Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Now post your ride photos

Moderator: hemingray

User avatar
hemingray
Certified: OBSESSED
Posts: 1898
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:24 pm
Location: Auburn, CA

Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Postby hemingray » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:26 pm

Decided to pay a return visit to this area. This is along the TNF NF-44 and Last Chance Road. Nobody was out here (but for 2 quads, a SxS and a couple of trucks. Guess the horses aren't out yet on account of the late season.

Tried to go to Mineral Point. Nice road, but overgrown at the end before any kind of view. It all looks like this:

Image

Back over to Last Chance - there's some old mining equipment here. This is probably a steam shovel (maybe converted, but I could not see anything left of the "motor".

Image

This was the boom of the shovel.

Image

And the shovel

Image

A fine piece of machinery it once was...

Image

50 feet away is a pretty large trommel.

Image


Image

Further down is the Pacific Slab Mine. An interpretive plaque says it was last operated in the late 70's. A little research finds that it was probably about 1980 - the owners at the time got in trouble with the state over silt and gravel discharge into the North Fork of the Middle Fork river. It was the last permitted hydraulic mine in the state.

Image

This is the drain - the channel where the washed rock was run through a sluice over riffles to collect the gold.

Image

This is the discharge:

Image

The rock went into a conveyor at the end of the discharge, then was brought up into a spoils pile and was removed (supposedly).

Image

The water pipe (presumably to supply the monitor - the nozzle to wash the hillside away - was impressive. All riveted construction.

Image

Image

The bridge over the drain channel has seen better days.

Image

Near the mine, the Western States Trail peels off and goes down into the canyon. Two-wheeled quads can ride this trail, though it's precipitous!

Image

On up Barney Cavanah Ridge to see how far up I could get. A stop at Deep Canyon is always nice.

Image

I found two pickups turning into the interesting "house" near the top of the ridge - which delighted me because it meant the 43 Road (Robinson Flat Rd) was passable. Little Bald Mountain still has a fair amount of snow on the western exposure.

Image

It was - to the south. Still can't get to Robinson Flat, though it should not be too much longer. From there, it's a nice ride down to Last Chance Road and back to the 44 road. Loops are good.
Wherever I go, there I am

Paynes Creek 2016!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16 Yamaha Wolverine R-Spec EPS SE
09 Yamaha Grizzly 700 FI 4x4 EPS

User avatar
avejoe
Knows UPS driver on a 1st name basis
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 8:21 pm
Location: Sacto

Re: Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Postby avejoe » Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:17 pm

I was there last weekend. First time I've been to Last Chance and Pacific Slab Mine. Did you happen to notice the piece of equipment that was in the big barn? Some sort of small mining equipment mounted on wheels with a trailer hitch. It had flat tires and obvioulsy has not been used for years. It had a warning citation on from the USFS because it did not have plates. The citation was dated October 2010.

Gotta love our USFS for going after the outlaws> :roll:
07 Suzuki 700 King Quad (Sold)
05 Suzuki DRZ 400s (Sold)
04 Suzuki DL 650 (Sold)
02 BMW 1150RT
2006 Kawi KLR650
75 Honda CT70
77 Honda CT70
12 Toyota Prius V8

User avatar
hemingray
Certified: OBSESSED
Posts: 1898
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:24 pm
Location: Auburn, CA

Re: Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Postby hemingray » Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:34 am

Yeah, I knew you went that way (my reference to two-wheeled quads was for you :-) And I did see the trailer - it's a tiny trommel for washing gravel. The FS notice was to tell the owner that since it was unregistered, it was subject to towing under the CA vehicle code. Nice guys, helping our state! :-) Wonder who will tow it from there? The old gate says private property, but I wonder if it's reverted to public. Sure wish I could get an accurate read on the parcels up there - public or private.
Wherever I go, there I am

Paynes Creek 2016!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16 Yamaha Wolverine R-Spec EPS SE
09 Yamaha Grizzly 700 FI 4x4 EPS

User avatar
GrizzlyGuy
Forever On The trail - RIP
Posts: 1411
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:11 pm
Location: Truckee, CA
Contact:

Re: Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Postby GrizzlyGuy » Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:04 am

Nice!

That looks like quite the place for mining history buffs. There is as much (or more) old equipment there as out at Placer Diggins in Plumas NF. If you're into that stuff then a ride from LaPorte (or a longer one from Downieville via Poker Flat) should be on your to-do list.
TV For Thrill Seekers: http://AdventureWorld.TV
More Videos: http://GrizzlyGuy.TV
Some More Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/ATVGrizzlyGuy
Photos: http://www.GrizzlyGuy.com/ATVs
My quad: Grizzly 700, 25" Bighorns, Bash Plates,
Warn 2500 Winch

User avatar
EigerMike
Certified: OBSESSED
Posts: 1800
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:05 pm
Location: Orland ca

Re: Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Postby EigerMike » Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:29 pm

nice pics ! looks like everone is starting to get out and ride! :D
South Side Keeper

Paynes Creek 2017

User avatar
avejoe
Knows UPS driver on a 1st name basis
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 8:21 pm
Location: Sacto

Re: Last Chance and Barney Cavanah

Postby avejoe » Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:57 pm

hemingray wrote:Yeah, I knew you went that way (my reference to two-wheeled quads was for you :-) And I did see the trailer - it's a tiny trommel for washing gravel. The FS notice was to tell the owner that since it was unregistered, it was subject to towing under the CA vehicle code. Nice guys, helping our state! :-) Wonder who will tow it from there? The old gate says private property, but I wonder if it's reverted to public. Sure wish I could get an accurate read on the parcels up there - public or private.
I thought about it now being public property too. If it is public property, what's to keep somebody from salvaging the place? It is private, how could the FS issue a citation?
07 Suzuki 700 King Quad (Sold)
05 Suzuki DRZ 400s (Sold)
04 Suzuki DL 650 (Sold)
02 BMW 1150RT
2006 Kawi KLR650
75 Honda CT70
77 Honda CT70
12 Toyota Prius V8


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests