The San Juan Mountains: Background information when reading Panther Gap

The San Juan Mountains

This article relates to Panther Gap

James McLaughlin's Panther Gap includes beautiful descriptions of the nature surrounding the novel's titular location in remote Colorado. Our First Impressions reviewers were taken with these landscape depictions, prompting some to imagine being or going there themselves. Luckily, this is possible…sort of.

In a recent interview with The Big Thrill, McLaughlin explains that the setting of the book is fictional, but based on real elements, notably the San Juan Mountains: "Panther Gap, the place, is basically a high-elevation valley transplanted from the San Juan mountains sixty miles southwest to the arid corner of Colorado. I also populate the valley with a fanciful complement of charismatic megafauna."

The San Juan Mountains make up a portion of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Consisting mainly of volcanic material, they range from the town of Ouray in southwestern Colorado to the Chama River in New Mexico, stretching along the Rio Grande across 13 counties. The mountains are known for their skiing terrain, historical mining towns (including Telluride, Ouray and Silverton), wilderness and stunning scenery — many peaks exceed 14,000 feet, with Uncompahgre Peak being the highest at 14,309.

The San Juan range was formed from two continental plates colliding. It is home to the Ute people, who were the first to establish routes through the mountains, some of which can still be seen. Rich mineral deposits resulting from the area's volcanic activity have attracted outsiders in search of silver and gold — Spanish explorers in the 1700s, including Juan Antonio María de Rivera, for whom the mountains are named; and prospectors in the 1860s and '70s.

Today, the San Juan Mountains are a popular tourism spot for skiers, hikers, campers and all-around nature-lovers. Popular treks through the mountains include the Ute Trail, a four-mile walk with views of alpine tundra that originally served as an Ute and Arapaho migration path; the short Animas Overlook Trail, which provides a view of the lush Animas River Valley and is a well-loved picnicking spot; and an 11-mile loop including the majestic Redcloud Peak and Sunshine Peak. The Chicago Basin is also a well-known wilderness site (that can nevertheless be relatively crowded during the warmer months due to its popularity) and a favorite place for backpackers. Some popular ski destinations in the area are the towns of Telleride and Mountain Village, which are connected by a free scenic gondola ride, the Wolf Creek Ski Area in Pagosa Springs and the Purgatory Resort in Durango, which looks a lot more appealing than its name might suggest.

Photo of the San Juan Mountains: Electric Peak, Graystone Peak, Mt. Garfield, by Alan Levine

Filed under Places, Cultures & Identities

This "beyond the book article" relates to Panther Gap. It originally ran in June 2023 and has been updated for the April 2024 paperback edition. Go to magazine.