This is an excerpt from an essay written by Pat Noel about the explosion in the Dutch Creek No. 1 Mine in Coal Basin on April 15, 1981. The full essay can be found in the late Stan K. Badett’s book “Digging in the Dark,” a copy of which was recently brought into The Sopris […]
Coal Basin
Posted inColumns
Historiography: Tragedy at Coal Basin
On Highway 133, near Redstone, Colorado, a memorial plaque reads: This monument stands in tribute to the miners of Coal Basin, who confronted adversity and proved themselves resourceful, innovative and intrepid. We honor their achievements and their sacrifices, remembering in particular those brave, good men whose lives were lost in the mines … Placed with […]
Posted inNews
Coal Basin methane capture project awaits USFS approval
Though the coal mines in Redstone have sat unused for several decades, their impact on carbon emissions is far from over. Methane continues to steadily leak from the mines, and for the past four years, Aspen-based nonprofit Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) and Delta Brick & Climate Company have been preparing the solution. The […]
Posted inEducation
Redstone Historical Society fireside chats series seeks to ignite a passion for Crystal Valley history
“You cannot improve what is already perfect!” remarked Bill Jochems to a round of cheers and applause in the crowded parlor of the Redstone Inn. In the first of a new series of talks featuring longtime residents of Redstone, hosted by the Redstone Historical Society, Bill Jochems and Jeff Bier recounted tales of living in […]
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CVEPA Views: A conundrum, pure and simple
The news of the massive methane leaks emanating from the abandoned Coal Basin Mine above Redstone for years was shocking to many, but not to all. Anyone familiar with the Mid-Continent Coal and Coke (MCCC) mine knows that it was one of the most gaseous mines in the West.The horrific gas blast of April 15, […]
Posted inEnvironment
Weighing in on tons of methane at Coal Basin
The coal mining chapter of Redstone’s history has been closed for the past few decades, and although that sounds like good news for the fight against climate change, the abandoned Coal Basin mines are far from benign. Even though new rock isn’t being broken, these mines are still releasing copious quantities of methane into the […]
