Abandoned Mines Have Been Polluting Colorado’s Rivers for 150 Years . . . And They Still Are

<p>Climb toward the heights of Colorado&rsquo;s Kokomo Pass, some 20 miles northeast of Leadville and 12,000 feet above the sea, and you&rsquo;ll be treated to spectacular views. The Sawatch Mountains sail in the distance, snow-capped and picturesque. The Collegiate Peaks rise beyond the depths of the Arkansas River Valley, and to the south, the Sangre de Cristos undulate and fade to faint blue contours in the distant sky. Nearer slopes are smothered by tundra and thickets of lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir. Meadows bloom with wildflowers &mdash; mountain bluebells, alpine daisies, blue columbines, golden asters, and arctic gentians, among others. The landscape is stunningly beautiful and seemingly pristine.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@quentinsepter/abandoned-mines-have-been-polluting-colorados-rivers-for-150-years-and-they-still-are-c3e306c40193"><strong>Click Here</strong></a></p>