Climax, Colorado

Climax, Colorado
Town

Climax mine, 2005
Climax, Colorado

Location within the state of Colorado

Coordinates: 39°21′57″N 106°11′09″W / 39.36583°N 106.18583°W / 39.36583; -106.18583Coordinates: 39°21′57″N 106°11′09″W / 39.36583°N 106.18583°W / 39.36583; -106.18583
Country  United States
State  State of Colorado
County Lake County
Government
 • Type unincorporated community
Elevation 3,463 m (11,360 ft)
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
 • Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP Code (former) 80429[1]

Climax was an unincorporated mining village and a former U.S. Post Office located in Lake County, Colorado, United States.[2] Climax is known for its large molybdenum ore deposit. Climax is located along the Continental Divide at an elevation of about 11,360 feet (3465 meters). It was the highest human settlement in the United States, and it holds the record for having had the country's second highest Post Office and the highest railroad station. The residential houses were all transported to the West Park subdivision of Leadville, Colorado, before 1965, leaving only the mining buildings standing.

After a 17-year shutdown, the Climax mine has reopened and resumed shipment of molybdenum on May 10, 2012.

History

Climax's reason for being is its huge deposit of molybdenum ore. The Climax mine was the largest molybdenum mine in the world, and for many years it supplied three-fourths of the world's supply of the metal.[3] Over the years it evolved from "at times the largest underground mine in the world,"[4] into a pit mine.

The village of Climax is now considered to be a ghost town. The former Colorado & Southern Railway line from Leadville is now operated as a tourist line by Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad. The line stops at an overview of the Climax Molybdenum Mine and Fremont Pass. Climax is also a destination for automobile tourists, bicyclists, and photographers, but lacking commercial enterprise, the location is not well advertised.

Notable people

Climate

Climate data for Climax, Colorado (Elevation 11,300ft)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 50
(10)		 53
(12)		 57
(14)		 59
(15)		 71
(22)		 78
(26)		 85
(29)		 84
(29)		 82
(28)		 73
(23)		 60
(16)		 52
(11)		 85
(29)
Average high °F (°C) 24.7
(−4.1)		 26.8
(−2.9)		 32.0
(0)		 38.5
(3.6)		 47.5
(8.6)		 58.6
(14.8)		 64.9
(18.3)		 62.4
(16.9)		 56.2
(13.4)		 45.4
(7.4)		 32.7
(0.4)		 25.5
(−3.6)		 43.0
(6.1)
Average low °F (°C) 2.0
(−16.7)		 2.6
(−16.3)		 7.1
(−13.8)		 14.0
(−10)		 24.2
(−4.3)		 33.3
(0.7)		 38.9
(3.8)		 37.8
(3.2)		 31.2
(−0.4)		 21.4
(−5.9)		 10.1
(−12.2)		 3.2
(−16)		 18.8
(−7.3)
Record low °F (°C) −33
(−36)		 −32
(−36)		 −24
(−31)		 −20
(−29)		 −10
(−23)		 10
(−12)		 12
(−11)		 18
(−8)		 6
(−14)		 −9
(−23)		 −27
(−33)		 −33
(−36)		 −33
(−36)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.31
(58.7)		 2.09
(53.1)		 2.46
(62.5)		 2.63
(66.8)		 2.03
(51.6)		 1.30
(33)		 2.37
(60.2)		 2.40
(61)		 1.56
(39.6)		 1.47
(37.3)		 1.90
(48.3)		 2.20
(55.9)		 24.71
(627.6)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 40.4
(102.6)		 37.6
(95.5)		 41.2
(104.6)		 40.3
(102.4)		 20.1
(51.1)		 4.9
(12.4)		 0.3
(0.8)		 0.2
(0.5)		 5.7
(14.5)		 18.7
(47.5)		 32.2
(81.8)		 38.8
(98.6)		 282.3
(717)
Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[6]

Gallery

References

Further reading

  • Paul B. Coffman (1937). "The Rise of a New Metal: The Growth and Success of the Climax Molybdenum Company". The Journal of Business of the University of Chicago 10 (1): 30–45. doi:10.1086/232443. JSTOR 2349563. 
  • Voynick, Steve (2004). "Climax, Two Decades Later". Colorado Central Magazine 125: 16. 
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