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BAYOU SALADO by Virginia
McConnell Simmons A must read for
anyone interested in the Fairplay, Alma mining districts
PARK COUNTY is east of the mountain ridge from the
Arkansas River, and so we have also
spent a fair amount of time there
and know the many placers, but not
quite as well as the Arkansas side. From the top of Hoosier Pass
south you will drop from
Lincoln
Mountain (Gee, I wonder who that was
named after?) into the valley to the
east of Mt. Bross and Montgomery reservoir. This area
was extensively mined and some gold
is still found in the steams, but
much is claimed and private property
with many open mine tunnels and
adits. Up above the reservoir you
will find the remains of the mill
that processed the ores in this
area. Would you believer that the
town that is submerged under the
reservoir supported 5,000 souls?
Most of Mt. Bross is private property and the roads on
it are not forest service roads, but
private. The land owners work
tirelessly to keep people out with
gates and other means, but people
simply do not respect a land owners
rights. The roads in this area are
very BAD! They are not maintained
and we are acquainted with some of
the people who own this property.
Often people will get stuck up
above and churn mud and silt into
their drinking water down below.
PLEASE be respectful of private
property and do not drive around
gates! You are trespassing!
The
first valley, Buckskin
Gultch, that goes westward
on the down stream side of Mt. Bross,
winds its way out of Alma and into
an area well prospected. Many
active claims still exist up this
valley, including the famous
Sweethome Rhodochrosite mine. The
biggest surface mine in the area was
the Phillips Lode, which produced
gold from a vein lying and exposed
on the surface which was some 600
feet wide and a mile or more on the
surface until it disappeared into
the mountain. This mine is claimed
as well and the property just below
it. Above you will find an arastra
in the creek and many detectorists
have found ore pieces containing
gold on the ground around the
arrastra. Above the Sweethome, the
road goes up to Kite Lake. Panning opportunities could be
available to you if you see no claim
posts. Remember, you are on the
backside of Mt Bross, and there are
mining claims all over. Make sure
you know where you are if you are
planning to prospect this area.
Next,
Alma Queen, Mosquito Gultch and the London Mine. Stay tuned! |
