For Immediate Release: August 31, 2012
For More Information Contact:
Brian Lorch, Summit County Open Space & Trails (970) 668-4067

Summit County, Colorado – The Summit County and Town of Breckenridge Open Space Programs, along with assistance from the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, recently completed construction to open approximately two miles of new trail along the historic Galena Ditch Trail. This new single-track trail connects the Tiger Dredge trailhead with the trailhead at the historic Tiger Town site, and parallels Tiger Road.

On August 4th and 5th, approximately 70 volunteers from Volunteers for Colorado assisted the County and Town to create approximately two miles of new trail along the “Galena Ditch”. With the construction of this trail, users can now avoid Tiger Road and connect into existing trails while seeing many of the area’s historic mining features. This new trail is open to non-motorized uses, including hiking and mountain biking. Horses are not recommended on this trail and motorized uses including ATVs and dirt bikes are prohibited. While this is considered an intermediate single-track trail, Ryan Lewthwaite of the Summit County Open Space and Trails Department warns that “this trail is more challenging than it looks, good balance is a must while riding it due to steep side slopes next to the trail.”

Water diverted through Galena Ditch was utilized by Stanley Revette’s operations during the mining era, around 1898, to drive an Evans hydraulic elevator located in the vicinity of what is now the final resting place for the Bucyrus #4 Dredge. This “elevator” technology used water pressure to create a vacuum capable of bringing rock and gold from near the bedrock, approximately 35 feet below the stream level, to sluices located on the surface. In recent years, Summit County Open Space and Trails has worked with the Summit Historical Society, Town of Breckenridge, and others to protect the site of this historic Dredge. Last year the County, Town and the Colorado Youth Corps created two trails that access and provide overviews of this historic site. This trailhead is also extremely popular to access several trails located on the adjacent National Forest.

Both Summit County and the Town of Breckenridge Open Space programs have prioritized expanding and maintaining trails throughout the Upper Blue Basin to enhance the quality of life in and around Summit County. Within the Golden Horseshoe area alone, the Town and County jointly own over 3,000 acres. Summit County took the lead to acquire the property and easements needed to complete the Galena Ditch trail, including the 55 acre Ballarat Placer protected as open space in 2011. “Our partnership with the Town of Breckenridge continues to be a vital component of protecting open space and enhancing recreation opportunities in the Upper Blue Basin,” said Brian Lorch, Director of Summit County Open Space and Trails. “We appreciate the assistance of the Town in purchasing properties and coordinating the trail work necessary to make this great this new trail available to the public.”

Parking for the Galena Ditch trail is located near both ends of the new trail, at Tiger Townsite trailhead and at the Tiger Dredge Trailhead near Summit Gulch Road.

For more information, please contact Brian Lorch of the Summit County Open Space and Trails Department at (970) 668-4067 or via email at brianl@co.summit.co.us.