{Click on any image to view full size, then use the back button on your browser to return to this page}
 |
| (Fig. 01) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 02) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 03) |
|
Directions: Leaving from the Stratosphere, get on the I-15 South. Go 24 miles and take the NV-161 exit, EXIT 12, toward Jean/Goodsprings. Leaving Jean head west on Route 161 towards Goodsprings. As it passes through Goodsprings Valley, just before the town of Goodsprings, 161 turn into Sandy Valley Rd, following along an area that is know as the Columbia Pass. Follow this road approximately 11-12 miles to the outskirts of Sandy Valley. There are then two dirt roads that lead to this area (Fig. 02). The first is on the right side of Sandy Valley Road opposite the Shenandoah Mill. The second is Kingston Road, which is about a mile and a half further on the right. The access road to the Oro Mine is about 5.5 miles up Kingston Road. The mines are located on the southwestern slope of the Shenandoah Mountains (Fig. 02 & 03).
|
Mine Description: The Oro Amigo Platino Mining Company owns a group of four claims off Kingston Road covering the low hills just south of the mouth of Keystone Wash in the Shenandoah Range. All the mines in this area were part of the original Goodsprings Mining District. Three claims were located in June of 1905, and the fourth sometime in 1917. There was some exploration from an upper tunnel in the early days, but most of the work, including the 600 foot long lower tunnel, was done after the incorporation of the company in 1916. The only recorded production has been a single car of copper ore that shipped in 1917. Overall, the Oro Amigo Mine has over 1,000 feet of tunneling and two levels. There are three adits and shafts. Two of the adits are higher up on the hillside, and there is another adit at the base of the hill. The lower adit (Fig. 04) is sealed, but the two higher up ones are open.
|
09/10/2014 Trip Notes: The view in (Fig. 01) above was shot from where we parked the truck. From here we hiked down into the wash below, and eventually up to the two mine overage piles that can be seen about halfway up the ridge a little left of center in the middle of the picture. The middle adit (Fig. 06) towards the top of the hill went in quite a ways and still had the remains of ore cart tracks leading from its opening (Fig. 05) out to the edge of the overage pile (Fig. 07). Unfortunately we were unable to explore this opening because it was filled with water and was quite muddy. We then decided to climb up to the upper shaft (Fig. 08). Once we entered this adit (Fig. 09) we found some wooden framing (Fig. 10). I think it may have been build as a door to prevent entry versus something structural to support the mine itself. As you can see from the view in (Fig. 11), the view back down and out towards Sandy Valley was expansive. After exploring the mine and then just sitting and just taking in the scenery and solitude, we finally headed back down the trail to the truck. If you click this picture to enlarge, you can make out the truck just left of center in the middle of the picture. We then decided to top off our day by driving to our favorite “after hiking” watering hole, the Goodsprings Saloon for a nice cold beer before heading home.
|
 |
| (Fig. 04) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 05) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 06) |
|
|
 |
| (Fig. 07) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 08) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 09) |
|
 |
| (Fig. 10) |
|
|
 |
| (Fig. 11) |
|
|
