You're mistaken if you think the word Officers refers to law enforcement or the military. Officer is the last name of an early-day Ten Mile Canyon resident who mined in this gulch. Officer and a Mr. Scott also owned a lumber mill in Frisco in 1885. A wooden tower with an ore tram once stood near the east side of the I-70 intersection, delivering ore from the Monroe Mine high above to the rail stop at Officers Gulch, and a cabin clung to the canyon's east wall at one time. Owned by Warren and Belford in 1897, ore from the Monroe was heavily iron sulfide, with gold and a small percentage of copper.
Just off Exit 198 on the east side of I-70 are the remains of an early labor camp. Stone huts, lived in during the late 19th century on a temporary basis by immigrant workers, mainly Italians completing railroad construction in Ten Mile Canyon, occupied this site. The architecture of these tiny structures is unique. Native stone was laid dry or mortared with packed earth to form the walls. Roofs were constructed of log and brush. The interiors were rough, with dirt floors and a hearth in one corner. At one time over 50 structures existed in the county, housing 100-300 laborers. Many dwellings were destroyed or altered in recent years due to increased development such as highway construction. The remains of four huts are visible, one with a fairly intact hearth.
A small, clean and picturesque lake with a tiny island at one end lies at the base of a mountain on the west side of I-70 at Officers Gulch. The lake is a popular fishing spot. A trail goes around the water, sometimes hugging the shore and sometimes meandering off in the trees. The decaying remains of a two-room cabin and lots of rusting cans lie above the lake. One wonders if James Officer ever called this cabin home.
It's a short and pleasant walk to the cabin, so if you want some exercise, follow these directions. Walk on the dirt path from the paved parking lot over a wooden bridge. Follow the path as it goes between two small rock outcrops. Soon the path divides. Take the right fork, which will lead you to a campfire area. Several yards past the first campfire, which is on your right, the trail divides again. The path on the right isn't as clearly delineated as the one on the left, but take it anyway and follow it to the cabin ruins on the right side of the trail.
Directions: Officer's Gulch is located about mid-way between the towns of Frisco and Copper Mountain. If beginning in Frisco, proceed west on interstate highway I - 70 for 2 - 3 miles to Exit 198. If beginning in Copper Mountain, proceed east on I - 70 for 2 - 3 miles to Exit 198.