On a very hot Wednesday, twenty two of us (I think) headed down the the level dusty trail to Zeibright Mine. The only problem was that the return trip wasn't as level we had thought. Phew. Gotta get to the next piece of shade. The Bear River was appropriately roaring as it plunged along beside us.
Zeibright mine was named for Fred Zeitler, who started it in 1900, and Wm Englebright (and others)who bought it 3 years later. The mine was variously owned by individuals and the State, sometimes producing, sometimes fallow. Ore cars went down the vertical shaft, raising the cars to the upper area where they the quartz was crushed in the stamp mill. Some of us explored the head frame and it's debris strewn around in the weeds. A loud frog croaked from down in the mine shaft and a spring dripped quietly into standing water.
The present owners run the 17 acres as a non-profit camp for large non-profit groups. They are quite welcoming, allowing us to use their bathroom and poke around as long as there are no groups using it. There is a marked degree drop in temperature at the mouth of the tunnel, which our group thorougly enjoyed. If you go there during the snowy times, you might well get warmed as the temperature coming out of the tunnel is rather constant. There is a vertical shaft near the horizontal tunnel that causes the breeze. There must be some use for this but I didn't hear it.
Picture from top to bottom: Frank, Clarence, and Maureen. Next week will do Pioneer Trail from Lang's Crossing, Bowman Rd. The week AFTER we will start the summer start time: 8:30. July 30 is potluck party - RSVP.
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