BIG HORN MINELocation: San Gabriel Mountains
Accessibility: Moderate 4-mile round-trip Hike Created: 1898 |
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Nestled on the east slope of Mount Baden-Powell is a reminder of a time that forever changed California.
On January 24th, 1848 gold was discovered in California by James Marshall, a construction foreman. From there, the gold rush began. People migrated from across the country and overseas to attempt to wrangle a piece of the fortune. Methods to extract gold from the land included the use of hands, pans in the river and blasting gold-bearing quartz veins.
Gold mines were built and some were successful enough to support housing close by for those who worked in the mines.
In 1898, a recluse and serious mountain man by the name of Charles Tom Vincent came upon a gold-bearing quartz vein area while hunting big horn sheep. Vincent built himself a nearby cabin made of cedar and lupine which still stands. On his deathbed in 1926, Vincent confessed to a doctor the reason for his seclusion for most of his life. While living in Arizona, Vincent killed three men who tried to jump his gold claim. In 1868, the law stated that claim-jumping with the intent to commit harm to it’s owner was cause for justified homicide. Which means, Vincent escaped town and hid for the rest of his life without realizing he would have not faced any charges.
He continued to work in Big Horn Mine after it’s discovery. In 1901, the mine was sold to Lowell and California mining company. Gold was still lodged in the deep spaces of the mine, but became harder to produce. Eventually the mine and efforts to extract gold were abandoned.
Several attempts to map the mine in it’s entirety have occurred. But with cave-ins and earthquakes, the mine continues to turn over in it’s sleep, covering it’s deepest secrets and allowing scarce access for those who dare to explore the tunnels and trails inside. Join us for our exciting season finale and we explore the Big Horn Mine!
On January 24th, 1848 gold was discovered in California by James Marshall, a construction foreman. From there, the gold rush began. People migrated from across the country and overseas to attempt to wrangle a piece of the fortune. Methods to extract gold from the land included the use of hands, pans in the river and blasting gold-bearing quartz veins.
Gold mines were built and some were successful enough to support housing close by for those who worked in the mines.
In 1898, a recluse and serious mountain man by the name of Charles Tom Vincent came upon a gold-bearing quartz vein area while hunting big horn sheep. Vincent built himself a nearby cabin made of cedar and lupine which still stands. On his deathbed in 1926, Vincent confessed to a doctor the reason for his seclusion for most of his life. While living in Arizona, Vincent killed three men who tried to jump his gold claim. In 1868, the law stated that claim-jumping with the intent to commit harm to it’s owner was cause for justified homicide. Which means, Vincent escaped town and hid for the rest of his life without realizing he would have not faced any charges.
He continued to work in Big Horn Mine after it’s discovery. In 1901, the mine was sold to Lowell and California mining company. Gold was still lodged in the deep spaces of the mine, but became harder to produce. Eventually the mine and efforts to extract gold were abandoned.
Several attempts to map the mine in it’s entirety have occurred. But with cave-ins and earthquakes, the mine continues to turn over in it’s sleep, covering it’s deepest secrets and allowing scarce access for those who dare to explore the tunnels and trails inside. Join us for our exciting season finale and we explore the Big Horn Mine!