A Lost Mining Town "The Sequel"

Click here to see the video

Yes we did. We went back! The original video I posted early last spring "Finding a Lost Mining Town" has received so many views 85k+ (compared to my other videos) and a lot you were asking if we were ever going to go back so we did. Thanks for the encouragement!


Realistically, we could probably spend the next six months making videos in this location and I would love to because the place is so big and vast. Its a big mountain! Unfortunately, there are just too many places to detect in a short period of time. Its hard to pick an area and focus on one location. Ideally, a metal detectorist who is good at what they do, will go back several times over the same area using different coils and maybe different detectors to make sure they detect everything they can (and they will still miss targets).

Greg fishing for "native" trout

For Greg and I, we don't have this luxury of time. For starters, we do have different coils and take them both but it really comes down to time and a good strategy of the best places to detect given the short period of time. If anyone wants to donate some paid vacation we'll gladly stay longer. :-)

Usually, we have 1-2 days of detecting time across a long 4 day weekend. We have to fit that in between our hunting and fishing excursions because we do other stuff and not just metal detecting on these trips (I know its hard to believe). Its too beautiful not to do other things. Usually, when we make the trip to this area in early spring its our annual fishing trip. We spend much of the weekend fishing "native" trout streams and exploring different locations to fish. When we went back this time around it was early fall and we gave up fishing and small game hunting for the weekend. In hind sight, I think we regret making that decision. Unlike hunting white tail deer during the winter (which sucks), the fishing is amazing. From fly fishing to live bait to spinner fishing, this location is awesome. The weekend we filmed this video we actually ended up detecting and filming "Finding a Dynamite Factory" as well. Even though we did have a good time detecting both locations, we did miss the other sporting activities that we've been doing for many years. So this year I think we'll do a little of both the next time around (yes, it looks like we will be going back again!)

Me holding a "native" trout that I always throw back.

So what makes this trip different from the past? First of all, I think we have a better idea of what we are doing now (at least I do...LOL sorry Greg if you are reading this). We also know more about the area and the history behind it. It helps when you know someone from the local historical society who can share what they know. We already knew about the activity that went on at this location and we kinda knew the location of where most of the buildings would have been located. However, Greg stumbled into something that really put things into perspective this time around. The tree that Greg found in the video that still has the cables attached put many things into place. Here are a few of them:

1. We now know where the cable car or coal car came down off the mountain.
2. We now know where on the other side of the stream where the cable was attached (we found the other tree).
3. We now know where the stream crossing "ford" would have been (we actually walked across it and didn't realize it until later).
4. Because we know where the coal car came down the mountain we and probably figure where the wooden steps would have been placed going up the mountain.
5. We have a pretty good idea how the road coming across the stream would have run past most of the buildings that were in that location. 

Coal car used to transport coal down the mountain on a cable

If you are into the history of this location as much as I am, this really gets exciting because you can almost imagine yourself standing there watching the people working at this location. It gets even better when you can pull up a crotal bell or piece of a lantern that you know was used by someone working on that side of the mountain.

Coal cart used to get the coal to the coal car for transport down the mountain.

However, that's just one location on this mountain. There are several areas all over this mountain where immigrants working these mines set up small little living areas for their families (small wooden shacks really). We have found one location full of trash pits and wells (briefly mentioned and shown in the first video). I haven't mentioned the mines themselves or the fact that the entire mountain was basically bare of any trees from the logging industry that was going on back in those days. In essence, during the late 1800s - early 1900s this mountain had a fury of folks all over the mountain in different locations. Realistically, you could find something anywhere on the mountain.

Mystery item found during our first visit.

In summary, we have a lot to explore and discover on this mountain and we look forward to returning in 2015. This year we may focus our exploration of whats left of the coal mines and maybe finding some of the tools that were used to get the coal. In addition, we always stand the chance of uncovering other artifacts too possibly related to the lumber industry of that time. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel. If we get a break in the weather we just might make a trip sooner than later.

Thanks for stopping by!