Old moonshine camp in the rockies

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The Butchers Apron
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Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

An elderly woman who's property borders mine just recently told my that moonshine and whiskey was being made about a mile and a half from my house. She said they'd been making it at that location up until 1950. Of course this aroused my curiosity so the following day I set out on a short hike to find the remains of an old moonshine camp. It's funny, because I've walked within 100 yards of this spot at least a hundred times.

Sure enough it appears to be the remains of a moonshine camp.
front view.JPG
water pipe.JPG
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storage.JPG
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Brutal
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Brutal »

What an interesting discovery! Thank you for sharing.
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The Butchers Apron
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

I was really skeptical since it was so close to where I hunt and fish, but it looks genuine. Wish I had more history to tell of it.

Cheers
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Bushman
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Bushman »

I think I see a pipe in the second picture but can you tell where there water source came from?
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FreeMountainHermit
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by FreeMountainHermit »

Very cool. Any copper remnants ?
Blah, blah, blah,........
The Butchers Apron
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

Yes, mate I can, the source is an underground spring. It's been dry in the front range for a couple weeks but the stream is still trickiling. Here's a pic. I had no idea piror to this morning. This stream is deadly during the snow melt and spring rains. It probably destroyed their camp many a season. This is in Florissant, colorado.
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Last edited by The Butchers Apron on Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Butchers Apron
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

It looks like they dammed it up during the dry season to feed their worm chiller. It is always flowing.
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

We do have a nice metal detector, we'll be sure to give her a run.
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Bushman
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Bushman »

rockchucker22 wrote:Be cool to metal detect the area, i imagine drunk shiners loosing coins, rings, pocket watches
And as a person that metal detects why didn't I think of that???
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

Alright, I'm heading out with the metal detector to see what I can unearth. Hopefully I'll find something interesting.
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by thecroweater »

yeah good luck, poor boys around here would pull up floorboards if they dropped a farthing (quarter of a cent) but ya might be lucky
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The Butchers Apron
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

I spent about an hour digging around with the metal detector. There is so much metal and copper about that the thing never shuts up. I think it will take several weeks to excavate the camp. I didn't unearth any treasures but I did manage to find these.
wsky1.JPG
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Bushman
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Bushman »

Would love to be there with my detector helping you! Keep the pictures coming.
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by MashMaker »

The Butchers Apron wrote:I spent about an hour digging around with the metal detector. There is so much metal and copper about that the thing never shuts up. I think it will take several weeks to excavate the camp. I didn't unearth any treasures but I did manage to find these.
wsky1.JPG
That's cool I love finding old sites like that to poke around in
The Butchers Apron
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

I'll definitely need some help. so if anyone's near Florissant, CO there's an open invitation to come out and dig around with me. I've got plenty of whisky, wine, beer, rum, and scotch for medicinal purposes and keeping morale up while excavating the moonshine camp, of course.

Cheers
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by MashMaker »

The Butchers Apron wrote:I'll definitely need some help. so if anyone's near Florissant, CO there's an open invitation to come out and dig around with me. I've got plenty of whisky, wine, beer, rum, and scotch for medicinal purposes and keeping morale up while excavating the moonshine camp, of course.

Cheers
Well that sounds like a blast but one problem Kansas is between us and my truck won't run in Kansas :roll:
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Braz »

MashMaker wrote:Well that sounds like a blast but one problem Kansas is between us and my truck won't run in Kansas :roll:
Truck must be a Democrat. :D
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by MashMaker »

Braz wrote:
MashMaker wrote:Well that sounds like a blast but one problem Kansas is between us and my truck won't run in Kansas :roll:
Truck must be a Democrat. :D
Nope.

More of a Jayhawker thing!!
Six generations raised in worst hit part of the order 11 burnt district still runs deep if you know what I mean.

Not so much literal but very much in spirit.:evil:
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Brutal
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Brutal »

As if this wasn't interesting enough!!! I'm a thousand miles from ya buddy so I can't help. I am enjoying the hell out of your journey though. Thanks again for sharing!
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Truckinbutch
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Truckinbutch »

I've got one hell of a fine treasure hunting buddy in Grand Junction . If you wold care to hook up with him shoot me a PM . He likes his drop , too .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
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The Butchers Apron
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by The Butchers Apron »

Thanks, I'll pm you.
Copper Thumper
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Copper Thumper »

Any more pictures?!! Very COOL!
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Halfbaked »

The Butchers Apron wrote:I was really skeptical since it was so close to where I hunt and fish, but it looks genuine. Wish I had more history to tell of it.

Cheers
Buddy I think the history started the day you found it..... Id start pulling the bad stuff out and replacing with good stuff and put your still in it. Looks like you got some water. If its not much maybe you need to fill and ICP or 2. Can't wait to hear your history.
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by Copper Thumper »

" WITH 100 POUNDS OF YEAST AND SOME COPPER LIIIIINNNNNNNEEEEEEEE....."
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WooTeck
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Re: Old moonshine camp in the rockies

Post by WooTeck »

thats a really cool looking place. it would be hard not to have at least one run out there
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