Our Vision #25: Pika Research

Research being done in the Great Basin of California and Nevada indicates that mine tailings are an ideal environment for pikas, sustaining these small creatures when other habitats at similar altitudes and climates cannot.  The opportunity to study this phenomenon in a controlled environment could be a valuable function for the piles of waste rock at the Ute Ulay and an opportunity to better understand an indicator species.  

The World's Largest Pika

Our Vision #22: Ice Rink and Expanded Ice Climbing

n - ice!

There are several opportunities for winter recreation on the site of the Ute Ulay.  Capitalizing on the ice climb that is already in use just below the dam on Henson Creek could make it a site of particular interest to experienced climbers.  Another possibility is the installation of a low maintenance ice-skating rink in the tailings pond after remediation.  Winter sports could help to expand the season of the hostel, drawing both locals and non-locals alike.

Our Vision #20: Tailings Pile

The largest mine tailings pile at the Ute-Ulay mill site has been estimated at 4,000 cubic yards in volume. Nearly a century ago, the pile was considerably larger. The pile may contain metals and other poisons that are lifting into the air, creating dust, and entering storm-water runoff. Sealing the tailings is the only practical way to reduce leaching and the threat of respiratory illness in visitors. We suggest using a powerful polymer emulsion that will retain the form of the pile. The sealant will bond the surface dust and aggregate together and "cement" it to the base to create a hard, dust-free, water-resistant, and resilient surface. This remediation technique will essentially freeze the tailings pile in time, establishing a memorial-like feature, a tribute to the work that took place at the site.

A monument to hard work

Our Vision #17: Mill and Assayer’s Cabin

The unique and remarkably intact mill building could become the central historic attraction of the Ute Ulay site, as well as another source of revenue.  There may be potential for a partnership with the Hard Tack Mine, and with miner Matt Ingram, who could give tours or record an audio guide.  

Mill Building with Walkway Superstructure

Building walkways around and through the mill would solve the problem of a costly indoor restoration, allowing visitors to view the complex machinery and imagine the milling process. A sound artist could be invited to repurpose some of the machinery as kinetic sculptures, giving visitors a sense of the industrial cacophony inside a working ore mill.

The assayer’s office next to the mill might be reused as a workspace for a resident artist or writer or building administrator.

Our Vision #15: Trails

Interpretive trails are found in many parks, historical sites, and open-air museums. Designs range from simple signage to highly integrated benches, pavers, and design elements that display or provide information. At the Ute Ulay, a variety of options exist for self-guided tours. 

old flume path trail

One area that particularly stands out is the path of the old flume that transported tailings from the mill to a field west of the site. Cut into the hillside at a gentle slope, this is an ideal spot to situate an interpretive trail, leading casual walkers away from the Ute Ulay to a Bureau of Land Management reclamation site. The educational content found around the trails should employ natural materials as well as local poetry and anecdotes.

Our Vision #4: Bioremediation

Bioremediation Research Center

Phyto- or green remediation looks to nature to help clean up contaminated soils. It is cheaper and of lower impact than more traditional remediation methods. In particular, phytoremediation uses plants to draw heavy metals out of the soil.  Although this process has not been scientifically proven to treat lead contamination, there are scientists who think it might be possible.  A cheap and quick-to-construct hoop house on top of a small area of lead-heavy tailings could serve as a research center for phytoremediation techniques.

Our Vision #2: Ground Stabilization and Grading

Ground stabilization and grading is key to both the town site and the mill site. Grading should facilitate walkways to all elements of the site. The layout and overall planning of the site should be considered before work commences. As much as possible the site should be fully accessible.

We strongly recommend that retaining walls are made with gabion walls instead of concrete or engineered block. Gabions should use on-site waste rock material. The rock may be sorted for color and size and placed in layers that reference site geology. An artist could be engaged to design the stratified gabions.

ground stabilization and grading

Thoughtfully expanded parking is a necessary part of a future vision for the Ute Ulay.  There are a few possible parking sites that are minimally visible from the road and will not significantly change a visitor’s first experience of the site.  Relative invisibility, as well as safety and convenience, is a priority.

expanded parking