Nevada still has treasures hidden in her desert. I surveyed the 10-stamp mill along with the Tonopah Mining Park board members. On the trip, we couldn’t resist visiting the ghost towns of Simon and the historical sites near the stamp mill.
Ghost Towning
A week after my last camping trip with Stan Paher, the godfather of Nevada ghost towns, he called to see if I was up for another camping trip. Silly question, of course I was!
On the last trip, we stayed outside of Austin at Birtch Creek and explored Big Smoky Valley. On this trip, Stan wanted to camp outside of Mina. I was a little confused on why he would want to camp in Mina, not far off Highway 95, when we usually camp in the middle of nowhere.
While camping in Hamilton last year, Stan told me of a 10-stamp mill that was in beautiful shape and mostly unknown. He wanted to visit the mill along with some board members from the Tonopah Mining Park. Our goal was to document the mill and look at the possibility of moving it to the park and restoring it to working order. As long as we were in the area, he wanted to visit other ghost towns. The trip’s finale was with Nevada Expeditions driving Stan to a ghost town he always wanted to visit but never made it there.
Desert Camping
We camped on the road to Simon, a few miles outside Mina. I thought the highway noise and lights would be distracting, but it was peaceful desert camping. This was true desert camping: no water, no cleared campsites, just throwing up a tent.
My friend Mike should be proud of me, or at least not have to slap my hand the next time I see him. I’m not always good with putting my lighter, leatherman and flashlight in my pocket. My stove didn’t want to ignite, thankfully I put everything in my pocket that morning.
Stan’s friends Bill and Dick joined the trip. Bill has worked restoring historical sites and Dick is a mining geologist, so they provided a wealth of information.
Mina Mercury Mine
Our first stop of the day was the Mina Mercury Mine. Between 1919 and the early 1940s, various owners and lessors worked the mine. Mina Mine produced a total of 2766 flasks of mercury.
Simon
Our second/third planned stops were a whirlwind of washed and dead-end roads. We made it to Simon but missed out on Omco, partially due to roads and mainly due to our rescue mission for Colt.
Prospectors discovered silver ore at Simon in 1879, but significant mining did not occur until 1919. A town grew and was large enough to be awarded a post office the same year. A 100-ton mill was built in 1921; it was enlarged in 1923 and operated until 1927. Smaller-scale mining occurred for a decade, but the post office closed in 1938. Sadly, vandals burned the mill.
Wild horse rescue at Omco
A colt got separated from his momma and band. For some reason, he decided Honey Badger and I were momma and wouldn’t leave us. It took some time, but we left him where we last saw his band. You can see pictures and videos at Rescue of wild horse colt.
While I was at Omco I saw a few abandoned buildings but was busy trying to figure out what to do with Colt. We didn’t want to go back and disrupt Colt reuniting with his band, so Omco will be for another trip.
Mt. Montgomery
Montgomery Pass was a station on the Carson & Colorado Railway. In the 1940s, Montgomery had a service station, restaurant, bar and casino. The settlement was also known as Summit and Mt. Gomery. I remember driving past before the casino burned down.
Buckskin Mine
The others had to return to life, but Stan, Austin and I had more free time. We visited Buckskin, which was a mercury mine.
Gold Hitt
Stan had never been to Gold Hitt but it was a place he wanted to visit. How cool is it that we got to take him?
Gold Hitt was briefly a town. It had a post office from 1906 to 1907. It had a restaurant, shop, assay office, and, most importantly, three saloons. We found a few rock foundations and debris. Austin spotted this foundation and wall on the way out of the canyon.
Basalt
Our final stop of the day was Basalt. The town was a station stop on the Carson and Colorado Railroad. It had a post office in 1906, for a whopping five months. In 1940, Basalt was a supply center for prospectors and boasted a population of six. Only foundations and debris remain.
The best little 10-stamp mill in Nevada
Stan first told me of the fabled 10-stamp mill on our camping trip to Hamilton in 2022. He has been a board member at the Tonopah Mining Park for many years. His dream before he retires is for the park to have a working 10-stamp mill.
The mill is not well known and the roads are washed out and blocked, which has protected the mill. Stan pronounced that the mill is probably the best preserved in Nevada. It was installed in the early 1900s and only operated for four years. Amazingly, a 100-year-old mill is in such good condition.
My friend Troy lives in the area and guided us to the mill. Thanks, Troy!
Drone down… again.
Darn it, I went almost a year without crashing my drone. Not to mention, I went half a year without one…it still counts. I owe Austin a prime rib dinner for retrieving my drone.
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