We came across this mill while driving through a mountain pass near Silverton, CO. It's got a lot of different floors with machinery flowing between them, I think so that ore could be processed falling from one device to the next driven by gravity. It felt sort of like what I imagine it'd be like to walk around inside a clock!


Sound Democrat Stamp Mill by Alexander Burden, on Flickr

SD #2

Ripple Tables

Control Room

SD #5

SD #6

Very cool. I love how you captured the hills in the background in the second to last shot- it really shows how remote it is.

That first shot is superb. Beautiful atmospherics. Great place all around!

Those golden sunlit mountains are just lovely! I think your description of this place being kind of like walking around in a clock looks pretty accurate. Good Job on these!

Pictures 2 and 4 are my favorite. I'm fascinated with old machinery like this. Good find!

Your photos make me really want to check out CO! Cant wait for more of your work.

Really nice shots! I was there in spring a few years ago and it was a bitch of a hike with the creeks swollen and roads muddy. You got there at just the right time.

Posted by Aran Very cool. I love how you captured the hills in the background in the second to last shot- it really shows how remote it is.

Thanks! It's hard to describe how far away it felt from everything- the whole valley was deserted, and it took ~2.5 hours of driving up a mountain pass from the closest town (which is also pretty remote - pop. 600 - but is the biggest town in the county, which is also pretty remote). Feels like a different planet!

Posted by Baldran That first shot is superb. Beautiful atmospherics. Great place all around!

Thanks !

Posted by MisUnderstood! Those golden sunlit mountains are just lovely! I think your description of this place being kind of like walking around in a clock looks pretty accurate. Good Job on these!

Many thanks!

Posted by Dan Lee Pictures 2 and 4 are my favorite. I'm fascinated with old machinery like this. Good find!

Thanks! I also love older machinery like this- it can be hard to find at times but it always shows up in unexpected places!

Posted by Korrin99 Your photos make me really want to check out CO! Cant wait for more of your work.

If you ever get a chance, DEFINITELY check out CO! These don't even scratch the surface of just how many awesome old mines(and beautiful places!) there are in the state. Many thanks, I'll keep em' coming!

Posted by Glass Really nice shots! I was there in spring a few years ago and it was a bitch of a hike with the creeks swollen and roads muddy. You got there at just the right time.

Once the spring rains show up in Colorado it seems to get totally impossible to hike or drive to a lot of places! Definitely happy that we dodged them this time.

I love old stamp mills. So large and primitive. The old miners were pretty smart about letting gravity do a lot of the work. Almost every mill that you find will be on multiple levels for exactly that reason.

Super cool photos! Thanks for sharing.

Abby Normal