Paradise Divide

In 2007, 1% for Open Space granted the Trust for Public Land $50,000 to purchase and conserve 28 acres consisting of three different mining claims at Paradise Divide. Paradise Divide is located at the end of Slate River Road north of the town of Crested Butte. Nestled between Baldy Mountain, the Raggeds Wilderness and the start of the Ruby Range, the beauty of Paradise Divide is unparalleled. One of the mining claims also overlaps a small pond that drains into Yule Creek.

1% for Open Space felt strongly in supporting the Trust for Public Land in this endeavor. The preservation of these three claims prevents development in the area and adds to the 1,800 acres of preserved land in the High Elk Corridor. The uninterrupted viewshed that is preserved forever because of the purchase of these claims is also an important aspect of this project. When the land was purchased by the Trust for Public Land it was then handed over to the Forest Service for management and became part of the Gunnison National Forest as public lands for all to enjoy. There is even the added benefit of a continuous natural landscape providing the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory with ample opportunity for quality research. This project was made possible by The Trust for Public Land, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, some private donors and 1% for Open Space.