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Nevada

114 posts

Sapphire Tunnel Cave

Sapphire Tunnel Cave

We’ve known about this cave for some time, but it wasn’t until 2015 that we were finally able to put together a trip to see if we could find it. After a few hours of climbing ladders and walking miles into the center of a mountain, we reached

Gold Hitt Stamp Mill

Gold Hitt Stamp Mill

In 2006, we took a side trip to check out the remains of a hidden 10-stamp and cyanide mill. The mine and mill were worked around 1915. There isn’t that much left of the mill, even though it is in a remote location. GPS

Van Ness Mine

Van Ness Mine

We were out on an exploration trip in the high mountains of central Nevada in 2008, and I talked our group into a side trip to check out this mining camp. It turned out to be a small camp with little left except a retort and a few buildings, but

Valentine and Anchor Mines

Valentine and Anchor Mines

We finally went to a couple of mines I’ve wanted to visit for years. We were surprised to find such extensive mines and tramways. They weren’t easy to reach. We had to hike up and down a few cliffs to reach both mines. I hear the Anchor is

Shooting Gallery Petroglyphs

Shooting Gallery Petroglyphs

This area is a small, out-of-the-way valley that is definitely worth the trip if you are interested in petroglyphs. The name “Shooting Gallery” comes from the idea that the Southern Paiutes who lived here used the valley to hunt animals along a game trail. There are blinds and stacked rock

Freiberg Smelter

Freiberg Smelter

Back in 2012, we went on a trip through central Nevada and spent a night in the old mining camp of Freiberg. Discovered in 1865, the area was worked in a small way for silver, but the mines never produced much of anything. We explored the area and only found

Illinois Mine

Illinois Mine

Lead-silver and gold ores were first discovered here in 1874, and the little camp of Lodi was formed. The town had at least 100 residents by 1878. By 1880, the boom was over, and the mine had produced over $400,000. Things were quiet until the mine came to life