Alta is a small, former mining town located south of Telluride. It once had a population of a few hundred people and was the center of mining activity in the Alta-Gold King area from 1877 to 1948. The town gained fame for being the first place to use Tesla’s AC transmission system for industrial purposes, which powered the mines and replaced the use of coal. The Town began to decline once the mining slowed down and one of the main mills was destroyed in a fire.