Another Golden Tunnel Mine Update

I have a visitor who sent me a comment earlier this month about the Golden Tunnel Mine,  here is the cleaned up version.

9/21/15
“Just went up there this weekend and camped out with a couple of buddies of mine. If you’re saying there’s nothing to see there, you’re just the result of being lied to by somebody who knows how to get there and wants people to stay out.  I’ve pulled crystals out of that place that would make you sh** your pants.  Literally.  We got caught in a rain storm on the way in and the way out, and had to hike through that intensely thick fog that always lingers around the area. If you don’t know somebody that has that hike completely wired that will take you there, you will never find that mind (mine).  Let me repeat that, you will NEVER find it. There are such unique crystals there, you just have to know how to go about finding them.  Like I said, if I posted pics of the sh** me and my friends have dug out of there since we found it last summer, you’d be in shock and awe. Trying to sleep in there sucks though, the entire thing is on a huge slope."


Just for fun,  I am posting a couple of documents which were sent to me a long while back and have been available on my GhosttownsandMines.com website.

Golden Chimney Group Area Mine Map

Golden Tunnel Mine (Golden Chimney) Ore Veins Map

I am 60+ years old, and as I said previously, I would never make it to that mine, I can only rely on what I am told, and am passing on that information.  Whether this visitor is telling the truth, or just sh**ting (;-) me is up to you to decide.  The fun is in the looking and finding! 

Chance City Ghost Town New Mexico

This post is a bit late, but it chronicles part of our trip in June to Southern New Mexico.  We took a side trip out into the middle of nowhere, got attacked by gazillions of cockroaches in Deming and found a few good rocks along the way.

I had seen pictures of a ghost town called Chance City south of Deming NM that looked like it had some nice structures still standing, so off we went, into the 100º heat, braving rattlesnakes and roadrunners.

The area we visited is in the Victorio Mining District in Luna County New Mexico.  For more information on this read the report, Museum of New Mexico Report from the Office of Archaeological Studies (1993).  It is really interesting!  Particularly the story of "King Solomon's Mine" at Gage, New Mexico on page 90.

In this area lead-silver-gold ore was mined beginning in the 1880's when the railroad arrived in the area.  Chance City was born with the development of the Chance and Jessie mines by Randolph Hearst.  The area continued to produce lead ore off and on until 1947 when the last shipment was made.

This area is really a neat place to visit.  The remaining structures make for good photo opportunities and are neat to poke around.  We didn't get very close to the mine tailings, due to the hiking required and extreme temps, but it was well worth the visit.

I think this is a banded lizard?  He is Cute!

Chance City Headframe - Closed Up

Nice Headframe off in the Distance

Cleaned up Tailings Pile :-(

Chance City Trash Heap

Chance City Ruins

More Chance City Ruins

Another Chance City Headframe

A Roadrunner Who Thinks He is Hidden

Beautiful Blooming Yuccas

Needless to say, we didn't find much here.  The heat and NM Mining Department cleanup pretty much covered up anything neat.  I did pick up one HEAVY rock which I think could be lead ore...

Chance City Lead Ore?

On another side note, please check out our lovely mineral specimens for sale in our Etsy shop, SouthPrairieHandmade.  We just listed a gorgeous Fluorite specimen that was collected in New Mexico a while ago.

New Mexico Large Fluorite Specimen

While you are there, also check out our latest edition of Petroglyph photo and business card holders, stands!  They are pretty cool!  They would make great gifts!

Kokopelli Photo, Business Card Holder - Home Decor

Looking for the Lennox Mine

We needed some time away and out in the wilds.  Of course we picked an extremely smoky day to do our exploring, but we couldn't have found a prettier place to go.

We ended up near the end of the road along the North fork of the Snoqualmie River.  It was beautiful up there.  I have been trying to get to the mine on the south side of Lennox Creek for a few years now, but Lennox Creek, unlike it's name is a roaring river most of the time, and I needed to be on the other side of it.

Lennox Creek 2013

Looking Across Lennox Creek 2013

With this year being the driest in recorded history here, I figured I might just be able to get there this time.  I was right!  The Creek was WAY DOWN!  We could even see evidence of the mine laying in the creek bed.  These cables were completely invisible due to the higher water levels in the past.

Cables Laying Across Boulders

If you were wondering how big the water difference is,  here are a couple photos of the same pool and rock at two different times.  Note the same rock circled in red on both photos.

Lennox Creek 2013

Lennox Creek 2015

Well, anyway, we made it across the creek after taking our life in our hands and jumping across giant boulders.

These are BIG Rocks!

We searched a bit for the mine entrance, but once again, we were taking our life in our hands searching.  The mine is situated on sheer, wet cliff sides.

Cliff Face

Looking Up - Neat Photo Effect Applied

After enjoying the beautiful sounds of water and the fairly clear air (probably from the water washing the smoke out of the air), we gave up and headed out.  Not without some success in finding evidence of the mine.

Gorgeous View From Water Level

If you look closely, you can barely see the cables on the boulder in the center top of this photo.

Rock with Quartz and Pyrite Running Through it

And, in case you were wondering why we were looking for this mine, it is reported that it still has a good bit of gold in the tailings by a recent geology report. :-)
On another note, please check out our newest Etsy Shop creations.  Hope you like them.

Mountain Lion Petroglyph Card/Memo/Photo Holder

Kokopelli/Shaman Petroglyph Car/dMemo/Photo Holder

This one is my favorite, I'm sure you can see why!