“Soon the damsels began to arrive, some on burros and some on foot. The music was provided by a fiddle and a banjo, and the ball opened with the ‘San Juan Polka’ which resembled a Sioux War dance.... Soon the ironclads of the miners began to raise the dust of the floor so that before long it was impossible to tell what was what.... Ground hog was the chief dish at the late supper which also served big ox, gravy, bacon, coffee, tea, and a large variety of pies and cakes. After this light repast the dance was resumed till morning.” * * * And so, farewell, for the present. Let us hope that in the years to come both humans and nature will be kind to the high-country towns so that we may all continue to enjoy these reminders of a way of life that is now completely lost—a way of life that was the mainstay of Colorado for over half a century and is now only a mountain ghost. [Illustration] _Acknowledgments_ (reprinted from the first through seventh edition) For Research Aid: As in all of my historical work, I want to thank the alert and unusual staff of the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library—Alys Freeze, Opal Harber, Katherine Hawkins, Mary Hanley and James Davis—who have been known to find needles in haystacks. At the Colorado State Museum, Agnes Wright Spring and Laura Ekstrom are always generous; as is Lorena Jones at _The Denver Post_. The Lake City area was made informative and hospitable by the Joel Swanks and the Lowell Swansons. Hahns Peak research was aided by Maurice Leckenby of Steamboat Springs and Herman Mahler; North Empire, by Louise Harrison, “Wise” and Tulley Nelson and Mac Poor; Turret, by Steve Frazee; Bonanza by Mrs. Olle Olson; Lenado, by Jack Flogaus and his son; Lulu City, by Carolyn and John Holzwarth; St. Elmo, by Jody Grieb and Marie Skagsberg; Stumptown by S. L. Logue; Ashcroft, by the Stuart Maces; Pandora, by Fran Johnson and John Wise; and the Wet Mountain Valley towns by the Pierpont Fullers. For Proofreading: Mrs. Bryant McFadden and Beatrice Jordan have kindly helped with the search for typographical errors and have made suggestions about style. For Photographs: We, Dan Peterson and I, are especially indebted to Jim Davis of the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library, and Lorena Jones of _The Denver Post_ for running down historic photos of our special ghost towns. When Dan Peterson was unable to go personally for contemporary shots, numerous other friends helped with picture-taking or with transportation for research.