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Tag: ghost town

27 December 2022

Moving to mining country Cargo Muchacho Mountains

quartz with maybe gold Cargo Muchacho Mts Tumoc CAShopping in Yuma twice within a week was a bit much, yet happily balanced boodocking at the feet of the quiet Cargo Muchacho Mountains that offer lots of options for desert walks, a historic townsite, and rockhounding.  Presumably, there’s gold in them hills.

elf baklavaAmerican Girl Mine Rd camp Felicity CA

I happily left the noisy BLM-VFW camp early Wednesday morning as I had to go to Yuma for supplies plus find a new campsite before dusk.  Bought groceries, treated myself to a Thai lunch, and filled the tank for an amazing $4.299/gallon for diesel.  Not a great price but lowest seen in forever.  Then I headed west for California.  Not far across the border and just a little past Felicity, the official Center of the World, I took Ogilby Road—where I’ve been before—north into a huge track of BLM public land.  Don’t need coordinates, just find the space you like without driving over plants and near an existing rock fire ring for up to a 14-day stay.

Ocotillo desert last light BLM American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CAI opted for a turn onto American Girl Mine Road and eventually found a place to my liking not too close to others and next to a cute little wash.  Lots of pretty rocks, great views of the Cargo Muchacho Mountains, and distant view of the Imperial Sand Dunes.  Much better signal even allowed a 360° video of camp.

desert Cargo Muchacho Mts BLM American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CA

Ocotillo BLM American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CAOcotillo

A 40° morning felt chill, but I chilled all day in the new camp.  I try to take a down day after moving or town.  Did a short walkabout camp.

military plane BLM American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CAEnjoyed the quiet, except for military planes.

Sierra & elf

desert wash clouds BLM American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CAThe following morning was 10° warmer but the cloud cover and crazy strong wind that persisted all day kept me inside labeling photos from April 2021.  I am far behind but it’s fun to see snow at Bryce Canyon National Park during training.  Thank goodness it’s not that cold here.

desert sunset clouds halo BLM American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CAHowever the combination of high cirrus clouds and ice crystals formed a faint rainbow halo above the setting sun.

Ocotillo desert Cargo Muchacho Mts sunset clouds American Girl Mine Rd BLM Felicity CA

Gaelyn & Sierra t window American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CAThe next day was a repeat with a little more noise from the weekend OHV folks that like to fly down dirt roads in a cloud of dust.

desert morning light sun rays clouds American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CASunday started the upswing in temperatures and was a perfect outdoor day.

stone walls Cargo Muchacho Mts Tumco ghost town CAJoann came over and we went to explore Tumco historic townsite.  Currently a ghost town with a few low rock walls to show where buildings once sat with an 1890s population of at least 500 people.  The Cargo Muchacho Mountains have a long history of mining for gold, silver, copper, kyanite, and other minerals.  After over 300 years of mining, the BLM and the California Department of Conservation’s Division of Mine Reclamation closed commercial mining in 1999 to allow the land to recover and began mine mitigation aimed at eliminating public safety hazards.  I have yet to explore the entire town site and will eventually put up a video.

elf poops chocolate kisses

desert sunset clouds American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CASat outside reading and soaking up sun the following day, resting for the next day in town.

bumper collection rocks American Girl Mine Rd Felicity CABumper collection

Seems like I just shopped, but figured to stock up on everything before the last minute holiday rush in Yuma.

Yuma population close to 100,000

First stop, a shower at Joann’s place.  She will spend Christmas with family, and we’ve already celebrated together.  Then I shopped, dumped tanks, and filled propane driving round and round in busy traffic.  Using Google maps gets me where I need to go but doesn’t really help me get to know the town.

desert Cargo Muchacho Mts clouds Tumco CAFinally back to Ogilby Road and this time drove a little beyond the Tumco site to a remote area with a fantastic view of the Cargo Muchacho Mountains.  (360° camp video here.)  Sadly the signal was iffy at best so I guess the light I saw on the tallest peak isn’t a tower.  Above that I saw Mars plus Orion rising over the ridge.

mine holes Cargo Muchacho Mts Tumco CAA 71° afternoon drew me out to explore a bit around camp.  I sauntered along a two-track road and explored a few diggings and small holes in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains.  Lots of white quartz, some showing sparkle of possible manganese, maybe a little turquoise, and perhaps that shinny stuff is gold and not pyrite.  The bumper will be loaded with rock by the time I move on.

Sierra & elfBut I still have time here to enjoy a peaceful Christmas and more exploring.  Like maybe the Center of the World.  See you next year for more of this story.

Happy New Year!

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Arizona, California, Cargo Muchacho Mts, Places I've been, United States, Yuma boondocking, ghost town, rockhound, RV life 24 Comments
14 October 2013

Road trip to Gold King Mine Ghost Town

Perkinsville Road Arizona

When Amanda said “Road trip” I quickly packed some snacks, water and camera.  Destination, Gold King Mine Ghost Town.

I parked a couple days at friends, Amanda and Ron, about an hour north of my Yarnell destination.  Had to wait for a last minute driveway widening so I could pull the big 5th-wheel in.

It’s all about the journey

Actually we planned this road trip the night before.  Amanda was excited about sharing this scenic drive and the ghost town full of junk at the end.  Bouncing down gravel roads through the middle of nowhere is my kind of fun.  So Saturday we took a road trip not far east of Chino Valley on Perkinsville Road.

Cattle along Perkinsville Road Arizona

Started out moseying across cattle country toward the Black Hills.

Hawk along Perkinsville Road Arizona

Saw a couple of hawks fly low over the rodent filled grasses.

Butterfly on fleabane along Perkinsville Road Arizona

Butterflies found the last flowers.

View of snowy mountain & red rock from Perkinsville Road Arizona

Then began to climb through the juniper/pinyon woodlands.

View from Perkinsville Road Arizona

Stopped several times to enjoy the views.  So many colors, the golden plains of grasses and flowers, the orange eroded bluffs, distant green scrub scattered hills and even a snow topped peak on the horizon.

The pass Perkinsville Road Arizona

Yup we went up over that there mountain and through the cut of red rock that felt almost like a tunnel into another world on the downhill side.

Bonus destination

Stuff at Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

Gold King Mine Ghost Town turned out to be a photography paradise full of junk and stuff and old trucks and dilapidated buildings.

Ghost Town store Jerome Arizona

Upon entering the gift shop and seeing the typical made in China junk I was a little worried about what could be behind the closed door to the ghost town. But I paid my age appropriate $5 to find out.

Caskets & rusty trucks at Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

No need to worry.

Rusty stuff at Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

Piles of rusty stuff everywhere.

Old cars & trucks at Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

Photo opportunities everywhere I turned. Vehicles in all states of repair and disrepair.

My favorite was the 1914 saw mill which when cranked up puts on quite a show.  Not sure if the dragon is that old or not.

Don Robertson Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

Owner, Don Robertson, has been collecting for 30 years to add to the 100 year old gold mining town of Haynes.  He says, “I’ve only got a little over 6 acres, but it’s covered with 20 acres worth of stuff.”

Fan belts Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

When it comes to mechanics I believe Don has the skills and parts to fix anything on the land.

Mine entrance Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

Gold King Mine was owned in 1890 by the Haynes Copper Co. Astride one of the richest copper deposits in history, miners sunk a shaft 1,200 feet into the mountain and struck not copper but gold.

Old race car Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

Seems as Don Robertson has found his own kind of gold.  Number 39 is where his little dog sleeps all day.

This delightfully bumpy gravel drive of about 35 miles offers a variety of landscapes and took around two hours with photo stops to get to the outstkirts of Jerome, the Gold King Mine Ghost Town.  I could positively return many times and never see it all.

Old building Gold King Mine Ghost Town Jerome Arizona

 

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01 November 2010

Placerita Arizona

Wagner Rd E Weaver Mountains Arizona

Thursday afternoon we took a little drive into the eastern Weaver Mountains where Mike showed me the old town site of Placerita.

Looking back at Road to Placerita Weaver Mountains Arizona

Placerita Gulch, located east of Kirkland Junction, was the site of gold for many early prospectors.

Windmill with contrail behind along Road to Placerita Weaver Moutains Arizona

The area was and still is used for goat and cattle grazing.

Old road to Placerita Arizona

After about an hour drive on well graded roads we parked, backed into a dry wash which was probably also the original road into town.

Old road to Placerita Arizona

Gold was first discovered here by Mexican Placeros in 1863 then abandoned after the surface gold was taken.

Old mill by mine Placerita Arizona

There is evidence of the old mill used in this hard rock mining operation opened in the 1880s by “Grizzly” Callen.

Rusty stove by old mine mill Placerita Arizona

And loads of rusty stuff, mostly tin cans.

Ruins of all-in-one post office, church & community  building until early 1900s Placerita Arizona

Yet the only remaining building, or at least partially, was the combination post office, church and community building.

Ruins of all-in-one post office, church & community  building until early 1900s Placerita Arizona

Mike says the front wall wasn’t missing when he visited over a year ago.

Inside Ruins of all-in-one post office, church & community  building until early 1900s Placerita Arizona

Placerita’s post office was established Feb 1, 1896 and discontinued August 15, 1910. A population of 30 was reported in 1905.

Dry wash Placerita Arizona

We wandered down the wash and found a trail leading to a mine shaft portal.

Buzzard Load claim mine shaft opening Placerita Arizona

Although there’s a claim sign on the locked door into the mine it doesn’t look like anybody’s been there in a long while.

Mica, quartz & iron collected in Placerita Arizona

The area is littered with milky white quartz veined with iron. Oh, and that’s mica on the top all shiny.

Quartz & basalt collected in Placerita Arizona

Yet the primary rock in the area is Precambrian granite, gneiss and schist, and Cenozoic basalt and other volcanic rocks.  We found no gold but had a great time exploring.

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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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