Mark Hanson: Taryall Gold Rush

In the shadow of the Continental Divide and hidden from the public eye for decades, Tarryall Valley showcases Colorado’s first stampede from her front range during the gold rush of 1859. Exhibiting a lush time capsule of that lucrative gold strike, the valley has over the past ten years been the focus of Mark Hanson’s camera and historical research. His field exploration covers a tight peak-to-valley grid, encompassing the mining district’s 18 square miles from Como, Colorado to the Continental Divide and Boreas Pass. Mark documents a century-long quest for Tarryall’s elusive mother lode and the rich golden bounty found amongst her glacially-bulldozed placers. Here are sheltered more than 150 teetering cabins, over 850 prospect pits and mines, 20 miles of flumes and ditches, five remaining mill sites, bygone blacksmith shops, and the hopes and dreams of thousands of prospectors. Tarryall held the finest gold in the state, and in today’s dollars, well over $300,000,000 was doggedly harvested across a span of 120 years.

Through the eyes of a present-day resident and claim-holding geologist, peer into the pans of early prospectors and open anxious telegrams from international financiers. Meet five miners whose detailed biographies illustrate a diverse parade of explorers from gold farmers to silver magnates. From German immigrants, to Civil War veterans, to the money launderers of Tammany Hall, these characters typify many of the nation’s 19th century gold rushes. Published early in 2025, “Tarryall Gold” represents a microcosm of hundreds of valleys across the west. Exhibiting over 220 stunning photos, maps, letters, and telegrams, this book documents Tarryall’s mining lore amidst heavily forested hillsides and deep gulches of yesterday and today. Throughout, a fascinating picture emerges of the men, the conflicts, the fortunes and the disappointments which birthed a state and built the west.

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