This video describes our visits to the Ashford Mine and camp in Death Valley National Park on 4-1-2019 and 4-3-2019. On our first visit on 4-1 we attempted to hike to the top of the aerial tram to explore the tram mines but ended up taking the Overlook Trail instead. The Overlook Trail is quite scenic and fairly easy. We went back to the mining camp from the overlook and explored the workings in the area including the main shaft. We went back to the area on 4-3 and found the Tram Mines Trail and followed it to the top of the tram and explored the workings there. The trail to the top of the tram is also very scenic and fairly easy.
There is a good bit of history associated with this particular gold mine and camp, which we visited last year, which we find very interesting. It never was a profitable venture as far as gold production goes, however, profits were made from the leasing and selling of the mine and equipment more than once. Here is some of the history I wrote for the video we made last year:
The abandoned Ashford Mine and camp is also known as the Golden Treasure Mine and has an interesting history behind it. The loop hike was about 4½ miles long, took 3½ hours to complete and had an elevation gain of 1280 feet. The route involved some rock climbing up a few dry falls on the way up the wash. We took a different wash down from the camp and then a trail that led back to our starting point to make a fun loop. The mine was in production off and on from 1907 to 1941. It was started by Harold Ashford and his two brothers in 1907 after they acquired the claim under some odd circumstances. They worked the claim sporadically until 1914 when they leased it to Benjamin McCausland, who further developed the mine and erected the 40 ton mill in the valley below to process the ore. After investing a lot of money and digging over 2000' of tunnels the mine failed to payoff for McCausland and the mine and all the equipment was returned to the Ashford's. The mine was worked minimally until 1935 when it was re-opened by an agreement with the Golden Treasure Mining Co. who worked the mine for a few years before giving up in 1938 and returning it again to the Ashford brothers. They eventually leased it to another company who built an aerial tram that was used to collect the ore from the many workings scattered up the mountain, but they also found the deposit too poor to be worth mining. In 1950 the property was finally idled for good and Ashford estimated total production was $135,000 about half as much as had been invested in development and equipment.
28 авг 2024
