Paige's Week in Geological Time

Paige's geology adventures continue apace. Last Sunday, she visited the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and spent some time at the gems and minerals exhibition. Last Monday and Wednesday, she had geology classes (lecture and lab). Last Tuesday, we went up to the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum in Golden. We didn't walk the Bob Weimer Geology Trail associated with the museum because of the heat, but we need to fit that in to see the dinosaur tracks, etc. And today, we went up to the Victor Gem and Mineral Show in the adorable mountain town of Victor (population 409) on the southwest side of Pikes Peak.

Victor, a former gold rush town, is a bit deserted these days. It was founded after Winfield Scott Stratton discovered gold near what is now the town on July 4, 1891. At one point, Victor had a population of 18,000 people and was, together with nearby Cripple Creek, the second biggest gold mining district in the country. Gradually the mines became worked out, and the cost of gold declined relative to the cost of mining it. There is still gold in the area. One of the vendors at the show showed us some gold ore that he recently found while walking near Cripple Creek.

Paige's spoils from the Victor Gem & Mineral Show

Paige returned with a malachite clock, two pieces of petrified wood (the one on the left is Blue Forest petrified wood and is 58 million years old; the one on the right is between 280 and 320 mllion years old), a pendant and a cabochon. The latter two contain azurite, malachite, and chrysocolla.

She liked, but did not buy (it cost $800), a piece of Blue Bird Gem Silica, which looked something like this:



We lunched at the Gold Camp Bakery on 3rd Street, which offered delicious pastries, soup, salads, and various pies, and we looked at a couple of antique stores.

We need to go back to Victor with Craig. He would love the beautiful 90-minute drive through the mountains and forests, and I think my train aficionado would very much enjoy a ride on the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad. We also need to visit the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum. One can go out the back and pan for gold.

Further adventures await ...