Hello everybody!

Im a DV enthusiast although of the very amateur kind compared to peeps here. We usually do a winter desert trip every year, pick few canyons from Steve Halls website and have a blast. 

Or that was until 2020/21 wich sucked both because of the pandemic and Steve's info vanishing in fine air to my despair. 
Thankfully the death valley forum didnt totally dissapear!! Glad I found you reorganized in this corner. 

Anyways, we managed to get a winter 21/22 trip in, and I must thank this forum, and the websites from Kauri, Stav and Jim Boone for having great DV info out there. 

You will see me here planning during the autumn months hopefully for many more years.
I hope to pay it back with reports. Sorry they are all places you have already been, nothing exotic.  But I hope you still enjoy it. I have a metric shit-ton of photos to go through so I will have to do this in installments.

I will be reporting on:
- Keane Wonder Mine
- Desolation
- Mummy
- Red Wall
- 20 Mule

Keane Wonder Mine

Weve been wanting to check it out since it opened. It was SO MUCH FUN. So many bits of kit and equipment to browse through. It totally exceded expectations.

I dont know what half of the things Im looking at are so if you know or have a guess please please say so.

It was a very foggy day, it snowed in the morning. Fantastic temps.


Going up to the mine: 




The upper terminal where the ore is loaded in baskets



I dont know what this is but it was manufactured by Risdon Iron & Locomotive Works in San Francisco. I understand they did a lot of mining ironworks in the late 18s early 19s. 



A hoist! No idea what it was used for, looks steam powered, has a piston and its in amazing condition.


We see this pile of iron dumped below the terminal, what on earth is that...huge bunch of cans!!! Guess the early 19s are not renowned for waste management...


Marking on the hoist. Many things had the serial starting with HW wich I wonder if it refers to Homer Wilson. And  I think that must be a comissioning or fabrication date, 5/31/1907.

Upper terminal from above where the cars on rails are dumped. Was there a crusher in that structure?

This is on the upper terminal. A load resistor maybe? Did they have an electric engine at some point for the tramway or a crusher?


Now I really want to check out Chloride City

Wow, that's all very cool! I haven't seen much from the upper terminal so this is really neat to see. I think you're right on all counts with your guesses/interpretations for artifacts. That is indeed a load resistor, and the tram was electric powered in it's later days, though this could certainly date from the early 20s or teens. Looks like some classic over-engineered electrics.

(2022-01-14, 04:45 PM)GowerGulch42 Wrote: Wow, that's all very cool! I haven't seen much from the upper terminal so this is really neat to see. I think you're right on all counts with your guesses/interpretations for artifacts. That is indeed a load resistor, and the tram was electric powered in it's later days, though this could certainly date from the early 20s or teens. Looks like some classic over-engineered electrics.

Overengineered electrics and mechanics! My god the gauge of all that metal is mind blowing. Thanks for confirming it had a electric motor!

It is always wondrous to look down on clouds / fog in the valley. Nice pix. Yes, those are rusty cans - had to wade through them once when I crossed over from King Midas to Keane (only later did I figure out that there really does appear to be a trail there, where there should be one, but I missed it).

And what is a load resistor, please?

(2022-01-14, 03:27 PM)Daymoth Wrote: It was a very foggy day, it snowed in the morning. Fantastic temps.


Now I really want to check out Chloride City

Loving your trip report and photos. My favorite of your great shots is this one with the clouds below. If you get an early start and make a long day of it you can hike from Keane Wonder parking up past the mine works to Big Bell and then up to Chloride. Big Bell is nearly as cool as Keane Wonder. You could return via Big Bell Extension down to the Keane Springs and then cut over a good trail to your car park. If you're interested I have videos of these routes. I look forward to all of your trip reports and photos.

DeathValleyDazed Thanks for the kind words, and ive seen that video of yours! Putting Big Bell on the to do list!

(2022-01-14, 03:27 PM)Daymoth Wrote: A hoist! No idea what it was used for, looks steam powered, has a piston and its in amazing condition.


We see this pile of iron dumped below the terminal, what on earth is that...huge bunch of cans!!! Guess the early 19s are not renowned for waste management...

The motor was likely gasoline. Fairbanks-Morse gas engines were common in the days that the Keane Wonder operated, especially after Homer Wilson took over operations. Steam powered equipment would have been cumbersome, especially in water distribution. Water was obtained from Keane Spring, up top just off the road to Chloride City, as well as additional water from Monarch Canyon, but quantities weren’t consistent nor in great quantities. Fairbanks-Morse gas engines were the Briggs & Stratton of the day. I have a friend who lives near Death Valley that has one in running condition. It’s a treat to see and hear it run. A camshaft opens the intake valve, the exhaust is simply a compression opened poppet valve with a spring to close it. With no exhaust system whatsoever, the engine is quiet enough that you don’t need ear plugs standing next to it. Just don’t get close to that flywheel, though! Even at only 450 RPM, if you get a hand or arm caught in it, it will launch you to the moon.

Can dumps are a great aid in locating habitations. Ghost towns and mining camps have great quantities of cans. The Tin Age had its peak in Death Valley. Even if there’s not a shred of wood, you’ll always find tin. A hungry miner could get anything in a can in those years. Imagine being a single miner at the camp at the Keane Wonder Mine or down at the mill. He might be from back east and his family back there. A can of Billy Point Blue Oysters would be his version of soul food, helping him connect in a small way with the life he left behind to seek his fortune.

DAW thats awesome info, im looking at some of those gas engines and you are entirely right!

(2022-01-14, 08:29 PM)DAW89446 Wrote: Daymoth
The motor was likely gasoline. Fairbanks-Morse gas engines were common in the days that the Keane Wonder operated, especially after Homer Wilson took over operations. 

Hey DAW89446, sure appreciate your color commentary on vintage mine machinery and cuisine. I found a YT video of the type of engine you describe. Fast forward a few minutes if you don't want to see the fellow tune up the beast. I was amazed.