colo., Feb. 2 — William Manning was instantly killed 

in his cabin at the foot of Mount Elbert [actually it was at the foot of 

Parry Peak, 3 miles southeast of Mount Elbert] on Wednesday afternoon 

by a snow slide. His remains were brought to Leadville this afternoon by 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

149

Constable J.T. Low and O.V. Booco and delivered to Coroner Nelson. The 

slide which caused the death of Manning came near wiping out the entire 

town of Twin Lakes, but fortunately stopped on the edge of the village 

without doing other damage.

“Manning was a cook employed by Mr. Booco at his prospect on Mount 

Elbert, two miles from Twin Lakes and in plain view of the town. A few days 

ago the owner of the property and all his employees except Manning left 

the mine building and went to town in order to escape the threatening snow 

slide. Manning refused to go, saying he did not see any danger and that 

he would prefer to remain at the cabin than make the two mile walk down 

through the deep snow.

“The people of Twin Lakes on Wednesday afternoon heard the rumbling 

of the snow slide and saw it come down the hill and strike the cabin. The 

moving slide was fully two miles in length and over three miles in width and 

carried everything before it (Fig. 39). The Boose cabins were no more than 

houses of cards before such a mass of snow, timbers and rock. As soon as 

the danger was over a rescue party left the town and went up the hill to dig 

out the imprisoned Manning. It was hours before they reached the body 

and then it was found that he had been instantly killed by the slide. [See 

also 128 and 182.]

“The friends of John Erickson are very much alarmed about him. On 

Sunday morning he left the home of his sister Mrs. Erickson at 130 South 

Toledo Avenue with a rifle. He has not been seen since that, and it is very 

much feared that he has fallen down some abandoned shaft or become 

buried in a snowdrift....

“By the arrival in this city this morning of twenty-five passengers it 

was found that the Colorado Midland had had since last Friday night a 

passenger train slidebound near Busk, nine miles west of this city. This 

has been repeatedly denied by the railroad officials at this end, but the 

delayed passengers are themselves the best evidence that for nearly a week a 

westbound train had been hemmed in by snowbanks on either side....

“The snow slide that blocked the road and prevented the train going 

past was encountered four miles up Hagerman Hill. After trying to get 

through it was decided to run the train back to Leadville. They had gone 

but a short distance beyond Busk on the return trip before a slide in that 

direction was discovered, making it impossible for the train to proceed 

either way.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

150

157B.	 Rocky Mountain Daily News, Friday, February 3, 1899

FORTY MEN BURIED UNDER A SLIDE

Wrecking Train Swept into the River at Shoshone 

and Three Men Killed—Many may have Perished at Other Points

“A snow slide at Shoshone, nine miles from Glenwood 

Springs, swept a Rio Grande wrecking train into the river. 

Three lives were lost....

Killed:

JOHN McMAHON, roadmaster, Glenwood Springs. 

J. DEMPSEY, section man, Spruce Creek, Colo. 

J. MULVAHILL, section man, Red Cliff.

Injured:

Charles Heskitt, engineer, Grand Junction; head and back 

injured.

T. H. Carr, fireman, Grand Junction; head injured.

R. B. Steele, engineer, Grand Junction; head hurt.

A. Diver, brakeman, Grand Junction; back hurt.

G. H. Berry, car-repairer, Minturn; head hurt.

B. Bernard, section man, Gypsum; internally injured. 

All Denver and Rio Grande employees.

Special to the News.

“GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 2 — Today, shortly after noon, 

a snow slide, dealing death in its path, came down the mountain side near 

Shoshone Station, on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, and within less 

than a dozen feet from the wreck of the passenger train (No. 1) and crushed 

out three lives.

“The slide was of enormous dimensions, being 400 feet long and 

running from seven to ten feet in depth. A large number of men were at 

Shoshone clearing the track on which the wrecking train was endeavoring to 

remove the mail and baggage cars wrecked last evening.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

151

“In less time than it takes to relate it the snow, rocks, timber and trees were 

upon them, covering about forty of the forty-eight men engaged at work....

Men In Charge Of McMahon.

“The gang of men imprisoned by the slide were under the direction 

of John McMahon, the roadmaster of the railroad on this division. On 

the track was the engine and wrecking cars. The engine was in charge of 

Engineer Heskitt and his fireman, A. W. Shade. The mass of snow was 

hurled with enormous force against the engine, throwing it from the track 

and overturning it, burying Heskitt and his fireman. The wrecking car was 

picked up as if it was constructed of paper, thrown from the track to the 

bank of the Grand River [Colorado River], and most completely destroyed.

“Heskitt and Shade were soon released from their imprisonment, the 

former without much injury except a few scratches, and the latter with 

his hip and leg badly burned. In the caboose of the wrecking train was 

Engineer Steele of the Rio Grande road, who was injured by his hands 

coming in contact with the stove. All of those injured were promptly 

relieved by Drs. Dean and Crook. 

Digging Out the Men.

“...The body of McMahon was reached later. The dead section men are 

John Dempsey and John Mulvahill.

“The bodies of these men were brought to Glenwood and taken to 

the morgue. The local agent of the railroad, Mr. E.L. Gamble, had an 

exceedingly narrow escape from being buried in the debris, being engulfed 

to his face and was pulled out of his predicament by two of those who were 

in his immediate vicinity....

[Heskitt’s, fireman was given as T.H. Carr in the headlines but as A.W. Shade in 

the article. Other discrepancies between the headlines and the article as to names 

and types of injuries could not be resolved.]

Brothers’ Narrow Escape.

“Perhaps the most remarkable escape from instant death of any that 

occurred in this dreadful disaster was that of two Italian laborers, Ralph 

Cupelli and Louis Cupelli, brothers, from 30 to 35 years of age....At the time 

of the slide they were engaged with many others in clearing the track, and 

were about fifty feet from the river bank, which at this point is quite narrow 

and deep from the closing in of the canon, and the water rushes along with 

the velocity of a torrent. They failed to notice that anything wrong was 

occurring until the great body of snow, pressed to the solidity of an ice floe, 

interspersed with logs, trees, brush and huge boulders picked up in its track 

down the mountain side, caught them unaware and carried them over the 

intervening space and hurled them into the middle of the river. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

152

“With the exception of being badly frightened, neither received the 

slightest injury, and were enabled to swim ashore and succeeded in getting 

aboard the caboose of the train, which was about starting for Glenwood for 

assistance....A third person was thrown into the river with the Cupelli’s but 

his name was unknown to them. He escaped in the same manner, but was 

unable to reach the train [going to Glenwood]....

“The slide of today was undoubtedly occasioned by the horrendous 

snowstorm of last night and this morning. It was the heaviest experienced 

here since the winter of 1862, the fall here being fully sixteen inches on the 

level. The temperature was very mild, no wind blowing, and the snow being 

wet and heavy and packing solidly as it fell.” 

157X.	Denver Evening Post, Tuesday, February 21, 1899 (p. 7)

“A snow slide at Shoshone blocked the westbound Rio Grande night 

train from Denver. This is the same place where the February 2 slide had 

run [157B]. For a distance of 700 to 800 feet the snow bank is forty feet 

tall on the lower side of the track and the sides of the cars scrape both walls 

as the train goes through the cut in the avalanche debris.” 

Figure 30. — The town of Tomichi as it appeared in the 1880’s. The Magna Charta Mine was to the right of the 

buildings shown here. The avalanches that hit the mine in 1884 [122] and the town and the mine buildinigs in 

1899, [158] ran down this shoulder of Granite Mountain. (Photo from Crofutt, 1885, P. 228)
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

153

158. Rocky Mountain Daily News, Saturday, March 4, 1899 (p. 2, c. 5)

SWEPT TO THEIR DEATH

Frightful Destruction by A Giant Snow Slide at Tomichi.

Boarding House and Mine Buildings Demolished 

by the Avalanche. 

Miners of White Pine and North Star Hurry to the 

Rescue, but Recover Only the Bodies of Victims

—Valuable Machinery Destroyed.

Special to the News.

“SARGENT, Colo., March 3 — About 9 o’clock yesterday morning a 

snow slide came down off Granite Mountain at Tomichi, a mining town 

fourteen miles north of here and about two miles from White Pine, burying 

M. C. Smith, Mrs. Atta Stout and Mr. and Mrs. Sweezy and their two 

children. 

“A messenger on snowshoes started immediately for White Pine. As 

soon as news was received at White Pine every available man in town started 

for the scene of the slide.

“At 4 o’clock yesterday evening M.C. Smith and one of the Sweezy 

children were taken out alive. They are only slightly bruised and will 

recover. The rescuing party also found the dead bodies of Mrs. Sweezy and 

Mrs. Atta Stout. Mr. Sweezy and the other child had not been rescued at 

the last report from the rescuing party at 9 o’clock this morning.

“The house, a two-story building, in which M.C. Smith and Mrs. Atta 

Stout were living, is located about 100 feet up the side of the mountain on 

the opposite side of the canon from which the slide came down, and was 

completely demolished.

“It is estimated that the snow slide is over 200 feet deep in the canon. 

The Sweezy child that is still in the slide is supposed to be in the deepest 

part of the slide. M.C. Smith was eating breakfast when the slide struck 

the house, and he was crushed down over the table and remained in that 

position until taken out. He attracted the rescuing party to him by knocking 

on the table with his hands. Only for his doing this it is claimed he would 

not have been found alive.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

154

[Florin (1971, p. 72-74) says this slide also hit the Magna Charta Mine buildings 

and a number of cabins. He lists the dead as the mother of M. C. Smith, Mrs. 

Sweezy, Mr. Sweezy, and a Sweezy boy. Perry Sweezy, 8 years old, and M.C. Young 

were rescued alive. The Magna Charta Mine never reopened after this accident.]

[Vandenbusche (1980, p. 404) reports Mr. Sweezy and his 12-year-old son were 

carried 200 yards by the avalanche and buried. Their bodies were recovered in the 

spring. In this account Mrs. Stout’s first name is given as Alta. Another account 

in the Gunnison News, Friday, March 3, 1899 (p. 1, c. 1), also gives Mrs. Stout’s 

name as Alta. See also 122 and 123.] 

[Another contemporary account of this accident appeared in the Gunnison

Tribune, March 10, 1899.]

Figure 31. — Avalanche path on the 

southeast flank of Granite 

Mountain and the dump of the 

Magna Charta Mine near the 

old mining town of Tomichi as 

they appeared in June 1981. The 

avalanches that hit the Magna 

Charta Mine buildings as reported 

in accounts 122 and 158 are thought 

to have come down this path.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

155

158A. Gunnison News, Friday, March 10, 1899 (p. 3, c. 3)

“Mike Smith, one of the rescued parties of the Tomichi snow slide of 

last week, is in town today. Mike and the eight-year-old son of Mr. Sweezy 

were the only two that escaped alive. The boy was uninjured but Mike is 

somewhat crippled up. The bodies of Mrs. Stout and Mrs. Sweezy have 

been recovered but Mr. Sweezy and his fourteen-year-old son yet remain 

under the snow.”

158X. Denver Evening Post, Friday, March 10, 1899

“A snow slide at Winfield, fourteen miles from Granite, swept over 

many homes. It completely wrecked John Payne’s home. The six year old 

Payne boy was killed. The father, mother and two other children were 

injured. [See also 170.]

158Y. Denver Evening Post, Saturday, March 25, 1899 (p. 2)

“A snow slide blocked the railroad tracks at Shoshone. The cut in the 

avalanche debris from previous slides is filled for half a mile and part of 

the track has been carried away. This is the fourth large avalanche that has 

run at this spot since January [157B and 157X]. Marshall Pass is open after 

being blocked for thirty hours.”

159. Summit County Journal, Saturday, December 23, 1899

A Narrow Escape

“On Wednesday, the 13th inst., Henry Recen, of Frisco, attempted to 

climb the side of a mountain in Ten Mile Canon. When near the crest, a 

large snow-slide, about 200 feet wide, started furiously down the mountain, 

gathering Mr. Recen in its mission of destruction, and, after rolling and 

tumbling him to the valley, left him under two feet of hard snow. After the 

lapse of about half an hour, by wriggling and pawing, he managed to work 

one arm to the surface, and through the hole thus made he inhaled fresh air 

to strengthen him for a final struggle for life. After several heroic efforts 

he reached the surface and saved himself from an icy grave, only slightly 

injured. He narrates a thrilling story of his eventful experience, and says 

that, had he been buried one foot deeper, his strength would have given 

out ere he could have extricated himself.” [See 193 for the account of an 

accident involving Henry’s brother, Rob Recen.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

156

159X.	Denver, South Park & Pacific (Poor 1976, p. 367)

“February 5, 1900 two trains going up Ten Mile Canyon were stopped 

by snow below Kokomo. The trains started to back down toward Dickey. 

About one half mile above Curtin, the passenger cars on the “lead” train 

ran about forty feet up on the snow of an avalanche. The coaches stayed 

upright but were ten feet above the rails. It took ten days to get the train 

free of the snow.”

160.	 Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 17, 1900

COLORADO NOTES

“Ernest Wendland was killed in a snow slide near Leadville on the 7th.” 

160X.	Ghost Towns of Colorado Rockies, Brown 1968, p. 96

“February 1900. The noon train was caught in a snow slide in Slate 

Creek Canyon four miles below Crested Butte. Seven cars were reduced to 

matchsticks.”

161. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 3, 1900

“A dispatch from Aspen says: News was received here Tuesday night 

that Harry Wyse, Ed. Robinson and Tom McDermitt, miners, working at the 

Enterprise group, in the Taylor River country, were buried in a snow slide 

two or three days ago, and their bodies were dug out yesterday by friends 

who had missed them. The remains are being brought over the range to 

Aspen. The scene of the accident is some twenty-five or thirty miles from 

this place, and there is no telegraphic communication with that place. All 

three of the men were old-timers here and were unmarried. In the same 

section and at about the same time James Bickford was caught in a snow 

slide and killed.”

162. Summit County Journal, Saturday, April 7, 1900

Snow Slide

“From Tuesday evening till Thursday morning a heavy snow fell without 

intermission, causing several snow slides in the Ten Mile Canon. One of 

these slides, at Uneva Lake, is said to be three hundred feet wide and from 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

157

ten to fifteen feet deep. This of course delayed railroad traffic over the 

Colorado & Southern in that district. Not since Tuesday has there been a 

train through between Dickey and Leadville, on that line. The storm did 

not interfere with the operation of trains between Dillon and Denver. It 

is reported that the trains will pass through today or tomorrow. The Rio 

Grande between Dillon and Leadville did not suffer delay.”

163.	 Summit County Journal, Saturday, April 21, 1900

COLORADO NOTES

 “Word was received at Leadville late Wednesday night that a snow 

slide had occurred in Iowa Gulch, near the Ready Cash Mine. A number 

of buildings were carried away and, it is believed that one or two men have 

been buried in the slide, although nothing definite could be learned in 

regard to the matter. As soon as word was received a rescuing party left for 

the scene.”

163A. Summit County Journal, Saturday, April 28, 1900

COLORADO NOTES

 “Sam Kibler, a blacksmith working in the Ready Cash Mine, near 

Leadville, nearly lost his life in a snow slide last week. After being buried 

eighteen hours he was rescued, and none too soon to save his life.”

164. Summit County Journal, Saturday, May 4, 1901

“Game Warden Harris recently received a letter from W. C. Gove, of 

Creede, stating that seven mountain sheep were recently killed by a snow 

slide near Amethyst, Colorado. The heads are said to be intact and will be 

preserved by the state.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

158

165. Rocky Mountain News, Sunday, February 2, 1902

Death in Avalanche of Snow

I. G. [James G.] Fish of Montezuma Killed by Snow Slide 

on Boulder Peak—His Companion Carried Unhurt 

on Crest of Avalanche Down the Mountain

Special to the News.

“Dillon, Colo., Feb. 1 — I. G. [James G.] Fish, a mining man whose 

residence is not known here, was killed at Boulder Peak, twelve miles north 

of here, by a snow slide this morning at 8:30 o’clock.

“Harry Spotts, a boy of 15 years, accompanied him from Dillon. They 

left yesterday morning and Spotts had a miraculous escape from death in 

the slide.

“Fish’s body has not yet been recovered, but ranch men and miners who 

live in that vicinity are making every effort towards that end. Young Spotts 

brought the news of the disaster to town tonight. 

“Fish came to Dillon Thursday from Montezuma, where he had been 

working for the past fifteen days on the Bullion Mine. He was on his way 

to examine the Ida Alice, on Boulder Creek, which is owned by Joseph 

Harrigan and Mrs. Spotts, who were negotiating with Fish for the purchase 

of an interest.

“The accident occurred when Fish and Spotts were digging a trail up 

the mountain to the mine. Fish had been warned by James H. Ryan not 

to undertake the trip. Young Spotts was carried on top of the avalanche 

a distance of several hundred feet without injury. Fish was buried in the 

snow....The slide was about 500 feet wide and the body of Fish is buried in 

not less than fifty feet of snow and debris. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

159

165A. Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, February 5, 1902

From Icy Grave

Body of James [I. G.] Fish Dug From 

Snow Slide on Boulder Peak

Special to the News.

“Dillon, Colo. Feb. 5 — The body of James G. [I. G.] Fish, the victim 

of the snow slide on Boulder peak last Saturday morning was brought to 

Dillon yesterday....It was necessary to drag Fish’s body for two miles over 

deep snow gorges before the rescuing party could place it on a sled.... 

[Other accounts of this accident appear in Summit County Journal for April 8 

and 15, 1902.] 

165X. Denver Post, Friday, April 3, 1903

Snow Slide Wrecks Train, Injuring 3

“Buena Vista, Colorado, April 3. Denver and Rio Grande Passenger 

Train No 1 was wrecked by running into a snow slide in Brown’s Canon 

between Buena Vista and Salida last evening. Three members of the train 

crew were injured, one perhaps fatally. None of the passengers were 

injured. As a result of the wreck and the blocking of the track by numerous 

snow slides seven eastbound Rio Grande passenger trains are being held 

here. 

“The Colorado and Southern between Buena Vista and the Alpine 

Tunnel is filled with slides and the outlook is gloomy.

During the past fort-eight hours two feet of snow fell on the level; in the 

hills, the precipitation was fully twice that. The wind is drifting the snow 

badly and every railroad cut is being filled. Snow slides are threatening in 

all directions.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

160

165Y.	 Denver Post, Monday, February 15, 1904

SWEPT TO DEATH IN SNOW SLIDE

D. D. Moak, well Known Mining man Killed Near Elko

Companion had Narrow Escape

“Crested butte, Colorado, February 15. “D. D. Moak, age about 50 

years and unmarried, was killed in a snow slide last Thursday [February 11] 

at the Hard Cash Mine near Elko eighteen miles north of Crested Butte. His 

companion narrowly escaped death in the avalanche. The body was brought 

here yesterday afternoon after arduous labor in getting over the mountains 

safely...

“For twenty years Mr. Moak has mined in this vicinity and he is said 

to have been possessed of considerable wealth composed of property in 

Pueblo and mining claims in the Gothic district.”

[Elko was in a beautiful park next to Elko Lake (about 1/3 mile west of Schofield 

Pass) Vandenbusche 1980, p. 252 and at the foot of Galena Mountain. Wolle, 

1949, p. 204.]

[The location of the Hard Cash Mine is not known to us. There are two 

avalanche paths, however, that come off summit 12,307 half a mile southeast of 

Galena Mountain and run out into Elko Park just west of Elko Lake.]

166. Leadville Herald Democrat Friday, February 19, 1904

CAUGHT IN AVALANCHE

Four Loggers on Cattle Creek, Near Aspen,

Meet an Awful Death

“Aspen, Feb. 19 — Four men lost their lives in a snow slide near here 

yesterday but their fate was not known until this afternoon. The dead: Jack 

Ellis, John Brown, Frank Manning, [and] William Hampton. They were 

all employed at Osgood’s logging camp on Cattle Creek, about four miles 

south of Aspen....

“The snowfall here has been much below the average and this is the first 

slide of the season. The slide was {??} feet wide and twenty-two feet deep.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

161

166A.	Denver Post, Friday, February 19, 1904

UNDER DEEP SNOW

Bodies of Aspen Snow Slide Victims not yet Found

Four Men Lost Their Lives

Rescue Party of 110 Men Left for Castle Creek 

This Morning to Dig for Remains

“Aspen, Colo., Feb. 19 “One hundred and ten men left Aspen this 

morning for Osgood’s logging camp on Castle Creek (The Leadville Herald 

Democrat article 166 called this Cattle Creek), five miles south of Aspen, 

where four log choppers were swept to death in a snow slide yesterday 

morning. 

“The dead men are: William Hampton, John Ellis, John Brown and 

Frank Manning. 

“The slide is from a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half long, thirty 

feet wide for the entire length and from ten to twenty-five feet deep.”

166B. Denver Post, Saturday, February 20, 1904 (p. 2)

“Aspen, Colo., Feb. 20 “The body of William Hampton of Aspen, the 

last of the four victims of Thursdays snow slide up Castle Creek, was found 

beneath twenty-five feet of snow near the source of the slide at noon today.”

[Mears 1979, p. 47, Plate 1 shows numerous large avalanche paths in this part 

of Castle Creek. The newspaper articles do not give sufficient detail to allow a 

positive identification, however, Mear’s path number seven is over a mile long and 

has a narrow, confined track.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

162

166X. Denver Post, Wednesday, February 24, 1904

SIX MINERS MEET AWFUL WHITE DEATH

Men from Augusta Mine, Nine Miles from Crested Butte, 

Caught in Terrible Snow Slide and Killed 

“Crested Butte, Colorado, February 24. “Six Miners were swept to 

death yesterday [February 23] in a snow slide near the Augusta Mine, 

nine miles northwest of Crested Butte. They are: Peter McQuade, Joseph 

Ferreri, Peter Sterle, Joseph Slogar, Michael Vidmar and Tony Stenicha.

“The first four named were single men and the last two were married 

and leave families...only one body has so far been recovered...

“Word of the disaster was brought to Crested Butte this morning by Ira 

Sigmon and Joseph Voss, who left Augusta Mine last evening.

“Searching Parties...will leave at noon for the scene of the slide.

“The six men carried to their death in the snow and three others had 

resigned their position at the Augusta Mine. They were on their way to 

Crested Butte. The slide...was quite wide and very deep...it is improbable 

that the bodies will soon be recovered.

“Sigmon and Voss...said that yesterday [February 23] was a terrible 

day for snow slides with many large ones running in all directions, carrying 

everything before them.”

[Wolle 1949, p. 209 said two feet of fresh snow had just fallen and that the three 

men who were not killed had survived by laying on their snowshoes and riding the 

crest of the avalanche down the mountain.]

166Y. Denver, South Park and Pacific (Poor 1976, p. 380)

“March 14, 1905 a rotary snowplow with three engines and a small train 

broke down in eighteen feet of snow one quarter of mile east of the Alpine 

Tunnel. The cars were backed down to St. Elmo and abandoned there. 

“March 16, 1905 one half mile from the east end of the Alpine Tunnel 

and two and one half miles west of Hancock a snow slide, 300 feet long and 

eighteen feet deep, covered the tracks.

“The last of March 1905 marked the worst series of snow slides in the 

history of the Colorado Southern Railroad. Trains were blocked by snow for 

eighteen days at the Alpine Tunnel.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

163

Figure 32. — The Augusta Mine on the left flank of Poverty Gulch as seen from the floor of the 

gulch. The mine is the light colored spot that appears on the near edge of the bench in the 

large bowl between Cascade Mountain (left) and Mineral Point (right). The mine is actually 

located back against the headwall of the basin which is about 0.3 mile from the near edge of the 

bench. This photo was taken in August 1981. 

Fi g u re 3 3 . — T h e 

Augusta Mine from 

the near edge of the 

bench mentioned in 

Figure 32. Although 

the floor of the 

bench is relatively 

flat, the slopes 

a b o ve t h e ro a d 

leading to the mine 

a r e s t e e p a n d 

dangerous. This 

photo was taken in 

August 1981.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

164

167.	 Summit County Journal, Saturday, January 20, 1906

SNOW SLIDE IN TEN MILE CANON

East Bound Train on South Park Road is Ditched – 

Miraculous Escape of Train Crew and Passengers

“Again the South Park Branch of the C & S system is in luck. It 

still holds the belt as being the only American railroad of any length, 

which, during an uninterrupted service of twenty years, has never killed a 

passenger. This proves that travel on mountain railroads is less hazardous 

than on prairie lines.

“Wednesday’s Denver-bound train left Leadville as usual, at 9 a. m. 

Before reaching the summit of Fremont Pass (Climax), it was stalled in a 

snow drift, and a three hours delay occurred.

“On nearing Uneva Lake Station, in Ten Mile Canon, where the side of 

the mountain is cut off to make a bed for the track, leaving a steep bank on 

the upper side, a small slide of snow struck the train and shoved the cars off 

the track.

“Besides the engine, the train consisted of one combination baggage 

and passenger car, one combination mail and express car, and one 

passenger coach. In the latter there were thirteen passengers and the 

brakeman. The conductor, Tony Schmidt, happened to be temporarily 

riding in the express car.

“After toppling over, the coach, with its human freight, slid down the 

mountain for about seventy-five feet. The next car with mail and express, 

took a 50-foot slide, while the second combination car merely cleared the 

track. The engine did not leave the track, though the rear trucks of the 

tender were derailed.

“The volume and impact of the snow were not great, else the entire 

train and all on board would have been buried or killed. Not a person 

was seriously injured, though sixteen people traveled with the sliding cars 

over large boulders and jagged rocks, with red hot stoves turned upside 

down and the fire spilled out, down the side of the mountain for from fifty 

to seventy-five feet. Nothing but the wand of good luck which has ever 

waved over the operations of the South Park, saved some one from meeting 

serious, if not fatal, injuries.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

165

168. Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, March 14, 1906

AVALANCHE HITS A FREIGHT TRAIN

Snow Slides are Running Almost Every Hour and 

Denver & Rio Grande Branch Blockaded 

in Mountains Near Carbondale.

Part of Company Store Torn Away by Descending 

Snow, But Employee Remarkably Escapes Death

– Traffic Paralyzed.

Special to the News.

“CARBONDALE, Colo., March 13 — Latest advice from Coal Basin says 

that the slides are still running at the rate of about one an hour, and that 

the snow is still falling. Coal Basin is in a depression in the Ragged Range, 

and the mountains are very precipitous. The telegraph wires are down and 

it is feared that more damage from other slides has occurred. The heavy fall 

of snow alarmed many of the miners in that section and eighteen of them 

started out in a coach attached to the freight train that was wrecked four 

miles from Redstone by being struck by an avalanche.

“One of the passengers says that the coach was knocked completely 

over....There were twenty passengers in the coach, including a woman and 

her little baby....The engine of this train was derailed and turned partly 

around, but did not leave the roadbed. The whole front part of the train 

was covered with snow....

“All the passengers walked to Redstone last night and came to 

Carbondale this afternoon.

“The slide that came down at the mine in Coal Basin last night at 10:30 

was fully 600 feet wide and came down the mountainside with an awful roar 

and the velocity of a canon ball. It struck the Colorado Supply Company’s 

store, a two-story frame structure, and swept away part of the bottom part of 

the store, scattering its contents down the mountainside. The store is built 

on piles. The slide went under the store, leaving the side next to the bank 

intact....The slide then struck the fanhouse and pipeline of the mine and 

five cars of loaded coal were swept away with the slide.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

166

169. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 17, 1906

SNOW DELAYS C. & S. TRAINS

“The past few days have been extremely mild in this section of the 

geography. It commenced snowing Wednesday night and continued 

without interruption till yesterday morning, giving us at least two feet of the 

beautiful. The snowfall was general throughout the length and breadth of 

Summit County.

“Several snow slides occurred in the Ten Mile Canon and at the head 

of the Arkansas on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday the stations 

west of Dickey were not served with mail. Train 71, from Denver, turned at 

Dillon, and returned as 72. Train 81 was annulled at Denver. Yesterday’s 

Train 71 left here nearly on time, but it will be considerably delayed before 

reaching Leadville. It was presumed that the road between Dickey and 

Leadville would be open for traffic some time last night, allowing 72 to 

make its run to Denver, even though very late.”

170. Leadville Herald Democrat, Saturday, March 24, 1906

FEARFUL OF SNOW SLIDES

Winfield Safe but Huge Masses of Snow

Hang Threateningly Over.

“Buena Vista, March 23 — At Winfield, four miles up Clear Creek 

Canon, from Vicksburg, the scene of Wednesday’s slide, a serious condition 

exists. North and west the mountains tower above the little camp nearly 

perpendicular. Snow many feet deep covers them and at their crest a comb 

of snow and ice hangs ready to start on its death-dealing mission at any 

moment. The lack of telephone or telegraph lines makes it impossible to 

reach them for news and much apprehension is felt for their safety.

“A relief party that went from Granite to the Vicksburg snow slide 

yesterday has returned. The searchers were unable to find the body of Harry 

Wisenborn. They went back today to renew the search. It will probably 

not be known until the coming summer how many perished as five men are 

missing.“ [See also 158X] 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

167

171. Leadville Herald Democrat, Sunday, April 1, 1906

SNOW BOUND ON ALPINE

C. & S. Finally Breaks Blockade, After 

Terrible Siege on the Pass

“Denver, March 31 — A special to the News from Gunnison says:

“The Colorado and Southern road was opened today between Gunnison 

and Alpine Pass and Gunnison mail came in for the first time. A rotary and 

seven engines came into Gunnison today after having been snowbound on 

Alpine pass during which time the engineers were compelled to remain in 

their cabs, having no other place to sleep.

“On March 14 a rotary with three engines and a small train left Como, to 

cut their way through the drifts which were piled high on either side of the 

pass completely blocking the track. One by one the cars were backed down 

and abandoned at St. Elmo. A short distance east of Alpine Tunnel the 

rotary broke down in eighteen feet of snow. 

“When word reached Gunnison that the train had been abandoned to its 

fate in the snow, four more engines carrying five cars of coal were started to 

the relief of the train, but the relief train also became stalled on a sidetrack 

west of the tunnel. The five cars of coal were used to make the journey and 

no effort was made to bring in the delayed trains until today when the road 

was finally cleared. Provisions were carried to the trainmen by parties who 

made regular trips each day over the frozen mountains.

“Superintendent {word missing} of the Colorado and Southern, declared 

today that the siege of snow slides and blockades through which the train 

crews have passed was the worst in the entire history of the road.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

168

172. The Salida Mail, Tuesday, February 5, 1907

MANY LIVES LOST IN SNOW SLIDE 

AT MONARCH LAST NIGHT

Bodies Of Seven Have Been Recovered: 

 FRED R. NASON, WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN, 

H. L. McCABE, JACK EMERSON AND 

STEVEN SKINNER, 

Several Bodies Believed To Remain.

“Monarch mining camp was visited by an awful calamity last night at 9 

o’clock, when an avalanche came down without warning and carried death 

to nearly a dozen people. So great is the excitement that it is impossible 

to gather reports which are absolutely authentic, but it is known surely that 

seven bodies have been recovered. These are Fred R. Nason, wife and two 

children, H. L. McCabe, Jack Emerson and Steve Skinner.

“A telephone call from John Farrell, superintendent for the Vega 

Company, at 11 o’clock this morning, says that five bodies have been taken 

out and that two more will probably account for all the dead, which would 

make the number seven.

“A relief train started over the Monarch Branch from Salida at 1 o’clock 

this morning...the train was able to proceed only to Garfield, on account of 

snow, and from here the {relief} party was obliged to walk up through heavy 

drifts of wet snow....

“There was a thaw and heavy snowfall on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 

and experienced mountaineers expected slides to run, but the situation of 

Monarch is such that it was not thought to be in danger. At 9 o’clock the 

avalanche struck that part of the camp containing two saloons and boarding 

house, carrying them and their inmates away and burying them under 

many feet of snow and debris. Work of rescue began at once, and of the 

seventeen people known to have been in the destroyer’s path several were 

rescued alive....

“The slide started above and to the north of the Fairplay Mine and came 

down over the April Fool Group. It missed the Fairplay Mine and Quarry by 

only 100 feet (Fig. 34).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

169

“It has been sixteen years since Monarch has been damaged by slides 

and the fears which are always present in seasons of heavy snow had been 

lulled to sleep by the long season of inactivity of the terror of the mountains 

and the blow fell as a terrible surprise to inhabitants.”

Figure 34. — Snowslide Gulch at Monarch, August 4, 1981. The avalanche that came into 

Monarch on February 4, 1907, ran down this path. Since then, heavy quarrying has drastically 

altered the path. The town was located along the railroad in the foreground. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

170

172A. The Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, February 6, 1907

BODIES OF SIX DEAD REMOVED; ONE MISSING

Details of Snow Slide at Monarch Only Add to Horror of 

Catastrophe Which Destroyed Camp.

SALOON KEEPER FOUND WITH KEG ON HIS CHEST

Rescuers Struggle Bravely with Drifts and 

Take out 22 People Alive.

Special to the News.

“Salida, Colo., Feb. 5 — Details of the big snow slide at Monarch only 

add to the horror of the catastrophe. An engine and one coach came in at 6 

o’clock tonight with five bodies and it is known that at least one more is still 

under the snow. 

The revised list of the known dead is as follows:

MR. AND MRS. FRED NASON.

JACK EMERSON, son of Superintendent Emerson 

 of the Madonna Mine. 

CHARLES GILETTE, a miner. 

STEVE SKINNER, a saloonkeeper.

JAMES BOYLE of Denver, a miner.

“The body of Nason has not been recovered and some believe that he 

may be alive. Altogether, twenty-two people were taken out of the snow. 

The following persons were rescued alive, several being unconscious:

The six children of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nason.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schrader and four children.

James Smith.

James Lucky [Lecky] and son, William.

John Griffith. 

Jesse Smallwood.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

171

The last two were reported dead, but were revived and will recover.

“The slide started at 9:15 last night and made a noise like the roar of 

cannon....The slide, as it now lies, is 500 feet long, 300 feet wide and fifty 

feet deep and came 1,000 feet down the mountain.

“The two-story log house, with a saloon on one side, belonging to Steve 

Skinner, and the boarding and rooming house on the other, conducted 

by Fred Nason, was completely demolished and carried across the street. 

There was not even a whole piece of furniture found, even a piano being 

reduced to kindling. So close did the slide approach the row of houses on 

the opposite side of the street that logs and rocks were driven through the 

doors of the Blatchford Hotel (Fig. 35).

“The body of Mrs. Nason was the first discovered and was fearfully 

bruised and mutilated. The second person taken out was James Smith, who 

is still alive, but will die, a rib having punctured the lung. 

“William Lecky [Lucky] and father, James Lecky, were the next rescued, 

the latter having been unconscious six hours. When found his feet were firmly 

pinioned beneath heavy timbers. Five of the Nason children were hurled 

through the second-story windows and covered with flying snow. They were 

quickly dug out. The baby of the family, a bright 4-year-old boy, was found 

uninjured this morning after being buried fourteen hours. He was tucked 

away under a section of the roof, snugly rolled up in a feather bed.

Figure 35. — Avalanche damage caused by the February 4, 1907, avalanche at Monarch. The flat-roofed 

building is the Blatchford Hotel mentioned in account 172A (John Ophus Collection, Salida).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

172

“Steve Skinner, owner of the saloon, was found on the floor of his place 

of business with a keg of beer on his chest. His head was driven through 

the floor and his skull crushed.

“The rescuers found a white hand protruding from the snow and 

hurriedly dug out the oldest son of Fred Schrader, who was unconscious and 

would have suffocated in a short time. The home of Schrader, containing 

his wife and four children, was completely demolished and the occupants 

buried, but none was seriously injured, having been carried on the crest of 

the slide.”...

172B. The Salida Record, Friday, February 8, 1907

SIX DEAD IN SLIDE

Great Avalanche of Snow Descends on Monarch Monday 

Bringing with it Death and Destruction.

“The most terrible catastrophe that ever befell Chaffee County occurred 

in Monarch last Monday night [February 4]when a great snow slide crashed 

down Monarch hill into the little town, engulfing two houses with their 29 

occupants, carrying death and destruction in its path. The slide came at 

9:15 and as soon as the population recovered from their paralysis medical 

aid for the injured was summoned from Salida. 

“The slide came down a gulch east of the Madonna Mine and started 

from a height of about a thousand feet, of course gaining speed at every 

foot and gathering up all trees and boulders in its path....

The correct list of the dead is as follows:

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nason.

Jack Emerson, son of Superintendent Emerson of the 

Madonna Mine.

Steve Skinner, proprietor saloon.

Joe [Joseph] Boyle, of Leadville.

Harry Gillett, of Denver, nephew of Mrs. J. D. Whitehurst, 

of Salida, and son of Frank Gillett, formerly of Salida. 

James Smith, badly injured and will die.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

173

Those who were taken out of the snow, some injured and many 

unconscious from suffocation, were:

Florence, Margaret, Geneveve, Edna, Lillian and Edward Nason, 

ages respectively, 19, 15, 11, 8, 6 and 4 years. 

Fred Schrader, wife and four children.

James Lecky and 16-year-old son William.

Mr. Griffith, Mr. Cooper and James Smallwood. 

Carl Perfect, of Buena Vista....

“In most cases death resulted from suffocation and a number of those 

now living were so far gone as to be unconscious. Among this number was 

Miss Florence, the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nason. She said that 

although somewhat injured, her greatest inconvenience was breathing, and 

her struggles for air were shortly stilled by blissful unconsciousness, and 

she knew no more until revived by the fresh air. She was under the snow 

four hours. The younger children were up stairs and thus were covered but 

a few feet, and were quickly rescued. 

“The most miraculous escape was that of baby Edward, who lay under 

the snow, snugly tucked in bed, for 14 hours when finally dug out. A 

section of the roof had fallen over him in such a way that snow and rock 

could not reach him, but was in such a small space that he was overlooked 

for a long time. He was happy and laughing when taken out, and happily is 

too young to realize the awful calamity that had taken his natural protectors 

from him. The rescuing of this babe was a scene that caused many strong 

men to break down who had withstood the stern duties of taking out dead 

comrades.

“On the floor of the saloon was found the body of the proprietor, Steve 

Skinner. It was evident that his death was instantaneous. A full keg of 

beer was found on his chest, which had evidently been hurled against his 

head, crushing it through the floor. Brains scattered about furnished mute 

testimony of sudden death....

“One peculiar instance is related by H. L. McCabe. He says that just 

before the slide came his dog came to the bed in which he was sleeping and 

pulled the covers from him, but before he had more than time to wonder 

at the dog’s strange action, the crash came. Did the animal know that a 

calamity was impending, and try to warn his master?...

“The relief train, that left Salida at 1 o’clock Tuesday morning finally 

reached Garfield and could go no farther....The new snow was from four to 

six feet deep in spite of the fact that the road had been kept open. There 

was a blinding snowstorm raging at the time and the {relief} party had not 

proceeded far until they realized they had attempted a herculean task....The 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

174

slide was finally reached, the party having been on the road between the 

tank, a mile below Garfield, and Monarch over three hours....

“This is the first slide that has cost life in this vicinity. It is not 

uncommon for small slides to occur. Indeed, only two days before one 

occurred at the Madonna Mine, taking out about a 150 feet of the tramway, 

and another the same day which blocked up the entrance of one of the 

tunnels (Fig. 36). A force of men was imprisoned here until released from 

the outside. There have been times in the years gone by when the little 

camp was completely snowed under, and the residents passed from house 

to house through snow tunnels, but even then no slides occurred of much 

magnitude. Old residents have always felt secure from the dreadful terror 

because they believed the hillsides were not steep enough on either side of 

the camp to precipitate a slide.

“The slide started just east of the April Fool group of mines near the 

top of the hill and {ran} across the Paymaster, Ben Bolt, Little Giant, Stem 

Winder, Cromwell, Camp Bird, Cornelius and Iron Ram. At the foot of the 

hill the workings of the Fairplay, now operated as a lime quarry (Fig. 41) for 

the Arkansas Valley { } company, using a valuable plant of machinery, 

was missed only a few feet. The Rio Grande track, which lies along the base 

of the hill, is covered to a depth of 50 feet”...(See also [173A]).

[Other accounts of this accident appear in Summit County Journal for February 

9 and the Idaho Springs Mining Gazette for February 7 where Nason was spelled 

Mason.]

173. The Salida Record, Friday, February 8, 1907

SNOW DEMON CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM

Second Slide in the Monarch District Takes 

the Buildings of the Eclipse Mine, Instantly 

Killing F. Y. Harris, the Superintendent, 

who was in the Boarding House.

“A second snow slide crashed down Monarch Mountain Wednesday 

night and while larger than the first only claimed one victim. F. Y. Harris 

was instantly killed and Harry Amy, who was in the Eclipse boarding house 

with him, was caught but managed to extricate himself. The slide was 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

175

about a mile above the one of Monday night, but much higher up the hill 

and destroyed the buildings of the Eclipse Mine (Figs. 36 and 37). No one 

except the two men were in the building, but the force of five men who had 

been helping in the rescue work at the slide below were just returning to 

the mine and if the slide had been delayed five minutes, would have been 

caught.

“Harry Amy says that he and the superintendent, Mr. Harris, were 

sitting by the fire talking when they heard the slide coming about 5:30 

p.m. Hr. Harris rushed to the door to see what it was and was caught and 

crushed beyond recognition. He (Amy) retained his seat by the stove and 

was covered up in the wreckage but was not seriously hurt, digging himself 

out in a few minutes. It took the rescue party about four hours to recover 

Harris’ body.”...

Figure 36. — The Eclipse avalanche path, mine dumps, and roads at Monarch as they appeared in June 

1981. The February 6, 1907, avalanche is thought to have released in the saddle of the skyline ridge. 

The low building in the lower right corner is the Madonna Mine. The large cuts and fills and the huge 

tailing piles are the result of recent quarry activity. They were not present in 1907. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

176

Figure 37. — This is thought to be debris from the February 6, 1907 avalanche at Monarch 

that hit the boarding house of the Eclipse Mine, killing F. Y. Harris. The building 

pictured here has been identified as the Number 4 Tunnel of the Eclipse Mine by Mr. 

George McKeen, a former resident of Monarch (John Ophus Collection, Salida).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

177

173A. The Salida Mail, Thursday, February 8, 1907 (p. 1)

GREAT DISASTER AT MONARCH

Not Content With the Tribute of Six Lives on Monday 

The Relentless Avalanche Claims Another Victim 

in a Slide Which Runs on Wednesday 

Within a Mile of the Scene of the Other, 

and Before Rescue is Completed.

“FRED L. NASON, age 45 years, death from fractured skull.

“Mrs. FLORENCE NASON, age 45, death from suffocation. The 

remains of Mr. and Mrs. Nason will be shipped tonight to their old home at 

Hammond, Indiana. 

“S. J. EMERSON, age 19 years, 4 months, death from suffocation, home 

in Leadville where the body has been taken for burial. 

“JOSEPH BOYLE, age 20 years, 3 months, remains taken to Leadville for 

interment by his brother.

“STEVE SKINNER, age 59 years, fractured skull, remains sent to 

Burlington, Iowa.

“HARRY GILLETTE, age 20 years, 4 months, remains sent to Denver to 

his mother, Mrs. Frank Gillette.

“FRANCIS YORK HARRIS, age 29 years, {?} months, met death in the 

slide at the Eclipse Mine on Wednesday, remains taken home to Florence 

for burial. 

“Monarch, one of the thriftiest little mining camps in this section of 

the state, is to-day almost deserted and the few who yet remain since the 

deviating snow slide of Monday night are constantly confronted with the 

wrecked homes and knowledge of death’s icy hand having claimed several 

of the best known and most highly respected citizens, and of the serious 

injuries sustained by at least eight or ten others....

“This slide was on the opposite side of the mountain and was observed 

from Monarch. There were four men, who heard and saw the monster 

approaching. One ran toward the tunnel and was caught within a few feet of 

safety, buried under tons of snow. This was Frank Y. Harris. His body was 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

178

brought down to Salida yesterday and prepared for burial at Florence where 

he leaves a wife and two children. The other victims of the accident were 

rescued alive and unhurt....

“On the score of persons within the wrecked buildings of the [February 

4 avalanche] several received severe injuries, but only one of these who was 

rescued alive was dangerously injured. This is James Smith, who was caught 

between timbers and his ribs crushed in so that his lungs were punctured. 

It was at first believed he could not live, but now he has a fair chance for 

recovery....A pathetic incident was the discovery of the little 3 year old 

Nason child after eleven hours under twelve feet of snow. It was lying on a 

feather bed unharmed. A portion of the roof had fallen to protect the child, 

which smiled when picked up by rescuers. This discovery put heart into the 

workers in their search, which finally resulted in the {recovery} of the body 

of Fred Nason” [172 and 172A]....

174. Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, February 6, 1907 (p. 10)

NINE SNOW SLIDES BLOCKADE ROADS NEAR COMO

Heavy Storms Tie Up Trains and Plows 

Prove to be Without Effect.

Special to the News.

“BRECKENRIDGE, Colo., Feb. 5 — The South Park Branch of the 

Colorado & Southern Railroad is practically snowbound from Como out. 

The Gunnison, or Alpine Tunnel, Branch is blocked with snow, and it is 

understood that no attempts will be made to open it until the main line to 

Leadville is open again.

“The passenger train which left Denver this morning got stuck in a 

snowbank on the east slope of Boreas Pass, between snowsheds Nos. 9 and 

10, and was forced to return to Como for the night. The rotary snowplow is 

still at work on the big snow slide near the King Solomon tunnel near Mile 

Post 120 on the C & S Railroad in Ten Mile Canon. Telephone messages 

state that it will take the plow all day tomorrow to get through the slide, 

with a good prospect of encountering other slides before reaching Kokomo.

“The Ten Mile Canon is noted for its numerous snow slides. Word has 

been received here that there are nine slides from 40 to 200 feet or more 

in width between Climax Station and the water tank, three miles west of 

Leadville.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

179

175. Rocky Mountain News, Saturday, February 9, 1907

LOCAL PROSPECTOR CAUGHT IN SLIDE AND KILLED

L. B. Monson, Manager of Clipper Mine 

Near Alma, Buried in Avalanche.

HAD SAMPLES IN HAND

Had a Wife, Brother and Other Relatives 

Living in This City.

Special to the News.

“ALMA, Colo., Feb. 8 — A fatal snow slide occurred on Mosquito 

Range, between Alma and Leadville, to the right of the old stage road above 

the North Fork of Mosquito Creek, yesterday afternoon. L. B. Monson, 

manager of the Clipper Mine nearby, had started from his cabin for the forks 

Figure 38. — Colorado and 

Southern rotary snowplow 

99201 at Baker Tank on 

B o r e a s P a s s n e a r 

Breckenridge in 1936 (R. H. 

Kindig Collection, Denver). 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

180

of the road with ore samples, which he intended sending to Alma for assay 

tests, and was caught by the slide and suffocated before help could reach 

him. 

“Witnesses of the slide discovered Monson’s body an hour later, life 

being extinct....

“The snowfall for the week has been several feet, and teamsters say 

there is nothing to hold it, owing principally to the warm weather of the last 

few days, and more slides are feared.”

176. Rocky Mountain News, Tuesday, February 12, 1907

AVALANCHE CRUSHES CABIN LIKE A SHELL

Snow Slide from Mosquito Mountain at 

Alma Buries Mine House and 

Sleeping Night Shift Has Narrow Escape.

Special to the News.

“ALMA, Colo., Feb. 11 — A second snow slide occurred in the 

Mosquito district yesterday. This slide came down nearly 400 feet wide and 

covered the cabin at the Butte Mine to a depth of twenty-five feet, crushing 

the building like an eggshell. Luckily there was no one in the cabin at the 

time. The night shift was asleep in the bunkhouse, 100 feet distant. Edward 

Warner had been sharpening steel in the blacksmith part of the cabin 

five minutes before and had taken an ax and started up the hill for wood. 

He saw the slide coming and got behind a tree. He was buried by the 

avalanche, but was able to pull himself out by the aid of the tree.

“The slide covered the mouth of the tunnel for a distance of thirty feet, 

and the day shift had to be shoveled out. Other slides in the vicinity are 

feared, as the mountains are heavily capped with snow.”

176X. Denver, South Park and Pacific (Poor 1976, p. 367)

“William Cairns, a long time employee of the South Park Railroad, 

recounts that on February 8, 1909 a rotary snowplow and three engines 

going from Como west through the Alpine Tunnel encountered snow 

slide debris just below the Palisades but was able to get through it. After 

rounding Sherrod Curve and passing the Woodstock Spur the plow was 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

181

stopped by a mound of avalanche debris 500 feet long and forty feet deep 

at the center. Seven engine crews and two train crews worked seven days 

and nights to clear the tracks. This was in the same place as the avalanche 

that demolished the Woodstock Station March 10, 1884 and killed thirteen 

people” [126]. 

177. Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, February 10, 1909

Blockaded With Snow

Worst Storm in Years Demoralizes

Traffic in State

Slide at Shoshone

“Denver, Feb. 9 — The storm which has raged throughout the 

state for the past twenty-four hours is regarded as one of the worst ever 

experienced in Colorado. Never before have the railroads of the state been 

so blockaded by snow and slides. The passes through the mountains are 

nearly all blocked and traffic over the Denver and Rio Grande and Colorado 

Midland is almost suspended. Poncha, Cumbres, and Marshall passes were 

blocked with snow and Tennessee Pass was kept open with difficulty. 

“Marshall Pass has not been closed before in many years. Thirteen 

snow slides are reported between Durango and Silverton [In the San Juan 

Mountains of Southwestern Colorado] and the Colorado and Northern 

Georgetown loop line is closed. 

“Rio Grande eastbound train No. 6 which is many hours late and which 

narrowly missed a rock slide at the Utah line two days ago, is again blocked 

at Shoshone, the slide at Shoshone descending but two minutes before the 

arrival of the train.

“Glenwood Springs reports two slides, one of which struck a stage but 

injured none of the passengers.

“Lake City has been without a train for two days and is running out of 

fuel. No trains are expected there for three days.

“Breckenridge is cut off from railroad communication and the 

thermometer has not risen above {illegible} degrees below zero all day.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

182

178. Leadville Herald Democrat, Wednesday, February 24, 1909

Present Winter Worst in Years

Joe Brett Says Snow on Eagle River is Heaviest 

Since 1884, but Fishing will be Good

“The Eagle River country has experienced the hardest winter this year 

since 1884, says Joe Brett owner of the popular fishing resort known as ‘The 

Frenchman’s’ a few miles west of the divide....

“The snow around his place just now is about five feet on the level. 

Much more than this has fallen, but in the natural behavior of the elements, 

much has faded away. The average depth right now is five feet, and in the 

drifted places it is as deep as twenty feet, in the unprotected portions, 

where the wind has a clean sweep, there is little or no snow.”...

178X. The Gunnison Country (Vandenbusche 1980, p. 279-282)

“An avalanche in February 1909 hit the Augusta Mine buildings, part of 

the tram, and the mill, which was thought to be safe from avalanches. This 

was the end of the Augusta and other mines in the Poverty Gulch.”

[We did not find any other reference to this avalanche in the newspapers or 

books we checked.]

179. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 4, 1911

BIG SNOW SLIDE NEAR MONARCH

“Salida — The first snow slide of the season in this section occurred 

at Monarch, 20 miles west of Salida, injuring one man, George Barnes who 

had the novel experience of riding down a hill 2000 feet at lightning speed. 

One hundred and fifty feet of the Madonna tramway was taken out and it 

will be necessary to close down the number one level of the mine until the 

tram can be repaired. It was on this hill that a big slide ran two years ago 

practically wiping out the little town of Monarch and snuffing out the lives 

of more than a dozen persons.”

[This number of fatalities does not correspond to the more detailed accounts 

[172, 172A, 172B, and 173A] given at the time of the previous accident, which 

listed six-dead and one seriously injured.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

183

179X. Marble, Colorado: City of Stone (Vandenbusche and Myers 	 	

		 1970, p. 57 and 71)

“March 7, 1912 David Davis was hit by a snow slide in Quarry Town 

just west of the Yule Quarry south of Marble. He was carried over a cliff, 

dropped 120 feet and buried. His body was recovered March 15, 1912.” 

180. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 9, 1912

BIG SNOW SLIDE BLOCKS TRAINS

 “On Wednesday a bulletin at the post office gave notice that there 

would be no train and no mail on account of a big snow-slide in the Ten 

Mile Canon above Curtain Station close to Uneva (Fig. 43). Shovelers 

and the rotary snowplow tackled the slide on Thursday. Postmaster Mrs. 

Maude Evans McLean called up Chief Clerk Blackwell of the railway mail 

service and arranged to have the mail forwarded to the snow-slide on the 

first train and further arranged with the Chamber of Commerce to stand 

the expense of sending a sworn mail carrier to the snow-slide to transport 

the accumulated mail to Breckenridge in a four-horse sleigh. Our efficient 

Postmaster (the official title is ‘postmaster,’ not postmistress, dear reader,) 

has had the experience of former snow-blockade winters and knows how to 

get quick action for delayed mail when Uncle Sam doesn’t have to go down 

in his jeans. The slide was cleared Thursday evening and the accumulated 

mail was all brought in on Friday’s regular train.”

181. The Crystal River Pictorial (McCoy and Collman 1973, p. 148-149)

“On March 20, 1912, an avalanche from Mount Wood turned over a 

railroad engine and flattened the Marble Finishing Mill at Marble, Colo. 

The avalanche hit during the change of shifts between the day and night 

crews so only one person was in the mill. No one was killed.

“Miss Sylvia Smith, editor of the local newspaper, wrote an article 

saying the poor placement of the mill could have resulted in the death of 

hundreds of the 300 workers who occupied the mill most of the time. The 

mill management and town people become irritated with Miss Smith and 

forced her to leave town. She sued and received $10,345 damages.”

[Vandenbusche (1980, p. 240) says the avalanche came down the steep mountain 

south of the marble mill, shot across the Crystal River and smashed into the mill. 

Vandenbusche and Myers 1970, p. 72 said the slide came down Mill Mountain. 

Neither Mount Wood nor Mill Mountain are shown on the 1960 U.S.G.S. 7.5 

minute quad sheet for Marble. The slide probably ran down the north slope of 

the unnamed summit marked 10,842.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

184

181X. The Gunnison Country (Vandenbusche 1980, p. 219)

“In March [no day given] 1912 an avalanche tore over the head house 

of the [Bulkley bituminous coal] mine [on the north flank of Whetstone 

Mountain 2 miles south of Crested Butte] and ran down the tramway line 

where 10 men were working. Six were carried 500 feet down the mountain 

and buried. The avalanche continued another 500 feet down the mountain 

turning over a loaded railroad coal car. All the men were dug out but Frank 

Orazem died that night from injuries.”

182. Summit County Journal, Saturday, January 22, 1916

Nephew of Mrs. Roby Killed in Slide.

“A snow slide, the accumulation of heavy storms Monday and Tuesday, 

and one of the nine which crashed down the mountains in the same district, 

hurtled through the surface buildings of the Gordon-Tiger Mine near Twin 

Lakes Wednesday and demolished all before it, killing Fredrick Suttler of 

Leadville and John R. Remine, of Twin Lakes, a nephew of Mrs. Minnie Roby 

of Breckenridge (Fig. 39).

“While other men employed by the company were engaged inside the 

tunnel, the avalanche swept down the mountain, ripped through the shop in 

which Remine and Suttler were employed and carried them to the bottom 

of an incline, smothering them to death under a mass of snow and timber.” 

[See 128, 157, and 157A for accounts of other avalanches on this path.]

182X.	Vandenbusche and Myers, 1970 (p. 95-96)

“Three mammoth avalanches accompanied a month-long series of 

severe snowstorms that ended on January 26, 1916 at Marble, Colorado. 

These avalanches were stopped by a fifty-foot tall wall built of huge marble 

blocks on the north bank of Crystal River to protect the processing mill.” 

[For more information on this avalanche retention wall see the “Early 

Avalanche Control” section of this report.]

183. Summit County Journal, Saturday, January 29, 1916

COLORADO STATE NEWS

“Two persons were swept to death in a snow slide at Leadville.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

185

184. Idaho Springs Mining Gazette, Friday, February 11, 1916

Snow Slide Forty Feet Deep

 “Grand Junction — Baxter Pass on the Uintah Railroad, fifty miles 

northwest of this city, is the scene of the bitterest fight against a monster 

snow blockade that the Uintah has been called upon to wage in 14 years. A 

snow slide forty feet deep is piled up on the track for a distance of 2,700 

Figure 39. — Parry Peak (A) - Gordon Gulch (B) (Twin Lakes) avalanche paths. Gordon Mine is at (C) and Pomroy Gulch 

at (D). Slides from this area ran to the valley floor in 1884 [128], 1899 [157X], and 1962 [Page 1]. A smaller avalanche 

on January 19, 1916 [182] probably did not reach the valley. The January 21, 1962 avalanche killed seven people. The 

1884 avalance took no lives, the 1899 event killed one man and the 1916 avalanche killed two men. This photo by Hans 

Frutiger was taken January 23, 1962.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

186

feet. This is not the worst feature, as the track over Baxter Pass averages 

71⁄2 % for six miles, making a climb of 2,400 feet in that distance and 

the steepness of the grade makes snow bucking a perilous occupation.” 

[This is outside the study area but is included to show extent of the snow 

conditions.]

185. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 12, 1916

SNOW SLIDE CRASHES INTO

C. & S. TRAIN

Coaches Hurled from Track and Buried in Snow; 

Only One Passenger Injured.

“A snow slide between Leadville and Birdseye struck Colorado and 

Southern passenger {train} No. 70 Tuesday night and crashed into the two 

rear cars, turning over the passenger coach and derailing the baggage car.

“O. A. King, manager of the Pingrey Mines and Reduction Company, 

which operates the Leadville district mill, whose hand was cut, was the only 

one of the several passengers who was injured.”...

185X. The Gunnison Country (Vandenbusche 1980, p. 117)

“On March 2, 1916 near Chipeta Falls in the Black Canyon of the 

Gunnison River, an avalanche hit a passenger train and knocked cars into 

the river. Another avalanche blocked the track behind the train. After 24 

hours a wedge plow broke through to the stranded train. A wrecker that 

was accompanying the plow was swept into the river by another avalanche. 

C. H. Matthews and Earl Levy were killed in the first accident. Heavy thaws 

produced seven more avalanches that kept the passenger train and the plow 

crew stranded for the next 72 hours.”

[Wallace 1960, p. 77 reporting on what appears to be this accident said one of 

the men killed was a football player; the other was an express clerk.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

187

186. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 11, 1916

GENERAL

“Two snow slides are reported along railroads in the mountains and, as 

far as heard from, no lives were lost. One of the slides was near Shoshoni 

[sic], in the Glenwood Springs district. The other was at Kildare near 

Leadville.” 

187. Idaho Springs Mining Gazette, Friday, March 2, 1917

Slides Throw Train from Track

 “Crested Butte — Two snow slides ran here and struck passing trains 

on railroads. An extra on the D. & R. G., sent out with a flanger to clear 

the tracks of accumulated snow, was struck with a slide one-half mile below 

town, carried from the track and turned over. The train consisted of a day 

coach, and baggage car, and there was one passenger aboard. He was 

uninjured. Conductor Twitchell was stunned and bruised, but recovered 

from his injuries within a few minutes.”

188. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 2, 1918

Snow Slides in Ten Mile Canyon

“The storm during the past week brought down the biggest snow slide 

of the season along Ten Mile Canyon. The rotary was ordered to tie up 

at Dickey Thursday night, and started out early yesterday morning. After 

a hard days fight against the snow slide, at night, only a little headway 

was made. The canyon appears to be one slide after another from a 

short distance above Frisco to the upper end of the canyon. The slide 

opposite Uneva Lake was the largest and was about one mile long and 

from one hundred to two hundred feet deep.” [This depth is an obvious 

exaggeration.]...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

188

189. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 28, 1920

TRAPPED IN A SNOW SLIDE,

IS BURIED LIVES.

Archie Hogue Of Wheeler Has Miraculous 

Escape From Mass Of Falling 

Snow Logs And Rocks

“Archie Hogue miraculously escaped death near Wheeler last Tuesday 

when he was buried in a snow slide with deep masses of rolling rocks 

and logs that swept down upon him from a gulch near Wheeler. Hogue 

extricated himself from his covering of snow after an hour’s work and 

crawled to his home nearby....

“The snow slide covered a distance of three-quarters of a mile, and had 

covered a distance of half a mile before reaching Hogue....Hogue’s horse 

was completely buried. A collar worn by the horse was found at the bottom 

of the slide. Some of the logs, which came down with the snow, were said 

to have been two feet thick and forty feet in length.”

189X.	The Gunnison Country (Vandenbusche, 1980, p. 327)

“February 1920 [no day given]. Teamster Ed Adrian, his sixteen year 

old son, Bruce and Steve Suslikov were en route to the Doctor Mine from 

Bogan’s Camp on Spring Creek to pick up a load of ore....At Snowslide 

Bridge they came to a fresh slide they could not cross. As they were turning 

around, they were hit by another slide. Bruce Adrian and Steve Suslikov 

were killed immediately. Ed Adrian was covered by the slide. He was next 

to one of his horses whose ears and head were above the snow. With the 

air thus provided, he was able to dig himself out after three hours.”
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

189

190.	 Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 6, 1920

RAILROAD TRAFFIC IS BLOCKED NEAR HERE

BY THREE SNOW SLIDES

Trains Stop Running For Two Days 

Between Leadville And Breckenridge; 

East Tracks Remain Open

“This morning the train from Leadville ran into a ‘Curtain’ [Curtain was 

a station on the railroad] snow slide at Frisco and is blockaded from further 

progress. This place has been giving trouble from slides nearly every year. 

A rotary was sent from Como this morning to Frisco. There is reported to 

be less snow over Boreas Pass, and trains are expected to run on time or 

nearly on time from that direction. 

“Three snow slides between Leadville and Breckenridge during the early 

portion of the week shut Summit County off from western traffic over the C. 

& S. Railroad for two days, Monday and Tuesday....

“On Monday evening C. & S. passenger train narrowly escaped disaster 

as it plowed into the principal snow slide just this side of the Three-mile 

Tank near Leadville. Engineer Miller brought the train to a stop after the 

engine had bored its way into the snow that covered the tracks to a depth 

over the top of the cab....Workmen worked for five hours to allow the 

passengers to continue, shoveling the tracks for the one hundred and fifty 

feet, which were buried beneath the slide. The snow was piled high on the 

tracks and threw the front wheels of the engine from the track as it plowed 

into the slide....

“Two large slides in the same section of the road were reported on 

Tuesday in addition to the slide that had first held up the train. The largest 

slide was later reported to be three hundred feet in length and the tracks 

were buried beneath from ten to thirty feet of snow. A smaller slide buried 

forty feet of the track under ten feet of snow....

“This is the first serious slide encountered this winter on the 

Breckenridge Branch of the C. & S., and occurred at a point where similar 

slides have blocked traffic in past years.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

190

191. Georgetown Courier, Monday, June 5, 1920

“The bodies of ten elk were discovered on a mountainside in Middle 

Park that had been killed by a snow slide.”

192. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 11, 1922

SNOW SLIDE BLOCKS TRAIN SERVICE

“Passenger and train service from Leadville was annulled yesterday 

owing to a large snow slide near Curtain. It is stated that the slide is about 

60 feet long and 8 to 10 feet deep and will require the service of the rotary 

plow, which was expected to leave Como at 4 o’clock this morning.

“This is the first slide of the season. Every spring several of these 

snow slides cause considerable delay in the train service, and prove very 

expensive to the railway company.”...

193. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 18, 1922

BOB RECEN OF KOKOMO INJURED 

IN SNOW SLIDE

“Bob Recen, of Kokomo, was featured in the headlines of the Herald 

Democrat of Leadville the past week. We print herewith articles taken from 

the Saturday last paper and also for the following day....

“Bob Recen, well known Kokomo mining man who was caught in a heavy 

run of snow near his mine Friday, was not badly injured,...but a horse on 

which he was riding when the slide engulfed him was killed. Recen was 

almost completely buried in the snow but managed to keep one hand above 

the snow and rescuers were thus enabled to extricate him a few minutes 

after the accident occurred.”

[See 159 for the account of an accident to Bob’s brother, Henry Recen.] 

193X. Rails That Climb (Bollinger, 1979, p. 203)

“February 18, 1922 on the west side of Corona [a railroad station at 

Rollins Pass – 7 miles east of Fraser] an avalanche hit a locomotive and 

stopped it. Another locomotive tried to pull it out but couldn’t. A second 

avalanche hit the first locomotive knocking it off the track and rolling it 

700 feet down the hillside. Several men were killed. Some of the bodies 

were found by probing with cross cut saws. Saw teeth caught in the 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

191

clothing as saws were pulled up. Two men were inside the water tank on 

the tender [adding snow to the water supply] when the avalanche hit. After 

the locomotive came to rest, they climbed out essentially uninjured. The 

locomotive was later pulled up a temporary ramp and put back on the track. 

The ramps could still be seen years after the accident.”

[An account in the Denver Post for Saturday, February 20, 1922 lists the dead 

as Paul Paulson, William Monganis, George Monganis, and George Karnabas. A. 

S. Cane and Thomas Conway, who were in the tender, were injured. The accident 

happened during a raging blizzard that produced more than two feet of snow in less 

than twelve hours. The location of the accident is given as Mile Post 70 1⁄4 – one 

and a half miles west of Loop [a station along the railroad]. Railroad officials said 

this was the first serious slide that had occurred at this point on the road.]

194. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 25, 1922

TRAINS BLOCKED AGAIN ON MONDAY

“With the usual storm over Sunday and no trains running, according to 

the recent order adopted by the railroad company, people along this end of 

the South Park Branch of the C. & S. enjoyed the pleasure of again going 

without train service this week.

“No. 71, starting out from Leadville Monday morning, was unable to 

get beyond Mile Post 124, near Wheeler, having encountered a slide at that 

point said to have been 200 feet long and upwards of ten feet deep. That 

evening a second slide occurred at Curtain.”...

195. Summit County Journal, Saturday, December 16, 1922

WORST STORM IN YEARS 

HITS BRECKENRIDGE

“One of the worst snowstorms in many years hit Breckenridge this 

week starting in on Tuesday, and showing little signs of any abatement this 

morning. No official measurement is taken of the snowfall, but several who 

have occasion to watch closely estimate that the actual fall of snow during 

the past few days will exceed four feet....

“On Thursday No. 71 from Leadville encountered several snow slides 

between Kokomo and Frisco, and arrived several hours late. The freight 

train from Leadville closely followed the passenger, and also had much 

trouble in getting through. The Denver train on that day was tied up and 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

192

annulled at Dillon as two more slides came in near Curtain, one on the east 

side and the other west of that station....

“The worst snow storm for many years stopped at noon on Saturday. 

About three feet of snow fell here while at Halfway on the east slope toward 

South Park only six inches of snow fell, at Boreas the snow was about four 

feet deep.”...

Rotary Arrives Sunday

“On Saturday the rotary did not leave Como, as a severe storm was 

blowing in the part {Park} and on Boreas Pass, and the railroad company 

felt that it would be time wasted to plow out the road and have it fill in 

behind the train. The rotary left Como early Sunday morning, and arrived 

here about 1:30. They stated that they encountered more snow on the pass 

then any previous winter in years for this part of December.”...

196. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 24, 1923

Seven Snow Slides on West End above Curtin 

Blocks Service from Leadville and No 

Efforts are made to Open Boreas.

Three Trains in Two Weeks is Effort of C. & S.

“Breckenridge and Summit County is (sic) experiencing the worst tie 

up since the winter of the big snow [1898-1899]. The storm beginning two 

weeks ago tomorrow, has almost been constant, illustrating what is meant 

by March weather. The train service has almost been annihilated. Three 

trains in two weeks is our record. The first was the passenger from Leadville 

one week ago last Monday, which took all day to reach Breckenridge. The 

second train was on Wednesday of last week when the passenger followed 

the rotary to Breckenridge and the last was Monday of this week when the 

rotary again opened up the road so that the passenger train with marooned 

passengers were able to reach Dillon.

“The rotary started out Wednesday morning and reached Solitude 

[Appendix B] without a great deal of difficulty. Here they encountered the 

first of seven slides ranging in length from five hundred feet to a couple of 

thousand feet, and in depth of from fifteen to fifty feet. It is said that the 

big slides have covered all the telegraph poles, and when dug out shows 

that the snow is twice as high as these poles. In places the drifts are three 

times as deep as the height of the rotary. The mass is mainly ice and rock 

and many trees....
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

193

“From all accounts it will be impossible for the rotary to get through 

these slides for at least ten days or more.

“The shortage of provisions at the present time consists of butter, 

eggs, flour, sugar, and meat. Every other article is also nearing the point of 

exhaustion, and serious results would probably follow a ten-day tie up on 

top of the two weeks we have already suffered.”

197. Summit County Journal, Saturday, May 8, 1926

LARGEST SNOW SLIDE OF THE SEASON

IN TEN MILE CANON

“Early Monday morning of this week the largest snow slide, the looked 

for and expected ‘Big Tim,’ or ‘Big Mike,’ as it is usually referred to came 

down the side of the mountain in Ten Mile Canon near Uneva Spur a short 

ways above the town of Frisco.

“The slide, as estimated by those who visited the scene from here, say 

that it was more than 40 feet deep and 200 or more feet long.

“The slide buried the C. & S. tracks under 40 feet of snow. The rotary 

snowplow was brought over from Como and put to work with a large crew of 

men with shovels.

“The transfer of baggage, passengers and mail are being made at the 

slide daily, the train from Denver going back in the evening.”

198. Summit County Journal, Saturday, February 26, 1927

SNOW SLIDES IN TEN MILE CANON BLOCK 

C. & S. TRAFFIC FOR WEEK

Climax Molybdenum Shut Off by Slides 

on Both Sides of Camp

“Train service on the Colorado & Southern Railroad was tied up in 

the Ten Mile Canon since last Saturday when three snow slides of large 

dimensions buried the tracks near Curtin, 25 miles west of Breckenridge, to 

the depth of from three to fifteen feet.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

194

“Large boulders and trees, swept down the mountainside by the force of 

the slides, made the rotary plow useless, so that work of digging out the track 

had to be done by hand (Fig. 40). The first slide encountered, about fifty 

feet wide, was plowed through by the eastbound train which left Leadville at 

8:20 Saturday morning and due to arrive in Breckenridge at 11:30. Two other 

slides, however were encountered, one 150 feet wide and the other 300 feet 

across. The depth of the snow in these varied from three to fifteen feet, so 

that it was necessary to send out for help. A locomotive was sent out from 

Leadville with a crew of shovelers and a locomotive left Como with a crew of 

shovelers who worked until late into the night clearing the track.

“Slides occur every winter in the Ten Mile Canon, this year is proving 

worse than for many winters.”...

Figure 40. — Imprint of rotary 

snowplow blade in avalanche 

debris at the Uneva Lake 

Avalanche near Curtin in Ten 

Mile Canyon in 1936. When 

debris was deeper than the 

rotary blades, men had to 

shovel the snow down so 

the plow could handle it. 

Trees and rocks in the snow 

severely damaged the rapidly 

spinning blades (R. H. Kindig 

Collection, Denver).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

195

Climax Camp Cut Off.

“Tuesday a snow slide of several hundred feet in length occurred on the 

C. & S. tracks two miles west of Climax, which blocked the tracks on the 

Leadville end of the line.

“The snow slide occurring at the other side of Climax shut off about 

200 persons, including men, women and children, from the outside world. 

In the past week there have been upwards to, and possibly more if all the 

smaller slides that have done no damage were counted, forty slides in the 

Ten Mile Canon that have piled up and covered the C. & S. tracks, between 

Breckenridge and Leadville. The most troublesome part being at Uneva 

Lake and Curtin, where the canon is very narrow...(Fig. 41).

Snow Storm at Breckenridge.

“Starting a week ago the storm began and continued intermittently ever 

since, it was strong and drifted the snow on several days and nights. Two 

feet of snow has fallen since the inception of the storm....

Figure 41. — A Colorado and Southern passenger train moving through the cut in avalanche debris at the 

Uneva Lake Avalanche near Curtin in Ten Mile Canyon in 1936 (R. H. Kindig Collection, Denver). 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

196

Forty Snow Slides In Ten Mile Canon.

“The forty slides varied in depth from five to ten feet each, and average 

20 feet in length, blocked the tracks completely — while at, or near, Curtin 

one 400 feet in length and fifty feet deep, and another 120 feet long and 

thirty feet deep isolated the camp at Climax. Along this canon the highway 

road is said to be about six feet deep with snow between Curtin and Climax.

“The rotary is of no use when these slides get to be fifteen feet deep 

and filled with rocks and trees. Men, armed with picks and shovels and 

aided by dynamite, are the only agents that can move such a vast amount of 

snow, and their work must necessarily go slowly.”...

199. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 5, 1927

SNOW BLOCKADES BEING CLEARED UP

“...At Monte Vista a snow slide caught three mining prospectors, James 

Allen, William Hein and Frank Arand, the two latter men were residents of 

Mirage, Colorado. James Allen was killed and the other men injured.”... 

200. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 5, 1927

Snow Slide Friday 

Delays Train To Leadville

“The Colorado & Southern trains on the Denver, Breckenridge and 

Leadville line resumed regular schedule on last Saturday after a week tie-up 

on account of the snow slides in the Ten Mile Canon. Yesterday, Friday, 

another snow slide road {rode} down the mountain side, near Uneva Lake, 

and covered the C & S tracks over a hundred feet in length and about 25 

feet deep, so it was reported.”... 

201. Summit County Journal, Saturday, April 23, 1927

‘BIG MIKE’ SLIDE ARRIVED IN

TEN MILE ON MONDAY

“The expected, in snow slides, happened on Monday of this week in the 

Ten Mile Canon, blocking the Colorado & Southern Railroad for the week 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

197

with the slide covering an estimated length of 200 feet and said to be 30 

feet deep.

“The slide that came was known as ‘Big Mike,’ which is near the Uneva 

Lake (Fig. 42). Some years it is larger than others and with the districts 

through the canon where these slides happen regularly they are watched for 

and uneasiness experienced by railroad men until they come down ....

Figure 42. — “Big Mike” 

Avalanche path and the site 

of the Curtin or Uneva Lake 

station on the High Line 

Branch of the Colorado and 

Southern Railroad in Ten 

Mile Canyon above Frisco. 

Foundations of the buildings 

at Curtin are in the square 

opening in the trees (lower 

left corner). The railroad 

was just below the lower 

edge of this picture which 

was taken in June 1981. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

198

“An account given by the Leadville Herald Democrat of the slide is as 

follows: 

‘...The train was running an hour late; otherwise, it would have 

passed the slide before it came down. As it reached Curtin, the 

engineer became aware of the slide roaring down the mountainside 

directly in the path of the train. The brakes were set, and since the 

speed of the train in the canon is not great, the engineer was able to 

stop the engine and throw it into reverse in time to avoid the slide 

although it missed the locomotive only by a few yards.

‘Two men who were walking along the track a short distance 

ahead of the train were forced to run at top speed to avoid being 

buried, according to word received here by telephone from one of the 

passengers. 

‘Inasmuch as the rotary plow is out of commission, it will probably 

be about a week before the tracks are cleared.’...

“A number of other slides have occurred this year, tying up train service 

on the road on several occasions, the most serious of which near Curtin, 

caused the mine camp of Climax on the Continental Divide, fourteen miles 

east of here, to be isolated for several days, since other slides, between 

Leadville and the camp, prevented access from this side also.”... 

202. Summit County Journal, Saturday, March 9, 1928

BIG SNOW SLIDES CUT TRAIN SERVICE

Heavy Snowfall Causes Snow Slides in Ten Mile Canon 

Blocking Trains Between Here and Leadville. 

Road is Expected to be Cleared by Saturday.

“The heavy fall of snow last week tied up local train service to Leadville. 

The roadbed in the Ten Mile Canon was covered with snow slides that are 

customary during the spring of the year. It was expected that the light snow 

this winter would not cause any trouble, but on Saturday and Sunday of last 

week, there fell about 18 inches of snow in the lower valleys, and probably 

more in the high hills. This snow was wet and heavy, and caused all the 

well-known slides in the Ten Mile Canon to come at once.
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

199

“A total of 1140 feet of track was covered by the slides. The depth 

ranged as high as forty feet, according to word from those engaged in 

digging out the debris....Much of the work of clearing these slides must be 

done by hand because of the trees and rock and other debris that is always 

carried down the side hill.

“According to reports, there were four distinct slides all within one mile 

of Curtain [Curtin]. One east of Curtain [Curtin] was 400 feet long, and 

ranged in depth from ten to twenty-five feet. Another, a quarter of a mile 

east from Mile Post No. 123 (Figs. 43 and 44), is 600 feet long, and has a 

maximum depth of thirty-five feet. A third slide is reported to have been 

eighty feet long and fifteen feet deep, while the fourth at Mile Post No. 124 

is sixty feet long and fifteen feet deep.

“The slide according to E. L. Seikman of the Public Service Co., 

at Leadville, was the cause of the interruption in power service last 

Saturday evening, when the lights after blinking a few moments went out 

completely....According to the report to the Public Service office from their 

patrolmen, the slides were caused by a fall of twenty-six inches of snow 

within forty-eight hours in the Ten Mile region. The slide just above Uneva 

Lake, known as the Monroe Slide, is said to have blocked the river, causing 

the water to run over the new Ten Mile highway at that point. [Clawson 

1986, p. 50 says the Monroe Mine was opposite Officers Gulch. This mine 

does not appear on modern maps.]”...

203. Summit County Journal, Friday, March 29, 1929

SNOW SLIDES IN TEN MILE STOPS TRAINS

Climax and Frisco Isolated 

by Big Slides

“Several snow slides in Ten Mile Canon during the past week have 

blockaded trains from Leadville and isolated towns between Dillon and 

Leadville....

“Climax, which had been without mail of any kind since last Friday, sent 

a man to Leadville on skis to bring in some first class mail. Frisco and other 

towns along the route are completely isolated.”...
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

200

Figure 43. — Topographic map of Ten Mile Canyon showing approximate location of 

Curtin (A) at Railroad Mile Post 122 (also called Uneva or Uneva Lake), Railroad 

Mile Post 123 (B), and Wheeler which is about 2200 feet south of (C).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

201

204. Summit County Journal, Friday, April 11, 1930

BIG MIKE MAKES ITS ANNUAL TRIP;

BLOCKS TRAINS

“’Big Mike,’ as the big snow slide in the Ten Mile Canon is called, made 

its annual trip down the mountainside last Sunday afternoon covering the 

tracks of the Colorado & Southern Railroad with snow....

“The tracks were reported covered with snow to a depth of 35 feet for a 

distance of 150 feet. This is the same slide, which blocked the trains for a 

week last spring” (Fig. 42)....

Figure 44. — Looking south up Ten Mile Canyon from the top of the highway cutbank, 

near Highway Mile Post 199. The old Colorado and Southern Railroad grade (left 

of the stream) is now a paved bicycle path. Mile Post 122 on the Colorado and 

Southern Railroad and Curtin (Uneva Lake) were just left of the lower left corner 

of this picture. Railroad Mile Post 123 was close to the place where the two lanes 

of Interstate 70 curve to the right (June, 1981).
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

202

205. Summit County Journal, Friday, February 23, 1945

Snow Slide Takes Life of

Allen T. Layman, of Chalk Bluff

“Allen T. Layman, 43, was covered by a snow slide Saturday evening at 

6:30 when he and his two youngest sons, Clyde, 15, and M.J., 12, were out 

skiing in the hills back of their home, at Chalk Bluff....

“The slide covering Mr. Layman knocked the two boys down and almost 

covered M. J. It then swept on past the Layman home and nearly to the 

highway...{Searchers} found Mr. Layman’s body, which had been carried five 

hundred feet by the slide, yesterday (Sunday) morning at 11:30.”... 

— Leadville Herald-Democrat
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

203

Figure 45. — Part of the Independence Pass, 7-1.2 minute quadrangle (USGS). 

Places mentioned in the newspaper accounts are circled. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

204

Figure 46. — Part of Sheet 5 of the Gunnison County maps (USGS). 

Places mentioned in the newspaper accounts are circled. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

205

Figure 47. — Part of Sheet 2 of the Gunnison County maps (USGS). 

Places mentioned in the newspaper accounts are circled. 
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

206

Figure 48. — Part of the Mt. Lincoln, 15-minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in 

the newspaper accounts are circled. [Fig. 49 fits below this one.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

207

Figure 49. — Part of the Mt. Lincoln, 15-minute quadrangle (USGS). Places mentioned in 

the newspaper accounts are circled. [Fig. 48 fits above this one.]
USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999.

Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf)

208
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 209

References 

Armstrong, Betsy Ellen Rosen. 1980. A century of avalanche hazard in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. 

M.S. thesis, 190 p. Department of Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo. 

Armstrong, Betsy R. 1976. Century of struggle against snow: A history of avalanche hazard in San Juan 

County, Colorado. Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research Occasional Paper 18, 98 p. University of 

Colorado, Boulder, Colo. 

Armstrong, Betsy R. 1977. Avalanche hazard in Ouray County, Colorado 1877-1976. Institute of Arctic and 

Alpine Research Occasional Paper 24, 126 p. University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo. 

Blair, Edward 1980. Leadville: Colorado’s magic city. 261 p. Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder, Colo. 

Bollinger, Edward T. 1979. Rails that climb. 323 p. Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation, P.O. Box 10, 

Golden, Colo. 

Borneman, Walter R. 1975. Irwin: Silver camp of the Ruby Mountains. M.S. thesis, 262 p. Western State 

College of Colorado, Gunnison, Colo. 

Boyd, Leanne C. and H. Glenn Carson 1984. Atlas of Colorado ghost towns. Vol. 1, 134 p. Cache Press a 

division of Carson Enterprises Ltd., Inc., Drawer 71, Deming, New Mexico, 88031. 

Brown, Robert L. 1968. Ghost towns of the Colorado Rockies. 401 p. The Caxton Printers Ltd., Caldwell, 

Idaho. 

Brown, Robert L. 1977. Ghost towns of the Colorado Rockies. The Caxton Printers Ltd., Caldwell, Idaho. 

Cafky, Morris. 1965. Colorado Midland. 469 p. Rocky Mountain Railroad Club. World Press, Denver, Colo. 

Clawson, Janet Marie 1986. Echoes of the past: Copper Mountain, Colorado. 132 p. Waddell Litho, Denver, 

Colo. 

Crawford, R. D. 1913. Geology and ore deposits of the Monarch and Tomichi Districts, Colorado. 317 p. 

Bulletin 4. Colorado Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources, State of Colorado, Denver, Colo. 

Crofutt, George A. 1881. Gripsack guide of Colorado. Vol. 1 - 1881, 183 p. Overland Publishing Company, 

Omaha, Neb., Alvord and Co., Denver, Colo. 

Crofutt, George A. 1885. Crofutt’s grip-sack guide of Colorado Vol. II. 264 p. The Overland Publishing Co., 

Omaha, Nebraska. [Reprint by Cubar Associates, Golden, Colorado 1966, Published by: Johnson 

Publishing Co., Boulder, Colo.] 

Crossen, Forest. 1962. The Switzerland Trail of America. 417 p. Pruett Press, Inc., Boulder, Colo. 

Eberhart, Perry 1974. Guide to the Colorado ghost towns and mining camps. 4th ed. 469p. Sage Books. 

Swallow Press Inc. 1139 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60605 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

210 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Eberhart, Perry. 1969. Guide to the Colorado ghost towns and mining camps. 469 p. Swallow Press Inc., 

Chicago, Ill. 

Ellis, Erl and Carrie Ellis 1983. The saga of Upper Clear Creek. A detailed history of an old mining area, its 

past and present. 266 p. Jende-Hagen Book Corporation, Frederick, Colo. 80530. 

Field, W. 0. 1965. Avalanches caused by the Alaska Earthquake of March 1964. p. 326-331. In International 

Symposium on Scientific Aspects of Snow and Ice Avalanches. International Association of Scientific 

Hydrology, Publication 69, Braamstraat, 61, Gentbrugge, Belgium. 

Florin, Lambert. 1971. Colorado and Utah ghost towns. 112 p. Superior Publishing Company, Seattle, Wash. 

Fossett, Frank. 1976. Colorado, its gold and silver mines, farms and stock ranges, and health and pleasure 

resorts. 592 p. (A Rio Grande Classic) Reprint of Second edition. 1880. Published by C. G. Crawford, 

New York, N.Y. The Rio Grande Press Inc., Glorieta, New Mexico, 87535. 

Frutiger, Hans, and M. Martinelli, Jr. 1966. A manual for planning structural control of avalanches. USDA 

Forest Service Research Paper RM-19, 68 p. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort 

Collins, Colo. 

Gallagher, Dale, editor. 1967. The snowy torrents: Avalanche accidents in the United States 1910-1966. 143 p. 

USDA Forest Service, Wasatch National Forest, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Gilliland, Mary Ellen. 1980. Summit: A gold rush history of Summit County, Colorado. 335 p. Alpen Rose 

Press, Box 499, Silverthorme (sic), Colo., 80498. 

Hasse, Carl Leroy 1971. Gothic, Colorado: City of silver wires. M.A. thesis, 332 p. Western State College of 

Colorado, Gunnison, Colo. 

Helmer, Dow 1971. Historic alpine tunnel. 208 p. Sage Books, The Swallow Press Inc., Chicago, Ill. 

Helmers, Dow. 1963. Historic alpine tunnel. 200 p. Sage Books, Denver, Colo. 

Higashiura, M., T. Nakamura, H. Nakamura, and O. Abe. 1979. An avalanche caused by an earthquake. p. 103-

112. In The Report of the National Research Center for Disaster Prevention 21. National Research Center 

for Disaster Prevention, Ibara Ki-ken 305, Japan. 

Jackson, William Henry. 1976. William Henry Jackson's Rocky Mountain railroad album. Steam and steel 

across the Great Divide. Jackson C. Thode, editor. Sundance Publications, Ltd., Silverton, Colo. 

Knight, MacDonald and Leonard Hammock. 1965. Early days on the Eagle. 48 p. Published by MacDonald 

Knight and Leonard Hammock, P.O. Box 41, Eagle, Colo. 

Lathrop, Gilbert A. 1954. Little engines and big men. 326 p. The Caxton Printers Ltd., Caldwell, Idaho. 

Leaf, Charles F., and M. Martinelli, Jr. 1977. Avalanche dynamics: Engineering applications for land use 

planning. USDA Forest Service Research Paper RM-183, 51 p. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range 

Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colo. 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 211

Logan, N. and D. Atkins 1996. The snowy torrents: Avalanche accidents in the United States, 1980-86. 268 p. 

Colorado Geological Survey, Special Publications 39 (SP39), Denver, Colo. 

Lovering, T. S. 1935. Geology and ore deposits of the Montezuma Quadrangle, Colorado. U.S. Geological 

Survey Professional Paper 178, 119 p. United States Government Printing Office. Washington, D.C. 

Lovering, T. S., and E. N. Goddard. 1950. Geology and ore deposits of the Front Range, Colorado. U.S. 

Geological Survey Professional Paper 223, 319 p. United States Government Printing Office. Washington, 

D.C. 

McCoy, Dell, and Russ Collman. 1973. The Crystal River pictorial: The Crystal River railroad. 224 p. 

Sundance, Ltd., Denver, Colo. 

McSaveney, M. J. 1978. Sherman Glacier Rock Avalanche. Alaska USA, p. 197-258. In Rockslides And 

Avalanches, Volume 1: Natural Phenomena. Barry Voight, editor. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, 

New York, N.Y. 

Mears, A. I. 1976. Guidelines and methods for detailed snow avalanche hazard investigations in Colorado. 

Bulletin 38, 125 p Colorado Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources, State of Colorado, 

Denver, Colo. 

Mears, Arthur I. 1979. Colorado snow: Avalanche area studies and guidelines for avalanche hazard planning. 

Special Publication 7, 121 p. Colorado Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources, State of 

Colorado, Denver, Colo. 

Mears, Arthur I. 1981. Design criteria for avalanche control structures in the runout zone. USDA Forest 

Service, General Technical Report RM-84, 28 p. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 

Fort Collins, Colo. 

Mills, Enos A. 1911. Racing an avalanche. p. 3-15. In The Spell of the Rockies. Houghton Mifflin Co., The 

Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass. 

Mills, Enos A. 1915. Associating with snow slides. p. 79-97. In The Rocky Mountain Wonderland. Houghton 

Mifflin Co., The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass. 

Mills, Enos A. 1921. Snowslides from start to finish. p. 183-192. In Waiting in the Wilderness. Doubleday, 

Page, and Co., Garden City, N.Y. 

Oehlerts, Donald E. 1964. Guide to Colorado newspapers 1859-1963. 184 p. Bibliographic Center for 

Research, Denver, Colo. 

Ormes, Robert M. 1975. Tracking ghost railroads in Colorado. 148 p. Century One Press, Colorado Springs, 

Colo. 

Perla, Ronald I., and M. Martinelli, Jr. 1975. Avalanche handbook. USDA Agricultural Handbook 489, 238 p. 

Washington, D.C. 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

212 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Poor, M. C. 1949. Denver South Park and Pacific: A history of the Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad and 

Allied Narrow Gauge Lines of the Colorado and Southern Railroad Company. 491 p. Rocky Mountain 

Railroad Club, World Press, Denver, Colo. 

Poor, M.C. 1976. Denver, South Park and Pacific (Memorial Edition). 491 p. Rocky Mountain Railroad Club, 

P.O. Box 2391, Denver, Colorado 80201. (Printed by World Press, Denver Colorado.) 

Rickard, T. A. 1903. Across the San Juan Mountains. p. 36-38. In The Engineering and Mining Journal. New 

York, N.Y. 

Rickard, T. A. 1907. Across the San Juan Mountains. p. 32-41. In Journeys of Observation, Dewey Publishing 

Co., San Francisco, Calif. 

Rossetter, Laura 1991. Mountain biking Colorado's historic mining districts. 158p. Folcrum Publishing, 

Golden, Colo. 

Sharp, Verna 1971. A history of Montezuma, Sts. John, and Argentine: Early mining camps of Summit County. 

Litho by D & L Printing Inc., Dillion, Colo. 

Shoemaker, Len 1965. Pioneers of the Roaring Fork. 262 p. Sage Books, Denver, Colo. 

Shoemaker, Len 1979. Roaring Fork Valley: An illustrated chronicle. 3rd ed. revised 216 p. Sundance 

Publications Ltd., Silverton, Colo. 81433. 

Smith, Duane A., and Hank Wieler. 1980. Secure the shadow: Lachlan McLean Colorado mining 

photographer. 82 p. Colorado School of Mines Press, Golden, Colo. 

Sommerhalder, E. 1966. Lawinenkraefte and Objectschutz. Winterbericht des Eidg. Institut fuer Schnee- and 

Lawinenforschung, Nr. 29, 1964/65. [Avalanche Forces And The Protection Of Objects] 14 p. Alta 

Avalanche Study Center, Translation No. 6, 1967. Available from USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain 

Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colo. 

Southworth, Dave 1997. Colorado mining camps. 334 p. Wild Horse Publishing (no location given). 

Spurr, Josiah E., and George H. Garrey. 1908. Economic geology of the Georgetown Quadrangle, Colorado. 

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 63, 422 p. United States Government Printing Office. 

Washington, D.C. 

Spurr, Josiah Edward. 1898. Geology of the Aspen mining district, Colorado. (With atlas) 260 p. U.S. 

Geological Survey Monograph XXXI. Washington, D.C. 

Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. [Schweitz. Eidg. Inst. fuer Schnee und 

Lawinenforschung.] 1961. Lawinenverbau Im Anbruchgebiet; Richtlinien Fuer Den Permanenten 

Stutzverbau. Mitt. 15, Eidg. Insp. fuer Forstwesen, Bern. [Avalanche Control In The Starting Zone; 

Guidelines For The Planning And Design Of Permanent Supporting Structures.] Rep. 15. Fed. Inspector of 

Forests, Bern. Translated by Hans Fruitger and published as Station Paper 71, 60 p., 1962. Rocky Mountain 

Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colo. 

Thomas, Chaucey. 1969. The snow story (why the Hot Sulphur mail was late). Hotel Splendide, Empire, Colo. 

[Available in the Western History Department, Denver Public Library.) 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 213

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service. 1975. Avalanche protection in Switzerland. [Lawinenschutz in 

der Schweiz. Translated by U.S. Army CRREL.] USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RM-9, 

168 p. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colo. 

Vandenbusche, Duane. 1980. The Gunnison country. 472 p. Band B Printers, Inc., Gunnison, Colo. 

Vandenbushe, Duane and Duane A. Smith 1981. A land alone: Colorado’s Western Slope. 337 p. Pruett 

Publishing Co., Boulder, Colo. 

Vandenbushe, Duane and Rex Myers. 1970. Marble, Colorado: City of stone. 227 p. Golden Bell Press, 

Denver, Colo. 

Wallace, Betty 1960. Gunnison country. 208 p. Sage Books, Denver, Colo. 

Wallace, Betty 1965. “History with the hide off”. 276 p. Sage Books, Denver, Colo. Published by Alan 

Swallow, 2679 South York Street, Denver, Colo. 

Wentworth, Frank L. 1950. Aspen on the Roaring Fork. 353 p. Francis B. Rizzari, editor. World Press, Inc., 

Denver, Colo. 

Wentworth, Frank L. 1976. Aspen on the Roaring Fork. 191 p. Sundance Publications Ltd., 100 Kalamath St., 

Denver, Colo. 80223. 

Williams, Knox. 1975. The snowy torrents: Avalanche accidents in the United States 1967-71. USDA Forest 

Service General Technical Report RM-8, 190 p. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 

Fort Collins, Colo. 

Williams, Knox and Betsy Armstrong. 1984. The snowy torrents: Avalanche accidents in the United States 

1972-79. 221 p. Teton Bookshop Publishing Company, Box 1903, Jackson, Wyoming 83001. Colorado 

Avalanche Information Center, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Denver, Colo. 

Wolle, Muriel Sibell. 1949. Stampede to timberline: The ghost towns and mining camps of Colorado. 544 p. 

Sage Books. Published by Alan Swallow, 2679 South York, Denver, Colo. 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

214 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 215

APPENDIX A 

Determination of friction coefficients for the avalanche that 

ran down Brown Gulch near Sliver Plume, Colorado, 

on February 21, 1899 [36]. 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

216 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Calculations 

[See Leaf and Martinelli (1977) for details of this technique.] 

BROWN GULCH AVALANCHE OF FEBRUARY 23, 1899. 

Assumptions: Ę = 500 to 750 m/s2

; h' = 1.5 m; μ = 0.12 to 0.18 in track and 5/v in runout zone. 

 LONGITUDINAL PROFILE FLOW HEIGHT

Reach Description 

Slope 

Angle Reach h ' 

1 Upper track 29.0° 

 

1 1.5 m (assumed) 

2 Mid track 31.0° 

 

2 1.47 m 

3 Lower track 24.0° 

 

3 1.59 m 

4 Runout zone 11.3° 

 

TERMINAL VELOCITY (m/s2) 

Ę = 500 m/s2 Ę = 600 m/s2 Ę = 750 m/s2

Reach μ=0.12 μ=0.15 μ=O.18 μ=0.12 μ=0.15 μ=0.18 μ=0.12 μ=0.15 μ=0.18 

1 16.88 16.29 15.67 18.49 17.84 17.17 20.67 19.95 19.19 

2 17.22 16.62 15.99 18.87 18.20 17.52 21.09 20.36 19.58 

3 15.92 15.36 14.78 17.44 16.82 16.20 19.50 18.82 18.10 

RUNOUT 

DISTANCE 90 78 67 140 119 101 255 213 175 

(meters) 

Observed runout distance was to the banks of Clear Creek, which is about 700 feet (213 m) from the upper end of 

the runout zone. Hence, assuming a fracture depth of 1.5 m in the starting zone and a coefficient of kinetic 

friction, μ, of 5/velocity in the runout zone, the best fitting combination of friction coefficients for the track are μ 

= 0.15 and Ę = 750 m/s2

. 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 217

APPENDIX B 

Stations or spurs, mile posts (from Denver) and elevations on the Colorado Southern "High Line" from 

Dickey, Colo., up Ten Mile Canyon, over Fremont Pass, and down the Arkansas River to Leadville (Poor 1949, 

p. 446). 

Station Milepost Elevation (feet) Remarks 

Dickey 116.47 9,004 Junction of Keystone Branch 

Dillon 119.17 8,839 

Nichols Spur 119.67 Keystone Branch 

Keystone 123.48 9,153 Keystone Branch 

Hathways 118.30 

Frisco 119.88 9,099 

King Solomon Spur 120.10 

Summit Spur 120.30 

Curtin 122.06 9,295 Also called Uneva Lake. 

Solitude 126.16 9,737 Denver and Rio Grande used the name 

Wheeler for a nearby station on their Blue 

River Branch; may have also been called 

"Narrows." 

Woodside 128.90 

Wilder's Spur 130.50 

Deneen 131.50 

Kokomo Tank 131.97 

Kokomo 132.67 10,616 

Breen's Spur 133.30 

Robinson 134.71 10,860 

Climax 137.46 11,320 Fremont Pass 

Worthman's 138.06 11,240 

Alicante 138.96 

French Gulch Spur 142.36 

Linderman 142.90 10,848 

English Gulch Spur 143.16 

Birds Eye 144.86 10,671 

Dyes spur 145.30 

Three Mile Tank 147.56 

Denver and Rio Grande 

Western railroad crossing 

150.40 

Leadville 151.19 10,208 

The Colorado Southern “High Line” was also known as the South Park; the Denver, South Park and Pacific; 

the Denver and South Park; the Denver Leadville and Gunnison; the South Park Division of the Union Pacific; 

and the South Park Division of the Colorado and Southern. Its tracks were on the east side of Tenmile Creek and 

were supposed to be at least 50 feet from the D & RG tracks. The Denver and Rio Grande Western (D & RG) 

built the first tracks in Tenmile Canon. They were located on the west side of the creek where avalanches were 

less of a problem. (Clawson 1986, p. 66-67.)
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

218 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Table 1 — Fatalities, Northern Front Range 1861 - 1951 

Winter Month

November December January February March April Totals 

1860-61 1 1 

1873-74 1 1 

1874-75 4 4 

1875-76 1 1 

1876-77 9 9 

1878-79 2 2 

1879-80 1 1 

1880-81 2 1 3 

1882-83 1 1 

1883-84 1 1 

1896-97 1 1 

1898-99 3 16 19 

1900-01 4 4 

1902-03 1 1 

1913-14 1 3 4 

1915-16 2 1 3 

1920-21 1 1 

1936-37 2 2 

1943-44 1 1 

1944-45 1 1 

1947-48 3 3 

1948-49 1 1 

Totals 0 2 23 25 7 8 65 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 219

Table 2 — Fatalities, Central and Northern Mountains 1862 - 1945 

Winter Month

November December January February March April Totals 

1861-62 1 1 

1877-78 1 1 

1879-80 1 1 2 

1880-81 2 2 4 

1882-83 1 10 4 15 

1883-84 1 2 22 1 26 

1884-85 10 1 11 

1885-86 12 3 15 

1887-88 1 1 

1890-91 4 3 7 

1891-92 1 1 

1892-93 2 2 

1896-97 2 2 

1898-99 1 4 5 10 

1899-00 1 4 5 

1901-02 1 1 

1903-04 11 11 

1905-06 5 5 

1906-07 8 8 

1911-12 2 2 

1915-16 4 2 6 

1919-20 2 2 

1921-22 4 4 

1926-27 1 1 

1944-45 1 1 

Totals 3 2 32 60 46 1 144 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

220 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Table 3 — Chronological Summary of Avalanches in the Northern Front Range 

Locations marked with an * appear on the maps (Figs. 16-19, pages 83 through 86). 

Account numbers in Tables 3 and 4 are basically in chronological order. An A or B suffix indicates a second or third account 

concerning the same event. An X, Y, or Z suffix is used to permit the insertion of previously undetected events into the 

established, chronological numbering scheme with minimum disturbance to it. Numbers out of sequence usually indicate 

cases where the first, or only, mention of an avalanche was found in a summary article that appeared well after the event. 

Omitted numbers are usually for accounts that do not mention avalanches or for accounts that have been deleted or 

reassigned from the original compilation. 

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1861

 

1. March 6 Hall Valley/Gulch up 

North Fork of South 

Platte River (Fig. 18) 

J. T. Shetler Another man caught in avalanche but 

was dug out. Shetler's body was not 

recovered. (Rocky Mountain News)

 

1874

 

2. February 26 Near Montezuma* 

(Fig. 17) 

Charles Fix Accident happened February 16. 

(Colorado Miner)

 

3. April 25 Stevens Mine* in Stevens 

Gulch near McClellan 

Mountain (Fig. 16) 

 Charles Roach carried 1,300 feet by an 

avalanche. Dislocated left hip only 

injury. Accident happened April 22 

(Colorado Miner)

 

1875

 

4 January 16 Kelso Mountain* near 

Baker Mine, west of 

Silver Plume (Fig. 16) 

 R. H. Wood carried 700 feet. Crippled 

hand only injury. Accident occurred 

January 10. (Colorado Miner)

 

5. March 27 Next gulch below Silver 

Creek* near Silver 

Plume, Democrat 

Mountain* (Fig. 19) 

James Fallon [O'Fallon] Boulders, green trees mixed with snow. 

Several hundred shovelers. Accident 

occurred March 24. (Colorado Miner)

 

6. April 14 Champion Lode, Geneva 

Mining District 

 Bunkhouse 

crushed 

Six men caught by slide on April 4. One 

was slightly injured. (Greeley Tribune)

 

7. April 24 Silver Queen Mine in 

Willihan Gulch on 

Sherman Mountain, 

2,000 feet above Silver 

Plume (Fig. 19) 

Wm. G. Morgan 

Chris Jensen 

Patterson Martin 

Cabin Bodies discovered in late April, but slide 

thought to have occurred about same 

time as the Fallon accident (Colorado 

Miner)

 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 221

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1876

 

8. February 19 Democrat Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

Charles Ritchie Accident occurred February 15 and 

within 1/4 mile of the Fallon accident. 

(Colorado Miner)

 

1877

 

9. January 17 Whale Mine* in Hall 

Valley, Park County 

(Fig. 18) 

James Reed, 

John Reed, 

Matthew Reed, 

Reed child, 

J. H. Ralph Unidentified 

woman Two unidentified 

men 

Boarding house 

swept 1/4 mile 

down the 

mountain 

Avalanche occurred January 7, bodies 

not recovered. (Weekly Rocky Mountain 

News)

 

10. January 17 Champion Property 

at head of Snake River* 

(Fig. 18) 

Peri Claus 

["French Pete"] 

House crushed Three other men in the house were not 

injured. Avalanche occurred January 8. 

(The Greeley Tribune)

 

1879

 

11. February 20 Geneva Gulch* [20 

miles south of 

Georgetown] 

Revenue Mineral 

Company mine (Figs. 17 

and 18) 

Nickie Benny [Nicholas 

Bennie] 

Office building, 

ore house, shed, 

two small 

buildings 

Slide occurred February 13 and injured 

another man. 12" x 14" timbers in office 

were broken into bits not over a foot 

long. (Georgetown Courier)

 

12. February 27 About 1 mile down the 

gulch from previous slide 

(Figs. 17 and 18) 

12 mules Slide occurred February 14. Eight other 

mules and a man were caught but not 

killed. [See also 39.] (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

 Three-fourth mile below 

boarding house of 

Revenue Mine (Fig. 17) 

Charles Allen 

1 mule 

 Slide occurred February 19. Ten other 

men caught but not injured. 

 

 Gilman Mine 

[location unknown] 

 Boarding house Slide occurred February 13. 

 

1880

 

13. January 8 Cashier Mine* near 

Montezuma (Fig. 18) 

Mr. Conant Accident happened January 2 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 Glacier Mountain 

2 miles southwest of 

Montezuma 

 Man carried 500 feet by slide but not 

injured (Georgetown Courier)

 

1881

 

14. January 20 Willow Gulch between 

Brown* and 

Hanna Mountain, 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

Knox Pinckard 

Lucy Jones 

Cabin Accident occurred January 14. W. M. 

Pinckard, injured; rescued after 4 hours. 

Could hear rescuers, but could not make 

himself heard. Six feet of new snow fell 

the preceding week. (Georgetown 

Courier) 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

222 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

15. January 20 Between Brownville 

and Bakerville 

 Snow crossed Bakerville Road and the 

creek and went 40 feet up opposite 

mountain. (Georgetown Courier)

 

16. 

and 

16A. 

January 27 Town of Decatur* 

[on Peru Creek] 

(Fig. 17) 

3 mules “Half the town of 

Decatur." 

Three cabins 

destroyed and a 

frame house 

overturned 

"Many narrow escapes." Noise could be 

heard 3 miles away. Accident occurred 

prior to January 21. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

39. April 10 

[Reported 

February 25, 

1899] 

Republican Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

1 man Another man was caught in the 

avalanche. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1883

 

17. February 15 Pilot Mine on Collier 

Mountain* near 

Montezuma 

(Fig. 17) 

J. M. Taylor Slide occurred February 2. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1884

 

19. March 20 Above Moline Mine* 

in Beeched [Silver 

Creek] Gulch 3/4 mile 

from Georgetown 

(Fig. 19) 

 Cabin Avalanche occurred March 15. It ran 

down Republican Mountain and 50 feet 

up Democrat Mountain. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

20. April 17 Grand View Mine, 

Republican Mountain,* 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

W. M. Wooding Accident occurred April 10. Small, wet 

avalanche 8 to 10 feet wide that ran only 

200 to 300 feet. (Georgetown Courier)

 

21. April I7 Gulch above Bridal Veil 

Falls on Republican 

Mountain* Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 Avalanche occurred April 11. No 

damage. (Georgetown Courier)

 

22. May 1 Seven-Thirty Mine*, 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

 Buildings of Roe 

Mine swept away 

Avalanche occurred April 25. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

1885

 

23. February 26 Above Bakerville which 

is 4-1/4 miles west of 

Silver Plume 

 Trees Avalanche ran February 19. Tons of 

rock and uprooted trees in debris. One 

man caught but not injured. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1887

 

24. Jan. 20 McClellan Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 16) 

 3,000-foot avalanche (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 223

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1890

25. March 3 Wisconsin-Central Lode 

on Kelso Mountain* near 

Silver Plume 

(Fig. 16) 

 Two men caught but got out with just 

bruises. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1895

 

26. February 9 Seven-Thirty Mine* 

above Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 One man caught and bruised. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1896

 

27. April 4 McClellan Mountain* 

Baltimore Tunnel near 

Silver Plume 

 One man caught but escaped uninjured. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

1897

 

28. February 27 Atlantic Mine on Collier 

Mountain* near 

Montezuma (Fig. 17) 

William Conway 

11 mules 

 Heavy fall of snow previous week in 

central part of state. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

29. February 27 Big Professor Mountain 

[now called Mount 

Sniktau] 

 Debris blocked the wagon road. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

30. March 6 Pennsylvania Mine* near 

Decatur* (Fig. 17) 

 Seven avalanches on south side of gulch 

near the Pennsylvania Mine; five on the 

other side above and below Decatur. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

31. March 27 Republican Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 Two avalanches that stopped short of 

bottom of mountain. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1899

 

157. February 4 Apex 

Gilpin County 

Mrs. William Rudolph 

and two children 

Cabin Another child injured. Accident 

occurred on January 29. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

32. February 4 Republican Mountain* 

(Fig. 19) 

 First avalanche in Silver Plume area on 

January 30. Crossed railroad tracks. 

[Good technical details.] (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

33. February 11 Republican Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 Powder avalanche down Bridal Veil 

Gulch February 7. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

 Berthoud Pass Road 

[beyond Spruce Lodge] 

 Took 36 hours to get a team of horses 

out of the snow. January 28. 

 Argentine Pass* 

(Fig. 16) 

 Three avalanches near Pennsylvania 

Mine blocked road. No damage. 

February 4. 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

224 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

34. 

34A. 

34B. 

February 13 Willihan Gulch or Boom 

Ditch west of Cherokee 

Gulch* above Silver 

Plume (Fig. 19) 

Domenic Destefane, his 

wife and two children. 

Joseph Tondini 

Peter Tondini 

John Tondini 

Gerondo Guenzi 

G. Bietto 

Enrico Novaria 

Several mine 

buildings, five 

cabins 

Avalanche occurred Sunday, February 

12, and stopped near school house. 

Three others injured. Mr. Destefane's 

body was not recovered until April. 

[This is same gulch where three people 

were killed in 1875 [7]. Good technical 

details. See also 72.] (Rocky Mountain 

News) (Rocky Mountain News) 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

35. February 18 Republican Mountain,* 

Bridal Veil Gulch near 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

1 fox Avalanche occurred February 12. 

Schools at Silver Plume and Brownsville 

closed until March 1 due to avalanche 

danger. Snow 8 feet deep at Yankee. 

 

36. February 25 Brown Gulch* and south 

and east slopes of Brown 

Mountain, Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

Dan Fitzpatrick 

Ben Nelson 

John Anderson 

2 horses 

One occupied 

cabin, a number of 

vacant cabins, 

engine house, ore 

house, boarding 

house, 

blacksmith's shop, 

two stables, part 

of office building 

Slide occurred February 22. Debris went 

to Clear Creek. Snow 50 feet deep at 

mouth of gulch. [Good technical details. 

See also 72.] (Georgetown Courier)

 

37. February 25 Near Empire Pass* 

(Fig. 19) 

 An avalanche that could be seen from 

Georgetown. [No other details.] 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 East Argentine or 

Horseshoe Basin* (Figs. 

16 and 17) 

3 Italians [No other details.] 

 Stevens Mine* Stevens 

Gulch (Fig. 16) 

1 deer 

38. February 25 Republican Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 Large slide off Republican Mountain. 

No damage. February 17. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

 Daily District [around 

Urad Mine west of 

Empire] 

 Seventeen slides. Some nearly 2 miles 

long. 

 

40. March 4 Josephine Mine* 

West Argentine 

(Fig. 16) 

 Ore house Near Kelso Mountain 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

 Republican Mountain* 

near Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 Moline Tunnel 

blacksmith shop; 

damaged 

tramway, cabin, 

and another 

blacksmith shop 

Crossed Silver Gulch leaving 50 feet of 

snow. Shot up Democrat Mountain 

several hundred feet. Fracture line was 

15 feet deep and 1,000 feet long. 

Avalanche ran more than a mile. [Good 

technical details.] 

 

41. March 11 Bridal Veil Gulch above 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

 Slow-moving, noisy avalanche March 8. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 225

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1900

 

43. April 14 Silver Plume and vicinity 

(Fig. 19) 

 Roof of SevenThirty Mine 

compressor house 

Six avalanches in area April 7. Work 

suspended at the Seven-thirty Mine. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

44. April 21 Silver Plume area 

(Fig. 19) 

 Eight feet of snow fell in 13 days. Many 

buildings damaged by snow. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1901

 

45. April 18 Grassy Mountain near 

Camp Frances 1 mile 

south of Ward and 14 

miles west and 3 miles 

north of Boulder 

W. J. Hannan 

F. M. Milner 

E. B. Fitzgerald 

W. H. Blair 

Two railroad 

engines carried 

into the gulch 

One other man injured but recovered. 

(Crossen 1962, p. 127) 

 

1902

 

46. December 13 Upper Williams Fork, 

Grand County 

William T. Smith Accident happened December 8. Smith 

was tracking a wounded deer. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

1903

 

47. March 28 Bullion Property at 

Montezuma* (Fig. 17) 

 On March 23 five men carried over 1/2 

mile. They had only slight bruises. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

1905

 

48. April 1 Arapahoe Claims, 

Argentine District 

 Forty sacks of 

high grade ore 

swept away 

One man caught in avalanche but 

rescued by his companion. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1906

 

49. March 17 Santiago Mine* near 

Argentine Pass (Fig. 16) 

 Boarding house Fifteen people escaped uninjured. Snow 

8 to 9 feet deep. Accident happened 

March 16. (Silver Plume Standard)

 

1907

 

52. February 16 [Unknown] A number of 

telephone poles, 

several sections of 

air pipe 

Transcontinental Company. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1909

 

53. January 30 Santiago Mine* 

(Fig. 16) 

 No damage. (Georgetown Courier)

 

 Republican Mountain* 

(Fig. 19) 

 No damage. 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

226 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

53X. February 10 Georgetown Loop 

Railroad 

(Fig. 19) 

 Railroad was closed by snow. (Leadville 

Herald Democrat)

 

1911

 

54. January 26 Santiago Mine* near 

Argentine Pass (Fig. 16) 

 No damage. Avalanche ran between 

Paymaster and Santiago Mines. (Idaho 

Springs Mining Gazette)

 

55. January 28 Near Santiago Mine* 

(Fig. 16) 

 No damage. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1912

 

56. 

and 

57. 

February 22 Ruby Mountain* west of 

Argentine Pass 

(Fig. 17) 

 Three or four steel 

towers of 

Colorado Central 

power line, two 

miners' cabins 

Slide ran through timber. (Idaho Springs 

Mining Gazette) (Georgetown Courier)

 

58. May 4 E. W. Fairchild retained to keep track of 

weather conditions, the locations of snow 

slides, and to measure their width and 

depth. Report to Montezuma and 

Western engineers. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1913

 

59. December 6 Sherman Mountain* near 

Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

 Three houses 

damaged 

Mrs. Benzo and her children were 

injured in one of the houses. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 Clear Lake 2-1/2 miles 

south of Georgetown* 

(Fig. 19) 

 Avalanche ran on December 4. One man 

caught but freed himself after 3 hours. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 Georgetown* area 

(Fig. 19) 

 One house, one 

chicken house 

Avalanche ran on December 5. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 Close to Cashier Mine 

near Silver Plume 

 One man caught and carried to creek. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

60. December 11 Virginia Canyon near 

Idaho Springs 

22 chickens Chicken house, 

home 

Rock and snow slide. (Idaho Springs 

Mining Gazette)

 

 Grass Valley Barn 

 Near cemetery 

[Idaho Springs] 

 House 

61 December 11 Cashier Mine in Brown 

Gulch* above Silver 

Plume (Fig. 19) 

1 mule One man was caught, two others 

escaped. (Idaho Springs Mining 

Gazette)

 

63. December 13 Empire and vicinity Three houses Several small slides. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 227

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

64. December 13 Republican Mountain* 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

 Two slides. One buried the wagon road 

opposite Loop Bridge under 20 feet of 

snow. (Georgetown Courier)

 

 Griffith Mountain* near 

Silver Plume (Fig. 19) 

12 chickens Two homes, 

chicken house 

Slide occurred the previous week. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

65. December 13 Commonwealth Mine in 

East Argentine (Fig. 16) 

 Cabin Two people escaped. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

67. December 20 Collier Mountain* near 

Montezuma (Fig. 17) 

John Johnson Cabin (Georgetown Courier) 

1914

 

69. January 3 Freeland, 4 miles west of 

Idaho Springs 

John McKenzie Avalanche occurred January 2. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 Idaho Springs Man and wife 

[names unknown] 

Home Avalanche occurred December 31, 1913. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

70. March 21 Near Stevens Mine, * 

Silver Plume (Fig. 16) 

 Section of power 

line 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

1916

 

71. 

7lA. 

71B. 

January 7 A. P. Gulch on Kelso 

Mountain * near Silver 

Plume (Fig. 16) 

Arthur H. Osborne 

Edward Collins 

 Ray Buckley escaped unhurt. Avalanche 

ran nearly 2,500 feet on January 6. 

(Idaho Springs Mining Gazette) 

(Georgetown Courier) (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

73. March 11 Shoe Basin Mine,* Ruby 

Mountain west of 

Argentine Pass, 5 miles 

above Montezuma 

(Fig. 17) 

August [Gust] Ostberg Bunkhouse and 

barn 

Ostberg was rescued alive but died next 

day. Avalanche ran on March 6. It was 

half mile long and 500 feet wide. It ran 

in a new place. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

1917

 

74. December 15 Red Mountain near Urad 

Mine, Berthoud Pass 

 Mill timbers and 

coal pile 

Avalanche occurred about the time a 

number of earthquakes were recorded in 

Denver. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1920

 

75. May 1 Marshall dump at 

Colorado Central Mine 

 Steam shovel Avalanche occurred April 24. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

76. May 22 Paymaster Tunnel* in 

East Argentine (Fig. 17) 

 Tunnel (Georgetown Courier) 

 

1921

 

77. 

78. 

April 16 

April 23 

Griffith Mountain* near 

Georgetown (Fig. 19) 

 Home, stable 24-hour snowfall of 52 inches with 3.72 

inches of water. Other estimates were 28 

lb/ft2

, or about 5.4 inches water. 

(Georgetown Courier) 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

228 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

77. 

78. 

April 16 

April 23 

Sherman Mountain* near 

Silver Plume 

(Fig. 19) 

Charles Sebelia Two homes, one 

was the Benso 

home mentioned 

in account 59 

Two women and two girls were caught 

by the avalanche. One account says one 

woman and her daughter were rescued 

after 4 hours; another account says after 

2 or more hours. (Georgetown Courier)

 

78. 

and 

79. 

April 23 Hanna Mountain 2 miles 

above Silver Plume 

 Large slide. No damage. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

 Leavenworth Mountain* 

(Fig. 19) 

 Standpipe in 

pipeline 

Three slides. 

 

 Pay Rock Mill [Mine]* 

(Fig. 19) 

 Two small slides buried road. 

 

 Silver Plume (Fig. 19) Setting hen and her nest swept 400 feet. 

Only two eggs broken. Hen was still on 

nest when found. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1926

 

80. April 10 Blue Mountain on 

Berthoud Pass road 

 Telephone lines This was probably what is now called the 

Dam Slide 

3 1⁄2 to 4 miles west of Empire. 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

81. May 29 Santiago Mine* 

(Fig. 16) 

 All mine buildings 

swept away except 

boarding house 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

82. June 5 Kelso National Mine Blacksmith shop (Georgetown Courier) 

1933

 

83. April 29 Record given for heavy snows back to 

1876 in the Silver Plume-Georgetown 

area. (Georgetown Courier)

 

84. April 29 Commonwealth Mill 

(Fig. 16) 

 Mill Avalanche debris about 20 feet high 

below mill. (Georgetown Courier)

 

 Road between 

Georgetown and Silver 

Plume (Fig. 19) 

 About 20 small slides. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1936

 

85. April 4 Snow depths given for four “snow 

scales” in Clear Creek County for March 

1936 and 25-year averages. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 229

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1937

86. 

87. 

February 13 

May 29 

Berthoud Pass Ski Area Joseph Oppenheimer 

John S. Oberdorfer 

 Men disappeared February 7. Bodies 

recovered in late May, 1/2 mile from 

Berthoud Pass Inn. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1939

 

88. March 24 Tower 724 of Shoshone – 

Denver 100,000-volt 

power line in Peru 

Creek* about 4-1/2 miles 

above Montezuma 

 One high voltage 

transmission tower 

smashed and 

thrown across 

Peru Creek 

Tariff avalanche hit the tower on 

February 27. (Summit County Journal)

 

1943

 

89. March 12 Loveland Pass highway, 

3 miles west of Silver 

Plume 

 Highway closed several days. 

Avalanche ran on March 10. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1944

 

90. March 31 Highway 6, 3 miles east 

of Loveland Pass [Seven 

Sisters Avalanches] 

Adam Frazer 15-ton bulldozer 

carried 100 yards 

Frazer was a Highway Department 

employee clearing the road. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1945

 

91. February 16 Highway 40 

east side Berthoud Pass 

[Stanley Avalanche] 

Harold B. Willis Car Carried off road in his car. Body 

recovered 550 feet below road. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1947

 

93. February 28 Loveland Pass, second 

switchback, west side 

 Highway maintenance truck caught. No 

injuries or damage. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

94. March 21 Loveland Pass Two avalanches on the west side of the 

pass on March 16 blocked the highway 

for four days. One was 35 feet deep. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

1948

 

95. January 30 Rothchild Avalanche 

between Shoe Basin 

Mine* and Montezuma* 

(Fig 17) 

Lonnie Burch Avalanche ran on January 24 after 3 days 

of stormy weather. Debris was 15 feet 

deep and 200 feet wide. Burch, Fred 

Burford, Emmett Brophy, and a dog 

were hit by the avalanche. Dog freed the 

head of Burford and Brophy and located 

Burch's body. The first two freed 

themselves. (Summit County Journal)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

230 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

96. January 30 Loveland Pass William Marquis 

Everette Dierks 

 Caught in avalanche while skiing near 

summit of Loveland Pass January 25. 

Jack T. Elliot, a companion, was also 

caught but dug himself free and went for 

help. (Summit County Journal)

 

97. March 5 Seven Sisters, U.S. 6 near 

Loveland Basin Ski Area 

 Avalanche ran February 28. Car almost 

swept away but stopped in time. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

98. March 12 Griffith Mountain* 

[Alaska Mine] (Fig. 19) 

 Slides blocked portal. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

99. March 26 Mt. Parnassus Small slide. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1949

 

100. April 5 Rainbow Run at 

Loveland Basin Ski Area. 

Sidney Prather Three others caught but dug themselves 

out. Accident happened April 1. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1951

 

102. February 9 Loveland Pass and 

Berthoud Pass 

 Road blocked on both sides of Loveland 

Pass on February 5 and again on 

February 7. Berthoud Pass road also 

closed by avalanches during this time. 

(Summit County Journal)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 231

Table 4 — Chronological Summary of Avalanches in the 

Central and Northern Colorado Mountains 

Locations marked with an * appear on the maps (Figs. 45-49, pages 203 through 207). 

Account numbers in Tables 3 and 4 are basically in chronological order. An A or B suffix indicates a second or third account 

concerning the same event. An X, Y, or Z suffix is used to permit the insertion of previously undetected events into the 

established, chronological numbering scheme with minimum disturbance to it. Numbers out of sequence usually indicate 

cases where the first, or only, mention of an avalanche was found in a summary article that appeared well after the event. 

Omitted numbers are usually for accounts that do not mention avalanches or for accounts that have been deleted or 

reassigned from the original compilation. 

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1862

 

103. April 10 Cochetope Pass, 25 

miles west of Saguache 

John Aldrich Victim was buried under 8 feet of snow, 

on or about March 18. (Colorado 

Republican)

 

104. April 10 Near Washington 

Gulch,* 4 or 5 miles 

north of Crested Butte 

 Dozen unoccupied 

cabins 

Avalanche occurred January 20. (Colorado 

Republican)

 

1878

 

105. February 7 Wheeler Mine, 3 miles 

above Montgomery 

C. H. Colwell Ore house Accident happened February 3. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1879

 

106. December 25 Tucker Mountain* near 

Kokomo 

(Fig. 48) 

N. C. Bassick Slide ran December 18. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

1880

 

107. January 15 Great Mountain 

near Middle Park 

[location unknown] 

Henry Comstock Slide occurred January 7. (Georgetown 

Courier)

 

108. November 27 Bowen Pass between 

Jack and Illinois creeks 

in the southwest corner 

of the Never Summer 

Range 

Thomas Gray 

Charles Eaton 

 Two others injured; one other escaped 

unhurt. Storm raging for 5 previous days. 

Avalanche occurred November 22. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

1881

 

109. January 6 Lackawana Gulch, * east 

side of Independence 

Pass (Fig. 45) 

Frank Pulliam Cabin destroyed New snow was chest-deep in places. 

Accident happened January 2. (Leadville 

Herald Democrat)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

232 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

110. 

I10A. 

January 16 

January 18 

Alice Logan Mine 

 near Chalk Ranch 

 One man originally thought to be dead 

rescued from bottom of snow-filled mine 

shaft after 49 hours. (Leadville Herald 

Democrat)

 

111. January 20 Horn Silver Mountain, 

3 miles east southeast of 

Red Cliff 

Cassius M. Price Slide occurred January 18. Man was 

hunting with a companion. (Leadville 

Herald Democrat)

 

1882

 

112. 

112A. 

112B. 

December [?] 

December 21 

December 23 

Wolverine or Hidden 

Treasure Mine, 1 mile 

south of Bowen 

Mountain, Rabbit Ears 

Mountains 

J[ules] C. Harmon Avalanche ran on December 14. Body 

recovered June 10. (Grand Lake 

Prospector) (Grand Lake Prospector) 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

1883

 

115. January 29 Elk Lode near Irwin* 

(Fig. 47) 

Michael Lawler Thomas Owens caught but dug himself out. 

Accident happened January 27. (Gunnison 

Daily Review-Press)

 

116. January 30 Mount Owen* near 

Irwin* (Fig. 47) 

Frank Ranander 

 [Rhinelander?] 

Buildings of the 

Durango, Ruby 

Chief, Howard 

Extension, and Oakes 

mines crushed to 

kindling wood. 

Accident happened January 30. Seven men 

dug out alive. [The avalanche actually came 

down Ruby Peak, not Mount Owen.] 

(Gunnison Daily Review Press)

 

 Cinnamon Mountain,* 5 

miles northwest of 

Gothic (Fig. 47) 

J. W. Goodspeed Avalanche occurred January 26. Body left 

until melt-out in spring. (Gunnison Daily 

Review-Press)

 

117. 

117A. 

January 31 

February 2 

Smith-Hill 

Anthracite Coal Mines,* 

3 miles north of Crested 

Butte 

(Fig. 47) 

Philip Carmin 

Logan Inman 

Louis Richards 

William Moore (?) 

Chas. Betts 

J. J. Raymond 

[Raymond Inman?] 

Boarding house Avalanche ran on January 31. Thirty-six 

men were in the boarding house. Fifteen 

were injured; four seriously. Slide was not 

very large. (Gunnison Daily Review- Press). 

[Rocky Mountain News, February 2, 1883, 

lists the fatalities as: Phillip Kermin, 

Raymond and Logan Inman, Louis 

Richards, and J. J. Raymond. It said 8 

others were seriously injured and 13 

“slightly wounded.”] 

 

118. February 8 On railroad 6 miles 

below Crested Butte* 

(Fig. 47) 

 Railroad engine left 

under about 20 feet 

of snow 

(Georgetown Courier) 

 

 Sheep Mountain* 2-1/2 

miles southwest of 

Kokomo (Fig. 48) 

Jas. Ryan Team of horses and 

load of ore 

Happened on January 31. 

 

 Near Bonanza 14 miles 

north of Saguache 

 Engine house and 

one engine 

Three men were badly injured but escaped 

after their tent was swept away. 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 233

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

 Red Peak near Frisco Fred Plath Buried under 30 or 40 feet of snow on 

February 3. 

 Saponis Mine near 

Wolverine Mine, Rabbit 

Ear[s] Mountain, 1 mile 

south of Bowen 

Mountain 

Jack Williams 

E. R. Doty 

Thos. Booth 

 Mike Flynn rescued from under 10 feet of 

snow after 18 hours. Avalanche ran on 

January 29. 

 

119. February 5 Tomichi [2 miles north 

of White Pine] (Fig. 46) 

 Nine unoccupied 

miners' cabins 

Avalanche ran on February 2. Another 

avalanche at White Pine ran at about the 

same time. (Gunnison Daily Review- Press)

 

120. November 28 Raj[...] Mine near the 

Montezuma Mine, near 

Aspen 

Charlie Davis Another man buried but got out. Avalanche 

ran on November 26. (Leadville Herald 

Democrat)

 

1884

 

121. February 15 On the Queen's Gulch 

trail between Aspen and 

Pitkin 

John M. Riser 

James Mason 

 Avalanches occurred during the preceding 

week (Daily Rocky Mountain News). 

 

122. March 10 Magna Charta Mine near 

Tomichi* 

(Fig. 46) 

 Mine buildings Avalanche came down Granite Mountain. 

Two men caught but escaped slightly 

injured. (Florin 1971, p. 72). 

 

123. March 15 Carey’s Camp in 

Conundrum Gulch south 

of Aspen 

J. M. Thorne 

J. P. Steeley 

S. E. Steeley 

J. F. Take 

J. E. Morris 

Cabin Dog was later rescued alive after 33 days 

(Wentworth 1950, p. 155 and Wentworth 

1976, p. 121) Date of avalanche is 

uncertain.) 

 

125. March 14 Vallejo Mine near Aspen Mike Higgins 

Billy O’Brian 

George Marshall 

John Megialty 

Shaft house Three to four feet of snow fell in 3 days. 

Ten feet of snow on mountain. Blizzard 

raging. Avalanche ran on March 4. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

126. March 15 Woodstock,* [3.3 miles 

along the railroad west 

of the west portal of the 

Alpine Tunnel] 

(Fig. 46) 

Martin Doyle 

Andra [Andrew] 

Doyle Katy Doyle 

Marielles 

[Marcella] 

 Doyle 

Maggie Doyle 

Christopher Doyle 

J. S. Brown 

Joe Gerozo 

Joseph Royengo 

Jasper M. Caswell 

James Tracy 

George Alexander 

Michael Shea 

Section house, 

telegraph office, 

water tank, other 

buildings 

Two women rescued after burials of 2 and 3-

1/2 hours. (Salida Weekly Mail) 

[Another report says the two women were 

buried for 12 and 15 hours. Avalanche 

occurred at 6 p.m., March 10. Royengo's 

body was recovered in mid-July.] (Salida 

Weekly Mail) 

[A lawsuit was filed in 1886 by the mother 

of the six Doyle children, charging Denver, 

South Park, & Pacific Railroad cut all the 

timber off the mountain for ties and timber, 

thus making the avalanche possible [133].] 

 

127. April 24 Black Canyon Arthur Bratt Rio Grande R.R. 

engine upset 

One man injured. (Georgetown Courier)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

234 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

128. May 1 Twin Lakes, 12 miles 

south southwest of 

Leadville 

 Eyewitness account says avalanche roared 

like thunder. Snow in Promeroy, Gordon, 

and Francis gulches released. Aspen trees 

20-40 feet tall buried by flowing snow; trees 

1-1/2 feet in diameter were snapped; others 

were pulled out by the roots. Air blast blew 

down trees outside the track. No injuries. 

Avalanche ran to valley floor a few days 

prior to May 1. (Georgetown Courier)

 

1885

 

129. 

129A. 

March 28 

April 1 

Pearl Pass near Ashcroft A. C. Adair (Wentworth 1950) (Gunnison Review-Press)

 

130. April 27 Homestake Mine at head 

of West Tennessee Creek 

west of Tennessee Pass 

Marton Borden 

Sylvester Borden 

Horace W. 

Matthews 

Joseph Matthews 

John Lock 

John Burns 

Charles Richards 

Chris Harvey 

Robert Campbell 

John Burnes 

Three cabins Slide thought to have occurred between 

February 20 and 25. Cabins were under 40 

feet of snow. (Denver Tribune- Republican)

 

1886

 

131. January 19 Deadman’s Gulch*, 

near Pitkin,* 2 miles 

south of Spring Creek 

Reservoir 

1 horse Three men and three horses caught. Took 

the men 4 hours to dig themselves out. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

132. January 20 Aspen Mine on Aspen 

Mountain 

John Rose Engine house Avalanche ran on January 19. (LeadvilIe 

Herald Democrat)

 

 Last Chance Mine on 

Aspen Mountain 

 One-half hour after Aspen Mine avalanche. 

Did no damage 

 

 Near Late Acquisition 

Mine 

(Two men reported 

missing--no further 

report) 

2 mules 

Two ore wagons 

 

134. January 22 Chalk Ranch at foot of 

Chalk Mountain* near 

Fremont Pass 

(Fig. 49) 

1 timber wolf Telegraph poles 

broken, railroad track 

carried 40 to 50 feet 

112 shovelers opened 1,500 feet of Denver 

& Rio Grande Railroad covered by debris. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

135. January 22 Near Speller's and 

Couers Chanis' cabin, 

vicinity of Maroon Pass 

Albert Sloper 

Ira Hall 

James Hungerford 

David Pattenhall 

6 mules 

 Twenty-seven avalanches in vicinity of 

Maroon Pass in past 3 days. (Leadville 

Herald Democrat)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 235

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

 Conundrum Gulch west 

of Leadville [actually 

this is south of Aspen] 

 Two men reported to be caught- at same 

place as the fatal accident of 2 years ago 

[123]. 

 

 Independence Pass, 15 

miles southeast of Aspen 

(Fig. 45) 

6-mule team Driver rescued alive after a fall of nearly 

1,000 feet. 

 

136. January 24 Near Summit City on 

Sheep Mountain* 

(Fig. 48) 

 Two men and a team of horses caught. One 

man dug himself out; the other was 

recovered injured after 1 hour's burial; 

horses were badly crippled. (Leadville 

herald Democrat)

 

137. January 26 Near Grizzley Gulch*, 

5 miles south of 

Independence 

(Fig. 45) 

 Man caught in three avalanches. The first 

buried him to the waist; the second to his 

neck; the third covered him. He dug himself 

out after 4 hours. (Leadville Herald 

Democrat)

 

 Wheeler 

(Fig. 48) 

 Denver and South Park track was covered 

for 1/2 mile and D&RG track for 400 feet. 

Avalanche debris filled Ten Mile Creek. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

 Excelsior Mine 

in Poverty Gulch 

eight miles north of 

Crested Butte 

John Goss 

William Alexander 

John St. John 

Cabin and 

bunk house 

Avalanche ran on January 24. Fourth man 

caught but dug himself out and went for 

help. (Leadville Harold Democrat.) 

(Vandenbusche 1980. p. 279.) 

 

 Jessie Mine 

on Aspen Mountain 

 Machinery and 

Mining Buildings 

Avalanche ran on January 24. (Leadville 

Herald Democrat.)

 

 White House Mountain 

in Crystal Basin 

Robert Corey 

Mr. Collins 

Cabin Avalanche ran on January 24. (Leadville 

Herald Democrat.)

 

138. January 26 Near the curved bridge 

on Fremont Pass* 

(Figs. 48 and 49) 

 Track walker rescued after being buried 5 

hours. (Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

139. January 27 Below the Independence 

Pass Road 

 Huge trees snapped and boulders dislodged. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat) 

 

140. January 28 Eagle Canyon below 

Red Cliff 

 Covered D&RG tracks 15-20 feet. Dammed 

Eagle River for 3 hours. (Leadville Herald 

Democrat)

 

141. February 2 Railroad near Wheeler 

(Fig. 48) 

Mr. McWilliams 

2 unidentified men 

(Leadville Herald Democrat) 

 

142. February 2 Birdseye* to Fremont 

Pass* (Fig. 49) 

 Snow and wind. Several slides burying 

tracks 10-20 feet deep. "Deeper snow had 

never been seen in Ten Mile District." 

(Leadville Herald Democrat) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

236 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

143. February 11 Maroon Pass near Aspen Party confined in small cabin for 26 days by 

avalanches. (Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

145. April 21 Snowslide Peak near 

Chalk Ranch 

 April 18 a huge avalanche blocked the D & 

RG Railroad west of Fremont Pass. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat) 

 

 Stage Road between 

Aspen and Leadville 

 Reports received that a stage coach had been 

swept off the road by an avalanche about 

twenty miles from Aspen. 

 

147. April 23 Freighter’s Rest 

on Stage Road between 

Aspen and Leadville 

 Two stage coaches trapped by an avalanche 

that ran on April 19. No one hurt. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat) 

 

 Above Alicante on D & 

RG Railroad over 

Fremont Pass* 

 Three trains snowbound by avalanches. 

Fifty men shoveling snow. No one hurt. 

 

 Canyon west of 

Red Cliff 

 Two large avalanches. One in Homestake 

cut. Debris fifteen feet deep. 

 

 One mile west of 

Fremont Pass* 

 Two Union Pacific Railroad engines stuck. 

Ninety men shoveling snow. 

 

149. April 23 Twenty miles from 

Aspen toward Leadville 

[above town of 

Independence*] (Fig. 45) 

1 horse Stage stopped by 

snow drifts 

No one hurt. Storm so severe one man said 

he "had one horse by the tail and one by the 

bridle and could see neither of them." 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

1888

 

151. January 7 Castle Creek near Aspen Fred Rall 

["Dutch Fred"] 

 Accident happened January 6 Another man 

caught but escaped. (Colorado Graphic, 

Denver)

 

1891

 

152. February 27 Bullion King Mine 

above Irwin,* 9 miles 

from Crested Butte (Fig. 

47) 

Mrs. Ropell 

Mrs. Clark 

Clark child 

Capt. B. F. Smiley 

Home and boarding 

house "crushed like 

an eggshell" 

Accident happened at 10 o'clock February 

26. One man recovered after 4 hours badly 

hurt but alive. Slide started on Ruby Peak 

and traveled 1-1/2 miles. (Denver 

Republican)

 

153. March 14 Jacob Straeder Mine on 

western slope of Poverty 

Gulch* north of Crested 

Butte 

(Fig. 47) 

M. G. Creller 

Pat Murphy 

Jack Griffen 

Cabin Slide was over 1/2 mile wide. Tunneled 30 

feet to locate cabin. Men's bodies were not 

found. (Denver Republican)

 

1892

 

153X. January 1 New York Mountain Arthur H. Fulford Body never found (Knight & Hammock 

1965) 

 

 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 237

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1893

154. February 11 On railroad 1/2 mile 

west of Frisco [near 

Dickey] 

John Lynch 

J. R. Smith 

Rotary snowplow 

knocked off track 

and wrecked. 

Three other men injured. Avalanche ran on 

February 10. (Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

 Railroad between 

Crested Butte and RubyIrwin (Fig. 47) 

Two Italians 

reported to be 

covered by 

avalanche 

[unconfirmed] 

 No other data. 

 

1897

 

155. February 27 Bainey Tunnel near 

Aspen 

Charles Sweeney Avalanche happened the previous week. 

(Georgetown Courier)

 

 Near Glenwood Springs One slide 400 feet long, 250 feet wide, and 

40 feet deep. Another was 1,500 feet long 

and 50 feet deep. 

 Between Red Cliff and 

Tennessee Pass 

 Half a dozen slides covered railroad. 

 Near Pitkin* 

(Fig. 46) 

Martin Mentley Cabin Several other people injured. 

1899

 

156. January 28 At a mine near Kokomo* 

(Fig. 48) 

John Knodel Happened on January 20. Also reported in 

Rocky Mountain News January 22, 1899. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

157. 

157A. 

157B. 

February 4 

February 3 

February 3 

Selma Mine near 

Kokomo* (Fig. 48) 

 Buildings and 

machinery 

(Georgetown Courier) 

(Rocky Mountain Daily News) 

(Rocky Mountain Daily News)

 

 Near Red Cliff Several slides. Party of shovelers buried by 

avalanche. No injuries. 

 Near Shoshone, 9 miles 

east of Glenwood 

Springs 

 Railroad mail car, 

baggage car, tender 

Two men badly injured. A D& RG 

Passenger train ran into avalanche debris on 

track. February 1. 

 

 Same location near 

Shoshone 

John McMahon 

J. Dempsey 

J. Mulvahill 

 In a work crew of forty or more, three were 

killed and six or seven were injured. The 

rest were caught but not injured. Three men 

were thrown into the river but swam out 

uninjured. 

 

 Near Leadville 2,000 men shoveling snow to get train 

rolling. 

 Between Independence* 

and Aspen 

16 horses Two boys and one horse escaped. 

 Between Basalt and 

Aspen 

 Passenger train plunged into avalanche on 

February 1. Fifty men needed to dig it out 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

238 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

 Twin Lakes, 12 miles 

south southwest of 

Leadville 

William Manning Cabin Avalanche ran on February 1 and threatened 

to destroy the town of Twin Lakes.

 

 Colorado Midland 

Railroad near Busk, 

Colorado 

 Passenger train blocked by an avalanche for 

nearly a week. 

 

157X. February 21 Shoshone Rio Grande Train blocked by a snowslide 

that probably ran on February 20. (Denver 

Evening News) 

 

158. 

158A. 

March 4 

March 10 

Granite Mountain* at 

Tomichi, 2 miles north 

of White Pine (Fig. 46) 

Mrs. Atta (Alta) 

Stout 

Mrs. Sweezy 

Mr. Sweezy 

Sweezy child 

Boarding house and 

mine buildings at the 

Magna Charta Mine 

Avalanche ran at 9:00 am, March 2. One 

Sweezy child and M. C. Smith rescued 

uninjured. Avalanche ran 100 feet up an 

adverse grade and hit a two-story house. 

The bodies of Mr. Sweezy and his son were 

recovered in the spring. (Rocky Mountain 

News) (Gunnison News)

 

158X. March 10 Winfield 

Fourteen miles west of 

Granite 

6 year old Payne 

boy 

Many homes Father, mother and two other children 

injured. (Denver Evening Post) 

 

158Y. March 25 Railroad at Shoshone Railroad track 

carried away 

The fourth large avalanche at this spot since 

January. 

 

 Marshall Pass 

southeast of Monarch 

Pass 

 Marshall Pass opened after being blocked 

for thirty hours. (Denver Evening Post)

 

159. December 23 Ten Mile Canyon near 

Frisco 

 Henry Recen caught in avalanche but dug 

himself out. (Summit County Journal)

 

1900

 

159X. February 5 Half mile above Curtin 

in Ten Mile Canyon 

 Train encountered avalanche debris that 

delayed it for ten days. (Poor 1976, p. 367) 

 

160. February 17 Near Leadville Ernest Wendland Accident was on February 7. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

160X. February Slate Creek Canyon four 

miles below Crested 

Butte 

 Seven Railroad Cars 

reduced to 

matchsticks 

No day given. (Brown, 1968) 

 

161. March 3 Enterprise Group 

{of mines} in Taylor 

River area 

Henry Wyse 

Ed Robinson 

Tom McDermitt 

 Accident happened on or about March 1. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

 About same place James Bickford 

162. April 7 Uneva Station in Ten 

Mile Canyon 

 Several snowslides. One was 300 feet wide. 

C&S rail traffic delayed 4 days. (Summit 

County Journal)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 239

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

163. 

163A. 

April 21 

April 28 

Ready Cash Mine in 

Iowa Gulch near 

Leadville 

 A “number of 

buildings” carried 

away 

Sam Kibler rescued alive after 18 hours. 

(Summit County Journal) (Summit County 

Journal)

 

1901

 

164. May 4 Near Amethyst, 1 or 2 

miles south of Creede 

7 mountain sheep (Summit County Journal) 

 

1902

 

165. 

165A. 

February 2 

February 5 

Boulder Peak, 12 miles 

north of Dillon 

James G. Fish Slide ran at 8:30 a.m., February 1, another 

person carried several hundred feet without 

injury. (Rocky Mountain News)

 

1903

 

165X. April 3 Brown’s Canon 

between Buena Vista and 

Salida 

 Train wrecked A Denver & Rio Grande passenger train ran 

into a snowslide. (Denver Post)

 

1904

 

165Y. February 15 Hard Cash Mine near 

Elko, just west of 

Schofield Pass 

D.D. Moak Avalanche ran on February 11. (Denver 

Post) 

 

166. February 19 Logging camp on Cattle 

Creek, 4 miles south of 

Aspen. 

Jack Ellis 

John Brown 

Frank Manning 

William Hampton 

 Avalanche ran on February 18 and was 25 

feet deep. Other accounts say camp was on 

Castle Creek. There is no Cattle Creek in 

the area. "Snowfall much below average--

first avalanche of the season." (Leadville 

Herald Democrat)

 

166A. February 19 Logging Camp 

on Castle Creek 5 miles 

south of Aspen 

 110 men in search party. Three bodies 

recovered. (Denver Post)

 

166B. February 20 Body of William Hampton found beneath 

twenty-five feet of snow. (Denver Post)

166X. February 23 Near the Augusta Mine 

in Poverty Gulch* north 

of Crested Butte 

Pete McQuade 

Joseph Ferreri 

Peter Sterle 

Joseph Slogar 

Michael Vidmar 

Tony Stenicha 

 Three others caught but escaped. (Denver 

Post) 

 

1905

 

166Y. March 16 One half mile from the 

east end of the Alpine 

Tunnel 

 Avalanche debris covered the railroad for 

300 feet and at a depth of eighteen feet. 

(Poor 1976, p. 380) 

 

 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

240 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1906

 

167. January 20 Uneva Station on 

Colorado Southern 

Railroad in Ten Mile 

Canyon 

 Three railroad cars knocked off track on 

January 17. Fifteen people in the cars. No 

one seriously hurt. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

168. March 14 On Denver & Rio 

Grande tracks, 4 miles 

from Redstone 

 Train hit; one coach 

turned over; engine 

derailed. Company 

store hit; five loaded 

cars of coal swept 

away 

Numerous slides. One ran on March 12. No 

one hurt. (Rocky Mountain News)

 

169. March 17 Ten Mile Canyon and 

headwater of Arkansas 

River 

 Several slides interrupt rail traffic. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

170. March 24 Vicksburg, 4 miles down 

Clear Creek Canyon 

from Winfield [17 miles 

northwest of Buena 

Vista] 

Harry Wisenborn, 

and four other men 

[missing and 

presumed dead] 

 “Perilous conditions exist” at Winfield. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

171. April 1 Short distance east of 

Alpine Tunnel* 

(Fig. 46) 

 Rotary plow broke down in 18 feet of snow. 

(Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

1907

 

172. February 5 Monarch, 1-1/2 miles 

above Garfield or 3 

miles north of Monarch 

Pass 

(Fig. 36) 

 Avalanche ran on February 4. Slide started 

above and north of Fairplay Mine and came 

over the April Fool group. (Salida Mail)

 

172A. February 6 FATALITY list 

revised to: 

Fred Nason 

Mrs. Nason 

Charles Gilette 

James Boyle 

Steve Skinner 

Jack Emerson 

Boarding housesaloon demolished 

and carried across 

street, home 

demolished 

Twenty-two people rescued alive including 

the six Nason children. (Rocky Mountain 

News)

 

172B. February 8 Slide started from a gulch east of the 

Madonna Mine and 1,000 feet above the 

camp. James Smith badly injured and 

expected to die. Four-year-old Edward 

Nason rescued uninjured after 14 hours. 

(Salida Record) 

 

173. February 8 Eclipse Mine near 

Monarch, about 1 mile 

above the February 4 

avalanche and on the 

same ridge 

F{rancis} Y{ork} 

Harris 

Buildings of Eclipse 

Mine destroyed 

Avalanche ran night of February 6. 

(Salida Record) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 241

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

173A. February 8 Avalanche was 3/4 mile south and “on 

opposite side of the mountain” from the 

first. James Smith, injured in first slide now 

given fair chance for survival. The young 

Nason child rescued after 11 hours. (Salida 

Mail)

 

174. February 6 South Park Branch and 

Alpine Tunnel Branch of 

Colorado & Southern 

Railroad 

 Rail traffic halted by nine slides between 

Climax and the 3-Mile Tank near Leadville. 

(Rocky Mountain News) 

 

175. February 9 On stage road above 

North Fork of Mosquito 

Creek in Mosquito 

Range near Leadville 

L. B. Monson Accident happened on February 7. 

(Rocky Mountain News) 

 

176. February 12 Butte Mine in Mosquito 

Range between Alma 

and Leadville 

 Butte Mine building 

crushed under 25 feet 

of snow 

Avalanche ran on February 10. Man buried 

but pulled himself out. 

(Rocky Mountain News) 

 

1909

 

176X. February 8 Wookstock Avalanche 

Path on South Park and 

Pacific Railroad west of 

the Alpine Tunnel 

 Avalanche covered tracks for 500 feet and 

was 40 feet deep. Rotary plow took seven 

days to clear the tracks. (Poor 1976, p. 367) 

 

177. February 10 Shoshone, near 

Glenwood Springs 

 Stage hit, no one hurt One of the worst storms ever to hit 

Colorado. Slides block many railroads in 

state. (Leadville Herald Democrat) 

 

178. February 24 Hardest winter since 1884 in Eagle River 

country. (Leadville Herald Democrat)

 

178X. February 

(no day given) 

Augusta Mine in Poverty 

Gulch 

 Mine buildings, tram 

and mill 

(Vandenbusche. 1980, p. 279-282) 

 

1911

 

179. February 4 Madonna Mine, 

near Monarch 

 150 feet of Madonna 

Mine tram taken out 

George Barnes was carried 2,000 feet down 

the mountain and injured. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

1912

 

179X. March 7 Quarry Town at Yule 

Quarry south of Marble 

David Davis Body recovered March 15. (Vandenbusche 

and Myers 1970, p. 59 and 71) 

 

180. March 9 Ten Mile Canyon above 

Curtain Station (Fig. 43) 

 Slide on March 6 blocked rail traffic. 

(Summit County Journal) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

242 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

181. March 20 Marble, up the Crystal 

River from Carbondale 

 Marble finishing mill 

flattened, railroad 

engine turned over 

Avalanche hit mill between shifts. As many 

as 300 men could have been in the mill. 

(McCoy and Collman 1973, p. 148-149) 

(Vandenbusche 1980, p. 240) 

 . 

181X. March Bulkey Coal Mine on 

Whetstone Mountain 

south of Crested Butte 

Frank Orazem Mine buildings and 

tramway damaged; 

coal car over turned 

No day was given for this accident. Six men 

carried 500 feet down the mountain. 

(Vandenbusche 1980, p. 219) 

 

1916

 

182. January 22 Gordon Tiger Mine 

on Parry Peak near 

Twin Lakes 

Fredrick Suttler 

John R. Remine 

All the surface 

buildings at Gordon 

Tiger Mine swept 

away 

Slide ran on January 19. This was one of 

nine slides in the area. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

182X. January 26 Marble Three large avalanches stopped by a large 

stone retention wall in the run-out zone. 

(Vandenbusche and Myers 1970, p. 90-96) 

183. January 29 Leadville 2 unidentified 

people 

 No other details given. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

184. February 11 Baxter Pass, 

50 miles northwest of 

Grand Junction 

 Snowslide 40 feet deep covered railroad 

track for 2,700 feet (Idaho Springs Mining 

Gazette)

 

185. February 12 Colorado and Southern 

Railroad between 

Leadville and Birdseye 

Station* (Fig. 49) 

 Passenger coach of 

train turned over, 

baggage car derailed 

One passenger slightly injured. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

185X. March 2 Near Chipeta Falls in 

Black Canyon of 

Gunnison River 

C. W. Matthews 

Earl Levy 

Several railroad cars 

and a railroad 

wrecker 

Numerous avalanches as the result of 

thawing weather (Vandenbusche 1980, p. 

117). 

 

186. March 11 Shoshoni [sic] in 

Glenwood Canyon and 

Kildare near Leadville 

 Two slides across rail 

road tracks 

Slides along railroads. No one hurt. 

(Summit County Journal) 

 

1917

 

187. March 2 One-half mile below 

Crested Butte 

(Fig. 47) 

 Day coach, baggage 

car, and engine 

knocked off track 

and overturned 

Two snowslides. No one seriously injured. 

(Idaho Springs Mining Gazette)

 

1918

 

188. March 2 Uneva Station in Ten 

Mile Canyon 

 Railroad traffic stopped by many slides 

between Frisco and upper end of Ten Mile 

Canyon. Largest one was at Uneva. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 243

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

1920

189. February 28 Near Wheeler 1 horse One man caught but not seriously injured; 

dug himself out after one hour. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

189X. February 

[no day given] 

Snowslide Bridge en 

route to Doctor Mine 

Bruce Adrian 

Steve Suslikov 

 A third man was caught but dug himself out 

after three hours. (Vandenbusche 1980, p. 

327) 

 

190. March 6 Colorado Southern 

Railroad between Dillon 

and Leadville 

 Engine's front wheels 

derailed when train 

hit snowslide 

First serious encounter with avalanche this 

winter. Many slides down in Ten Mile 

Canyon. (Summit County Journal)

 

191. June 5 Middle Park [exact 

location not given] 

10 elk (Georgetown Courier) 

 

1922

 

192. February 11 Ten Mile Canyon near 

Curtain 

 First slide of the season halts rail traffic. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

193. February 18 Near Kokomo* 

(Fig. 48) 

1 horse Bob Recen caught and injured. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

193X. February 18 Denver Rio Grande 

Railroad west of 

Rollins Pass 

Paul Paulson 

William Monganis 

George Monganis 

George Karnabas 

Locomotive Locomotive knocked off track and rolled 

700 feet down hillside. Four men killed; 

two injured. (Bollinger 1979, p. 203-205 

and Denver Post February 20, 1922.) 

 

194. February 25 Mile Post 124 and 

Curtain on Colorado 

Southern Railroad, Ten 

Mile Canyon 

 Slide at Mile Post 124 was 200 feet long and 

10 feet deep. Another slide at Curtain. 

(Summit County Journal)

 

195. December 16 Colorado and Southern 

Railroad between 

Kokomo* and Frisco 

(Fig. 48) 

 One of worst storms in many years at 

Breckenridge. Several slides near Curtain. 

(Summit County Journal) 

 

1923

 

196. March 24 Ten Mile Canyon near 

Solitude 

 Storm raging for 13 days. Seven slides near 

Solitude. Snow debris twice as deep as 

telegraph poles. (Summit County Journal)

 

1926

 

197. May 8 Near Uneva Station in 

Ten Mile Canyon 

 “Big Mike” ran on May 3. Debris was 40 

feet deep and 200 feet long. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

1927

 

198. February 26 Ten Mile Canyon near 

Curtain 

 Forty slides across Colorado and Southern 

tracks. Most troublesome are near Curtain, 

others 2 miles west of Climax. (Summit 

County Journal) 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

244 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

No. Date reported Location Fatalities Damage Remarks and source 

 

199. March 5 Near Monte Vista 

(31 miles northwest of 

Alamosa) 

James Allen Two other men injured. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

200. March 5 Uneva Station 

Ten Mile Canyon 

 Slide was 100 feet long and 25 feet deep. It 

ran March 4. (Summit County Journal) 

 

201. April 23 Uneva Station 

Ten Mile Canyon 

 On April 18 the engineer stopped the train in 

time to allow “Big Mike” avalanche to run 

in front of the train. (Summit County 

Journal)

 

1928

 

202. March 9 Ten Mile Canyon Heavy fall of snow caused all the wellknown slides to run at once. A total of 

1,140 feet of track was covered as deep as 

40 feet in places. (Summit County Journal) 

 

1929

 

203. March 29 Ten Mile Canyon Several slides blocked trains. (Summit 

County Journal)

 

1930

 

204. April 11 Ten Mile Canyon “Big Mike” avalanche was 35 feet deep and 

150 feet long. (Summit County Journal)

 

1945

 

205. February 23 Chalk Bluff [near 

Climax] 

Allen T. Layman Caught while skiing in his backyard. 

Avalanche occurred February 17. (Summit 

County Journal)

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 245

Table 5 — Alphabetical Listing of Place Names Mentioned in the Avalanche Accident 

Accounts of the Northern Front Range 

The number of the newspaper accounts and the U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps covering the 

area are given when known. Many of the places, especially the mines, are not on modern maps. 

Places marked with an * appear on the map segments included as Figures 16 to 19, pages 83 through 

86. 

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

 

Adit-Dew Drop Tunnel 

[near Camp Frances] 

45 Ward 

Alaska Mine 

[on Griffith Mountain* 

near Georgetown*] (Fig. 19) 

98 Georgetown 

 

A.P. Tunnel 

[the east portal is on the north slope of Kelso 

Mountain* near the mouth of Sonora Gulch] 

(Fig. 16) 

71, 71A Greys Peak 

 

Apex 

on Pine Creek 5 1⁄2 miles northwest of Central 

City 

157 Central City 

 

Arapahoe Claims - Argentine District

[exact location unknown] 

48 Greys Peak and/or Montezuma 

Argentine [Mining] District 

[headwaters of Peru, Leavenworth, and 

Steven's creeks (Lovering and Goddard 1950, 

p. 135)] [see also: West Argentine and East 

Argentine] 

48, 51, 56, 78 Grays Peak and Montezuma 

 

Argentine Pass* 

(Figs. 10 and 16) 

33, 57, 73, 198 Grays Peak 

Atlantic Mine 

[location unknow. Probably near Pinkerton 

Gulch west of Silver Plume] 

14 Greys Peak or Georgetown 

 

Atlantic Mine* 

[about midway between Bullion Mine* and 

Sarisfield Mine* on Collier Mountain* near 

Montezuma*] (Fig. 17) 

28 Montezuma 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

246 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Baker Mine 

[on east slope of Kelso Mountain* at an 

elevation of about 12,000 feet] 

(Fig. 16) 

4 Grays Peak 

 

Bakerville 

[old town about 4 miles west of Silver Plume, 

near mouth of Quayle Creek and Greymont] 

15, 23 Grays Peak 

 

Baltimore Tunnel 

[on McClellan Mountain*] (Fig. 16) 

27 Grays Peak 

Beaver Brook 

[near Griffith Mountain* and Georgetown] 

(Fig. 19) 

62 Georgetown 

 

Beeched Gulch 

[near Georgetown; 

now called Silver Gulch*] 

19 Georgetown 

 

Berthoud Pass 

[Highway 40] 

33, 80, 91, 92, 101, 102 Berthoud Pass 

Berthoud Pass Ski Area 

[at Berthoud Pass] 

86, 87 Berthoud Pass 

Big Five Mine 

[near Ward] (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) 

45 Ward 

Big Professor Mountain 

[Called Mount Sniktau* on modern maps] 

29 Greys Peak 

Blackhawk 44 Blackhawk 

Blue Mountain 

[between Berthoud Pass and Empire] 

80 Berthoud Pass 

Boom Ditch 

[Republican Mountain* near Silver Plume] 

(Fig. 19) 

34B Georgetown 

 

Bridal Veil Falls [Gulch] 

[Republican Mountain* near Silver Plume] 

(Fig. 19) 

21, 33, 34, 35, 41 Georgetown 

 

Brown Gulch* 

[near Silver Plume] (Fig. 19) 

34, 35, 36, 38, 61 Georgetown 

Brown Mountain* 

[near Silver Plume] (Figs. 5 and 19) 

14, 36, 39, 61, 72 Georgetown 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 247

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Brownville 

[sometimes spelled Brownsville, suburb of 

Silver Plume on Clear Creek, directly below 

the Seven-Thirty Mine, wiped out by mud 

slide in June 1912] (Brown 1968, p. 61-67) 

12, 15, 34, 35 Georgetown 

 

Bullion Property* 

[at Montezuma] (Figs. 17 and 18) 

47, 165 Montezuma 

Camp Francis 

[sometimes spelled Frances, near Ward] 

(Figs 7, 8 and 9) 

45 Ward 

 

Cashier Mine* 

[on Teller Mountain south of Montezuma] 

(Fig. 18) 

13 Montezuma 

 

Cashier Mine 

[near the Seven-Thirty Mine* above Silver 

Plume] 

59, 61 Georgetown 

 

Cemetery 

[Idaho Springs] 

60 Idaho Springs 

Centennial Dump 

[near Georgetown] 

44 Georgetown 

Champion Lode [property] 

[Geneva Mining District, 

 head of Snake River*] (Fig. 18) 

6, 10 Montezuma 

 

Chihuahua* 

[site of] [Crofett(1881, p. 86) says it was 1-

1/2 miles west of Decatur on Middle Snake 

River] (Fig. 17) 

16 Montezuma 

 

Cherokee Creek* or Gulch 

[near Silver Plume] (Fig. 19) 

34, 34B, 62, 72 Georgetown 

Churches Mill 

[on Democrat Mountain* near 

Silver Plume] 

(Fig. 19) 

8 Georgetown 

 

Clear Lake 

[on South Clear Creek 2-1/2 miles south of 

Georgetown] 

59 Georgetown 

 

Collier Mountain* 

[near Montezuma] (Fig. 17) 

17, 28, 67 Montezuma 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

248 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Colorado Central Mine 

[near the Marshall Tunnel on south slope of 

Leavenworth Mountain] 

75 Georgetown 

 

Colorado Central Power Line

[Argentine Mining District] 

56, 57 [Unknown] 

 

Commonwealth Mill 

[location unknown] 

84 [Unknown] 

Commonwealth Mine 

[east of McClellan Mountain*] (Fig. 16) 

65 Greys Peak 

Corry City Mine* 

[near Silver Plume] (Fig. 19) 

34, 34B Georgetown 

Cozens Ranch 

[west side of Berthoud Pass] 

33 Fraser 

Daily [Mining] District 

[includes Urad Mine east of 

Berthoud Pass] 

38, 74 Berthoud Pass 

 

Dam Slide 

[south of Highway 40 just west of Empire] 

80 Berthoud Pass 

Decatur* 

[town site] [1/2 mile away and across stream 

from Pennsylvania Mine* 

(Wolle 1949, p.136)] (Fig. 17) 

16, 30 Montezuma 

 

Delaware Mine 

[near Decatur*] 

16, 30 Montezuma 

Democrat Mountain* 

[near Silver Plume] (Fig. 19) 

8, 19, 39, 40, 62, 72 Georgetown 

Dillon [town of] 46 Dillon and Frisco 

Duluth and Empire Mining Company 

[near Empire?] 

63 Georgetown 

East Argentine [Mining] District 

[the part of the Argentine 

mining district east of the 

Continental Divide] 

37, 49, 54, 65, 76 Greys Peak 

 

Empire 63, 78, 85 Empire 

Empire Pass* 

[near Georgetown](Fig. 19) 

37 Georgetown 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 249

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Empire Tunnel 

[300 feet east of Empire] 

63 Empire 

 

Freeland 

[3 miles west of Idaho Springs] 

69 Idaho Springs 

Geneva Gulch* or Creek 

(Figs. 17 and 18) 

11, 12, 39, 72 Montezuma 

 

Georgetown 

(Fig. 19) 

12, 19, 44, 62, 64, 66, 78, 

83, 84 

Georgetown 

 

Georgetown Loop Railroad* 

[between Georgetown and Silver Plume] 

(Fig. 19) 

53X Georgetown and Montezuma 

 

Gilman Mine 

[in Geneva Gulch] 

12 [Unknown] 

 

Glacier Mountain 13 Keystone 

Grand View Mine [Tunnel] 

[near Silver Plume] 

20 Georgetown 

Grass Valley 

[near Idaho Springs] 

60 Idaho Springs or Squaw Mountain 

Grassy Mountain 

[near Ward] 

45 Ward 

Griffith Gulch 

[probably one of the gulches on the northwest 

flank of Griffith Mountain] 

44, 62 Georgetown 

 

Griffith Mountain* 

[near Georgetown] (Fig. 19) 

62, 64, 66, 68, 77, 78, 98 Georgetown 

Hall Gulch [Valley] 

[upper part of the North Fork of the South 

Platte River] (Figs. 2 and 18) 

1, 9 Montezuma 

 

Hanna Mountain 

[on modern maps as Silver Plume Mountain 

2 1⁄2 miles northwest of Silver Plume] 

14, 39, 72, 78 Greys Peak 

 

Horseshoe Basin* 

[near Argentine Pass] (Figs. 16 and 17) 

37 Montezuma and Greys Peak 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

250 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Idaho Springs 69 Idaho Springs 

Illinois Lode* 

[west of Cherokee Creek on Republican 

Mountain] (Fig. 19) 

59 Georgetown 

 

Josephine Mine* 

[near Kelso Mountain] (Fig. 16) 

40, 42, 71, 71A Greys Peak 

Kelso Mountain* 

[about 4 miles southwest of Silver Plume] 

(Fig. 16) 

4, 25, 71A Greys Peak 

 

Kelso National Mine 

[shown as Grizzly Tunnel* in Grizzly Gulch] 

(Fig. 16) 

82 Greys Peak 

 

Leavenworth Mountain* 

(Fig. 19) 

34A, 78 Georgetown 

Loop

[station on railroad west of Rollins Pass] 

79X East Portal 

Loop Bridge 

[on railroad between Georgetown and Silver 

Plume] (Fig. 19) 

64 Georgetown 

 

Loveland Pass 

[Highway 6, west of Silver Plume] 

85, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 96, 

97, 99, 102 

Loveland Pass 

 

Loveland Basin Ski Area 

[east side of Loveland Pass, at east portal of 

Eisenhower Tunnel] 

90, 100 Loveland Pass 

 

Maine Mine 

[near Silver Plume] (Fig. 5) 

34B, 72 Georgetown 

McClellan Mountain* 

(Figs. 10 and 16) 

24, 27, 34A Greys Peak 

Marshall Dump 

[south slope of Leavenworth Mountain] 

75 Georgetown 

Mary Meyers Dump 

[on Republican Mountain] 

53 Georgetown 

Moline Tunnel* 

(Fig. 19) 

19, 40 Georgetown 

Montreal Mine 

[Brown Mountain* near Silver Plume] (Figs. 

5 and 19) 

36 Georgetown 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 251

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Montezuma* 

(Fig. 17) 

2, 17, 28, 47, 67, 73, 88, 

95 

Montezuma 

 

Mt. McClellan Mines 

[location unknown] 

65 [Unknown] 

Mount Parnassus 

[about 5 miles west-northwest of Silver 

Plume] 

99 Greys Peak 

 

North Fork of the South Platte River 

[also called Hall Valley] 

1 Montezuma 

North Star Mine 

[near the Santiago Mine on east slope of 

McClellan Mountain*] 

54, 55 Greys Peak 

 

Paymaster Mine [Tunnel] 

[near the Santiago Mine* on the east slope of 

McClellan Mountain*] (Fig. 16) 

49, 54, 76 Greys Peak 

 

Payrock Mill 

[near Silver Plume] 

78 Georgetown 

Pelican Mine* 

[near Silver Plume] (Figs. 5 and 19) 

34, 34A, 34B Georgetown 

Pelican Road 

(Figs. 3, 4, and 21) 

43 Georgetown 

Pennsylvania Mine* 

[1/2 mile from Decatur and across the 

stream](Wolle 1949, p. 136) (Fig. 17) 

16, 30, 33 Montezuma 

 

Peru Creek* 

[near Montezuma] (Fig. 17) 

88 Montezuma 

Peruvian Mine 

[near Decatur] (Fig. 17) 

30 Montezuma 

Pilot Mine 

[on Collier Mountain*] 

17 Montezuma 

Queen of the West Mine 

[near Decatur] 

30 Montezuma 

Red Mountain 

[near Empire] 

74 Berthoud Pass 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

252 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Republican Mountain* 

[near Silver Plume] (Fig. 19) 

19, 20, 21, 31, 32, 33, 

34B, 38, 39, 40, 53, 62, 

64, 72 

Georgetown 

 

Revenue Mineral Company 

[in Geneva Basin*] (Fig. 18) 

12 Montezuma 

Revenue Mountain* 

[in Geneva Gulch] (Fig. 17) 

12 Montezuma 

Revenue Tarriff Mine 

[see Tarriff] [near Decatur] 

 

Roe Mine 

[on Brown Mountain near Silver Plume] 

22 Georgetown 

Rothchild Avalanche 

[Starts in the cirque just east of the Cooper 

Mountain* Summit and runs to Peru Creek* 

just west of Cinnamon Gulch*; also called 

Tariff Slide.] (Fig. 17) 

95 Montezuma 

 

Ruby Mountain* 

[near Argentine Pass] (Fig. 17) 

57, 73 Montezuma 

Santiago Mine* 

[2 miles above Waldorf at elevation of 

12,000 feet in East Argentine Mining 

District] (Figs. 10 and 16) 

49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 81 Greys Peak 

 

Seven-Thirty Mine* 

[on Brown Mountain near Silver Plume] 

(Figs. 6 and 19) 

22, 26, 34, 35, 36, 43, 44, 

61, 62, 72 

Georgetown 

 

Seven Sisters Avalanches 

[Highway 6 near Loveland 

Basin Ski Area] 

90, 97 Loveland Pass 

 

Sherman Mountain* 

[near Silver Plume] (Figs. 5 and 19) 

7, 34, 34B, 39, 59, 62, 72, 

77, 78 

Georgetown and Greys Peak 

 

Shively Mine 

[on Brown Mountain near Silver Plume] 

14 Georgetown 

Shoe Basin Mine* 

(Fig. 17) 

73, 95 Montezuma 

Shoshone-Denver high voltage 

line up Peru Creek* 

[near Montezuma] (Fig. 17) 

88 Montezuma 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 253

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Silver Gulch* [Creek] 

[also called Beeched Gulch 

near Georgetown] (Fig. 19) 

5, 40, 44 Georgetown 

 

Silver Plume* 

[town of] (Fig. 19) 

7, 34, 34A, 34B, 35, 43, 

44, 59, 61, 64, 66, 72, 77, 

78, 79, 83, 84 

Georgetown 

 

Silver Queen Mine 

[near Silver Plume] 

7 Georgetown 

Snake River 

[near Montezuma] (Fig. 17) 

10 Keystone and Montezuma 

Sonora Gulch 

[north slope of Kelso Mountain] 

25, 71, 71A Greys Peak 

South Plume 34A Georgetown 

Spruce Lodge 

[west side of Berthoud Pass] 

33 Berthoud Pass 

Stanley Avalanche 

[Highway 40 between Berthoud Pass 

and Empire] 

91 Berthoud Pass 

 

Stevens Mine* 

[on the west side of McClelland Mountain] 

(Figs. 10 and 16) 

3, 37, 70 Greys Peak 

 

Stewarts Mill 

[near Georgetown] 

5 Georgetown 

Straight Creek 

[near the junction of Summit, Grand, 

and Clear Creek counties] 

46 Loveland Pass 

 

Tariff Slide 

[ also called Rothchild avalanche] 

30, 88 Montezuma 

 

Taylor’s Cabin 

[location unknown] 

25 [Unknown] 

Taylor Gulch 

[near Silver Plume or Georgetown] 

44 [Unknown] 

Urad Mine 

[8 miles west of Empire] 

74, 85 Berthoud Pass 

Virginia Canyon 

[near Idaho Springs] 

60 Central City and Idaho Springs 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

254 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Waldorf Mine* 

(Figs. 10 and 16) 

70, 85 Greys Peak 

 

Ward 45 Ward 

West Argentine Mining District 

[the part of the Argentine mining 

district west of the Continental 

Divide] 

17, 40, 71 Greys Peak 

 

Whale Mine* 

[in Hall Valley 3.9 miles south southeast of 

Montezuma] (Figs. 2 and 18) 

9 Montezuma 

 

Wilcox Tunnel 

[East Argentine Mining District] 

76 Greys Peak or Montezuma 

Williams Fork Creek 

[in Grand County near the head of Straight 

Creek] 

46 Loveland Pass 

 

Willihan Gulch [Ravine] 

[Republican Mountain* near 

Silver Plume] (Fig. 19) 

34, 34B, 72 Georgetown 

 

Willow Gulch 

[between Brown and Hanna Mountains near 

Silver Plume; called Pinkerton Gulch on 

modern maps] 

14 Greys Peak 

 

Wisconsin-Central Lode 

[Kelso Mountain*] (Fig. 16) 

25 Greys Peak 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 255

Table 6 — Alphabetical Listing of Place Names Mentioned in the Avalanche Accident 

Accounts of the Central and Northern Colorado Mountains 

The number of the newspaper accounts and the U.S. Geological Survey topographic map covering the 

area are given when known. Some of the places, especially the mines, are not on modern maps. Places 

marked with an * appear on the map segments included as Figures 45 to 49, pages 203 through 207. 

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Alicante 

[station on the High Line of the Colorado 

and Southern Railroad, 1-1/2 miles south 

of Climax at Mile Post 138.96) (Fig. 49) 

147 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Alice Logan Mine 

[near Chalk Ranch which was on Chalk 

Creek*] (Fig. 49) 

110A Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

 

Alma

[5 – 5 1⁄2 miles south of Hoosier Pass] 

105, 175, 176 Alma 

Alpine Pass 

[just east of the Alpine Tunnel on the 

Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad 

between Pitkin and St. Elmo] (Fig. 46) 

171 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Alpine Tunnel* 

[on Colorado and Southern Railroad 

between Pitkin and St. Elmo] (Fig. 46) 

128X, 133, 165X, 166Y, 

171, 174, 176X 

Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Amethyst 

[old railroad town 1 or 2 miles south of 

Creede, in a narrow gulch on East Willow 

Creek. Also called Jimtown, Gintown, and 

Creedmore (Wolle 1949, p. 321)] 

164 Creede (1:62,500) 

 

April Fool Mine 

[on Monarch Mountain) 

172, 172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Ashcroft 

[12 miles up Castle Creek from Aspen] 

129, 129A Hayden Peak 

Aspen 125, 129, 132, 137, 139, 

145, 151, 154, 155, 157, 

157B, 166 

Aspen 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

256 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Aspen Mine 

[on Aspen Mountain at an elevation of 

about 8,900 feet in Vallejo Gulch (Spurr 

1898, p1. XXV)] 

132 Aspen 

 

Aspen Mountain 

[near Aspen] 

123, 125, 132, 137 Aspen 

Augusta Mine 

[above timberline in Poverty Gulch,* north 

of Crested Butte] (Fig. 47) 

153, 166X Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Bainey Tunnel 

[near Aspen] 

155 Aspen 

Basalt 157 Basalt 

Baxter Basin* 

[south of Poverty Gulch* 

in upper Slate River drainage] (Fig. 47) 

153 Oh-Be-Joyful 

 

Baxter Pass 

[50 miles northwest of Grand Junction] 

184 Baxter Pass 

Belmont Tunnel 

[near Irwin] 

115 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Ben Bolt Mine 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Big Mike Avalanche Path 

[Ten Mile Canyon near Curtin] 

197, 201, 204 Vail Pass 

Big Tim Avalanche Path 

[usually called "Big Mike," near Curtin in 

Ten Mile Canyon] 

197 Vail Pass 

 

Birdseye* 

[on Colorado and Southern, and Denver 

and Rio Grande Railroads between 

Leadville and Fremont Pass at Mile Post 

144.86] (Fig. 49) 

134, 138, 142, 185 Climax 

 

Black Canon 

[of the Gunnison River] 

127, 185X Sheet 4 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Blue River Branch of 

Rio Grande and Western Railroad [Dillon 

to Leadville] 

132, 134, 137, 138, 140, 

142, 145, 147, 150, 162, 177 

Frisco and Vail Pass 

 

Bonanza 118 Bonanza (1:62,500) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 257

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Boreas Pass 

[east of Breckenridge] 

174, 190, 195, 196 Boreas Pass 

 

Boulder Peak 

[12 miles north of old Dillon in 

Gore Range] 

165, 165A [Unknown] 

 

Bowen Gulch 

[near south end of Never 

Summer Mountains] 

112B Bowen Mountain 

 

Bowen Pass 108 Bowen Mountain 

Breckenridge 157, 177, 190, 195 Breckenridge 

Browns’ Canon

[seven miles northwest of Salida] 

165X Poncha Springs (1:62,500) 

Buckskin Mountain 

[Now called Mount Buckskin. It is about 

4 miles southeast of junction of Chalk 

Creek and the East Fork of the Arkansas 

River] (Fig. 49) 

110 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Buena Vista 165X Buena Vista (1:62,500) 

Bulkley Coal Mine 

[at elevation of about 9,700 feet on north 

flank of Whetstone Mountain 2 miles 

south of Crested Butte] 

181X Crested Butte 

 

Bullion King Mine 

[near Irwin] 

152 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Busk 

[just east of Carlton Tunnel] 

157A Mount Massive and Homestake Reservoir 

Butte Mine 

[on South Mosquito Creek northwest of 

Pennsylvania Mountain] 

176 Climax 

 

Camp Bird Mine 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172 Garfield (1:62,500) 

Carbondale 

[in the Roaring Fork Valley below Basalt] 

168 Carbondale 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

258 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Carey's Camp 

[mining camp in Conundrum Gulch about 

7 miles above the confluence of 

Conundrum and Castle Creek (Eberhart 

1969, p. 245-246).] 

123, 124 Maroon Bells 

 

Castle Creek 

[south of Aspen] 

151, 166A, 166B Aspen and Hayden Peak 

Cattle Creek 

[should be Castle Creek - 4 miles south of 

Aspen] 

166 Aspen and Hayden Peak 

 

Chalk Bluff 

[location unknown, but thought to be near 

Fremont Pass] 

205 [Unknown] 

 

Chalk Mountain* 

[near Fremont Pass] (Figs. 48 and 49) 

134 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Chalk Ranch 

[On the Denver, Rio Grande Railroad 

south of Fremont Pass. At junction of 

Chalk Creek and East Fork of Arkansas R. 

Also called Halfway and later Tabor City] 

(Figs. 48 and 49) 

110, 110A, 134, 145 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Cinnamon Mountain* 

[5 miles northwest of Gothic] (Fig. 47) 

115, 116, 118 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Chipeta Falls 

[in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

River] 

185x [Unknown] 

 

Climax* 

[at Fremont Pass, Mile Post 137.46 on the 

High Line Branch of Colorado and 

Southern Railroad] (Fig. 49) 

174, 198, 201, 203, 205 Climax 

 

Clipper Mine 

[near North Fork Mosquito Creek] 

175 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Coal Basin 

[in Ragged Range near Redstone] 

168 Placita 

Cochetope Pass 

[25 miles west of Saguache on Continental 

Divide] 

103 North Pass 

 

Colorado and Kentucky Mining and 

Smelting Companies property 

[in Rabbit Ears Mountains] 

114 Bowen Mountain 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 259

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Colorado Midland Railroad 

[ran west from Leadville to Frying 

Pan River] 

157, 177 Lake County (1:50,000) or sheet 2 

of 2, Pitkin County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Como

[on the Colorado and Southern Railroad, 8 

miles southeast of Boreas Pass] 

171, 174, 176X, 190, 194, 

195, 197 

Como 

 

Conundrum Gulch 

[south of Aspen] 

123, 135 Hayden Peak and Maroon Bells 

Cornelius Mine 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Corona

[A station on the old Denver Rio Grande 

Western Railroad grade just east of Rollins 

Pass.] 

193X East Portal 

 

Couers Chanis Cabin 

[up Maroon Creek from Aspen] 

135 Highland Peak or Maroon Bells 

Creede 164 Creede (1:62,500) 

Crested Butte* 

(Fig. 47) 

117, 117A, 117B, 118, 137, 

152, 153, 154, 160X, 165Y, 

187 

Crested Butte or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Cromwell Mine 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Crystal Basin 

[southeast of Marble] 

137 Snowmass Mountain 

Curtin [Curtain] 

[on High Line Branch Colorado and 

Southern Railroad in Ten Mile Canyon, at 

Mile Post 122.06. Also called Uneva or 

Uneva Lake] 

159X, 180, 190, 192, 195, 

196, 198, 201, 202 

Vail Pass 

 

Curved Bridge 

[on Denver and Rio Grande Railroad at 

Fremont Pass] (Fig. 49) 

138 Climax 

 

Darby's Switch 

[on the Blue Line Branch between 

Leadville and Climax) 

134 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) and 

Holy Cross (1:62,500) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

260 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Deadman Gulch* 

[3.5 miles south of White Pine] 

(Fig. 46) 

131 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Denver and Rio Grande Railroad 

in Ten Mi1e Canyon [see Blue 

River Branch] 

 

 

Denver and South Park Railroad

 in Ten Mile Canyon 

[see High Line Branch] 

 

 

Dickey 

[near Frisco; now under water in the Blue 

River arm of Dillon Reservoir] 

154, 157A, 159X, 162, 169, 

188 

Dillon (1:62,500) 

Frisco 

 

Dillon 165, 165A, 190, 196 Frisco 

Doctor Mine

[In Doctor Gulch 3 miles south of Spring 

Creek Reservoir] 

189X Matchless Mountain 

 

Durango Mine 

[near Ruby Peak] (Fig. 47) 

116, 118 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Durant Mine 

[Aspen Mountain; Durant Tunnel is just 

east of Spar Gulch at an elevation of 8,025 

feet] 

125 Aspen 

 

Eagle River 157, 178 Minturn 

Eagle River Canyon 

[near Red Cliff] 

140 Minturn 

Eclipse Mine 

[on Monarch Ridge (Mountain) 3/4 to 1 

mile south of Monarch] 

173, 173A Garfield (1:62,500) 

 

Eight-Mile House 

[probably a stop on the railroad or stage 

line over Tennessee Pass] 

130 Holy Cross (1:62,500) or 

Leadville North 

 

Elk Creek 

[near Irwin] 

115 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Elk Lode 

[near Irwin] 

115 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Elko

[assumed to be near Elko Park] 

165Y Snowmass Mountain 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 261

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Enterprise Mine 

[in Taylor River area] 

161 Taylor Park Reservoir [probably] 

 

Excelsior Mine 

[Poverty Gulch*) (Fig. 47) 

137, 153 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Fairplay Mine 

[near Monarch] 

172, 172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Fairplay Quarry 

[near Monarch) 

172, 172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Francis Gulch 

[near Twin Lakes] 

128 Mt. Elbert 

Freighter's Rest [Pass] 

[a place along the stage road over 

Independence Pass] 

147, 149 Independence Pass 

 

Fremont Pass* 

[Mile Post 137.41 on the High Line 

Branch, Colorado and Southern Railroad] 

(Fig. 49) 

132, 138, 142, 145, 147, 

150, 167, 198 

Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Frisco 

[in Ten Mile Canyon at Mile Post 119.88 

of the High Line Branch, Colorado and 

Southern Railroad] 

(Fig. 43) 

118, 154, 195, 197, 203, 204 Frisco 

 

Garfield 

[about 15 miles west of Salida] 

172, 172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Glenwood Springs 155, 157, 157B, 177, 186 Glenwood Springs 

Gordon Gulch 

[near Twin Lakes] (Fig. 39) 

128 Mount Elbert 

Gordon-Tiger Mine 

[near Twin Lakes] 

182 Mount Elbert 

Gothic* 

(Fig. 47) 

116 Gothic, or sheet 2 of 6, Gunnison 

County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Granite Mountain* 

[6 miles east of Pitkin*) (Fig. 46) 

122, 158 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Granite 

[18 miles south of Leadville] 

158X Granite 

Great Mountain 

[in Middle Park] 

107 [Unknown) 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

262 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Grizzly Gulch* 

[creek or reservoir, 5 miles south of 

Independence*] (Fig. 45) 

137 Independence Pass 

 

Gunnison 171 Gunnison 

Hancock 166Y Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County Maps 

(1:50,000) 

Hagerman Tunnel 

[on Colorado Midland Railroad, west of 

Leadville) 

157 Lake County map (1:50,000) 

Homestake Reservoir 

 

Hard Cash Mine 

[near Elko] 

165Y Snowmass Mountain 

Hidden Treasure Mine 

[near the Wolverine Mine one mile south 

of Bowen Mountain] 

112, 112A Bowen Mountain 

 

High Line Branch of Colorado 

and Southern Railroad, 

Dillon to Leadville 

132, 137, 140, 141, 147, 

150, 154, 157, 162, 167, 

169, 174, 180, 185, 188, 

190, 192, 194, 195, 197, 

198, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204 

Vail Pass and Frisco 

 

Homestake Cut 

[in canyon west of Red Cliff] 

147 Minturn [probably] 

Homestake Mine 

[at head of West Tennessee Creek, 1/2 

mile north of West Tennessee Lakes, and 

1.3 miles south southwest of Homestake 

Peak] 

130, 144 Homestake Reservoir 

 

Horn Silver Mountain 

[near Red Cliff] 

111 Pando 

Howard Extension Mine 

[near Irwin] (Fig. 47) 

116, 118 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Howard F. Smith 

[or Smith Hill*] anthracite coal mine [3 

miles northwest of Crested Butte* on the 

south end of Anthracite Mesa*] (Fig. 47) 

117, 117B, 118 Sheet 2 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Ida Alice Mine 

[on Boulder Creek about 12 miles north of 

Dillon] 

165 Dillon (1:50,000) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 263

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Illinois Creek 

[east of North Park] 

108 Bowen Mountain 

 

Independence* 

[ghost town between Aspen and 

Independence Pass*] (Fig. 45) 

137, 147, 149, 157, Independence Pass 

 

Independence Pass* 

[between Aspen and Leadville] 

(Fig. 45) 

135, 139, 145, 146, 147, 148 Independence Pass 

 

Iowa Gulch 

[south and east of Leadville] 

163 Mount Sherman 

Iron Ram 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Irwin* 

[6 miles west of Crested Butte*. Crofett 

(1881, p. 110) says it was principle town 

of Ruby mining district on Ruby Gulch, 1 

mile above its junction with Coal Creek--

altitude 10,044 feet] (Fig. 47) 

115, 116, 118, 152 Oh-Be-Joyful and Mt. Axtell, or 

sheet 2 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Jack Creek 

[east of North Park] 

108 Mount Richthofen 

Jacob Straeder Mine 

[in Baxter Basin* southwest of Poverty 

Gulch*, about 9 miles northwest of 

Crested Butte*] (Fig. 47) 

153 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Jessie Mine 

on Aspen Mountain 

137 Aspen 

Kebler Pass 

[west of Crested Butte] 

118 Mt. Axtell 

Kildare 

[near Leadville] 

186 [Unknown] 

King Solomon Tunnel 

[in Ten Mile Canyon near Mile Post 120 

on Colorado and Southern Railroad] 

174 Frisco 

 

Kitty Quinn Tunnel

[Granite Mountain* near Tomichi] 

122 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County Maps 

(1:50,000) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

264 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Kokomo 

[4 miles north of Fremont Pass*, at Mile 

Post 132.67 on High Line Branch of 

Colorado and Southern Railroad] 

(Fig. 48) 

132, 138, 142, 156, 157, 

159X, 174, 193, 195 

Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain

 

Lackawana Gulch 

[east of Independence Pass] 

109 Independence Pass 

Lake City 177 Lake City 

Last Chance Mine 

[on Aspen Mountain near Aspen] 

132 Aspen 

Late Acquisition Mine 

[near Aspen] 

132 Aspen 

Leadville 134, 142, 145, 149, 157, 

160, 163, 163A, 183, 185, 

190, 192, 196 

Leadville North and Leadville South 

 

Little Giant Mine 

[near the Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Little Sugar Loaf Mountain 

[near Chalk Mountain] 

134 Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Madonna Mine 

[near Monarch] 

172, 172B, 179 Garfield (1:62,500) 

Magna Charta Mine 

[near Tomichi] 

122,158 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County 

maps (1:50,000) 

 

Marble 

[up the Crystal River from Carbondale] 

179X, 181, 182X Marble 

Maroon Pass 

[near Aspen] 

132, 135, 137, 143 Maroon Bells 

Marshall Pass 157, 158Y, 177 Pahlone Peak 

Middle Park 107,118, 191 [in vicinity of Granby] 

Mile Post 123 

on High Line Branch of Colorado and 

Southern Railroad (Fig. 44) 

202 Vail Pass 

 

Mile Post 124 

on High Line Branch of Colorado and 

Southern Railroad 

202 Vail Pass 

 

Mill Mountain 180X Marble 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 265

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Monarch 

[1-1/2 miles from Garfield, once called 

Chaffee (Crofett 1881, p. 85)] (Fig. 36) 

172, 172A, 172B, 173, 

173A, 179 

Garfield (1:62,500) 

 

Monarch Mountain [Hill] 

[near Monarch] 

172B, 173 Garfield (1:62,500) 

Monroe Slide 

[just above Uneva Lake in Ten Mile 

Canyon] 

202 Vail Pass 

 

Monte Vista

[31 miles northwest of Alamosa] 

199 Monte Vista 

Montezuma Mine 

[near Aspen, 1 mile northeast of 

Castle Peak] 

120 Hayden Peak 

 

Montgomery 

[ghost town just south of Hoosier Pass, 

flourished 1861-1870 and again 1881-

1898 (Wolle 1949, p. 81), now covered by 

a reservoir on the Middle Fork of the 

South Platte River (Brown 1968, 

p. 228)] 

105 Alma 

 

Moriarty Peak 

[not on modern maps; near Fremont Pass 

and Chalk Mountain] (Fig. 49) 

134, 138 Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Mosquito Creek 

[North Fork, east of Leadville] 

175 Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Mosquito Range 

[east of Leadville] 

175, 176 Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Mount Owen* [Owens] 

[one of the Ruby Peaks near Irwin] (Fig. 

47) 

116 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Mount Wood 

[near Marble] 

181 Marble 

New York Mountain 153X Fulford and Grouse Mountain 

North Park 108 Vicinity of Walden 

Oaks Mine 

[near Ruby Peak*] (Fig. 47) 

116, 118 Oh-Be-Joyful 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

266 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Old Shick Mine 

[near Ruby Peak*] (Fig. 47) 

116 Oh-Be-Joyful 

 

Oro City 

[east of Leadville] 

130 Mount Elbert (1:62,500) 

Leadville South 

 

Paradise Gulch Mine* 

[east of Cinnamon Mountain] (Fig. 47) 

116, 118 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, Gunnison 

County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Parry Peak 

[Perry Mountain on some maps; near Twin 

Lakes] (Fig. 39) 

157A Mount Elbert 

 

Paymaster Mine 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Pearl Pass 

[15 miles south of Aspen on the GunnisonPitkin county line. The Aspen-Crested 

Butte wagon road built in 1882 used Pearl 

Pass (Brown 1968, 

p. 93)] 

129A Pearl Pass 

 

Pitkin* 

(Fig. 46) 

126, 131, 133, 155 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Pittsburg* 

[about 7 miles up Slate River from Crested 

Butte] (Fig. 47)

137 Oh-Be-Joyful 

 

Pomeroy Gulch 

[near Twin Lakes] 

128 Mount Elbert 

Poverty Gulch* 

[9 miles northwest of Crested Butte] (Fig. 

47) 

137, 153, 166X Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Quarry Town

[just west of Yule Quarry south of Marble] 

179X Marble 

Queens Gulch 

[near Aspen] 

121 Aspen 

Rabbit Ears Mountain 114, 118 Rabbit Ears and Spicer Peak 

Ready Cash Mine 

[in Iowa Gulch, south and east of 

Leadville] 

163, 163A Mount Sherman 

 

Red Cliff 111, 140, 147, 153X, 155, 

157 

Red Cliff 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 267

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Red Peak 

[5-1/2 miles northwest of Frisco] 

118 Willow Lakes 

 

Redstone 

[up Crystal River from Carbondale] 

168 Redstone 

Richardson's Cabin 

[between Gothic and Paradise Gulch] 

116 [Unknown] 

Rio Grande and Western Railroad

through Ten Mile Canyon 

[see Blue River branch] 

 

 

Robinson* 

[old town site north of Fremont Pass, now 

covered by the tailings ponds from the mill 

at Climax, formerly called Ten Mile 

(Crofutt 1881, p. 145)] (Fig. 48) 

118, 136 Mount Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Rollins Pass

[on Continental Divide seven miles east of 

Fraser] 

193X East Portal 

 

Ruby 

[old mining camp about 

116, 154 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, Gunnison 

County maps (1:50,000) 

1 mile south of Irwin] 

 

Ruby Chief Mine 

[near Irwin] 

116, 118 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, Gunnison 

County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Ruby Peak* or Mountain 

[near Irwin] (Fig. 47) 

116, 118, 152 Marcellina Mtn. or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Salida 165X Cameron Mountain (1:62,500) 

Saponis Mine 

[Rabbit Ears Mountain] 

118 [Unknown] 

Schofield Pass 

[about 10 miles north northwest of Crested 

Butte] 

165Y Snowmass Mountain 

 

Selma Mine 

[near Kokomo] 

157 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Sheep Mountain* 

[north of Fremont Pass] (Fig. 48) 

118, 136 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Shoshone 

[in Glenwood Canyon] 

157, 157A, 157B, 157X, 

158Y, 177, 186 

Shoshone 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

268 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Slate River 

[near Crested Butte] 

117A, 160X Oh-Be-Joyful 

 

Smith-Hill Mine* 

[3 to 4 miles northwest of Crested Butte] 

(Figs. 21 and 47) 

117B Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Snowslide Peak 

[near Chalk Mountain; not on 

modern maps] 

145 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

 

Solitude 

[station on High Line Branch, Colorado 

and Southern Railroad at Mile Post 

126.16; also called Wheeler] 

196 Vail Pass 

 

South Park Branch of Colorado 

and Southern Railroad 

[see Highland Branch] 

 

 

Spellers Cabin 

[on Maroon Creek, south of Aspen] 

135 Highland Peak or Maroon Bells 

St. Elmo 166Y Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County Maps 

(1:50,000) 

Stem Winder Mine 

[near Madonna Mine at Monarch] 

172B Garfield (1:62,500) 

Summit City 

[near Fremont Pass] 

136 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Tabor City 

[at the crossing of the Denver and Rio 

Grande Railroad over Chalk Creek, 

formerly called Chalk Ranch] 

110 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Climax 

 

Taylor River area 161 Taylor Park Reservoir [probably] 

Ten Mile Canyon 

[Ten Mile Canon] [southwest of Frisco; 

now written as Tenmile] 

137, 142, 159, 159X, 162, 

167, 169, 174, 180, 188, 

195, 197, 198, 200, 201, 

202, 203, 204 

Frisco and Vail Pass 

 

Tennessee Pass 130, 155, 157 Holly Cross (1:62, 500) 

Leadville North 

Three-Mile Tank 

[on High Line Branch of Colorado and 

Southern about 3 miles north of Leadville, 

at Mile Post 147.6] 

174, 190 Leadville North 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-38. 1999. 269

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Tibbitts Ranch 

[near Ashcroft] 

129 Hayden Peak 

 

Tomichi 

[2 miles up road from White Pine*; only 

cemetery shown on modern maps, 

formerly called Argenta (Crofutt 1881, p. 

149)] (Figs. 30 and 46) 

119, 122, 123, 158, 158A Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Tucker Mountain* 

[north of Kokomo] (Fig. 48) 

106 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Twin Lakes 

(Fig. 39)

128, , 157, 157A, 182 Granite 

 

Uneva or Uneva Lake 

[station on the High Line Branch of 

Colorado and Southern Railroad in Ten 

Mile Canyon; according to Poor (1949, p. 

446) this was another name for Curtin 

which was at Mile Post 122.06] 

162, 167, 180, 188, 197, 

198, 200, 201, 202 

Vail Pass 

 

Vallejo Mine 

[near Aspen] 

125 Aspen 

Venango Mine 

[near Irwin] 

115 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Vicksburg

[about 5 miles south of Twin Lakes] 

170 Mt. Harvard (1:62,500) 

Washington Gulch* 

[4-5 miles north of Crested Butte] 

(Fig. 47) 

103, 104 Oh-Be-Joyful or sheet 2 of 6, 

Gunnison County maps (1:50,000) 

 

Wheel of Fortune Mine 

[on Sheep Mountain near Robinson] 

136 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Wheeler 

[station on High Line Branch of Colorado 

and Southern, also called Solitude] (Fig. 

48) 

141, 189, 194 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Wheeler Mine 

[3 miles above Montgomery] 

105 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Alma and Breckenridge 

 

White House Mountain 

[2 1⁄2 miles southeast of Marble] 

137 Marble 

White Pine* 

[6 miles west of Salida] (Fig. 46) 

119, 158 Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 
Historic Avalanches (Martinelli & Leaf) 

270 USDA Forest Service RMRS GTR-38. 1999.

Place names 

Newspaper accounts in 

which place is mentioned 

Map 

(scale is 1:24,000 unless 

otherwise noted) 

Whetstone Mountain

[about 2 miles south of Crested Butte) 

181X Crested Butte 

 

Wichita Tunnel 

[near Kokomo] 

157 Mt. Lincoln (1:62,500) 

Copper Mountain 

 

Winfield 

[4 miles up the road from Vicksburg] 

158X, 170 Mt. Harvard (1:62,500) 

Wolverine Mine 

[in Rabbit Ears Mountains] 

118 Bowen Mountain 

Woodstock 

[0.85 mile west of Hancock Pass* on west 

limb of switchback on old road to Alpine 

Tunnel*. Not on modern maps] (Figs. 23-

26 and 46) 

126, 133, 176X Sheet 5 of 6, Gunnison County maps 

(1:50,000) 

 

Yopsie Mine 

[location unknown] 

121 [Unknown] 

Yule Quarry 

[2.8 miles south of Marble 

179X Marble 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its

programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion,

age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who

require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600

(voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights,

Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,

DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION

RMRS

The Rocky Mountain Research Station develops scientific information and technology to improve management, protection, and use of

the forests and rangelands. Research is designed to meet the needs

of National Forest managers, Federal and State agencies, public and

private organizations, academic institutions, industry, and individuals.

Studies accelerate solutions to problems involving ecosystems,

range, forests, water, recreation, fire, resource inventory, land reclamation, community sustainability, forest engineering technology,

multiple use economics, wildlife and fish habitat, and forest insects

and diseases. Studies are conducted cooperatively, and applications

may be found worldwide.

Research Locations

Flagstaff, Arizona Reno, Nevada

Fort Collins, Colorado* Albuquerque, New Mexico

Boise, Idaho Rapid City, South Dakota

Moscow, Idaho Logan, Utah

Bozeman, Montana Ogden, Utah

Missoula, Montana Provo, Utah

Lincoln, Nebraska Laramie, Wyoming

*Station Headquarters, 240 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526

Federal Recycling Program Printed on Recycled Paper