The dredge is co-owned by Jane Haigh, of Soldotna, who bought it to try and preserve this 70-year-old, 300-foot piece of gold mining history.

3, outside of Fairbanks, is seen before being scorched in a fire in August 2013. The Snowstorm Dredge and Placer represent an important part of the mining history in Park County, Colorado.Photos courtesy of Jane Haigh.

A descendant of the Ballenger family, former owner of the Timberline Dredging Company, was located and he provided several photos. The research involved using the Fairplay Flume and Alma Bulletin newspapers and making many trips to the libraries at Colorado School of Mines, USGS in the Federal Center in Lakewood, Denver and Colorado Historical Society. designated the dredge as one of the Endangered Places. The research was used in their Historic Structure Assessment. In 1999 Jackie Powell, historic planner, and Gary Higgins, historic architect, asked me if I would be interested in researching the history of the Snowstorm Dredge. It has since remained idle due to the cost of gold recovery although it is now owned by a gravel operation. In 1975 to 1976, the dredge was leased again and after being renewed, was operated as a stationery plant. During 19, it was again in operation it was actively worked for a total of 16 months. The dredge was closed in September of 1942 due to WWII but resumed operations in May of 1946 for that month only. Gibson in 1870, making it an historic mining site in Park County. The placer itself was located by James W. The boat weighs 483 tons and is approximately 50 feet wide and 86 feet long. It is therefore known as a floating gold washing machine. Installed at the Snowstorm Placer in 1941, it was fed by a dragline crane as opposed to a bucket line. The structure was built specifically for the Timberline Dredging Company and was constructed by the Bodison Manufacturing Company in San Francisco. Built in San Francisco from 1930 through 1941, it remains the last intact dragline dredge in Colorado. The historic Snowstorm Dredge is located on private property on the north side of Colorado State Highway 9, between the towns of Alma and Fairplay.

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