If you put your hand on a hot stove, then do it again, most folks would think you’re a slow learner. On the other hand, they say if you get tossed off of a horse, you should jump right back on. Where does that leave hiking? We decided to
If you put your hand on a hot stove, then do it again, most folks would think you’re a slow learner. On the other hand, they say if you get tossed off of a horse, you should jump right back on.
Where does that leave hiking?
We decided to begin the day of our 30th wedding anniversary (send cash and presents to Seattle) with a hike to have a look at a nearby abandoned mine. The promise of petroglyphs was a bonus.
The photo above is the mine tailings. That is, the pile of rubble excavated, gopher-like, from the hole. If you know what you’re looking for, you can see the tailings from two miles down the trail.
Mary Anne is standing on top of the tailings, preparing to peer into the well-protected shaft that was once one of the mine entrances.
They really don’t want you to enter the mine!
We explored this wash (a dry stream bed that may flood when it rains) below the tailings because we heard there were petroglyphs to be seen.
But first, we came to a lower mine entrance.
I spotted the petroglyphs a few minutes walk further up the wash. The guidebooks say they’re authentic but I have to wonder if they’ve been “enhanced” since I could have easily climbed up and added to the collection.
As I returned to the main trail, I spotted this really pretty rock. I don’t recall seeing a combination like this red and sort of chartreuse before. The greenish tone didn’t come through so well in the photo.
Look up the “Dixie Mine Trail” if you’d like an easy, attractive hike with some interesting bits. Round trip was 10k with about 200 meters elevation gain.