1/05/07
Another Attempt To Find Journigan Mine
Yesterday we made another attempt to locate a mine we've researched but haven't been able to locate. We know the proximity and have located it on some of our topographical maps, but even though we can see it on the map, once you're Jeeping around and hiking the rough terrain, it's not always so apparent. We followed the Jeep trail as far as we could until the trail became too rough to maneuver in our Jeep, so we parked and decided to hike up a dry gulch as far as we could. We did see what we believe to be a claim marker on top of a hill, but it might not be related to the Journigan. Journigan Mine hasn't been operational since the early 1900s and this marker looked to be much newer.
Anyhoo, Ralph decided to get to the highest point around to see if he could locate anything with our binoculars, I remained behind on a rocky perch and watched his progress as he made his way up the rocky climb. Reaching the top of the mountain offered him a bird's eye view of the area, but still no luck. It was a beautiful day for hiking, so all wasn't lost, the scenery alone would have been worthwhile to see.
We'll go back again and make another attempt to find the mine, there are still some areas we haven't explored and we're determined. I suppose if these remote sites were easier to reach, everyone would be reaching them. Part of the thrill of exploration is to go to places where people haven't been in many, many years.
