Copper Queen Canyon -- Slate Range

I really have no idea why I wanted to go to Copper Queen Canyon.  The best I can come up with is I hadn't been and I had seen a photo of a mine shaft that seemed to head to the center of the earth.  With that as motivation, we found friends BJ and Bob who said they would go with us.  Getting there involves driving across the lake bed at Trona, doable when dry, not so much when wet.  And has it been dry, so easy except for the erosion fingers eating into the clay of the lake edges from the last big storm.  And yes, it did rain this July, which is why we found blooming flowers.  Forget the calendar when in the desert, if it rains, flower and set seed.

Emory's Rock Daisey

When we arrived at the mine, our friend Bob immediately headed in. That prospect didn't go far.  We then found the vertical mine shaft.  It was pretty interesting with the wood of the ladder and supports in fairly good shape, and all the metal missing.  Metal was scavenged out of mines during WWII, so our best guess is that is when it operated.  We couldn't find a name for this particular mine, surprising given the extent of diggings.

Bob exploring a shallow prospect.

I think we found the mine.

Yep, looks like journey to the center of the earth.  Yikes.

Part of a short rail line to move the ore into the wash.

The bushes in the wash didn't appreciate the flash flood.

Close up of water flattened bush.

We decided to connect two washes via the badlands.

BJ and Bob are heading up.

There were a few steep tricky spots.

Searles Lake

Argus Peak.

Trona across from Searles Lake

A recliner!

BJ on the throne.  Hmm, that doesn't sound good, does it.

Love these huge rocks in the middle of nowhere.

On the way home we were stopped by the train.  Looking at all the cars and the speed at which they were moving, I figured it would be a good long while.  Turns out they were just moving it and had to pull forward a bit to back it up to the plant.

Oh no, bad timing!

We are going to be here awhile.  Look at all those engines and cars.

Nope, the train backs out of our way.