Tecopa mining district

[tails]

We explored this area a few years ago. Several great mines in the Tecopa area. Just a little to the east we also discovered several unknown mines high up in the mountains and running between them were the remains of a narrow guage RR completly intact. We walked the RR for several miles exploring mines along the way until coming to an old mining town the name of which i won't post here. The town is completley intact but is still owned by a mining company with a part time caretaker overlooking the place. We didn't see anyone on the day we went so we scampered into the town and took a few pics.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18817&id=100001317572241&l=6e298c9827

[acidman1968]

More great pics! As for the caretaker of the buildings, you went down in even though the pickup truck was in view? Wow... Pretty ballsy!

[tails]

More great pics! As for the caretaker of the buildings, you went down in even though the pickup truck was in view? Wow... Pretty ballsy!

Well we watched the location for quite some time. And several trucks came and went. It had appeared that the owner of the truck went off site in another vehicle. When we went into the town, we only scoped out the the outlying buildings. We stayed away from the admin building just in case.

[Stuart]

More great pictures. Wow that railroad trussle is great! I can't believe how good of shape those buildings are.

[tails]

More great pictures. Wow that railroad trussle is great! I can't believe how good of shape those buildings are.

Here are some more pics of the RR. Take a look at the current trestle pic and the old one.

http://img64.imageshack.us/g/dsc01059y.jpg/

[Stuart]

More great pictures of the RR, I'm surprised they haven't scraped the rails over all these years.

[Therrin]

At first, some of the photos in that Facebook folder looked like the busted tressle behind Noonday. But that location is fairly well known. No secrets there. So are some of those from the back of Noonday, or are they ALL from this "other area" you found?

Those other pictures are fantastic.

[tails]

At first, some of the photos in that Facebook folder looked like the busted tressle behind Noonday. But that location is fairly well known. No secrets there. So are some of those from the back of Noonday, or are they ALL from this "other area" you found?

Those other pictures are fantastic.

You are correct, the busted trestle is from the backside of noonday. The photo before the trestle and the 3 after that are underground are from either the noonday, war eagle, one of those mines. All the other photos of the narrow guage RR and the mine photos with white walls are from the other location. They are talc mines. Whats crazy is that narrow guage runs about 800ft above a well traveled road. I have been down this road several times and never saw it, and even knowing its there now for the most part it is well hidden. Most people don't look "up" when driving.

[Therrin]

Sweet! Of all the places I've spent the most overall time in the Tecopa area. I love seeing new things out there. And there's sooooo much to explore, of all varieties and types of mines, to differing difficulty levels. It's a fantastic mining district.

Thanks again for posting those up.

[rhartill]

Nice pics of a sweet little area I once wrote about in my youth...PM for details on this fascinating town...
but was it talc or colemanite?

[Therrin]

I thought Tecopa has both. Along with dolomite/diorite/galena/stibnite/etc. Colmanite was a primary I think at the Billie Mine in Death Valley, as well.

Western Talc is in Tecopa. Dolomite was common enough and of a type to be coined "Noonday dolomite", from the Tecopa area.

[josh bernhard]

The railroad is the "Baby Gauge" portion of the Death Valley Railroad, 2 foot gauge and was operated as a tourist line during the 1940's using trammers and ore car chassis mounted with benches.

[tails]

The railroad is the "Baby Gauge" portion of the Death Valley Railroad, 2 foot gauge and was operated as a tourist line during the 1940's using trammers and ore car chassis mounted with benches.

Correct!! have you ever been there? its an amazing several miles and spans at least 4 different mines, all acessable. I don't think they will ever remove the rails because the tracks are built on the side of a mountain. There is no access for heavy equipment or anything like that to help them tear them up.

[josh bernhard]

No, I've never been there, but that's on my wish list as well. I had family who lived in that area for a few years in the late 40's though.

Most of the Death Valley Railroad equipment still exists at the railroad museum in Laws. Besides the trammer and bench cars, there was a gasoline powered railbus and a tiny red and white first aid car.

...am I hijacking this thread?

[tails]

No, I've never been there, but that's on my wish list as well. I had family who lived in that area for a few years in the late 40's though.

Most of the Death Valley Railroad equipment still exists at the railroad museum in Laws. Besides the trammer and bench cars, there was a gasoline powered railbus and a tiny red and white first aid car.

...am I hijacking this thread?

Not at all I think I speak for everyone, any info is great info.