UPDATE: FINDING A SECONDARY MINE SHAFT AT THE MOUNT SHASTA MINE.

Filmed on location.

My last visit to this mine was in 2020 and on October 21, 2023, I returned to the Mount Shasta Mine in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and is part of the Shasta Mining District. This site dates to 1897. Upon my return to the site, I found some familiar things like the old tailing/waste rock piles, a prospect, an adit, foundations of its stamp mill and the known incline shaft that's fenced off by the park service. However, I was least expecting to find something new...

What surprised me was locating a secondary vertical shaft on top of the main haulage tunnel of the adit. Possibly, it could be a raise as well from inside the main haulage tunnel which are practically the same thing, however it was a shock to me to find this plugged shaft. The known incline shaft has a fence around it and is right next to the trail with water in the incline shaft. While the new shaft is plugged at this historic mining site. I'm hoping to explore more of the area soon.

RESOURCES:

Mining and Scientific Press, 75 no. 18 (October 1897)

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 14, 1899

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 22, 1900

Mount Shasta Mine Sold and Paid For - The Courier Free-Press newspaper of Redding, February 16, 1912

Mount Shasta Mine Sold to H.O. Cummins - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 22, 1913

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, Siskiyou County, and Trinity County, by G. Chester Brown, ©1915 published by California State Printing Office.

Historic Resource Study Whiskeytown National Recreation Area by Anna Coxe Toogood, May 1978, Denver Service Center, Historic Preservation Team, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior

The Mount Shasta Mine: A Gold Mine on the Mt. Shasta Mine Loop Trail written by Jeremy M. Tuggle, September 16, 2020

THE MOUNT SHASTA MINE OF THE SHASTA MINING DISTRICT

The Richmond Mine Aerial Tramway Part 2

This episode of Exploring Shasta County History focusses on the Richmond Mine Aerial Tramway also known as the Hornet Mine to Matheson Tramway. It was built by the Mountain Copper Company LTD., in 1921, and this tram line was extended to the Richmond Mine in 1953. This site is located on BLM land most of it along OHV Trail No. 4. To find out more about this aerial tramway view the video. Filmed on location October 15, 2023. This site is located near the Shasta Chappie OHV Staging Area. OHV is higly recommended on this route or hike it like we did. 

Resources: 

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, Siskiyou County, and Trinity County, by G. Chester Brown, ©1915 published by California State Printing Office.

Aerial Tramway To Be Built By Copper Company - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, April 30, 1921

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, California – County Report 6 – by Philip A. Lydon and J.C. O’ Brien ©1974 by California Division of Mines and Geology

The Richmond Mine Aerial Tramway

Filmed on location.

Resources: 

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, Siskiyou County, and Trinity County, by G. Chester Brown, ©1915 published by California State Printing Office.

Aerial Tramway To Be Built By Copper Company - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, April 30, 1921

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, California – County Report 6 – by Philip A. Lydon and J.C. O’ Brien ©1974 by California Division of Mines and Geology

The M.A. Burns Lumber Company Railroad: an Abandoned 36' Narrow Gauge Logging Railroad At Castella

On this episode of Exploring Shasta County History, join Robert Frazier, host of California Unearthed, and I as we explore an abandoned logging railroad situated just outside of the Castle Crags State Park at Castella on the North Fork of Castle Creek which was laid in 1910 as part of the M. A. Burns Lumber Company holdings as a 36" narrow gauge line which was utilized for hauling lumber that this company was milling and producing. Later on, the company changed its name to the Castle Creek Lumber Company. This lumber company operated this route until 1929 and the tracks were removed and relocated to another undisclosed location in 1936 when this railroad grade became abandoned. Today, only the abandoned railroad grade and ties remain of this railroad logging operation. Filmed on location October 8, 2023.

OLD DIGGINGS MINING DISTRICT ABANDONED GOLD MINE

An abandoned gold mine off the beaten path near Flanagan Trail off Flanagan Road which has been hidden for years along this trail system. The only thing known about it is that it's located in the boundaries of the Old Diggings Mining District of Shasta County and was mined for gold. Filmed on location October 1, 2023.

The Betty May Mine of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area -An Open Mine Shaft-

Located in the 1920s the Betty May Mine is now located within the boundaries of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and over looks Whiskeytown Lake. My friend Ryan Hammon and I explored the abandoned mining property on October 1, 2023. It was a lucrative producer of gold during the 1920s and 1930s with miners toiling away in its mine shaft extracting gold from its veins inside. Come explore the site with us in this episode of Exploring Shasta County History. It's a rarity these days in this county to find an open mine shaft most are plugged.

Filmed on location October 1, 2023.

 

Abandoned Gold Mines of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Yesterday, was quite the mining adventure with Ryan Hammon, Riah Stevens and me. We found two abandoned gold mines in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area that we explored. The first one we went to in the same area as the second one was welded shut, but the second mine proved exciting as we were able to get inside its gated entrance. We checked out some additional mines in the area as well which I have footage of that I'll work on releasing later this week. As for now I hope you enjoy this newest installment of Exploring Shasta County History: