Hike to Empire, Part 2

We left our eight hikers at the bunkhouse ruins just below the Empire Mines in Mineral King.

There are four different mining holes. (Are they called that?) I don’t know if they are separate mines, or entries to the same mine. Some might be enterable, but not unless you have ropes and know what you are doing!

See the rock spires above? Up there are a couple of air shafts that drop down into the mines. Only Scott, the youngest on our hike, ventured up there. He didn’t have to save his knees for the descent as the rest of us older duffers had to do.

Not much to see in there.

The rocks are very interesting at the mine entrances. This particular mine hole was closed with dirt by the Forest Service back when this was their jurisdiction. They didn’t want people falling down the hole. Sheesh!

This is the New England Tunnel. The New England Tunnel and Smelting Company was involved in the mining of Mineral King. I read Louise Jackson’s Mineral King history book twice, and I still can’t remember the details.

There’s nothing to see here, folks – keep moving.

But it looks so cool from the inside out!

Actually, it looks pretty neato from the outside in.

After the mines, we got on the old road. There is a road up there. Really!

We followed the road toward Timber Gap, and encountered about 6 or 7 more people. Turns out we knew them, and right there on the old wagon road that was built by miners, the descendants of some of the miners met up with their cabin neighbors. It was really fun!

Here is the final relic of the day. There was a gate between 2 trees on Timber Gap. These hinges and some wire remain.

Trail Guy Led a Hike to Empire in Mineral King

One Saturday a.m., it was raining like crazy in Mineral King. Too bad. We geared up, and headed over to the Sawtooth parking lot to see if there were any hardy souls who wanted to visit the Empire mines. We found 2 people in flip-flops, and said, “Nope, not those shoes”. They knew that but were just checking to see if we were going to proceed as planned. Four others appeared, it stopped raining, and we headed up the Sawtooth/Timber Gap trail. (Okay, you can call it the Monarch/Crystal Lakes trail too if you prefer). We figured that if it started raining again, we could either wait it out or head back down. Day hiking is easy like that.

We began as a group of six and eventually the 2 flip-flop wearers caught up (wearing hiking boots.)

Relics can be found around various historic sites. I don’t know what these things are, but they are interesting.

This is the corner of a tram tender’s cabin. Maybe.

Trail Guy referred to the Mineral King History book by Louise Jackson to figure out some of the historical sites. If you love Mineral King, you need that book! Louise used to lead this hike, but asked Michael to take it this year.

Yep, a tram went through here. It hauled buckets full of ore down to the stamp mill. The ore was quite disappointing, and mining didn’t succeed in Mineral King. Now, we love to look for the relics of the past.

We left the trail and headed up to the old bunk house ruins in the fog.

Alice and I got to talking and climbed a bit too high. That is the ruins of the miners’ bunk house down there. I think it is remarkable that we can stand there in the very spot where these old guys lived while searching for gold. (That’s why I am remarking on it!)

Ick. What sort of relic is this?

Ooh, maybe we should have gone to White Chief so we could be in the sunshine!

To be continued. . .

 

New and Improved Farewell Gap

Last year I did an oil painting of a standard Mineral King scene, Farewell Gap. It didn’t sell.

No big deal. I took it to shows and put it on my website. It didn’t sell.

What gives? I took it back to the Silver City Store this year and everything has sold so far except that painting.

Finally, I showed it to my friend Tall Cathy, who has been going to Mineral King her entire life, which is about 10 years longer than my life, plus she started at an earlier age. (i.e. Tall Cathy is a bona fide Mineral King Expert.) I asked her, “What’s wrong with this painting?”

She said, “Little Florence is too low”.

I said, “Shoot. I was afraid of that. Guess I’ll take it back to the studio and redo it.”

Little Florence is the peak on the left side of Farewell Gap, and it is lower than Vandever, which is the peak on the right side. Sometimes when you see it from a place other than the bridge, it looks very much lower. With 20,713 photos on my computer, I’m not going to look for the exact one I used for the painting. You can see the concept here:

 

Aside from the fact that normal people don’t lie in the grass to take photos, this is not the normal way that normal people view when they normally view Farewell Gap from the bridge. (There – have I successfully destroyed the word “normal” for you?)

Here it is in its new and improved version. Last year I photographed my paintings. This year I scan them. The color isn’t true either way. Look at the heights of the peaks – this is more of what people expect when they think of Farewell Gap.

Do you agree with this?

Rainy Morning Fun in Mineral King

How many people does it take to build a futon bunk bed?

FIVE! (The white in the foreground is the so-called “instruction” sheet and reader’s hands, and #5 is taking the photo.)

No, SIX!! (The cowboy hat is on the head of an engineer, who was just as baffled as we were by the so-called “instructions”.)

What are all these people needed for?

One to read the directions, another to interpret, someone to find the pieces that the illustrations don’t accurately illustrate, someone else to decide which way the piece should go (which the instructions don’t instruct), two people to hold the pieces in place, two others to put the bolts in, someone to photo-document the process, and someone else to learn how to use the self-timer on a camera.

That is more than six, but some of us jump from task to task as needed.

This man is laughing as he undoes the top platform for the third time. Does that little bar go on top or on the bottom? Where are the holes to attach the ladder? Why is neither thing mentioned or shown on the so-called “instruction” sheet?

It takes a village to build a futon bunk bed.

After we placed it, we realized that climbing on the ladder meant bashing one’s head AND that the side windows in the little cabin will not open with this Thing in this place.

But, a good time was had by all, and the futon bunk bed is now assembled.

Isn’t it amazing what passes for entertainment in The Land of No Electricity?

 

Fridays Are For Mineral King

You’ve been polite while I sell you pencil drawings of Mineral King cabins.

Today, let’s rest our eyes and minds with this photo of Mineral King:

Trail Guy will be leading a hike up to the Empire Mine area on July 27, 9 a.m. Depending on the state of my plantar fasciitis, I may be stumbling along at the back of the group. I don’t know yet where the hike will begin – Sawtooth parking lot? ranger station? bridge? More will be revealed in the fullness of time.

Would you like a tee shirt to go with that hike?

You can get yours here.

Oops. Still selling! No, I’m offering you the opportunity to own quality, custom Mineral King items.

A Nice Walk in Mineral King

Just to review: a hike is when you take a pack and food; a walk is just a walk.

In addition to the Nature Trail/Wildflower Walk, there is a nice walk to the upper valley to a place we call Soda Springs. It might be 4 miles round trip.

Mineral King and Crowley Cabin from the bridge

Start here. Cross the bridge (unless you parked on the correct side already, which is the side that goes past the old pack station.)

Vandever in Mineral King

Walk sort of uphill. Cross Crystal Creek. When you come to a sign that says trail pointing left, go right.

Encounter Trail Guy, wearing a Mineral King tee shirt.  Ask him where you can get a tee shirt of your own. If he follows the advice that he gives me, he’ll pull a business card out of his pocket and hand it to you. If you are really lucky and catch him on a particularly hospitable day, he might invite you back to the cabin and sell you one on the spot.

Wow! Is this Soda Springs? Can I play in it?

Sure. Why don’t you leave a rusty handprint on a boulder?

Be sure to wipe your shoes, boys and girls. That’s BEFORE you go hiking or walking.

Another Mineral King Bridge

Back in the fall of 2011, we had ourselves a series about The Mineral King Bridge. You can see it beginning this date. Don’t worry, it will open in another tab or window, and I’ll be waiting right here for you to return.

If you follow this blog (and blessings on those of you who do, even those who never comment), then you might be aware that I have a love affair with the Oak Grove Bridge.

This post is about yet another bridge. It was built sometime between 1978 and 1985. It is a footbridge on the Nature Trail, aka Wildflower Walk.

These old guys built it sometime between 1978 and 1985. I didn’t ask them for specifics, but they might be too old to remember anyway. I just know that Mineral King became part of Sequoia National Park in 1978; I first began spending summers there in 1985 and the bridge was there.

 

They are inspecting the bridge because Trail Guy told them it needed some work. (Hey Sophie, you listening??)

 

See how it lists to port? (At least from this direction it is port.)

Trail Guy knows People. He can talk to them, and they heed his ideas and suggestions. He does not abuse this privilege, no need to worry about undue influence.

 

This is now the approach and step up from the uphill end of the Wildflower Walk. (Sophie, it is still sort of tall but we can do this now!)

 

 Trail Guy thinks it is a little weak under this corner. Not the bridge, but the shoring up of the bridge. (When we have work done at our house, he operates as Inspector Gadget, Quality Control Expert.)

 

Me? I just think it is grand to get stuff fixed at all. That corner? Prolly good enough for gov’t work.

And you Old Guys? I was just messing with you to see if you read my blog. You know you are both timeless and classically handsome dudes.

Save

Nature Trail aka Wildflower Walk in Mineral King

In Mineral King, you can walk from Cold Springs Campground up to the actual Mineral King valley on a trail, called “the Nature Trail”. That name bugs me. My faithful blog reading and commenting friend (Hi Mel!) suggested “the Wildflower Trail”. I prefer aliteration, and because I never take a pack or food when I use that trail, it is a walk. Thus, “Wildflower Walk”.

Every year, it seems there are new or interesting things to see. In the photo below, there are lots of white dots. This is Sierra Star Tulip, the most prolific I’ve ever seen it.

Look at this little thing! It actually comes in different sizes, but I didn’t have a quarter in my pocket to show you the differences.

This year there are clusters, something I don’t recall seeing in the past.

What is this? An unfamiliar flowering shrub. How can something be unfamiliar when I’ve been walking this trail since 1985?

Mr. Unfamiliar Shrub has these flowers. I didn’t stick my nose in them to see if there was a scent – I only just met them and didn’t want to overstep the bounds of politeness.

aspens in Mineral King

The Wildflower Walk has the best and most accessible aspens. I went nutso over them last fall. You can see those posts here and here and here and here. Here too. Go ahead. Each link will open in a new tab or window. I’ll wait.

There is a little footbridge. I’ll tell you more about that in another post. (Sophie, got some news for you!!)

Languid Ladies or Sierra Bluebells are one of the first flowers to bloom each year. I love blue.

I have no idea what these are. They are sort of boring. I usually don’t like white flowers because they are a little boring.

Sierra Forget Me Nots – sometimes they are called Sierra Stickseed. Sometimes they come in pink. I love blue.

Larkspur are sort of a bluish purple. I love blue and bluish purple.

 

Little white boring flowers.

These have the appropriate name of “Elephant Heads”. I can forgive them for not being blue.