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ROADS, TRAILS, CABINS, MINES AND ADVENTURE AWAIT YOUR JEEP Mining in America is best known for the California Gold Rush (1848-1855) where the “Forty-Niners”... ModernJeeping into America’s Mining History

ROADS, TRAILS, CABINS, MINES AND ADVENTURE AWAIT YOUR JEEP

Mining in America is best known for the California Gold Rush (1848-1855) where the “Forty-Niners” as they became to be known left roads and trails in search of gold for ModernJeepers to follow today. Some say overlanding even started then, with Conestoga wagons, covered wagons and emigrants pulling oxen wagons.

Covered wagon of the pioneer days

 

There were many other “gold rushes” like the Nome and Klondike Gold Rush of Alaska (1899-1909), the Black Hills Gold Rush, South Dakota (1874-1878) and others that left trails, roads, mining cabins and camps for us to explore today.  Land use organizations today still fight to keep these old historic routes open for us.  Enjoying them should be on your bucket list.

Minerals besides gold that were heavily mined included (but not limited to) Bauxite, Borax, Copper, Coal, Silver, Iron, Molybdenum, Phosphate, Zinc and in Moab, UT particularly, Uranium. One Death Valley story tells of a forty-niner era miner who found a form of borax lying on the ground.  He sold the claim on which he was barely surviving for what now would be a millionaire’s fortune.  Oh, the stories, trails and roads these mines left behind.

As with most all historical structures, buildings decay and mines fill in with erosion. It doesn’t take long for old mining camps to disappear from official maps available to the public. If you get the chance to go exploring for historic mining camps, you should do it now.

Mines might be labeled on a good topo map

 

Some tips to help you find old mines and cabins:
1. Ask the locals where you want to explore in coffee shops and “hang out” establishments. Treasures have been found based on napkin maps made in a bar.
2. Use your browser and satellite imagery to look for old buildings and mines. Use several key words in your searches such as historic, mines, cabins, lost mines, ghost towns, etc.
3. Go to the library in your interest area and poke around in the journals and historic references. Be sure to ask the librarian for hints on where to look. Journals of old miners are a treasure!
4. Ask at the RV Parks, Chamber of Commerce or Tourism office where cool old buildings and mines might still be standing.

Enjoy this collection of historic mining camps, buildings, cabins and more…

Cabin at Belfort, CA, from the 1880 mining boom.

 

Gold flakes and pickers gold in pan.

 

Gold nugget found near source of mine

 

Mining debris is a treasure to find and figure out

 

Remains of a stamp and mill operation

 

Never enter buildings if uncertain as to safety

 

Some mining cabins might still have inhabitants…use caution

 

Local hang outs are a good place to do research

 

Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma, CA, 5-Stamp Mill

 

Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma, CA, Ore Cart

 

Water canons ravaged hillsides and gullies in short order

 

It’s easy to admire the craftsmanship of hand tools

 

Mining arastra that relied on horses or mules to grind ore

 

Use caution around mine shafts and be safe

 

Yes, we want some!

 

“Cousin Jack,” a three sided structures built into the sidehill to house miners in the old days.

 

1880’s store 10,000 feet up the mountainside

 

Champion Mill, CO,  boiler set in bricks at about 11,000 elevation

 

Champion Mill, several stories tall, with “arrested decay” going on with some structural support help.

See history while it still stands

When you get the chance, get out the maps, grab a buddy, and go find some mining history.  It’s an adventure you won’t forget!

Del Albright Ambassador

Internationally published author; WorldWide ModernJeeper Abassador and 2014 Inductee of the Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. Del has been involved in the Jeeping Lifestyle for longer then most of us can count. His educational and mentorship programs have helped developed warfighters in the ongoing battle to keep Public Lands Open to the Public.

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