2011 Map of Fairplay West

About this map

Mining operations and hydraulic water systems dominate the high-altitude landscape west of Fairplay in this 2011 record of Park County. The concentration of legacy claims near Little Sacramento Gulch including the Freedom Mine, Little Nellie Mine, and Sitting Bull Mine points to a dense history of extraction. The presence of the Duguesne Smelter and the Platte River Placers Mine illustrates the industrial evolution of the South Platte headwaters, where a complex network of ditches like the Fairplay Mining Ditch and Sacramento Ditch diverted water for processing ore. Higher elevations are marked by remote settlements and camps such as Mullenville and Almgren Tie Camp, accessible via Timberline Trl and various county roads. The drainage patterns of Sacramento Creek and Fourmile Creek dictate the local geography, connecting peaks like Sheep Mountain to the high mountain passes of Browns Pass and Breakneck Pass.