Compromise Mine, Aspen Colorado

Aspen, Colorado has deep roots into the mining world – before it became the Beverly Hills of the Rockies and a world class ski resort – miners picked and poked their way into the surrounding mountains looking for the ultimate retirement plan. All it took was one big nugget of silver and you were set for life. Even though the silver boom is over a century long gone, the Roaring Fork River Valley is still rich in its history and you can still get a glimpse of how things used to be by touring one of the local mines.

The Compromise Mine is where it all began. As prospectors crossed the pass from Leadville in the late 1800s, it was the discovery of silver in the Compromise Mine that led to Aspen's silver mining boom. The mine stretches 2,000 feet into the depths of Aspen Mountain. During July and August you can hop into an 18-guage-tour car and let an electric locomotive pull you through a day in the life of a hard rock miner. Children under the age of five are not allowed.

The Smuggler Mine, which once produced a silver nugget the size of an African elephant, is one of the few silver mines still pumping out ore. It was in this mine in 1894 that the largest silver nugget in the world weighing 2,054-pounds more than 93 percent pure silver was discovered. Smuggler Mine is just up the road from Compromise Mine. Here you can opt for a one or two hour walking tour spanning the mine's two levels.