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Tag: gold mine

06 December 2017

A brief and windy visit to Death Valley National Park

November 16-18, 2017

Artists Palette Death Valley National Park CaliforniaArtists Drive Death Valley National Park

As the weather deteriorated at Alabama Hills, in other words snow on the Sierras, it was time to get to warmer climate like Death Valley at or below sea level.  But their is that matter of CA190 east climbing not one but two mountain ranges to get there.

double rainbow low clouds Alabama Hills BLM Lone Pine CaliforniaThe clouds hung low obscuring the Eastern Sierras from view but right before leaving I was gifted with a double rainbow.

CA190 East CaliforniaFollowed by a desert wind on the nose with sandy salts flowing across the road from Lake Owens.  The first pass over the Inyo Mountains helped reduce the wind.  Sure glad I didn’t need fuel in Panamint Springs at $4.99/gal for diesel.

wind blown sand Panamint Valley CaliforniaThen a wicked south wind in Panamint Valley nearly knocked me off the road with a sand blasting strong enough to obliterate much of the view.  Remember this is blowing on the side of the camper like a billboard going down the road and on the fridge side so the pilot blew out.

Panamint Mountains CA190 East Death Valley National Park CaliforniaThis followed by another climb into clearer air in the Panamint Range and back down into Death Valley with a little less wind.

Artists Drive Death Valley National Park California

Artists Drive Death Valley National Park CaliforniaStayed the first night at Texas Springs, my favorite of all the parking lot campgrounds in the park.  After snagging my campsite I took the Artists Drive which was closed last winter and is now newly paved with maybe some more parking areas along the one way road.

sunrise Texas Spring campground Death Valley National Park CaliforniaAfter sunrise I moved to the Stovepipe Wells campground where I would meet friend and fellow Ranger Jeremy late in the afternoon.

motorbikes tents sand storm mountains Stovepipe Wells campground Death Valley National Park CaliforniaThe tent area was filling fast along the northern edge of this parking lot camp.  Because I’m considered a RV I can’t park along that side but can be nearby along a curb.  So I paid for a tent site, hung the receipt and hunkered in watching the dust and sand fly up the valley to the east.  It appeared to be moving north away from me but then turned and headed towards camp.  I closed the door and windows and hung on tight.  Even inside the camper felt like a sand storm.  People were grabbing and abandoning tents for their cars.  Like a haboob I guess.  Not a great day to take photos.

sandstorm sunset Stovepipe Wells campground Death Valley National Park CaliforniaDusty sunset

Jeremy got in after dark, took me to dinner, stayed up most of the night watching meteors—saw 11 of them—and in the morning slept in his car instead of fighting the wind to set up his tent.

Keane Wonder Mine Death Valley National Park California

aerial tramway Keane Wonder Mine Death Valley National Park CaliforniaThe next day we visited the recently reopened Keane Wonder Mine with it’s unique mile-long aerial tramway.      https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/historyculture/keane-wonder-mine.htm

Jeremy Visitor Center Death Valley National Park CaliforniaWhile Jeremy worked on his Junior Ranger book I watched a volunteer demonstrate flint knapping in the visitor center courtyard.  I earned my Death Valley Junior Ranger badge a few years ago.

Mesquite dunes sunset mountains Death Valley National Park CaliforniaMade a quick stop by the Mesquite Sand Dunes but it was getting late and Jeremy planned to BBQ dinner, which he is very good at, so we returned to camp.

Daylight Pass Road CA NV borderAnd in the morning we both took off our separate ways, me to drive up Mud Canyon on the Daylight Pass Road to explore the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada.

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California, Death Valley National Park, Places I've been, United States badlands, campgrounds, camping, dust, gold mine, rainbow, sand storm, sunrise, sunset 14 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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Arizona ghost town, gold mine, road trip 40 Comments

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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