In 1963, as a boy of 18, I worked as an underground mine engineer's assistant and sample boy in the now closed Idarado Mine at Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains above Ouray, Colorado. I car pooled from Ouray to work six days a week with some grizzled old underground miners and mine engineers. I learned a lot about life and death working underground.

I also learned about the beauty of the San Juans and the gift of many hot springs. Sometime in the early 80's I started going back to stay at Orvis Hot Springs and prowl the area for refreshing vacations...spiritual waters, spiritual views.



Mountains like these are honeycombed with mine tunnels and shafts dating back to the mid-1800s. Many are still active and producing mines.



Here is the San Juan Miner's Memorial. Some of the men I worked with are on that wall. I always stop to pay homage, to express gratitude that I survived my time underground, and in appreciation of the life lessons I learned in the mine. The statue is a very accurately detailed sculpture of the way the men I worked with dressed and the equipment they used in the 1950s and 60s. The statue guy is changing out a drill bit.



Here's a short stretch of the Uncompahgre River north of Ouray. The water is high and wild from snow run off.



Take a look at those rapids. This is as wild as I've ever seen the Uncompahgre.



Here's the sign for the hot springs & motel that has been "home" to me when I visit the San Juans. Hard to believe its been 46 years since I worked deep inside those mountains. The Idarado produced gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc.

Kilt is my Antarctica tartan hand sewn by Kathy Lare of Kathy's Kilts in Albuquerque, N.M.

Ron