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CA Sequoia and Southern Sierra

CA Sequoia and Southern Sierra

The Southern Sierra Nevada, including Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Generally south of Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, and the San Joaquin River.

7 posts

Tungstar Mine Tram

Tungstar Mine Tram

This very adventurous hike follows an old mining trail which led to the Tungstar Mine, a 1940s tungsten mine high on the western slope of Mt. Tom, the prominent 13,658-foot peak just west of Bishop. The trail was used in the early days of the mine to build a

Hanging Valley and Tungstar Mines

Hanging Valley and Tungstar Mines

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, surging worldwide demand for tungsten led to the opening of several tungsten mines in the High Sierra above Bishop. Two small but relatively high-grade ore bodies were discovered on the west side of Mt. Tom, which would become the Hanging Valley Mine and

Adamson Mine

Adamson Mine

At 12,990 ft (3960 m), the Adamson is the highest mine in the Sierra Nevada. And as you might suspect, getting there is no easy feat. It is a strenuous climb up the rugged Wheeler Ridge to reach it. This is the top of the Sierras. Altitude sickness is

MV Mill

MV Mill

I found this hidden mill in 2013. It is unusual in that it was powered by a Pelton wheel. Water was funneled into a ditch and then a pipe and poured over the waterwheel, which drove the equipment inside. A water-powered mill is a rare sight in the land of

Owens Valley Three Stamp Mill

Owens Valley Three Stamp Mill

In 2013, I stopped by a forgotten and overlooked three stamp mill in the backcountry of Owens Valley. Seems like even the locals don’t know it exists. Besides being off the beaten path, the stamp mill is unusual in that it had only three stamps instead of the typical

Lakeview Mine

Lakeview Mine

Over the summer of 2013, I took a trip to the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains and hiked up to the Lakeview Mine. Located at timberline, 10,650 ft up, the mine sits on a ridge overlooking a dramatic landscape of glacially carved cirques, granitic spires, and alpine lakes. It was

"Piute" Stamp Mill

"Piute" Stamp Mill

With a tip from our friends at Explore Historic California, we found a small three stamp mill in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Not much is left but it is an interesting little find. I haven’t found much history on it.