Soaring into the sky like a comet, this high-country sculpture honors an exuberant mountain man. Tell us who he was, and the location of the artwork in this photo by Denver Newspaper Agency state circulation manager Rick Charbonneau. Send your response via e-mail to ColoradoSunday @denverpost.com. Include a digital photo of yourself, and remember to include your hometown in the message. Our favorite anecdotal answer wins a $50 gas card.
The winner: Ernie P. Rivera, Denver: The marble statue by Greg Tonozzi is symbolic of “Double Jacking” and chronicles “Mining: The pulse of civilization.” I have a son who lives in Leadville, and my brother Ben worked at the Climax Mine, underground, until it closed. Attached is a picture of a mine I dug in my backyard as a small memento to my brother, friends and all who gave everything in order for us to have something. My “eprivera.mine” is nonworking and occupied by gnomes supplied by my nine grandchildren.
Keith Bouma, Leadville: I worked in the Leadville hospital and took care of some of the old miners this statue is dedicated to, in front of the old high school. One of them told me how he used to walk slowly to school so that he could have three smokes on the way, instead of two.
Steve Schaefer, Craig: Prior to being a museum, the building in the background was a school. My father was principal of this school for many years. My brothers and I grew up a few blocks from here.
Jeanne Willis, Leadville: I recently visited the national Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, and was amazed at the incredible mineral specimen exhibits. It opened in 1988, in the old Victorian High School building.
Mark Parsons, Berthoud: The sculpture was carved out of Colorado Yule marble by the amazing Glenwood-area artist and teacher Gregory Tonozzi, whose work is seen all over the Western Slope. Greg has inspired countless stone carvers. To visit his sculptures in Leadville and other places is a pilgrimage for many of us.
