High up in the spires of the Eastern Sierras, there lies a hidden and seldom visited gold mine perched on steep cliffs at 10,900 ft elevation. The Summit Mine is difficult to reach and is not for the fainthearted. To get there, you will have to follow a steep trail that threads its way across jagged granodiorite cliffs with breathtaking views of the old mining camp of May Lundy and Lake Canyon, more than 1,400 feet below.
Once at the mine, you are rewarded with spectacular views of 13,057 ft Mt. Dana across the canyon. The mine makes a great place to take a break or have lunch. Amazingly, the trail continues underground, through the mine, and enters a high plateau to a few other prospects (like the Tip Top Mine), but the mine is the main attraction.
History
The Summit Mine began operations in the 1880s as part of the Homer mining district. Miners excavated along a horizontal quartz vein, creating a large chamber (room and pillar) rather than a traditional tunnel. This unusual feature makes the mine more like a cavern than a typical mining tunnel.
The mine contains a few relics from its operational days: old tables, chairs, pieces of a bellows, coal left over from the forge, and even the remains of two beds in a rocked-in "bedroom" area with a window overlooking Lake Canyon far below.
Among these artifacts was once a heavy anvil with an amusing history. According to local stories, one winter, a caretaker named Joe Figurado spent his days hauling this anvil down the steep trail all the way to the May Lundy Mine as a practical joke on another caretaker who was away visiting friends. Once the caretaker returned, he would have to haul it back up to the mine. (And you thought your backpack was heavy!) Each day Joe carried the anvil as far as he could, resuming his effort the next day. Winter isolation in the mountains must have been incredibly boring. Unfortunately, the anvil is now gone, some pinhead stole it. Leave everything you find. These places are more incredible with artifacts in place.
