Miners were digging their way by the shovelful through a rocky mountain, hoping to make their big strike along “The Great Silver Belt,” but that big strike never happened. As I hiked in their footsteps, it almost felt like they could be returning any day now. Mining equipment is strewn near the tunnel opening and firewood is stacked, ready to ...
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Hiking Gaylor Lake Basin To The Old Mining Town Of Dana
I love checking out the Gaylor Lakes Basin as soon as Tioga Road reopens for the season. Will the lakes still be iced over? Will those lakes hold beautiful reflections? Will I see pika? Yes, yes and yes! Where: Yosemite National Park and a smidge over into Inyo National ForestDistance: 6.17 MilesDifficulty: ModerateElevation Range: 9,943′ – 10,817′Elevation Gain: 1,356′Date: June ...
Read More »Hiking to Snowy Gaylor Basin
Tioga Road had closed due to a storm but would it reopen before an even bigger storm was due to dump serious snow? The short answer is yes it did, for about 2 1/2 days, and I couldn’t wait to get up there to see if those Gaylor Basin lakes were icing up. Where: Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National ForestDistance: 3.06 ...
Read More »Hiking With Sally & Fannie to Bennettville and The Great Sierra Mine
Camping with my dogs, we wandered where miners knew they would be striking it rich as soon as they hit “The Great Silver Belt.” Back in 1882, a town was started up to accommodate the needs of up to 50,000 miners when that happened. Well, the big strike didn’t take place but the remains of the town named Bennettville and ...
Read More »Tioga Road Has Reopened: Hiking to Gaylor, Granite Lakes & the Old Mining Town of Dana City
That day when Tioga Road opens up in spring should be an official holiday. I celebrated that special day by taking a road trip from Entrance Gate to Entrance Gate, admiring the views and saying hello to old friends like Tenaya Lake and Tioga Pass. I also had a wonderful hike to the Gaylor Basin with icy lakes and Pikas, ...
Read More »Hiking From Tioga Pass to Gaylor Lakes, Dana City and Gaylor Peak
I hiked alone but I wasn’t by myself. I walked in the footprints of miners dreaming of hitting a huge ledge of silver, building a town in the Tioga Pass area at 10,760′ elevation to support their mining operations but that town was only there for about 4 years. Oh, and that part about not being by myself? Besides the ...
Read More »Hiking From Tioga Road To Gaylor, Granite Lakes & the Old Mining Town Of Dana City
A huge ledge of silver is said to run along the Tioga Crest, enticing many to search the area, hoping to strike it rich with their mine. The Sheepherder Mine was one of those mines, discovered and rediscovered. The community of Dana was one of those towns, said to have had up to 1,000 people living in it at the ...
Read More »Hiking With Sally to the Old Mining Town of Bennettville
Are you up for an easy hike to the old mining town of Bennettville? How could I not ponder what it must have been like back in 1882 when a new town with a population of 50,000 was envisioned and that they would be striking it rich as soon as they hit “The Great Silver Belt?” They worked and lived ...
Read More »Hiking Through July Snow To Gaylor, Granite Lakes & The Old Mining Town Of Dana City
First day that Tioga Road was fully open and we headed to lakes that we hoped would still be iced over, even in July. Lots of history in this area and I can’t help thinking of the people who made that history. As we know, most miners did not strike it rich and some do not have happy endings. I ...
Read More »Hiking from Tioga Lake to Bennettville and up to Green Treble Lake Loop
Hiking in the Tioga Pass through history on the Great Sierra Wagon Road, walking in the footprints of the miners who lived in this rugged country dreaming of hitting “The Great Silver Belt” and striking it rich. Sure makes me wonder about the lives of the women and men who were associated with these dreams. Although they must have had ...
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