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 ...

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 ...

Trees were showing off their fall colors on the eastern side of the Sierra but it wouldn’t last long. I headed to Lundy Canyon to check out the aspens before forecasted winds stole the show away. Where: Inyo National Forest, Hoover Wilderness Elevation Range: 7,800′ Date: October 15, 2019 Maps: Big Alkali, Buckeye Ridge, Falls Ridge and June Lake Topographic ...

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 ...

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 ...

We were on the hunt for fall colors on the eastern side of the Sierra. We discovered gold, yellow and a few reds along the way but white puffy clouds and reflective lakes kind of stole the show. I was ok with that! The fall color show on the eastern side of the Sierra was winding down and I wanted ...

Yellow aspens were leading the charge at the Fall color parade on the east side of the Sierra, not as magnificent of a display in the past, but still beautiful and well worth the drive. We did a bunch of driving with stops at Tioga Pass area, Virginia Lakes, Lundy, and June Lake Loop. Just in case you might like ...

One of the reasons that I love hiking in this country is because of the rich mining history that occurred in these parts and when I am up here, I cannot stop thinking of the characters that braved this tough country to pursue their dreams of finding gold and silver. “The Great Silver Belt,” which runs from Tioga Hill to ...