Name: High Country Conservation Advocates
Address: 716 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, United States
Telephone: (970) 349-7104
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

Gunnison Valley’s Environmental Leader

High Country Conservation Advocates is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to protecting the health, integrity, and beauty of the public lands, waters, adn wildlife of Colorado’s Gunnison Country.

High Country Conservation Advocates was founded in 1977—as High Country Citizens’ Alliance—to protect Gunnison County, Colorado from a proposed molybdenum mine on Mt. Emmons. Known locally as “Red Lady,” Mt. Emmons rises directly above the Town of Crested Butte’s historic district. Since then, HCCA has successfully led the community in keeping Mt. Emmons mine-free and is now working with the local partners such as the Town of Crested Butte, Gunnison County, the current owner of the mine properties, and state and federal agencies to take advantage of an opportunity to secure permanent protection for Mt. Emmons.

Realizing that environmental threats go well beyond mining, HCCA developed public lands and water programs to protect these precious resources, upon which our local economy depends. As an outgrowth of this work, we have become Gunnison County’s environmental leader, protecting public lands, water, and wildlife in an area that covers more than 3,500 square miles–Gunnison County alone is comprised of over 80% public land and the Gunnison River is the 5th largest tributary to the Colorado River.

We are an advocacy organization that collaborates with local stakeholders and policymakers, applies sound science, educates, and upholds the environmental integrity of our community. We recognize that environmental sustainability is the key to a healthy economy.

We advocate for protection along the high alpine tundra of the Raggeds Wilderness and Collegiates, past the steep cliffs of the Black Canyon, from the North Fork of the Gunnison River’s rolling scrub oak hills and aspen groves, to the rushing waters of the Lake Fork. Our work ensures these iconic public lands and waters will be healthy for generations to come.

We have recently secured permanent protections on Mt. Emmons, officially designating Red Lady forever mine-free! Please change the last sentence in the second paragraph to “On August 29, 2024 a Mineral Extinguishment Agreement was finalized between the local community and the Mount Emmons Mining Company (MEMC). In addition, MEMC also signed Conservation Easements to prohibit industrial or residential development on Mt. Emmons. So, now after 47 years of dedication to the protection of our valley’s most beloved mountain, we can finally celebrate a forever mine-free Red Lady!”

High Country Conservation Advocates is a 501c3 non-profit EIN# 84-0772688

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High Country Conservation Advocates

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