This is our view in the morning.
We met at the visitor center in Silverton.
When it is time to go off-road, we stop to air-down tires, lock wheel hubs in 4WD, and open up the tops in preparation for a fun day. Bill (DH's brother) is in the white Jeep, leading. Missy is in the red Suzuki (wife to Bill, my SIL). Jonathan and Kiyanna are helping with the green Tracker hardtop. The red souped-up Landcruiser belongs to Loren and his family.
We get started up the slopes of the Red Mountain Mining area with beautiful vistas.
Looking at what's left of a mill or mining town. We passed many mines and a couple towns. I don't remember which ones are in the photos: Brooklyn Mine, U.S. Basin, Longfellow Mine, National Bell Mine, Genesee Mine, Yankee Girl Mine, Guston town and Cara Bell Mine.
There are beautiful vistas as well as scars on the land from the mining.
Don't you like my shadow?
Jonathan, Missy and Richard holding Kiyanna while we look at the ruins and take a break from sitting in the trucks.
More views of the building and view of the mountains.
Jonathan is 8 years old, Missy is older than I am (mother of a teenager). Missy is short, but Jonathan is the tall one! He is 4'11" and over 120 pounds. One Big Kid!
There is a deep shaft down from the building (last photo in this set). There is much of the equipment there as well. Loren was identifying parts and teaching us all about what we were seeing.
There are many little creeks around the mines, some colored by minerals, others clear, others cluttered. Water is how they chose sites for the mining operations.
The miners would pan for gold and if any was found they would go upstream and pan again. They would continue going upstream until they no longer found gold, then follow the connecting streams to determine where the gold originated. Mines were established wherever a gold vein reached the surface or at least the water source. There is much more gold in the depths of the mountains, but the only way to find a vein is where it reaches the surface.
Some of the mines also found silver or copper or other precious metals, but most started as gold mines.
Watching the line of trucks come back from a dead end trail: first Bill in his white Jeep, then Loren in the Landcruiser (and wife and three daughters! what a tight fit!) then Missy in her Suzuki, Rich driving the Tracker (which belongs to Bill and Missy, but they are letting us borrow it while we save money to fix the Pinzgauer.), and as the tail, Ken in his Maroon Jeep.
The mining pond is below (and in front of) the buildings.
Everyone looks into the mine shaft. The water and rocks are all stained and colored. The air is cool. Rich stands with our daughters, Becca and little Kiyanna (Kiki). Then Becca runs toward me!
The three dogs stay in the Jeep. Abbie and Ollie are pictured here. Lucy is also with them.
Jonathan and Kiyanna pose for me while I play with the camera.
So much interesting equipment and still buildings standing. We explore and enjoy.
Don't forget lunch! We enjoy the food and fellowship.
Using different settings on my camera sure makes a difference in the photos. I'm having fun!
End of the trail for Thursday. Two more days of four-wheeling.