Eagle Mountain... Anyone know about the place?

[rotozuk]

Every year I get the itch to check out this area:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=33.858656,-115.48665&spn=0.044547,0.073128&t=h&z=14&om=1

It is the site of the old Kaiser pit mine. The Rail road that leaves the mine travels along the Bradshaw Trail, down to the Salton Sea and used to feed iron ore to a huge ore processing plant in the Long Beach area during WWII and beyond.

Anyhow, the mine shut down a few decades ago. The land backs up the the Joshua Tree National Park, but for good reasons they have not expanded the park boarders to eat up the mine site. (I think the site is listed as raw materials for military reserves.) The property is still held by Kaiser last I read up on it. There has been talk of using some of the site as a land fill.

The site was last used for a men's private prison, but that was closed down a few years ago. The town site is fenced off and guarded, but I'd imagine there are other areas worth exploring.

There are a lot of interesting stories to be found via google.

So anyone interested in poking around there, or have you already? Please share.

-Wayne

[SanDiegoCJ]

Haven't looked around that area, but I have explored the area northwest
of it, just across the narrow part of JTNP. You can gain access to that
area from Hwy 62 and then going south on Gold Crown Rd. (dirt)
There are lots of old mines and mining roads to check out.

[mad_boi]

I haven't been there myself but if you get something together post up and i'll cruise out.
I've been to some of the mines sandiegoCJ mentioned, they are worth checking out if you haven't been.

[EarlKann]

I only know a little about the landfill part, I'm in the landfill biz. City of Los Angeles were interested in developing the site into a landfill cause they don't have any more space in LA county. There were many legal and permitting issues and the whole project was in the courts for a long time. Last rumor that I heard was that it was too much red tape and too much $$ to pursue further and the city of LA re-focused their attention to a different site in central CA.

If you haven't seen the site, there is a HUGE hole in the ground.:eek:

[rotozuk]

I only know a little about the landfill part, I'm in the landfill biz. City of Los Angeles were interested in developing the site into a landfill cause they don't have any more space in LA county. There were many legal and permitting issues and the whole project was in the courts for a long time. Last rumor that I heard was that it was too much red tape and too much $$ to pursue further and the city of LA re-focused their attention to a different site in central CA.

If you haven't seen the site, there is a HUGE hole in the ground.:eek:

I also have to wonder about filling a mine site that still has high grade ore reserves that could be pressed into service again. (So the internet rumors claim.)

This area is near the top of my list of places to poke around. First scouting trip will be in my Samurai, and if good stuff is found a buggy mission could follow. Looking at the satellite images I'm sure there are some great canyons to poke into! Also, as a bonus there are some petroglyph paintings in some spots.

Worse comes to worse you cruise down the Bradshow Trail.

-Wayne

[joshcorso]

I'd like like to check it out also, let us know

[rotozuk]

Talked to my friend Mike that has spent some time not too far away. He has poked around the area some before the town site was fenced off etc. He thinks it is worth exploring. So I think it just a matter of picking a good date. I'll keep this thread up to date. I'm thinking pretty soon for the first trip out.

-Wayne

[joshcorso]

maybe after the Expo?

[rotozuk]

How about Oct 13th? I think the Expo is the 6th, right?

-Wayne

[joshcorso]

ya that sounds good, lets set it up. By the way are you going to the Expo?

[rotozuk]

ya that sounds good, lets set it up. By the way are you going to the Expo?

Nope, going wheeling. :flipoff2:

I go to the expo about every other year, or when I have a good project going. I went last year, and hove not big projects in the works this year.

[joshcorso]

I'm goin, I want to try and gather some more ideas for building my own buggy from sratch. Will the Sub fit in those trails or do you not know?

[rotozuk]

I'm goin, I want to try and gather some more ideas for building my own buggy from sratch. Will the Sub fit in those trails or do you not know?

Suburban... Probably.. Just going exploring so you never know where you will end up. Since we are in open diff Zuks I don't imagine we will be doing anything too crazy. But a stock Samurai can drive circles around a Suburban in tight trails.

-Wayne

[joshcorso]

ya, the sub is probably as long as 2 zukies

[kar2run]

keep the posts going on this one. I can't go the 13th, but would like to explore that area. I worked there in the late 80's loading out the kilm line. did a lot of unothetized exploring after work. it is interesting area lot of history. also have wanted to try from the west comming out of JTNP. ken

[joshcorso]

What time? where you wanna meet?

[rotozuk]

Looks like I'm going to have to delay all of my trips for now as we have a family emergency. Sorry about that as I would very much like to do this run, but don't know when I will be able to make it.

-Wayne

[joshcorso]

No worries, hope you get your family stuff worked out.