Almeda Mine - Found at Last! - Josephine County, Oregon
The
Almeda Mine, it is quite visible from the Galice Road and from the magnificent Rogue River, but we were determined to find the
Almeda Mine the hard way. By land!
The challenge we accepted was to find the
Almeda Mine by the maze of forest roads that twist and turn through our wild, mountainous country.
After two previous unsuccessful searches, we more closely examined
our sketchy forestry maps, and through process of elimination, picked
the route we chose today. We ran as far as we could by four-wheel drive
until we were halted by a large steel gate belonging to the Bureau of
Land Management.
The gate was to prevent vehicular traffic, but allowed for passage of foot traffic around it.
We wound through magnificent, mature forests that had not fully
begun to display their fall colors. We felt sure that this time the
mountain would give up her secret, and after a couple of hours we were
rewarded with the distant sound of rushing water.
The road curved around the gulches and canyons that are present the
entire way around the mountain, and around each bend, the river's voice
grew louder, until finally its' tune changed to a steady roar.
The moon stayed with us throughout the morning, and was probably
watching to see if we'd finally make our destination. Maybe it was just
as curious as we were.
Suddenly we emerged from the dark, shrouded forests into bright
sunlight at the edge of a cliff overlooking the mighty Rogue River.
The Almeda rapids add their voices to the river's chorus.
Rafts full of adventurers were floating the wide and docile section
of the Rogue, just a few miles from where the mighty river gives up its'
mild-mannered facade. After the Rogue makes its' final turn toward the
Pacific Ocean, it drops its' need to make a good impression on
visitors, and turns into a raging, deep and narrow monster that thrashes
its' way through the mountains to the sea.
Shortly, the
Almeda Mine appears far below, and soon we are looking at one of the sealed entrances.
The
Almeda Mine
was named after owner John Wickham's favorite niece. John Wickham was
born in Illinois, and his family had moved to Minnesota when he was 15,
where he fell in love with a gal he later married after he followed her
to Kansas, and after a stint as a buffalo hunter on the great plains,
and later a gold miner in Colorado. Ten years later he went back for
his bride, and moved to Idaho and then Washington to involve himself in
the mines of the west. His niece
Almeda
was born in Spokane, Washington. In 1898, John was in Southern Oregon,
and he was attracted to the area on the Rogue River known as the BIG
YANK LODE. He and his son staked a claim, and began to buy up other
claims. John organized the
Almeda Mining Company, and he built a sawmill and other huge mining buildings on the site.
Looking down from the mine entrance, below us is the bottom
entrance, and although we did not explore it, I do believe that behind
me and above on another far off ledge, there is another entrance to the
mine.
This old photo shows just a small part of the total
Almeda Mine operation.
I believe that there are remnants of some of this equipment laying on the property.
Although I can't be sure, because I am not by any means an expert on
mining, this photo appears to show two, five-stamp ore crushers in the
background, which would indicate a huge operation.
This could be some of the equipment from inside, and my guess is that it was a smelter.
Since they also extracted silver, copper and many other elements in
addition to the gold, a smelter would have been most necessary for this
large an operation. It appears to be laying on its' side, and from the
looks of the following firebox, I do believe this to have been a massive
smelter.
The entire area is strewn with mining debris, and keeping in mind
that this entire area was covered with over 50 feet of flood water in
1964, and probably many times prior to that when the wild Rogue River
decided to have temper tantrums, and so who knows how much was washed
downstream over the years. The enormous power of raging water can
destroy just about anything in its' path.
More equipment, which I could not begin to guess what it was used for.
There are huge concrete footings with gigantic bolts projecting from
their tops, which must have been footings for the massive buildings
that covered the mountainside.
This is the door blocking the lower entrance to the
Almeda Mine. Thousands of feet of tunnels lie inside this mine. Layers of tunnels, create a network of levels like a giant anthill inside this entire mountain. Levels are said to penetrate in all directions, and it is said to be as far as 400 feet below the river level.
I would have loved to explore the great depths of this maze, but
naturally it is well sealed. These old mines are extremely dangerous as
I learned in my younger days while exploring the mines around Central
City, Colorado. I came close to my demise on several explorations, and I
was relieved to find the
Almeda Mine was inaccessible to my curiosity. If I had been able to go inside, I might not be writing this now, because it looks wicked!
This is a shot looking from the middle of the low-lying area surrounding the mine, with the Rogue River behind me.
Not much left of this steel that is laying in the outflow area.
Here's another view of the same pipe, and you can see that it is off to the side of the mine.
This charred area appears to have been severely heated, and I
believe it must have been the base where the smelter rested. It appears
as a great lava flow, where the rock has been melted by tremendous
heat.
Here's another view of what I think was a smelter.
Downstream, and alongside where I believe the large mining building
projected upward, is a flat plateau that shows signs of habitation.
There are numerous water lines, and the site is full of metal, tin and
wood of all descriptions. There are pieces of china and crockery
scattered across a large area. I assume that this was a barracks or a
large area of several living quarters for the mine workers. In the
past, the journey to the mine was not as eventful as the one it took us
to reach it. There was a floating bridge, and when that was washed out
in about 1927, there was a ferry that one could use for ingress and
egress to the mine property. The heavy equipment however, had to be
brought in over the mountains, and thus the very solid and well-built
mining road, over which we traveled to reach the
Almeda Mine.
Looking over the ground, one can almost envision the miners at the
end of their shift cooking, cleaning and relaxing on this plateau
overlooking such magnificent scenery alongside the Rogue River.
Returning to the top, and looking down at the
Almeda Mine area.
One last comment, now that I know what the creek is far below. You can see the straight channel from the
Almeda Mine entrance to the Rogue River. I wonder what Zane Grey would have thought as it passed by his cabin 25 + miles downriver?
On the way back, and I still wish I could get in there!
More rafters are enjoying this beautiful October day.
On the way back up the trail, everywhere we go there are more signs
of what must have been an absolutely monstrous operation in its' day!
This has been a culmination of a fun search for part of our
adventures in exploring what I feel is the most beautiful county
(Josephine) in all of Oregon! I just hope our next adventure is an
easier one.
