One of the reasons we are in Colorado now is to enjoy the beautiful fall foliage, and a trip to the McClure Pass area filled our desire wonderfully. While the aspens have lost their leaves in many locations, there are pockets that are still shimmering and colorful. The narrowleaf cottonwoods are still beautiful as well, and contribute a great color palate to the landscape, especially along the river and stream banks.
We have been making regular/frequent trips to Colorado for the last ten years, and during that time there has been one historic location that has continually eluded my attempts to get a photograph. I may not have been in the right vehicle, or the weather wasn’t cooperating, or maybe I was running behind schedule and couldn’t take the time. This week I finally put all that behind me and made the trip to Crystal Mill.
The old mining town of Crystal, Colorado, and the mill that shares it’s name, sit just west of Schofield Pass, on the single track “road” from Crested Butte to Marble. Information I have gleaned from reading and from talking to locals say that Schofield Pass should only be attempted by experienced off-road drivers in just the right 4X4 vehicle. However, if one was to avoid Schofield Pass, and proceed east from the town of Marble, all that is required is a 4X4 vehicle with high clearance, steady nerves, and a strong desire to see the mill. Oh yeah, if your spouse is planning on riding along, better take a change of underwear for your rider. From the city limit sign/end of pavement in Marble it is just over 5 miles of ROUGH and frequently narrow road to the mill. The trip took us right at one hour!
Built in 1892-93, the structure has been known by various names including Lost Horse Mill, Dead Horse Mill, and Sheep Mountain Powerhouse. The latter is perhaps the most historically accurate, since the structure actually was not a mill. A horizontal water wheel in the river drove a vertical shaft that operated air compressors in the building above. The compressed air was used to operate air driven drills for the Sheep Mountain Mine, and perhaps other mines in the immediate area. The Sheep Mountain Mine closed in 1917, and the powerhouse fell into a state of disuse. The rubble littering the adjacent riverbank is from a stamp mill that was used to process silver ore, and may have also been powered by the waterwheel. The mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and is reputed to be one of the two most widely photographed locations in Colorado, along with Maroon Lake/Maroon Bells, just northwest of Aspen.
The town of Marble is also an interesting (?) stop. For some reason, I find myself humming the tune from the movie Deliverance whenever I get around the town of Marble, but the town’s history is interesting and the museum in town is worth the time to walk through.
robwilbourn 
Beautiful shots, especially Sheep Mountain Powerhouse
Thanks for having a look, George.