Randall Howlett

Taking the High Road: Leadville to Vail in 100 Years Randall Howlett

Take a 30 mile journey on US24, a scenic high mountain highway, beginning first with the 1870s Colorado Silver Boom in Leadville and ending in the 1970s with Vail ski resort, during its "glory years". While in Leadville we visit the wild mining days when "Cloud City " as it was called, had folks such as Doc Holliday, Horace Tabor, Jesse James, the Unsinkable Mollie Brown, and Wyatt Earp just to name a few. During this 100 year period we also cover early Eagle County seat Red Cliff, railroad town Minturn, the Battle Mountain Mining District of Gilman and also Camp Hale, training home to the famous 10th Mountain Division during World War II. We key in on aspects of the past mining industry, transition to the burgeoning Colorado ski industry. and examine the long-term environmental legacies left by both. We finish by taking a look at what the next 100 years may likely bring with such things like mega-resort districts, Hyper-loop trains and robots.