Interesting link on Glacier Basin mining history

[Norman_Clyde]

I was up at Glacier Basin/Inter Glacier/St. Elmo Pass for the first time this weekend, and was fascinated to see the ruins of the old mining operation. Found a link which any visitor to this part of the park might find interesting. Did you know that the cellar and foundation next to the campground was not a ranger's cabin, but a hotel? Or that the original " end of the road" of what is now highway 410 was once the base of the Inter Glacier? Anyway, here's the link: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/NORWAY/1999-06/0928362749

 

I'd post a photo of the abandoned mine below St. Elmo Pass, but I can never compress my photos to fit the cc.com format.

[klenke]

Interesting. Not written very well but interesting nonetheless. I never knew there were mines in Glacier Basin.

 

By the way, can't you use Microsoft Paint to reduce the resolution, thus the file size to cc.com allowances? This is how it works for my Paint s/w. Example: a 400Kb jpeg usually gets downgraded to about 80Kb, which is well within cc.com's allowances, upon saving as a new jpeg. Granted, my Paint s/w may be older than most. Try it. It might work for you.

[Alpine_Tom]

Thanks. That was an interesting article.

 

Here's a picture I took of that area a few years ago, in August. When I was up there in June of this year, it was all still under snow.

[Tod]

Some of the locations mining relics in the glacier basin area:

-rusted piece of iron 2/3 mileage to Glacier Basin next to trail at creek crossing

-rusted machine or vehicle of some sort (pictured in above posting) at switchback where the old mining road continues up creek and trail switchbacks right.

-foundation and hole in ground where old hotel used to stand is at the campsites at glacier basin.

-mines, tailings and switchbacked mining roads or trails are located across the valley from the campsites at glacier basin (and slightly up creek).

 

I'm sure there are tons more evidence around, but that is what is easily visible from the trail.

[Norman_Clyde]

There is a trail visible at this time of year which gradually climbs the north side of the valley above Glacier Basin. This is the terminal portion of the wagon road which started at Enumclaw. It ends at a rock buttress which is currently about 200 yards east of the glacier terminus, although at the time that mining was going on, the glacier probably touched this rock (based on the old photo on the sign at the trailhead). This rock buttress contains a mine shaft which, unlike all the others in the valley, has not been blocked with rocks but is completely intact. There are rails for mining cars still in place, and a rusty cable hoist still bolted into the rock. My guess is that almost no one ever sees this mine, because it's so high up the valley and off the climber's trail. We stumbled across it on our way down from the pass, heading for the wagon trail-- anything to get off the miserable dirt-and-choss slope we were on. I shrunk my photo down, so maybe it'll download. The shaft continues into the mountain out of sight. I went in about 50 yards, but no further because I didn't have a headlamp.