The San Juan Mountains are a rugged mountain range running through southwestern Colorado. The San Juans were important in the early
gold and silver industries of the state, though the last major mining operation in the range closed late in the 20th century. Due to the
steepness of these mountains, only Telluride has made the transition from an old mining town to a modern ski resort. The San Juan and
Uncompahgre National Forests cover a good deal of the range.
