Hi all. I went up Las Flores canyon for a bit looking for the mythical mines that are there. Found several half-filled openings, one shaft with a hobo living in it, and one good, open shaft. It was possible to enter and walk around the latter one, although there was quite a bit of water in there.
Hugh Blanchard's description (http://www.lagoldmines.com/index.php?page=916662.txt) talks about multiple enterable shafts, some with equipment still inside. Does anybody know where the rest of the openings are? It's possible I didn't go far enough. The one clear mine I found was at the bottom of the main channel right next to a little waterfall. I explored a few of the side gullies, but there are quite a few of them.
Mines in Las Flores Canyon
These are the only ones I've found.
Water Mine #8
Christmas Man Cave
McNally Mine
Inside of McNally Mine
http://www.lagoldmines.com/index.php?page=916662.txt
Water Mine #8
Christmas Man Cave
McNally Mine
Inside of McNally Mine
http://www.lagoldmines.com/index.php?page=916662.txt
I've been to all but your first photo. Where's that? A hobo lives in what yopu call "Christmas Man Cave". I talked to him, and he referred to all of the mines as caves. Anyway. I only went as far as what you call "McNally Mine". Is there more stuff past it? Thanks for the info!
Water Mine #8 is the easiest to find. If you stand near the Las Flores Reservoir and listen, you'll hear the water pouring out of the mine directly below you. To get down, however, you need to retreat down the service road and look for an unsigned access path leading into the canyon bottom.
You could also briefly follow the Sam Merrill into the Las Flores wash, then head directly up the canyon, scaling a couple check dams en route to the mine.
Immediately beyond mine #8 is a man-made dam which is not easily bypassed, unless you take the access path up to the service road.
I don't know what is beyond McNally Mine, except a lot of poison oak. I have yet to venture much beyond McNally, due to the poison oak.
You could also briefly follow the Sam Merrill into the Las Flores wash, then head directly up the canyon, scaling a couple check dams en route to the mine.
Immediately beyond mine #8 is a man-made dam which is not easily bypassed, unless you take the access path up to the service road.
I don't know what is beyond McNally Mine, except a lot of poison oak. I have yet to venture much beyond McNally, due to the poison oak.
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CrazyHermit
- Posts: 343
- Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:03 pm
^^^^ Deleted, (because of this a##hole taking credit for my work on Facebook)
Hello everyone! about 6 months ago, my brother, 1blazepatrick1 and I were excavating the mcnally mine in las flores canyon when we decided to find the mystery #5 tunnel. CrazyHermit made a wonderful blog post about the mcnally mine which he referenced in his website as The New TunnelI. I found what looks like a possible mine and I began digging with my brother to see where it goes.
After digging for a bit with a small fold up shovel, we noticed that the "tunnel" was filled in with debris to the top.
We then made two trips back to the tunnel with shovels and a hoe to clear out more debris. Today, my brother, Will Coso, and myself dug out 6 feet of the tunnel. We have a lot of persistance and have hope in excavating the entire thing. We are asking for much more help from you guys in order to excavate this mine and I am excited to say that no one before us has found this tunnel in Las Flores Canyon (that I know of). Please send me an email at 1matthew.jackson101@gmail.com if you want more information. Below are a few more pictures of the excavated mine so far.
Best, jeko1034
After digging for a bit with a small fold up shovel, we noticed that the "tunnel" was filled in with debris to the top.
We then made two trips back to the tunnel with shovels and a hoe to clear out more debris. Today, my brother, Will Coso, and myself dug out 6 feet of the tunnel. We have a lot of persistance and have hope in excavating the entire thing. We are asking for much more help from you guys in order to excavate this mine and I am excited to say that no one before us has found this tunnel in Las Flores Canyon (that I know of). Please send me an email at 1matthew.jackson101@gmail.com if you want more information. Below are a few more pictures of the excavated mine so far.
Best, jeko1034
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CrazyHermit
- Posts: 343
- Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:03 pm
You're correct, the previous mine you were working on is the McNally tunnel. I can't believe Bryant was able to fit through that hole, he's got brass balls.
Dr. Hiram Reid gave an account in his History of Pasadena book of what I believe to be another mine on the east wall, which he then referred to as the new water tunnel in 1894. The McNally Mine is 315 feet deep. The only other mine on the east wall that I'm aware of on the east wall is Tunnel 8, which is 455 feet deep. That's excluding the gully mines higher up. Neither the McNally or Tunnel 8 are forked, which makes me believe he was talking about another mine.
"I visited Las Flores again October 23, 1894. A new water tunnel had been worked into the east wall of the canyon about 1/3 of a mile up from the claim staked for a mill site, to a depth of 125 feet, running east through a moist mineral vein, and a branch of 35 feet running north through a dry ore vein. It was the intention fo continue the eastward tunnel 125 feet farther, in search of more water." ~ Hiram Reid
He might have been talking about the McNally Mine, but the 35 foot northern fork doesn't exist, so it's possible you've found the true "New Tunnel"
Congrats!
Dr. Hiram Reid gave an account in his History of Pasadena book of what I believe to be another mine on the east wall, which he then referred to as the new water tunnel in 1894. The McNally Mine is 315 feet deep. The only other mine on the east wall that I'm aware of on the east wall is Tunnel 8, which is 455 feet deep. That's excluding the gully mines higher up. Neither the McNally or Tunnel 8 are forked, which makes me believe he was talking about another mine.
"I visited Las Flores again October 23, 1894. A new water tunnel had been worked into the east wall of the canyon about 1/3 of a mile up from the claim staked for a mill site, to a depth of 125 feet, running east through a moist mineral vein, and a branch of 35 feet running north through a dry ore vein. It was the intention fo continue the eastward tunnel 125 feet farther, in search of more water." ~ Hiram Reid
He might have been talking about the McNally Mine, but the 35 foot northern fork doesn't exist, so it's possible you've found the true "New Tunnel"
Congrats!