Place your Ghost Towns Here!

[goldinmypan]

Bodie Ca.

 

[gollum]

Last week I went to the gold/silver mining camp of New Dale, Ca. Interesting place. It's in Joshua Tree National Park, in a very remote location. Can't get to it except with 4X4.

Take Gold Crown Road from State Highway 62 go South through Joshua Tree. It's on the map as New Dale. I repeat, don't try this road without 4X4 or very good ground clearance, a jack, and shovel! The camp was washed away around the turn of the century by a flash flood from the canyon it was in. A treasure story there is that a safe was washed down the canyon in the flood with a lot of the gold saved by individuals in the camp. It has never been recovered.

It's a neat area. Still lots of open (dangerous) hard rock mines. Some are fenced off, a couple of the deepest are capped off, and some are still open. Using the dropping rock method, figured a couple at 500-600 feet deep. Fall in and ruin your day.

I built a Team Associated R/C Truck with a wireless infra-red camera on board. Using the receiver hooked up to my laptop, and PVR software, I can investigate any cave or tunnel without worrying about holes, death traps, or cave ins! Can't wait to post some cave/mine videos. Is it even possible to post videos on these forums?

I'll post some pictures when I get back home.

Mike

 

[IrishCharlieM]

My son and I just returned from a cross country trip. Flew to San Diego Ca. and drove a U-haul back. Passed many towns along the way that looked like they just closed up and left. Signs from 40 years ago still hanging from the buidings faded and barely readable.

These ruins were just incrediable sitting on a dirt road about a mile off I-40. Near the meteor crator in Arizona. It was built by Christian Missionaries in the Mid 1800's attempting to convert the local indians. The state of Arizona does nothing to preserve or educate people about it. But wanted to charge me and my son $25.00 to look at a hole in the ground. The meteor Crator. No Thanks.....We will find our own attractions like these amazing displays of mother nature's work in The Arizona and New Mexico deserts.

I know not relly Ghost Towns but just had to share them.

 

[IrishCharlieM]

Last week I went to the gold/silver mining camp of New Dale, Ca. Interesting place. It's in Joshua Tree National Park, in a very remote location. Can't get to it except with 4X4.

Take Gold Crown Road from State Highway 62 go South through Joshua Tree. It's on the map as New Dale. I repeat, don't try this road without 4X4 or very good ground clearance, a jack, and shovel! The camp was washed away around the turn of the century by a flash flood from the canyon it was in. A treasure story there is that a safe was washed down the canyon in the flood with a lot of the gold saved by individuals in the camp. It has never been recovered.

It's a neat area. Still lots of open (dangerous) hard rock mines. Some are fenced off, a couple of the deepest are capped off, and some are still open. Using the dropping rock method, figured a couple at 500-600 feet deep. Fall in and ruin your day.

I built a Team Associated R/C Truck with a wireless infra-red camera on board. Using the receiver hooked up to my laptop, and PVR software, I can investigate any cave or tunnel without worrying about holes, death traps, or cave ins! Can't wait to post some cave/mine videos. Is it even possible to post videos on these forums?

I'll post some pictures when I get back home.

Mike

I never knew there was an old camp out there. My family has owned a cabin in 29 Palms since the San Bernadino Homestead act. WHen they were giving away 5 acre lots in 1957 I think it was. They were trying to incourage people to inhabiate the area. We have always enjoyed the great off road riding out there. And have a dried up river bed we ride through all the time. I have moved back east and now my Sister is really the only one that goes there anymore....Here's a picture of the cabin.

I guess if I go back again i'll have to take my detector out there and see what I find in the river bed.

 

[siz3petite]

Alaska Gold Mine Abandoned

I'm posting some photos of an abandoned gold mine in Alaska. (08/2006). I didn't have the guts to go into the mine. It was dark and I figured a bear or something could be hiding in there. However it was completely accessable and open to anyone who chose to enter.

 

[cactusjumper]

Mike,

I made three trips into the Dale District and we camped and explored on the west side of Eagle Mountain. I will post some information on an old gold mine that Obie Stoker found in the area when I get home tonight.

We visited Barry Storm's Turquoise mine there. I believe I have the claim notice for Obie's mine. Aunt Olive said there was good gold in that mine, so it's authentic as far as I am concerned.

In the meantime, here is a picture of (fake Ghost Town) Goldfield, AZ

Joe Ribaudo

 

[gollum]

Charlie,

Below are the satellites of New Dale Area. Washed away in a flash flood in 1920. A safe containing gold was never found (that anybody knows about).

Joe,

Just tell me where!

Best-Mike

 

[cactusjumper]

Mike,

I will need to find that claim notice and some older maps of the area. It's been around thirty years since I was there. This is what I remember:

We left 10 west of the summit, where there was a sign for Twenty-Nine Palms and the National Forest. The Road went north for a bit, and we came to a small building with information. I believe the road was called the Old Dale Road. It went east from that point and crossed a fairly deep wash where the road was pretty rough. We made it through there, around twenty or so rigs, and continued east for a bit. Finally found a large flat area and circled up for a camp.

We went east and a little north from there to look for Obie's mine, and found one that had a road climbing and ending at the mine. It was on a ridge that separated it from a very large mountain. The canyon between was quite deep. The large mountain ran north and south.

We thought we had found the mine, but some years later Obie told me we needed to cross the canyon and go onto the large mountain to find it. He said you could go around the ridge we were on, drive around the north end and enter the canyon driving south. 4X4!

The story was that the mine was originally found by two brothers who ended up killing each other over the gold. If not for Aunt Olive backing up the story, I would have wrote it off as another tall tale.

At the bottom of the ridge....west side, there is another shaft that goes straight east for a short distance. The road up to the mine that we found, goes south from there along the ridge and then turns east and climbs to the top where the mine was. From there you are looking down into the canyon that runs north/south.

We never went back, but I made a total of three trips in there. It was later that Obie told me we needed to be on the mountain to the east. I believe it was Eagle Mountain. As you know, there is a pretty good mine up there. Don't know if it was the same one.

I will look for the claim notice.

Take care,

Joe

Here is a picture of Carolyn and Juno above our camp. Road led right to it.

 

[gollum]

Hey Joe,

Yes, there is a big gold mine on Eagle Mountain. There are a few of what look like old trails around that area criss-crossing some of the washes and hilltops.

Best-Mike

 

[texan connection]

Ther are actually 3 within a few miles from my home not to mention Jones Prarie where I live. Sterling Texas (prdicesor to Calvert B-4 the R.R.) not accesable private land, Port Sullivane (predisesore of Hearne Texas B-4 the R.R.)parts are accesible but has been heavly hunted in the past (lots of good stuff came off that place a very affluent spot in its time), and Nashville not accesable private land. way more to list if you go out another 20 miles or so from me.

 

[Mikejts]

As a new member I am still exploring the site. In the mean time while I do my discovery perhaps some of you would like to explore some of the Ghost Towns in Colorado. with over 5,000 in the state I am trying desperately to see them all.