Yule Creek

In 2007, 1% for Open Space granted the Trust for Public Land $23,500 for the purchase of 28 acres of mining claims in Yule Creek. These mining claims are located on the eastern slope of the Yule Creek Valley below the peaks of Treasure Mountain and Whitehouse Mountain. These claims are visible from the trail that connects Paradise Basin to Marble. These mining claims also have a jeep road running through them allowing for access to the top of Treasure Mountain but also providing a concern for future development. When the contract for the purchase of these claims by the Trust for Public Land went through, the land was added to the Gunnison National Forest for public access and protection by the Forest Service.

1% for Open Space only granted a portion of what was asked for for the purchase of the claims because the organization felt that the location of these claims did not impact our valley as much as some other projects in the High Elk Corridor. That being said protecting that area of Yule Creek was still important because of its role in the larger effort to protect 1,800 acres of the High Elk Corridor, a project that began in 2000 spearheaded by the Trust for Public Land. Preserving these 28 acres add to an uninterrupted landscape of open space.