| About Gunnison National Forest |
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| Augusta Mine Trail |
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Difficulty:
Moderate
Length:
8 Miles
Beginning Elevation:
9,240 Feet
Ending Elevation:
11,000 Feet
Elevation Gain:
1,760 Feet
Reservation:
No
From Crested Butte, Travel one mile north on Gothic Road. Turn on to Slate River Road and travel six miles northwest to Pittsburg. Then follow Poverty Gulch Road (four-wheel drive) to the Augusta Mine.
Location Information
The route to Augusta Mine follows an abandoned mining road four miles to the mine site. This is the Poverty Gulch Road, 734.2A. The road is not within wilderness boundaries, therefore it is open to mechanized and motorized vehicles.To reach the beginning of the trail turn off Slate River Road at Pittsburgh. Within a short distance you will have to cross the Slate River. Early in the summer season a four-wheel drive is necessary for this crossing. In the early fall and late summer most passenger cars can cross the river at this point. After crossing the Slate River follow Poverty Gulch Road in to the basin for about one and a half miles. In front of you will be a fork in the road. The right side of the fork is Poverty Gulch Road, which leads to the Augusta Mine. The left side of the fork is the Baxter Basin Road, which leads into Baxter Basin and to the Daisy Pass Trail. This is a good place to park you four-wheel drive vehicle. Early in the summer, a snow field will prevent passage passed this point. The Poverty Gulch Road deteriorates beyond this fork and four-wheel drives are not recommended. Cross the snowfield and continue following Poverty Gulch Road northward to the mine. This is a moderate day hike of eight miles round trip. The scenery in summer and fall is breathtaking. The wildflowers in Poverty Gulch are plentiful and especially beautiful when coupled with the views of the Slate River Valley. There is quite a lot of machinery near the abandoned mine opening. Water rushes out of the tunnel rusting the iron pieces in the streams path.
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