Rugged and Overgrown Hike to this 1800's Ghost Town (Part 1)

[@allenegbert1669]

A friend and I drove up there around the 1980-time frame. The dirt road was in excellent condition. At that time there were some people (squatters} living in the wood homes across from the mill and up the hill from it. Funny thing is that we were scanning the area with binoculars and then we noticed the people in those homes were also looking at us through binoculars.

[@martymartin2894]

Like the Clint Eastwood cowboy film ha.

[@raymondsmith6504]

In the mid 1970s the road was drivable. Went up there about half a dozen times. Most of the cabins had people (hippies) living in them.

[@allenegbert1669]

@@raymondsmith6504 Those were most likely hippies in those cabins. We continued on up the road until we reached the mountain ridge. We continued on the road to the South. Not too far to the South of that point the mountain has a large flat area. I remember that a long wide "road" was in the middle of it. It looked like you could land an airplane on it and of course we speculated about that. It ran East/West.

[@donaldperson948]

Ha ha ha ha! Smart guys! I. Would also if I was living up there!

[@MoePoe777]

That canyon hike was beautiful with the flowing water and waterfalls. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

[@gazooberful]

so awesome ! happy veteran's day sir!

[@bluwtrgypsy]

Wow, what a challenge. Amazing how much water there was. I've never seen so much in the desert. And, just breathtakingly beautiful footage. The stone walls and structures are very impressive. So happy you made it back safely to share this with us. Happy belated Veterans Day. So excited for the part 2.

[@SharonMiller-po6rp]

Beautiful special place. Water in the desert. A miracle. Thanks for doing this.

[@draza-x4b]

America is both a rugged and at the same time naturally beautiful country.

[@theinstructor2687]

Hey WMD, back in the early 1970s my brother and I and some friends drove 4X4 vehicles up to the town. There were a few 'interesting' places on the way up. Later in the 70s storms and flooding made the trail much more difficult. Some even worse storms and flooding in the mid 80s made the jeep trail pretty much impassable. Getting up there now days is quite a hike. But, you know that. I'm anxious to see the whole series of your hike.

[@duncanellico1398]

early 60s ford f100 step side

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Spectacular! Thanks so much for the tour!

[@thevintageaudiolife]

Wonderful video, all that horsetail plant on near that water! my pops suffered from kidney stones when i was a kid, he would make a tea out of horsetail and was able to secrete that stone! painful, but it worked!

[@bmh67wa]

Beautiful area. Love the waterfalls.

[@thelookingway5390]

I do quite a bit of filming of waterfalls in historical miming areas in the Eastern Sierra, and have to say I'm impressed with the waterfall at the 18:41 minute mark. The mountain in the background really adds to the beautiful scenery. I would have a field day exploring that canyon, but I totally can relate to what it takes to go into a canyon and film, It's much harder than it looks. Good job of the waterfall capture on video!

[@ervinslens]

Anot brilliant episode my friend! Your content simply never disappoints! Never!!

[@Kennerunderground]

What a great hike!! I bet the solo expedition felt pretty meditative. I want to do one of those some time soon. Great video mate!!

[@andrewlee5244]

What a great video! You've got another subscriber here. I can't wait for part 2!

[@pariariver302]

Hotdog….another super explosive video from Mister WMD man…..thanks big time!

[@frankyensan]

I love these solo adventures. So often the chatter in the background is very distracting Keep em coming!!! Looking forward to part 2

[@TheShowgirl25]

I love your mine series. Thank you for sharing!

[@thomasbennett9444]

I've hiked that 3 times love this place!

[@DesertExploring]

A few years back my pops and I hiked to panamint city from hungry bills ranch on the east side. Went over the pass and down Frenchman canyon to the townsite. Also checked out the higher up silver mines in that area. Very neat video. Thanks for sharing.

[@danpayan9468]

Our family and 3 others back in mid 70s we drove up there in 4x4s and dirt bikes there was a general from El Toro MCAS LIVING in the old shack he had a double barrel stot gun nice old guy he welcomed welcomed us in

[@rnewquist4996]

Hard to believe that up until the early 80’s you could drive up there on a graded gravel road.

[@lindatanner8726]

Very cool stuff you found today. I loved this video!

[@keithOb]

Watch out for rattle snakes 🐍!! Great video

[@OdySlim]

that would be a Ford Custom Cab brand. Thanks for the video!

[@patruddiman4228]

Car or pickup rear axle. Happy veterans day. Thank you for your service.

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks man! Had a great vets day. Hope you enjoyed this one.

[@philliphall5198]

Thanks for the video 😊. Really enjoyed it 😊

[@TheShowgirl25]

You do mines the best. Thank you. I will watch the rest of the series.

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks very much for that! I agree I think I do too, I checked out a few good ones in the next vid 😉

[@Ralphie224]

WOW.....quite the hike...........with all the streams flowing through.......is the water drinkable, say with a Sawyer device.......or would it be contaminated from the mining activity???........thanks..looking forward to part 2=3........

[@MichalOlender]

That was awesome!

[@bajavisitor]

Beautiful hike up, can't wait for the next two videos. I can't understand though how those trucks are up there. In some areas it seems so narrow and there is no way a road could be in parts of the canyon. Did they wash down from above and there's another road to get to the town from the other side?

[@donaldperson948]

With all that equipment and stuff there it definitely produced a lot of whatever was coming out of there! I prefer placer mining! ⛏️ I want to be above ground!

[@TheZappawizard]

The yellow electrical truck that looks kind of like a school bus could be related to that piece of equipment with tires that you find earlier, it looks like the same color and the electrical truck is missing its axles and chassis.

[@charleshenderson-j1s]

Enjoy your show. I did notice a rear in. With its gear showing. Either a car or truck rear in.

[@marksommers6764]

Yes , for the arrastra(sp) for finer grinding of the ore ! First one were turned by beasts of burden .

[@nebulanoodler]

Bahaha! I saw the thumbnail, and I was like, "I know a canyon that looks just like this!" lol Then I saw it was you.

[@theinstructor2687]

The big truck was a Pacific Electrical & Mechanical Company service truck. The blue / green one is a 1950s Ford pick up. The size of those vehicles shows how good the road used to be.

[@ChooseFreedom-o1e]

Think about all of the gold nuggets trapped on that exposed bedrock that you passed by.

[@spamanator666]

"Chevy... GMC... Maybe even a Dodge." Me inside "Just one more choice!" It's a Ford. :)

[@skeeterbug9875]

Thanks!

[@WesternMineDetective]

Thanks for the donation! Glad you enjoyed this one 😊

[@donaldperson948]

Watching your video and commenting as I go

[@neal51]

My Brother and I hiked up there about 30 years a go. I wasn't in very good shape and it was 5mi all up hill. Glad we did it now but doing it in a day wore us out.

[@BurgundyKRO]

Love it!

[@mikewinings4120]

Wonder how the hell those trucks get in that canyon,flooding or not,cant wait for the next one😊

[@MrBinBootin]

WOW Simply stunning. Thank you for sharing. How on earth they got those trucks up there and the rest of the equipment is astounding. best wishes from England. MAGA+MEGA=❤

[@leighsayers2628]

Fabulous video and scenery ..thank you for a huge effort to show these places full of history .. From Australia

[@wranglerjoe]

Where is this located? It's a beautiful hike and area.

[@donaldperson948]

That really sucks during WW2 people took the equipment to scrap it for the steal! It destroyed the equipment if they wanted to come back and keep mining after the war! So sad!

[@philliphall5198]

Yep ford pick up, dash is a dead giveaway 😮 Chevy has a smaller dash hole 😊

[@TheShellyw775]

Where is this? I couldn't find the name of the state or region. Thank you for this video. Very amazing place you shared with all the world 🌎 God Bless you 🙏

[@CarolusLXIII]

That would be Surprise Canyon below Panamint City in the Panamint Mountains just west of Death Valley, California, if I’m not mistaken.

[@JeffreyAPlatt]

Awesome.

[@deuteronimus750]

Do you carry a satellite locating device with you in these situations?

[@WesternMineDetective]

Yes I carry my Garmin Inreach along with me, thanks for wondering.

[@donaldperson948]

Was that a spring? Or did it go further up hill?

[@davidkaralus7464]

Early 60's ford pick up.

[@randyc8171]

1964

[@John-w9e7s]

❤❤❤why is there no houses or trees

[@timcantrell9673]

Last message, 9:09/38:32 The wood structure is a tram tower, and the cable goes to the mine. There is more information regarding this area from Dusty Trails

[@jimschafer9196]

Pickup - after the big tipped over truck was a Early '60 Ford Custom Cab truck.

[@John-w9e7s]

Aren't you afraid of there being monsters out there especially at night time.❤

[@RyeOnHam]

The monsters mostly come at night. ... mostly.

[@John-w9e7s]

@RyeOnHam yes most people don't believe in monsters until they see one or hear them screaming

[@SydneyRadio2UE]

The snake grass at 11:03 is bent over, and looks like a critter of some sort used it to bed down.

[@larspolten]

sehr interessant!

[@donaldperson948]

I think the yellow thing is a old electric train engine for the tracks in the mine

[@chrisk28]

Amazing wrecked vehicles. Were there roads nearby or would those motorists be WAY off the beaten track to have ended up there?

[@WesternMineDetective]

There used to be a road up the canyon up until the 1980s and offroaders winched their rigs up the falls into the 90s. Wild to think the road has been completely washed.

[@chrisk28]

@@WesternMineDetective Brilliant, thanks for the info!

[@donaldperson948]

I e never seen that vine thing in the desert?

[@Boga217]

Your suspension at the beginning sounds like it's ready to get some attention.

[@timcantrell9673]

How did that big truck go up the falls?

[@WesternMineDetective]

Before there was a flood in '84 the road up there was actually quite decent. Wild to think about seeing that there's so much exposed bedrock in many portions of the canyon!

[@donaldperson948]

Well you can pan for gold there? I would bring everything I got up there to look for gold?

[@donaldperson948]

There’s got to be gold in that gravel get your gold sluice and pan out!

[@donaldperson948]

They had to have had some road up there?

[@safepetproducts]

Where does all that water end up? Does it just sink back in to the ground?

[@hestheMaster]

When it hits the valley to the east it sinks into the vast playa.

[@marksommers6764]

@@hestheMaster , ooh , aahh ☺

[@donaldperson948]

It’s a gmc or Chevy truck now how did it get there? Got to be a road?

[@reavisfranklin7727]

29:15 It's a '60s Ford pickup.

[@danpayan9468]

Back in the 90s there was a flash flood and made cyn impassable to vehicles

[@josephnewman9175]

That bird was a chuckar

[@thomasbennett9444]

😀

[@donaldperson948]

What were they mining for?

[@TheShowgirl25]

If they weren't looking for copper, what were they looking for?

[@ChooseFreedom-o1e]

Gold.

[@WesternMineDetective]

Many of the mines above the town struck silver but yes many of the mines had good copper and a bit of gold

[@davidmurray9683]

That truck with custom cab on it was a Ford and so is the other one that after it

[@chrisexplores619]

That's not Montgomery is it? You can drive all the way to the town if it is

[@tonyb2760]

Pickup is a 1964 Ford

[@tommcelroy6975]

Why don't people set out earlier in the day?

[@WesternMineDetective]

I left my place at 3 am.. and with an old Jeep like this took me about 6 hours to get up to the start of the trailhead

[@Nav1gamer]

The truck is a Chevy C10. Straight 6 Super 250 with 3 on the tree. Had a 64 as my first truck

[@straybullitt]

Are you positive that your first truck wasn't an early to mid-60s Ford F-series pickup??? 🤔

[@randyc8171]

@@straybullitt The green/blue trunk is a 1964 Ford pickup.

[@DeanBiakeddy]

It's a Ford truck

[@stevenvakoc6127]

That's a ford pickup

[@nancyhansen1634]

the truck is a ford

[@josephnewman9175]

Ford truck