Day 2: Eight-mile day hike from campsite on middle fork Globe Mine Road to Tough Nut Mine via Good Hope Mine and back
I won't see any people today. Perched on a hill at 4100 feet in the shadow of the Providence Mountains, about 4 miles from my campsite at 3000 feet, the old Tough Nut Mine sits in a Wilderness area and can thus be reached only by foot or horse.
I fumble cross-country over hills and into washes and eventually find the old grown-in road leading to Tough Nut Mine. However, I only have enough time to visit the lower mine ruins when I get there.
The round-trip hike will take a little more than six hours. Distance is estimated at eight miles, but is probably longer than that because of constant zigzagging to avoid often-spiky plants while hiking cross-country.
Unfortunately, some of today's photos are overexposed due to a camera-setting error.
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Date: April 24, 2008, 10h00
Size: 58 items
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Making coffee outside my tent near the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
My first morning of the trip waking up outside in the Mojave Desert. Nice. Silent. Perfect weather: sunny, dry and low 70s perhaps. I'm happy to sleep in late of course.
Date: April 24, 2008, 11h12
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A bluish-grey moth with subtle peach trim visits my cup while coffee is steeping
This is my first trip using the filterless MSR "mugmate" to make coffee, which works like a big tea bag (the coffee steeps). I'm happy to report that it makes great coffee. I brought a pound of freshly ground Peet's French roast coffee.
Date: April 24, 2008, 11h16
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Red cactus flower buds near my tent
I've seen quite a few cactus flowers already on this trip, but these tight red buds have a glossiness that makes them look like plastic. I'm stopping to see if maybe they are just some kind of foreign matter that got stuck to the plant.
Date: April 24, 2008, 11h37
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Paper-bag bush (aka salazaria mexicana, bladder sage) growing near my tent
A lot of bees are buzzing around the flowers on this neato twiggy bush with almost no leaves. A tiny hummingbird flew up to it as well, but didn't linger, perhaps unable to get any nectar from the flowers.
Date: April 24, 2008, 11h40
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It's 13h and I finally get started on today's hike to Tough Nut Mine
My first stop will be the mine remains just ahead at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road. I walk cross-country instead of up the wash and stumble upon the old road. Hmmm, I thought the wash was the old road. How did I miss this road yesterday?
Date: April 24, 2008, 13h00
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Just before arriving at the mine sits a concrete platform on the side of the road
Some brick remains here appear to be used as a fire ring by campers. I see some recent tire tracks here in the dirt road, but no sign of anyone on this quiet Thursday afternoon.
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h50
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Approaching the Good Hope Mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
This final stretch of road is really eroded and grown-in, but is clearly still used occasionally, as evidenced by the recent tire tracks in the sandy dry stream that crosses the road.
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h51
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I look down at the remains of a structure up at the mine site
I'm also looking for my tent down there in the low area a half-mile from here, but don't see it.
Date: April 25, 2008, 18h01
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A collapsed structure at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
This must have made a lot of noise when it fell over.
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h59
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Boulder with heavy-duty wire tied around it
The wire leads down into the adjacent mine shaft in the next photo. Hmmm...
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h57
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A shaft at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
I'm not getting too close to this one. That big wire running out of the hole connects to the boulder in the previous photo.
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h57
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Another mine shaft sits nearby
Again, I don't get too close to this one. Many white buckwheat flowers are growing here. I still can't see my tent, but it's down there on the fan somewhere.
Date: April 25, 2008, 18h02
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Tailings from the mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
Creamy-coloured, these piles look like a miniature version of the natural environment at Golden Canyon in Death Valley.
Date: April 25, 2008, 18h04
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Old concrete foundations for something
This concrete doesn't look as old as some of the ruins in this area. I have not come across any information yet on the years of operation of this mine.
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h58
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This shaft at the mine site has concrete walls
I'm guessing, due to the poured concrete walls, that this shaft might have been bored later than the other holes in the ground here.
Date: April 24, 2008, 13h20
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Can dump at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
Several old can dumps dot this area, so it seems to have been inhabited for a while.
Date: April 25, 2008, 17h54
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Close-up of a few cans at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
The can with the key reminds me of some kind of canned-meat product, while the can at the right reminds me of the tins of evaporated milk that my grandmother used to use.
Date: April 25, 2008, 18h25
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Federal law prohibits sale
This intact bottle states "Federal law prohibits sale" and "half pint." What might have been in this that can't be sold?
Date: April 25, 2008, 18h05
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