Massive Cache of Weapons Found at Illegal Colorado Camping Site

A stockpile of weapons was discovered this week at a campsite near Telluride, Colorado, prompting the San Miguel County Sheriff to issue a warning to local residents.

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Illegal Campsite With Dozens of Weapons

According to the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office, a man has been camping illegally in the Mill Creek area of Telluride. On Monday, more than three dozen weapons were found at the campsite including knives, hatchets, a cross-bow, and several swords. The sheriff's office says the campsite has been constructed illegally on private property, just yards off a popular hiking trail.

Multiple Arrests, Repeated Release

The man was reportedly arrested three times in the Norwood and Telluride areas since July 1 on charges of weapons offenses, burglary, possession of meth, trespassing, and theft. The SMCSO says the judge has repeatedly released the man from jail on PR bonds over the objections of the District Attorney's Office. The man's identity and mugshot have not been released in an effort to minimize pretrial publicity and the risk of charges being dropped.

A Warning From the Sheriff

San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters wants local residents to be aware of what's happening. He says "in light of the past week's double homicide of campers outside Moab, I want to caution people to be aware of their surroundings."

We may not know the intentions of this Telluride camper, clearly, there has been illegal activity. The sheriff's warning is good advice for campers everywhere to heed caution regardless of the current circumstances. Awareness of others and your surroundings is a key component to staying safe, as well as having some form of protection to provide defense against potential predators and even wild animals.