On our way north back to Denver after a great weekend chasing the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, we stopped off in the ghost town of Summitville south of Del Norte. The whole area is a superfund site now that is undergoing long-term cleanup.
Over about 150 years, this area was mined off and on before it was finally strip-mined in the 1980s. A few structures in the old town still remain.
Our beloved truck, the Albino Rhino, poking around Summitville.
This whole area is a high alpine environment where life would be hard nine months out of the year.
In a few more years, the old buildings will finally succumb to the heavy snows of winter.
These old buildings are melting away into nothing.
A lot of people once lived here. Now the few workers at the superfund site commute up from Del Norte or other towns down at lower elevations.
This lonesome place sure is beautiful. Too bad it’s all contaminated.
Looking over toward some of the modern buildings used to treat water coming out of the mine tailings.
A two hole outhouse ready for the morning shift.
