So, I changed my mind about having a Patron tier and exclusive newsletter. I discovered it wasn't going to work for a couple of reasons. So, I eliminated them. Those of you who signed up (and more than a few did) got moved back to the normal paid tier and received prorated time. I will try and do this newsletter every two months.
You might notice the maps on each trip have changed as well. I have switched over to Leaflet maps and added a KML download for every trip with directions. The maps also have a few new features: the ability to go full screen, geolocation, and being able to download tiles for offline use. In theory, you could download the map tiles when you have internet service and use the map (on your phone) to hike in the field. I haven't tested all of this out yet.
Trip-wise: I've been out to Death Valley and the Mojave lately. Those trips will show up on the site soon.
It's only been a month since the last newsletter, but as you can see, we have been busy.
New Trips
Hugh M. Smith
The Skelton Mill was a tough one to research. Almost nothing about it exists online. The local Forest Service archaeologist couldn't add much beyond what we found in a few old mining journals (which also wasn't much!). The local historical society was more help and provided a couple of historical photos. Sometimes that's how it goes with these small and obscure operations. Still, it's an interesting site. Not many stamp mills were powered by a water wheel.
Guy Starbuck
Updated Trips
Between trips, I've been revising old posts. Some of the history in these were written many years ago when I had fewer research sources to work with. The following got major rewrites:
