tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post7368883414081536818..comments2024-03-28T00:08:07.129-07:00Comments on Explorations with the Ski3pins: Back to the Spark Plug Mine - June 2014 Part TwoSki3pinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16653358876933848142noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-64824662777107220422016-03-08T06:52:49.018-08:002016-03-08T06:52:49.018-08:00Karen, thank you for your comments and information...Karen, thank you for your comments and information! Ski3pinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16653358876933848142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-29875705599539614402016-03-08T06:24:40.942-08:002016-03-08T06:24:40.942-08:00If you continue back up the canyon a quarter mile ...<br /><br />If you continue back up the canyon a quarter mile or so there are another couple adits.<br /><br />Oh yeah, almost forgot, the place is haunted, especially the Hilton Cabin which can be a bit annoying at times if you are sensitive to such things. Some people love it some don't. I have never believed in such things but I've also never had a good night's sleep there either and have learned to sleep in one of the other cabins. Nobody seems to like the large cabin back towards the out-house either, dogs definitely avoid it..<br /><br />Best time of year is very late Fall when there is snow higher up the mountain. Plenty of water in the creek, no people and those cabins are so cozy with a fire in the little stove after a nice dinner cooked on the woodstove in the kitchen. You can easily do a nice oven roasted whatever. We did a turkey with friends one Thanksgiving, built up the fire banked the coals, fed it some fuel put the bird inside and headed to the high camp and were back in time for hot showers, bake a pie and such and had a WONDERFUL dinner with a couple bottles of Chateaux Margeaux as we watched the sun set over Mt Tom and the Wheeler Crest with music by Miles and Mozart...<br /><br />I've been going there since 1969 and I am always so happy when I get there and so reluctant to leave. We actually lived there full time from the end of October until mid February one a very late snow year in the early 80's (1983-84 I believe) and commuted from there to Bishop for work 3-4 days a week. If it hadn't finally started snowing seriously we would have happily spent the whole Winter there...<br /><br />In fact White Mountain Canyon/Jeffrey Canyon is a geological wonderland and you can find an amazing variety of rare phosphates, see this PDF for more info:<br /><br />http://www.baymin.org/Field/ChampionMine/ChampionMineGeology.pdfAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07354935140386651993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-9015385085360967112016-03-08T06:23:45.921-08:002016-03-08T06:23:45.921-08:00Better yet, where the road ends ata the start of t...Better yet, where the road ends ata the start of the trail, if you look to the left and back you will notice the road to the upper trail to the lower camp begins. I've done it in a Saab 900t, but most people would probably prefer a 4wd vehicle. It's about 2.5 mile drive up 3-4 switchbacks to the upper trail head which is basically at the same level as the lower camp and so it's just a 1.3 mile long traverse with a slight elevation gain. Very simple, very easy, though there is one section that is slightly washed out for a dozen feet or so, but there are foot steps carved into the hillside so it's no big deal. I'm 52 and was there a couple years ago and it didn't cause my mother to slow her rate of speech in the least, in fact she didn't stop talking at any point between the car and the lower camp, which is a good indication of how easy the trail is.<br /><br />From the lower camp there are two other trails worth exploring: On the north canyon wall the trail to the high campgoes towards the East and then up, but there is another trail that goes towards the west and climbs up the north canyon to a level area with a mine entrance. I suggest not going in very far as you will notice the noxious gases will make you light headed. Follow the trail up the canyon wall and you will come to an area where one can find Rutile crystals, I have found 3 complete sixlets here and many partials. The trail eventually leads to the high camp via the back way around and up the Western canyon spur though it is washed out near the top where it's fairly steep. <br /><br />In the Fall and Winter the scree slope that is the canyon wall is about concrete hard, however in the Spring it's often nice and soft scree and it's about 45 degrees or so near the top, and if you are like my younger sister and I this is just perfect for scree-skiing back down to the lower camp (Leather soled penny loafers with the heels removed are the best! :)<br /><br />The other trail of interest is the trail that begins across the little creek spring and climbs the southern canyon wall and heads around the spur to the south (Beautiful and steep scree chute as you round the spur, you can get a good running start and jump a good 20-30 feet of air!). Otherwise follow the trail southwards a few hundred feet and it begins a series of short switchbacks that lead to a couple of shallow bore holes., Stop and look at the rocks around you, you will notice they are white quartz with beautiful dark blue nuggets of Lazulite.<br /><br />Of other interest are the numerous pockets of hexagonal quartz (and many other mineral) crystals to be found in the stopes of the high camp mine. They range in color from pink, orange, yellow, clear, and light brown.<br /><br />If you want a sample of Siliminite/Andulusite, it's easy, it's mottled white/blue/grey/green and is the heaviest rock for it size around, very hard, solid, and DENSE, though all phosphates are somewhat such in nature. The first thing one notices is all the rocks are remarkably dense and heavy.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07354935140386651993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-19116189830149022652015-05-11T07:00:08.308-07:002015-05-11T07:00:08.308-07:00We would describe the longer trail from the bottom...We would describe the longer trail from the bottom as moderate. The road in is slow and rough but doable. With your fear of heights, the road to the upper trailhead would definitely be a challenge along with with the foot trail.Ski3pinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16653358876933848142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-922223236492259482015-05-10T22:15:30.550-07:002015-05-10T22:15:30.550-07:00Fantastic story, the pictures are awesome ! You...Fantastic story, the pictures are awesome ! You're one gutsy lady ! Thanks for sharing this adventure. I would love to hike up to the Black Eagle Camp while we're here in Bishop, no way I would even try the upper camp. But the more I read about it , I'm afraid I'm not fit enough to do it. The lower trail head doesn't look as scary as the upper one, I'm afraid of heights. How would you describe the longer trail , easy, moderate or strenuous ? Thanks. Zsuzsa Zsuzsa Klushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13462826328503704432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-49233257404771539142014-06-12T14:03:57.634-07:002014-06-12T14:03:57.634-07:00Those mines are amazing. Imagine the fear and desp...Those mines are amazing. Imagine the fear and desperation of the miners! Thanks for the adventure.Bosque Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00001863270259847102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871699900658828682.post-17883669032748838802014-06-09T06:31:35.329-07:002014-06-09T06:31:35.329-07:00Great adventure, except for the encounter with the...Great adventure, except for the encounter with the crazy person. You handled it well! Dan Schechterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04566890655461158405noreply@blogger.com