Chalk Creek is small river starting on the Continental Divide above St. Elmo, Colorado. It runs east through the valley surrounded by the Collegiate Peaks. The creek is named for the Chalk Cliffs whose kaolinite composition creates the white, chalky appearance. This clay mineral is a byproduct of the underground hot springs deposits that run throughout the valley.

 

St. Elmo was once a bustling silver mining town in the late 1800s. Its boom and subsequent bust provide many lessons for investing in businesses and managing the risks associated with unchecked exuberance. Dare we quote Allen Greenspan and say "irrational."