The Wellington Ore Bin was stabilized by Breckenridge History in 2016 by rebuilding the roof, installing siding, and placing historic windows in the original openings.  The new roof was treated to rust as it would have historically and protects this French Gulch icon from rain and snow damage.

The ore bin is a 5-level building whose function is well described on page 6 of the 2008 Extenuate Mine Site survey. Ore was received on the top level where mine cars arrived on rails. The ore was shoveled into chutes on the fifth floor and passed through grizzlies on the fourth floor which allowed smaller ore to collect in the ore bins on the south side of the building.

Ore that didn’t pass through the grizzlies was manually sorted on the fourth floor with low grade ore being shoveled into ore bins on the north side of the third floor. On the second floor, a 1909 electric train would be loaded by dumping the north ore bins through chutes for transfer to the Wellington Mill. On the first floor, the south side ore bins could be dumped into wagons or trucks for transfer. One unusual feature of the site is that furnaces in a separate building on the east side were ducted into the ore bin to keep the ore from freezing and warm workers during the cold winter months.

In addition to views from the Hikers Gold trail, there are excellent views from both the X10U8 trail and from atop the dredge tailings pile across the road.  The latter can be safely accessed from the B&B Trailhead by taking the B&B Spur Trail on the left of the Keystone Drill exhibit and passing around the right (south) side of the tailings.

As before, some pictures from previous hikes have been included to show what colors may be coming in the next week or two.

The most basic version of this hike is a short loop that begins and ends on the north side of the road across from the B&B Trailhead parking. After crossing the road bear left on the Hikers Gold trail  which is a series of switchbacks rising through an aspen grove on the west side of the ore bin. From the trail you can easily see the ore chutes on the first level as well as the electric train track’s path that terminated under the second level’s ore chutes. Continuing up, you’ll be able to see the location where mine carts would cross from the tailings dump over to the fifth floor of the ore bin.

If time is short, you could return back to your starting point after just 150 feet of elevation gain. But if you continue on the short loop, continue hiking up and turn right on the Sidedoor trail. The tailings dump here at the beginning of the Sidedoor trail gives an excellent view of French Gulch and the dredge piles that extend eastward towards the Reiling Dredge itself.

Continuing along the Sidedoor trail, you’ll come to a spot where the Minnie Mine trail extends straight ahead on the level OR drops down and to the right. For the short loop, take the right fork and follow the tail down to where the X10U8 trail crosses. Turn right onto the X10U8 trail and you’ll return to your starting point. At the bottom of the trail, you’ll be rewarded by a view of the SE corner of the Wellington Ore Bin that isn’t obstructed by power lines.