"OURAY, COLORADO" Ouray by JeanCooke

http://www.destinationcoupons.com/Colorado/Ouray/bachelor_syracuse.html

Swallowed by darkness, our mine train rattled 3500 feet into the sandstone Bachelor-Syracuse Mine. Dark black streaks along the walls are silver ore. Disembarking deep in the mine with only miner’s candlelight, we learned the art of jacking, double jacking and water drilling in near darkness. Miners work in pairs taking turns holding a steel spike while the other heaves a heavy mall, the double jack. Deaf during hammering, miners use sign language by covering the glowing spike for “STOP”. When not paying attention the hitter hits the holders’ hand causing broken bones and payback.

Cornish immigrant miners had difficult names and accents so everyone was called “Jack.” That’s how the term “jack” and “double-jack” came along. After mastering all mine positions, you were a “jack-of-all-trades.”

labor intensive panning technique

One-hour mine tour costs $14.95, but for $20 we also got gold panning lessons. Gold panning technique proved rather simple but tedious for little reward. Scoop a shovel full of mud and rocks, swirl a pan full of water tipping mud out over the pans’ ridges. Continue until all particles of mud are gone while heavy gold settles to the bottom. Carefully look for tiny shiny particles of gold. I needed a magnifying glass.

Since this is a silver mine, the muddy creek was "salted" with gold.

• In a nutshell:Southwestern Colorado is as wild as the Old West and as tame as Telluride boutiques. Colorado offers the great outdoors in spades, mixed with history, stagecoach rides, arts and festivals. With the Internet, planning a trip is up to your imagination