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Eastern Sierra and Mono Country

Eastern Sierra Nevada and Mono Country of California

19 posts

Tungstar Mine Tram

Tungstar Mine Tram

This very adventurous hike follows an old mining trail which led to the Tungstar Mine, a 1940s tungsten mine high on the western slope of Mt. Tom, the prominent 13,658-foot peak just west of Bishop. The trail was used in the early days of the mine to build a

Hess Mine

Hess Mine

Not far from the Tioga Pass entrance station to Yosemite National Park lie the remains of the Hess Mine, one of the more accessible 1940s-era tungsten mines in the High Sierra. Three widely-separated claims comprised the mine: the main claim at the north end of Steelhead Lake; a small middle

Ward Stamp Mill

Ward Stamp Mill

Up in the high country of the Eastern Sierra and south of Bridgeport, is the old site of Ward. Never a big mine or camp but it makes an interesting place to visit in that a stamp mill still remains there. It's also a bit of a challenge

Hanging Valley and Tungstar Mines

Hanging Valley and Tungstar Mines

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, surging worldwide demand for tungsten led to the opening of several tungsten mines in the High Sierra above Bishop. Two small but relatively high-grade ore bodies were discovered on the west side of Mt. Tom, which would become the Hanging Valley Mine and

Adamson Mine

Adamson Mine

At 12,990 ft (3960 m), the Adamson is the highest mine in the Sierra Nevada. And as you might suspect, getting there is no easy feat. It is a strenuous climb up the rugged Wheeler Ridge to reach it. This is the top of the Sierras. Altitude sickness is

MV Mill

MV Mill

I found this hidden mill in 2013. It is unusual in that a Pelton wheel powered it. Water was funneled into a ditch and then a pipe and poured over the waterwheel, which drove the equipment inside. A water-powered mill is a rare sight in the land of little rain.

Antelope Cottonwood Mill

Antelope Cottonwood Mill

We found this small modern mill that seems often overlooked on Chidago Loop Road in the Benton Hills north of Bishop. The equipment is a mixture of new and old. It is nice to see so much of it still here. Hopefully, it remains that way. I couldn't