CORTEZ? I didn't remember seeing a Cortez on Chris Case's map, but our collective euphoria spiked again and we were off. The mining woman's instructions led us up a winding canyon past a modern-ish mining operation. We stopped on a sandy knoll and got out of the Jeep to do what men do after they've just downed a twelve-pack of Dr. Pepper. That's when we noticed remains of foundations in the distance and old wood strewn on the ground.

That's also when we noticed the flames under the Jeep.

We frantically tossed handfuls of sand until we extinguished the fire. Turns out the Jeep's undercarriage had collected some brush during earlier bushwhacking. Unfortunately, the Jeep also leaked oil. Oil plus brush plus engine heat makes for a scary situation, and we were happy once the flames were doused. We were even happier when the Jeep still worked.

Ghosts

"Ghost town." What is there not to love about that title? Such places are aptly named. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, these deserted places have a haunting aura. Though now a just desolate collection of ancient stone and timber, a ghost town was once a living, breathing place. Every wooden plank was hewn from area trees or delivered by industrious people who built this town from scratch. Children were born here. People spent their lives here. They died here and their bones still lie here under the sand. What was once a bustling center of life is now a skeleton of rock and wood, still standing only because it's so far isolated from modern life.

The way the headlights shone on the ruins made it appear as if light was coming from inside the structures. We parked (making sure to take good note of where we left the Jeep this time) and walked down the streets of old Cortez, peering through glassless windows and circling crumbling foundations. We quickly recognized the mill, a massive rock structure, which we would have explored closer if not for Mine Lady's warning about rattlesnakes.

Curiosity got the better of us though, and we did climb a 20 foot high rock barrier surrounding a large oval of cleared ground. In the center of the oval was a large "X" marked with some kind of plastic.

Silver Boom

Cortez, we later learned, was founded in 1862. It's claim to fame was silver- $300,000 worth per year in its heyday. With a population of 400, Cortez was home to three mining companies, two mills, a post office, a leaching plant, and an intricate labrynth of tunnels. The Garrison mine was 4,500 feet long and 1,270 feet deep, with ten levels and more than fifteen miles of workings. It connected on the fifth level to the St. Louis Mine and on the sixth level to the Fitzgerald Mine.

While mining in the area continued, the town itself died out. Silver prices dropped and operations slowed until Cortez faded into history. The property today is owned by Barrick Gold Corporation (which I assume also mines silver), and it conducts its operations without disturbing the townsite.

My first ghost town was also my eeriest one. Maybe it was simply our pre-conceptions that made it seem spooky. It could been the darkness of that night. It was probably the Fifth Element soundtrack. Whatever it was, each of us had the distinct impression that we were not welcome in this place. Though we had been given permission to access the site, we didn't stay in town too long.

Our dream had been to sleep under the stars in downtown Gold Acres. But it was 4:00 am. Gold Acres no longer existed, and we were too exhausted to even look for a suitable campsite. We pulled off the highway, layed a large tarp on the ground, and were out cold in seconds.

Cortez may or may not be haunted by the ghosts of old miners. I'll leave that for the Art Bell crowd to determine. It is surely haunted by the memories of those who walked its streets, mined its silver, and lie in its graveyard.


Click here for Part 3 of this story

Related Links
www.nevadadventures.com
Cortez pictures at Shawn Hall's website

Labels: American West, BUDS, First Ghost Town Trip, Ghost Towns, History, Trip Reports

MY PASSION FOR GHOST TOWNS was sparked in my college American History class. My professor, a quirky 1970’s holdover that had a knack for storytelling, told the class about a ghost town he’d found somewhere in the Nevada desert. Ghost towns are the stuff of legends and my mind filled with images of dusty roads and saloon doors creaking in the wind. I stayed after class that day and asked him to tell me more.

Later, Tyler, John, and I sat around Professor Case’s kitchen table as he unfolded an old map of Nevada. He made some recommendations and we ultimately decided to make the mining town of Gold Acres our initiation into ghost-towning. Armed with wide-eyed excitement and a topo map (these were the pre-Google Earth and GPS days), we hopped in Tyler’s Jeep and drove into the sunset.

Two U2 CD’s, The Fifth Element Soundtrack, and 300 miles later, we found ourselves in the middle of Lander County, Nevada. It was late and our headlights were the only illumination, it seemed, in the world. There was only one highway on the map, so we were pretty certain we were on it. A web of dirt roads branched off each side, each surely leading to something mysterious and spectacular.

The small town of Gold Acres was born more recently than most ghost towns, which probably explains why it was so intact when Case visited. The Gold Acres mine opened in 1936 and was worked by the Consolidated Mining Company. By 1940 it had produced $213,000. The London Extension Company purchased the mine in 1942 and the population of the town swelled to 300. Structures included various businesses, two mills, two stores, and a school.

The company folded in 1961 and the town was abandoned. The only remaining settlers were Orvil Jack and his family. Orvil didn't live in town proper, but he and his family lived nearby on a turquoise claim, one of several mines that he owned and worked until the day he died. Turqoise buffs (no, I'm not one) and bolo tie enthusiasts everywhere no doubt are familiar with the vibrant green variety widely known as Orvil Jack turquoise.

Lost

Of course we knew none of this at the time. With no information to go on, we pulled off onto the road that kinda, sorta seemed like it would get us to the old townsite. The further we drove, the narrower the road became until it was impassable. Confident this overgrown path would eventually become Main Street Gold Acres, we left the Jeep and continued on foot. Still fueled by sheer enthusiasm, the hours passed as we walked into the darkness. We hit a fork, so we took the side that looked most like it would lead to a ghost town. Before we knew it, we were no longer on a path at all. By about 2 AM the excitement had given way to disappointment, and we accepted the fact that we were lost. Pretty dang lost.

Our only reference point was a flashing beacon atop a distant hill. This story has a lot of morals, all subjects for other posts. But with a few prayers and some good luck, we eventually located our vehicle and drove back to the highway. We had seen a current mining operation a few miles back and we decided to backtrack and see if we could find another human being to help us get our bearings.

Dreams Dashed

The lady in the mining office was startled when we walked into the reception area. I would be too. It was 3:00 in the morning, after all, in an endless desertscape that could be easily mistaken for the surface of Mars. We assured her that we were not escaped prisoners or murderers- just inexperienced city boys looking for a ghost town.

"You've found Gold Acres," she said. "You're standing in it." Then in one sentence she both dashed our dreams and sparked a new adventure.

“All the buildings were bulldozed a few months ago," she told us.

"But Cortez is still standing and it's just down the road.”

Click here for Part 2 of this story

Related Links
www.nevadadventures.com
Shawn Hall's Nevada Ghost Towns

Labels: American West, BUDS, First Ghost Town Trip, Ghost Towns, History, Trip Reports

I was raised in in an explorer's paradise. From it's pristine mountain lakes to vast seas of desert, my part of the West is brimming with history and natural wonders. It's a land largely untouched by human progress- where ancient petroglyphs grace sandstone walls and ghost towns dot the valleys.

I grew up fishing Uinta streams, scampering across boulder fields, and wandering desert paths. I've passed many a night sitting by a small fire in the wilderness- with good friends, family, or just alone. To me, happiness is a backpack and an old, dusty trail. I'm the guy who gleefully hikes miles and miles toward an unknown destination, certain that something incredible must be just around the next bend.

I'm older now. I have a gut, a mortgage, a family, and a couple jobs. I don't get out like I used to, but I do when I can. Much of my exploring these days takes place in books, on the Web or the occasional business trip. If I were rich, I'd buy one or two of everything at REI and travel the globe.

Many self-styled adventurers do just that. I'm envious of them sometimes when I see them on the cover of Outside Magazine or buying $300 hiking boots. But there's something today's average outdoors bum lacks. You see, the pioneers that blazed those trails weren't care-free peak baggers. The original outdoorsmen had more on their mind than geocaching when they mapped the frontier. Nature was less a tourist attraction than a backdrop for a life marked by trials and steeped in a struggle to survive.

Nature is best viewed through the prism of history and culture. That's what this website intends to do- mountains, trails, swamps, seas, deserts, and Americana. I don't pretend to be an expert on anything. I only wish to be your guide through places and times that interest me. And I invite you to share your adventures here.

To contact me or to submit a story, write me:

bonnevillemariner at gmail dot com

All articles are exclusive property of Clint Thomsen (Bonneville Mariner)

Labels: About

Are you bored with work today? Got some time to kill? Then check out these websites.

AMERICAN SOUTH

New Orleans Journal - A blog by The New Yorker's Dan Baum, who is down in NOLA researching for a book. An excellent read.

Southern Byways - A blog for travellers to the South.

Tim's Nameless Blog - Life in New Orleans post-Katrina. Tim is an engineer living in a FEMA trailer. A good look into the life of the average New Orleansian.

AMERICAN WEST

Wild West Magazine - A must read for all Wild West buffs.

Wild West Magazine Blog - The official blog of the magazine by author and historian Tom Goodrich. A great way to get your daily old west fix. Tom is one of the best writers I've read.

Mason-Dixon Wild West - A blog by Tom's wife- also author and historian- Deb Goodrich. Deb juxtaposes South and West for a great read.

GHOST TOWNS

Ghosttowns.com - Great resource, horrible website format. Want to take up ghost-towning and wonder which ghost towns lie in your neck of the woods? Ghosttowns.com has pics, descriptions, and directions for most ghost towns in every state.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

Backpacker Magazine - The magazine is great but the website sucks. Check it out for gear reviews.

Outside Magazine - It's a little too pop culture, way too politically correct, but a good read anyway. Monthly featured articles available online.

UTAH

DesertIslands.org - Features trip reports, background, and pictures of interesting places in the West Desert.

Gold Rush Expeditions - The home of Corey Schuman, whose quest it is to preserve Utah's abandoned mines. Features trip reports and pictures.

Northwest Utah Heritage - A nice site featuring historical articles about- you guessed it- Northwest Utah!

Richard Menzies - A placeholder website for author and photographer Richard Menzies. Menzies was the principal editor of The Salt Flat News. Check out his book, Passing Through.

Roy Tea: The Hastings Trail - Roy Tea is the world's foremost expert on the Hasting's Trail. He's mapped out and documented the route from Salt Lake City to Donner Springs.

FRIENDS' WEBSITES

Seigun.com - A blog by my friend, artist and BBC contributor based in Slidell, LA.

Utah Adventure Videos - My friend Tyler Slack's business and blog.

Labels: Links