The weather has been absolutely shit for nearly 4 months here. Snow nearly every weekend, and it always hit on my weekends because that is just how my luck is. Luckily the weather finally cleared up (for one day) and I was able to head east with my buddy Rob and check out a site we had both had marked for a couple months, and as luck had it, an additional spot that I had marked for several years.
Oh how I love springtime in Nevada
As I mentioned earlier, the weather has been shit. The Sierras have received record snowfall, and this is the most snow I have seen in Western Nevada since I moved to this side of the state 20 years ago. (Side note, Elko County is still the best county in all of Nevada).
Being as we have had so much precipitation, and it warmed up, followed by dumping rains, the dirt roads have suffered greatly. Going to the first spot of the day we were greeted by a wash in the road that stopped us.
Being as we have had so much precipitation, and it warmed up, followed by dumping rains, the dirt roads have suffered greatly. Going to the first spot of the day we were greeted by a wash in the road that stopped us.
If this were the only route in, a bit of work with shovels could have made this spot passable. But seeing as there was another route in we decided to give that a go before we broke out the shovels. Fortunately the other route took us all the way to the canyon of the site we wanted to check out. That being said, the canyon had a major wash and that road is now fuqqed and is no longer passable. Dirt bike could probably get it done, but for us it meant nearly a mile hike to the site.
The first Site(s)
The first sites we went to both Rob and I found at the end of last year. During our free time the both of us like looking around on Google Maps or Google Earth trying to find structures, wasterock piles, or other interesting stuff to go and check out. Rob found an ore chute looking structure and I did some research to see what mine it was. Maps list three different mines within a quarter mile of the structure, but the USGS MR Data only lists one mine, or has records for just one mine.
You may have noticed that I have not said the names, and that is intentionally. I have seen far too many cool places get posted about online, and they generally get ruined by people, so I never disclose the places I go check out publicly unless it is very well known or a garbage site.
After about three quarters of a mile we were greeted by the structure Rob had found on the satellite view, an old ore bin next to the road.
You may have noticed that I have not said the names, and that is intentionally. I have seen far too many cool places get posted about online, and they generally get ruined by people, so I never disclose the places I go check out publicly unless it is very well known or a garbage site.
After about three quarters of a mile we were greeted by the structure Rob had found on the satellite view, an old ore bin next to the road.
Right above the road we found the first portal and workings of a mine. The portal was in pretty decent condition and accessible, so we decided to go in and check it out.
Inside the mine was impressive. We were greeted by a false floor that fortunately had a 2x8 board over it so that you you just had to use caution on entry. The first 200 feet of the haulage adit we entered had multiple ore chutes along with a vertical shaft approximately 100 feet in which continued down. According to the USGS MRData there is a 150 and 200 level, so I believe that the shaft continues down there. After about 200 feet in the main haulage adit the tracks go right, and then left where it goes to a large or bin over a shaft that has a ladder going down what looks like 100 feet or so. My pictures will do more justice that my words, so enjoy.
According to USGS MRData this mine was last worked in the 1930's, but by the spray paint and flagging tape, you can tell it has been reassessed at a much later time.
Continuing on past this mind we found another vertical shaft that had collapsed at some point over the years.
Continuing on past this mind we found another vertical shaft that had collapsed at some point over the years.
This was at the top of the hill above the mine, which also had an amazing view of the Nevada high desert.
Just past this we found another adit. Looking inside, the first little bit was kinda sketchy, as there was a false floor over a winze going down to another level. Being 5/4's retarded of course I went in. There were several spots where I had to crawl, but it was a pretty neat adit with several winzes and very cool stoping where you could see the vein that they were chasing. Also, at the second winze the ladder looked good enough to go down. Maybe another day...
Final thoughts
Overall I was pleasantly surprised by what we found. Often times when researching abandoned mines, the USGS records are incomplete, wrong, or the mine has collapsed in the years since the USGS reports. I was only able to find the records for one mine in the area, and the records did not quite match either of the ones that I went in. We did find two collapsed adits and an additional collapsed vertical shaft, so maybe the records were for one of those. Or the reports were completely wrong, which I have seen before.
Due to its remote location, and not being near anything else, the mine was in good condition without vandalism or tons of trash like you see in some.
I did take video in both of these sites, but it will be a little bit before I get them uploaded, as the only thing worse than my writing abilities is my video editing skills.
Part two will be coming up soon, and that place still gets me bricked up thinking about it. Stay tuned. Or don't. Either way, I win.
EZ
Due to its remote location, and not being near anything else, the mine was in good condition without vandalism or tons of trash like you see in some.
I did take video in both of these sites, but it will be a little bit before I get them uploaded, as the only thing worse than my writing abilities is my video editing skills.
Part two will be coming up soon, and that place still gets me bricked up thinking about it. Stay tuned. Or don't. Either way, I win.
EZ