Dale Mining District Part2
Here's some more pics from the old Dale Mining District expedition we undertook a few weekends ago.
Below is what looked to be an old grave complete with weathered cross that we found alongside the path that led through the mountains on the way to the Los Angeles Mine. Is it a real grave? I don't know, I couldn't read the writing on it anymore...
You might think there is nothing but old carts and donkey tracks at some of these mines, but remember some of them were active until quite recently. Here's a great old truck we found mired and abandoned way up in the mountains near a mine shaft. It's been oout there collecting lead for a a few years now as you can see by the numerous bullet holes. (and yes, almost everyone you meet back up in those areas is packing a gun, so be aware... and polite!;)
Here's a shot of a mine entrance we found out by the old Iron Age Mine. It's pretty small, just wide enough for an ore cart and a man with a pick and shovel. You'll see these openings all over the mountainsides out there. Almost all the big mountains and hills are honey-combed with tunnels and old shafts. You should stay out, but if you're daring and fool-hardy, at least check the condition of the roof so you don't get a chunck of rock crushing your skull...and leave somebody outside with the jeep keys so they can go and get the search and rescue squad so they can recover your mangled corpse...
This was near the end of the trail as we came out of the mountains on the North side of the range. Somebody obviously decided to take their trailer and do some sight seeing...D'oh! Old papers I found inside were dated 1991, but the tracks leading up to it were kinda recent, so maybe somebody just dumped it here...seems a lot of the local dunces think of the desert as a giant trash pit. Shame.
We had a great time and made it out in one piece after traversing some pretty rough and radical trails (and stream-beds). The desert blogger jeep was our modern day mule and we toasted a cherry pepsi and stoly's to it when we finally made it home!
DB
Posted: Tuesday 4th April 2006, 9:07 PM
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