.jpg "Jeremy and Aguereberry Camp Death Valley NP CA")
Jeremy and Aguereberry CampAfter we’d explored the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns and started back Emigrant Canyon Road we ventured onto a side road of two gravel miles to explore Aguereberry Camp and Eureka Mine.
.jpg "Aguereberry Camp Death Valley NP CA")
Aguereberry CampShorty Harris and Pete Aguereberry discovered gold in Providence Ridge in 1905. During a short lived gold boom the tent town of Harrisburg sprung up on the neighboring flats, all gone now except the surrounding hills still bear the scars of dozens of mines. Aguereberry worked the Eureka Mine claim for 40 years until his death in 1945.
.jpg "Aguereberry Camp Death Valley NP CA")
We peaked inside the vandalized buildings not trusting to walk on the dry rotted floor boards to see the remains of Aguereberry’s home now filled with pack rat nests..jpg "Buick Roadmaster Aguereberry Camp Death Valley NP CA")
Buick Roadmaster, maybe 1940sI just love to find an old abandoned car or house and ponder its story. I figure this Roadmaster belonged to the banker from Skidoo (one of only two profitable gold mining towns in Death Valley) and his wife drove it the 10 dusty miles to visit Aguereberry who she…
.jpg "Piece of Skidoo pipeline Death Valley NP CA")
Water pipeSkidoo had everything including telephone and stage services but water had to be piped 23 miles from Telescope Peak. And thus the popular slang expression “twenty-three skidoo,” which meant scram or get lost. (SIC I know, and some won’t get it, but….)
.jpg "Jeremy heading uphill to Eureka mine Death Valley NP CA")
Jeremy going up to the mineAs we wandered towards the old car we noticed the rusty evidence of the mine operation on the hillside.
.jpg "Mine entrance Eureka mine Death Valley NP CA")
Mine entranceI let Jeremy go first to clear the spider webs but neither of us planned to go far without flashlights into this well posted potentially dangerous yet totally exciting hole into the earth.
.jpg "Looking out of mine entrance Eureka mine Death Valley NP CA")
Looking out mine entranceThere was some old rusty stuff inside and on the hillside a large airshaft covered with heavy metal mesh to keep people from falling in.
.jpg "Mill ruin Eureka mine Death Valley NP CA")
Mill ruinWe continued to explore around the top of Providence Ridge until directly above Aguereberry Camp, where I took the second image, then returned to the car and headed back to our camp planning the next day’s journey in Death Valley National Park.
.jpg "Waxing moon Death Valley NP CA")
Waxing moon and last evening light
What a wonderfully exciting adventure, Gaelyn. You guys are very brave stepping into an old mine – that's the stuff memories are made of! GREAT shots of a fascinating place! Looking forward to the next installment…..
OH! I LOVE your new banner! The sunset is rather breathtaking!
Abandoned houses, cars and mines are always fun to explore, if you dare.
Great moon shot over the desert hills.
One of these years when some of my responsibilities subside, I am going to be a semi-wanderer. Great experiences you are having. Keep sharing.
Have you ever been to South Pass, Wyoming? Parts of your hike reminded me of it. Lots of cool old stuff and a restored town. Anyway, that is a spectacular new header!!
This is an exciting trip for me as an onlooker. The countryside there is beautiful in a solitary way.
I hope the miners found what they were truly looking for by digging consciously into the darkness just beneath the surface.
Looks like an interesting place. I am contemplating moving to the desert for a few months this January.
I have spent some time catching up on your posts. Nice to see the Hoover Dam again. And I really like sundogs. I have to return and spend more time in Utah, AZ and NV exploring this interesting area. Death Valley is not a summer destination though I would imagine.
Great color in that new head.
Looks like you had fun poking around in that mine stuff. There are a lot of interesting artifacts in the Eastern Sierra and they make great subjects for photgraphers.
What a desolate place this is. No wonder these miners were so tough.
You have no idea how you are luring me to travel like you do, and will, one day, God-willing. I am reliving Death Valley (sounds odd to say that somehow!) and have a great bw photo of an old rusting car I took over 30 years ago…I must dig it out and see if it is the same one…
I am trying to imagine mining life in this unforgiving landscape. Must have been hell. Literally.
Aren't you having just so much fun!!! Boy if all those relics could tell their stories. I would sure be listening in. MB
Looks like a fun adventure! Its amazing the places and conditions people will live in all in the name of gold.
Exploring a mine shaft would be an interesting adventure…. I'm not sure I would have the courage to do that.
Thats great that you peer into the items and read their story, whether its what really happened to the item, or the life that the item has dreamed for itself.
Hmmmmm – wondering if you found any lovers' bones in that house or car? I see that the pack rat isn't the Kangaroo Rat. Love the moon over the mountain.
Gaelyn: It certainly shows how the desert reclaims its area. I think that is a 1950's car.
I truly never thought there would be so much to see in Death Valley!
(in Minnesota, Skidoo is a snowmobile)
What a fascinating post. Is that an old refridgerator in the old house?
I always need a drink of water after I look at your hiking photos. LOL. I don't know that I could have been brave enough to look anywhere in that cave …Michelle
I love old stuff in the desert, and old mines, though I've never been to these. Thanks for posting these neat pics!
I love exploring mines. We always stop by a few of them when dirt-biking in Mojave. Speaking of, what are the rules regarding OHV in Death Valley and do you have any recommendations? I think I might lobby for a trip there next year when we do our annual desert trip. 🙂