Elevation: 9,800 ft - 10,000 ft
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Dogs: Off Leash
The area around Cripple Creek and Victor Colorado is filled with mining history and short trails you can take the family on. I road tripped to this area a few weeks ago as a way to get out without having to hike very far. I am recovering from an injury or at least trying to. We did the Vindicator Valley Loop, which is a mecca for history buffs, as well as Battle Mountain.
Battle Mountain is a short trail up to a skyscraper-like headframe of the Independence Gold Mine. Under a canopy is a rusted pipe filled with holes of many sizes. This remnant was part of a system that sorted rocks into various bins for crushing and gold extraction. A small informative display explains the process.
Just beyond the canopy there is a metal bridge over a mine shaft that seems to disappear into the very center of the Earth. Even though it is covered in a metal mesh to protect the tourists, the shaft has an ominous feel. Its looming darkness and jagged edges is surely the denizen of some primeval monster, a destroyer of worlds. Perhaps it was just the wind moaning in the headframe but the shattered mania of gold fever still echoed from the deep, a destroyer indeed.
Beyond the bridge a well manicured path follows an old railroad grade to a view of the Portland and Cresson Mines amidst a pile of yellow debris. From this point there is a nice view of Victor itself and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains beyond.
I would not drive all the way from Denver to Victor for this trail, but combined with other trails or adventures in the area, it is a worthwhile destination.
From the parking lot you can see Pikes Peak and the main ruin at the start of the Vindicator Valley Loop
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