Dear Editor,

I was directed to your recent article about Russell Gulch cemetery by friends after our recent visit on April 30th. We have been visiting this beautiful cemetery for years. It has long been a stop on many of our motorcycle trips.

The road to the cemetery entrance rarely seems as though it has been maintained and most times we have ventured there we’ve been greeted by road damage and/or a large puddle that stretches across the road just before the cemetery. That particular Saturday we were not deterred by the traffic cones that had been placed in the road assuming it was to alert drivers/riders to the damage/ water which generally exists there.

The 14 (not 25) of us parked in a line adjacent to the cemetery entrance. While several of us were paying our respects to cemetery residents, we heard shouting coming from the direction of the road. Apparently a man shouted aggressively at two of the women in our group telling them we were trespassing. We quickly got back to the bikes and put on our gear, but frankly we were quite confused and the ladies were concerned about our safety.

As I said, this has been a common spot for motorcyclists to take a break and view the elaborate headstones. For many years Russell Gulch Cemetery has been one of the highlights of our club’s annual historic graveyard tours in which people learn about the rich history of the cemetery and the ongoing effort to preserve it. The history of its residents, the backstory about the Woodmen of the World, the archeological surveys intended to locate unmarked graves, etc. all lend to making these trips educational as well as fun for many people who would otherwise likely be unaware.

Though we were saddened to learn that visits to this wonderful historic location may be limited in the future, we are heartened to hear that the graveyard may be a Gilpin County landmark as it is fully worthy of such an accolade!

Thank you,

Pamela Wyatt

Peak to Peak

P.S. Not only were we NOT responsible for the debris residents found, we actively pick up and take away any detritus we find there each time we visit, and, for what it’s worth, we also had no part in the scavenger hunt mentioned.