Protecting Why You Love It Here

Since 1977

  • HCCA Hike Season is Back!

    Celebrate Public Lands by hiking with HCCA!

    Reserve your spot on the trail today.

  • 47 Years of Advocacy!

    A selection to celebrate - view HCCA’s timeline of accomplishments in the Gunnison Valley and revel in the success.

    HCCA Timeline of Accomplishments

  • Red Lady Summit 1981

    View HCCA's 2024 Summer Newsletter.

  • The Administrative Mineral Withdrawal for Thompson Divide and Red Lady is approved!

    On April 4, 2024 Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland approved the Thompson Divide administrative mineral withdrawal. We’re thrilled to announce that this protection will remove the lands surrounding Mt. Emmons from new mining claims for 20 years. Protecting over 221,000 acres from hard rock mining and oil gas leasing.

    Read the story here.

Areas of Work

Red Lady

Red Lady rises from the western edge of Crested Butte’s scenic National Historic District and is a favorite of skiers, sportsmen, and recreationists. In the course of 44 years, Red Lady has been the target of three mining proposals that HCCA successfully led the community’s fight to defeat.

Public Lands

Since fighting a planned timber sale on Kebler Pass in the early 1980s, HCCA’s Public Lands Program has been protecting threatened landscapes, preventing harms to important ecosystems, and promoting sustainable enjoyment of the diverse public lands of the Gunnison Country.

Water

HCCA’s Water Program aims to enhance the health of stream and riparian ecosystems by protecting healthy instream flows, improving water efficiency and conservation through local partnerships, and by using the best science available to collaborate with water resource managers about water management planning.

Stewardship

HCCA’s Stewardship Program worked collaboratively with land management agencies and community organizations to address climate resiliency through the coordination of on-the-ground stewardship projects. These past volunteer-driven projects connect and educate the local community through restoring the health and ecological resiliency of our shared public lands.

 

47 Years of Advocacy in the Gunnison Valley! View HCCA’s timeline of accomplishments, and revel in the success.

Gunnison Sage Grouse is one of many works found within the Contemporary Icons of Threatened and Endangered Species series.

Please give to High Country Conservation Advocates and support environmental conservation on public lands in Gunnison County, Colorado.

News

News
Advocacy Director, Jon Hare, dives into the Red Lady package and its protections for public lands.
Red Lady, Public Lands
Red Lady, Public Lands
Advocacy Director, Jon Hare, dives into the Red Lady package and its protections for public lands.
Red Lady, Public Lands
Red Lady, Public Lands

This is definitely a great reason for all of us who love public lands to celebrate, yet at High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) we are focused on the next project in the Gunnison basin that is several years in formulation and moving toward completion in 2024. Right now, at our doorstep, the Mt. Emmons Land Exchange is the best chance this community has ever had to save the mountain known as Red Lady and the best opportunity to protect Gunnison Country from the impacts of a large-scale industrial mining operation.

Read More →
Red Lady, Public Lands
Red Lady, Public Lands
the Mt. Emmons and Thompson Divide Mineral Withdrawal is approved - Protecting Over 221,000 Acres from Hardrock Mining and Oil and Gas Leasing 
Red Lady
Red Lady, Public Lands
the Mt. Emmons and Thompson Divide Mineral Withdrawal is approved - Protecting Over 221,000 Acres from Hardrock Mining and Oil and Gas Leasing 
Red Lady
Red Lady, Public Lands

April 3, 2024 - Today, Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland took action to protect the Mt. Emmons and Thompson Divide area from new mining claims and oil and gas leasing. President Biden first announced the intent to protect this area at the designation of the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument in October of 2022.

Read More →
Red Lady
Red Lady, Public Lands
Update on Red Lady and Thompson Divide
Red Lady
Red Lady
Update on Red Lady and Thompson Divide
Red Lady
Red Lady

As the fight to protect the Red Lady continues, Colorado U.S. Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper provided tremendous support as they urge the department to move quickly to initate protections.

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Red Lady
Red Lady
A Message From Red Lady #45
Red Lady
Red Lady
A Message From Red Lady #45
Red Lady
Red Lady

Red Lady #45 Gears Up for the Grand Traverse

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Red Lady
Red Lady
Read HCCA’s comments in support for the Thompson Divide and Mt. Emmons Mineral Withdrawal
Red Lady
Red Lady
Read HCCA’s comments in support for the Thompson Divide and Mt. Emmons Mineral Withdrawal
Red Lady
Red Lady

HCCA’s comments to the BLM in support for the Thompson Divide and Mt. Emmons Mineral Withdrawal

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Red Lady
Red Lady
High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) Welcomes Draft Conservation Easement Language that Will Prohibit Mining and Development on Red Lady
Red Lady
High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) Welcomes Draft Conservation Easement Language that Will Prohibit Mining and Development on Red Lady
Red Lady

Mt. Emmons Mining Company (MEMC) and the Crested Butte Land Trust have agreed to draft conservation easement language that would prohibit mining and development on MEMC’s currently held private lands and lands proposed as part of the Mt. Emmons Land Exchange. This development is a critical part of the pathway outlined by the local community to end the threat of mining on Mt. Emmons (Red Lady). Once the land exchange agreement with the United States Forest Service (USFS) is finalized, the proposed easement and extinguishment agreements will be executed

Read More →
Red Lady
45th Annual Red Lady Salvation Ball
Red Lady, Events
45th Annual Red Lady Salvation Ball
Red Lady, Events

For 44 years, the Red Lady Ball has brought together our community to not only celebrate another year of keeping Mount Emmons mine-free, but also to raise funds to sustain HCCA’s Red Lady defense fund until the threat of mining on Red Lady is gone forever.

This year’s Ball will commence at 6:00 p.m., featuring a happy hour with complementary appetizers, cocktail specials. At 7:30p.m., Floodgate Operators take center stage. And don’t forget the Red Lady coronation and the legendary raffle, which will take place around 8:30 p.m.

Read More →
Red Lady, Events
Paul Andersen and Julie Nania Discuss Red Lady at Public Policy Forum
Red Lady, Events
Paul Andersen and Julie Nania Discuss Red Lady at Public Policy Forum
Red Lady, Events

It’s taken a village and decades of advocates to prevent the mining of Red Lady over the years. Two weeks ago HCCA had the privilege of fielding questions alongside Paul Andersen, one of the folks that reported on and participated in advocacy against AMAX’s push to develop a mine in decades past.

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Red Lady, Events
Red Lady Ball Recap!
Red Lady, Events
Red Lady Ball Recap!
Red Lady, Events

High Country Conservation Advocates would like to thank everyone for supporting the 44th annual Red Lady Salvation Ball. We had to wait just a little longer this year, but thanks to the hard work and generous donations from so many of you, this year’s Ball was a huge success for all the right reasons. We soaked in the summer sunshine, danced to fabulous local music, supported the work to protect Red Lady/Mt. Emmons, and of course, we crowned our newest Red Lady—Audrey Anderson!

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Red Lady, Events
Path Cleared to Eliminate Mining at Red Lady
Red Lady
Red Lady, Public Lands, Mining
Path Cleared to Eliminate Mining at Red Lady
Red Lady
Red Lady, Public Lands, Mining

High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) is excited to announce another positive development in our community’s four decade-plus battle to save Mount Emmons (Red Lady) from a destructive molybdenum mine. This week the Town of Crested Butte, Gunnison County, and the Mount Emmons Mining Company (MEMC) agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that plots the path forward to end the threat of mining on Red Lady.

Read More →
Red Lady
Red Lady, Public Lands, Mining
44th Annual Red Lady Salvation Ball
Red Lady, Events
44th Annual Red Lady Salvation Ball
Red Lady, Events

For 44 years, the Red Lady Ball has brought together our community to not only celebrate another year of keeping Mount Emmons mine-free, but also to raise funds to sustain HCCA’s Red Lady defense fund until the threat of mining on Red Lady is gone forever.

This year’s Ball will commence at 6:00 p.m., featuring a happy hour with complementary appetizers, cocktail specials. At 7:30p.m., Floodgate Operators take center stage. And don’t forget the Red Lady coronation and the legendary raffle, which will take place around 8:30 p.m.

Read More →
Red Lady, Events
HCCA on KBUT
Radio, Water, Red Lady
HCCA on KBUT
Radio, Water, Red Lady

Please take a moment to listen to this great interview from KBUT with our Water Program Director, Julie Nania, and Board President, Sue Navy.

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Radio, Water, Red Lady
Land Exchange and Mineral Withdrawal Proposed for Mount Emmons
Red Lady
Land Exchange and Mineral Withdrawal Proposed for Mount Emmons
Red Lady

Mt. Emmons Mining Company (MEMC), the owner of mine claims on Mt. Emmons, a prominent peak rising above the Town of Crested Butte and known locally as Red Lady, has initiated a federal review process for a land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service on properties in the Gunnison National Forest.

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Red Lady