We made a great start
In 2022, Silver Plume Mountain Park grew via the acquisition of 200 ± acres of mining claims when the Silver Plume community, with the help of generous donors and grants, and against all odds, purchased the Jack Pine Mining claims from the family who had owned them for generations.
We're pretty darn proud of that accomplishment! We even won awards for Historic Preservation from Colorado Preservation Inc. Citizens State Bank Preservation Edge Award for excellence in historic preservation, and a Stephen Hart Award from History Colorado. Colorado Preservation Inc. created the video below to honor Silver Plume's achievement.
Map of Jack Pine Mining Claims purchased in 2022
NOW WE NEED TO DO IT AGAIN!
Exciting News and a Daunting Challenge: We have the chance to purchase more of the Mountain!
We have the opportunity to purchase another large piece of Republican Mountain above the 7:30 road, some 350 acres. Back when the Board of Trustees voted to try to acquire the Jack Pine mining claims, the question came up, “What about the rest of it?” Most of that area, 122 claims, is also under one ownership: the Taylor-Kennedy Family Trust. We expected to see it on the market someday though not quite so soon.
The Town wants to try.
The Taylor-Kennedy property begins at the north end of Silver Street in Silver Plume, at approximately 9,200’, and stretches up the mountainside to 11,200’. This, in all senses, is a steeper climb. The anticipated and appraised price is the same per acre as Jack Pine, $2500 per acre: 350 x 2500 = 875,000. This is the goal.
Map of Taylor-Kennedy Mining Claims
We need to meet this challenge
Expanding Silver Plume Mountain Park would protect most of Republican Mountain above Silver Plume from development, which is important for many reasons and affects a much broader population than just the people of Silver Plume. For example, the communities of Golden, Arvada, and Broomfield rely on water from the Clear Creek watershed, and 23 million people who travel Interstate 70 every year get to enjoy the spectacular undeveloped high mountain views.
The property's proximity to the Interstate and the magnificent views make it an attractive purchase for high mountain development. Moreover, in Clear Creek County, each M- 1 mining claim has a residential building right along with the right to drill a well. As such, each of these 122 claims could be sold separately and developed. Access to the claims would require multiple roads. Such extensive development would drastically increase fire danger, degrade natural resources, pollute the watershed, destroy sensitive wildlife habitat, and cause widespread erosion within the watershed.
Furthermore, any or all 122 claims could be developed for their mineral value. Disruption of the existing tailings piles would make them unstable and release both air and water pollutants
Click the photos below to get more information about the critical need to preserve the watershed, the wildlife habitat, the historic lands and the Silver Plume community
Click a photo for more info on its' topic
Protecting the Watershed
Protecting the Watershed
Protecting the Watershed
Protecting the Wildlife
Protecting the Watershed
Protecting the Watershed
Protecting the Historic Lands
Protecting the Historic Lands
Protecting the Historic Lands
Protecting Silver Plume
Protecting the Historic Lands
Protecting the Historic Lands