In 1969 Craig and Mary Colvig founded Colvig Silver Camps outside Durango, Colorado. CSC was developed from the foundation of the Silver Spruce Camp for boys and Silver Saddle Camp for girls, directed and owned by Forrest Groves. Having purchased the clientele list from Mr. Groves, their first camping season at the Groves' site marked the beginning of a thirty year era of children's camping. CSC remains, to this day, the only camp of its kind in southwest Colorado.



Colvig Silver Camps was founded on the principles of building self-esteem, identity and leadership in a non-competitive environment. Armed with five kayaks, two school buses, a few horses and several used backpacks, Craig and Mary set out to pursue these principles by exploring the mountains, rivers, lakes, deserts and canyons of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. Thirty years later, roughly 5000 campers have passed through the gates of CSC, many to return as staff or supporting alumni.



During that first summer, Craig and Mary discovered the Red Creek Valley just down the road and subsequently purchased 250 acres that are now the heart of our CSC community. CSC has since expanded to its current size, which includes over 600 acres, 40 buildings, and three additional camps - Homesteading, Outpost and Pathfinding. The Colvig family also expanded as "Uncle Jim" and Kathy Colvig joined the budding camp effort, as well as Mary and Craig's three sons: Clay, Cameron and Cassidy.



For 12 years CSC flourished under Craig and Mary's direction. As enrollment numbers grew so did the number of buses, cabins, horses and backpacks. During this time, CSC became an accredited member of the American Camping Association and a member of the Western Association of Independent Camps. Tragically, Craig Colvig and two staff members were killed in a private plane crash in 1981. Recently divorced from Mary, Craig left the CSC legacy to his three sons and the responsibility of 'direction' to long-time assistant directors Tom "Frosty" Frostman and his wife Susan (Sam).



Frosty and Sam carried the torch for four years after which they left to pursue other interests. They recently relocated from Kentucky to Westcliffe, Colorado, and Sam returns to camp often to fill in or train our expedition manager. Upon their departure in 1985, "Uncle Jim" Colvig picked up the torch and brought CSC into the 90's. Along with his second wife Jane and daughter Jacy, Jim spent 9 years pursuing the ideals of camp with continued involvement from founder, Mary Colvig-Miller, oldest son Clay Colvig and long-time Program Director June Maiers-Reineke.