A mine and a gully to Devil's Canyon

CrazyHermit · Post by **CrazyHermit** » Tue May 10, 2016 7:57 am

Nice photos! That mine is actually called the Boatman Mine, although Bell and Hartman also worked it for awhile. So did Charley Chantry of Chantry Flat fame. It was actually mined for Molybdenum, an alloy used in steel production, but it was a complete bust. Nevertheless, it's one of the coolest mines in the San Gabriels. There are more in Devil's Canyon and at least one inside the Chileo campground.

TFitz · Post by **TFitz** » Tue Apr 10, 2018 6:57 pm

This place is still looking good as of today. Bushwhacking up to this site from the Devil's Canyon Trail below is not fun.

CrazyHermit · Post by **CrazyHermit** » Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:54 pm

Post by **dima** » Tue Apr 10, 2018 11:21 pm

Welcome and welcome back! I'm glad the compressor is still there despite not being nailed down. TFitz: did you make a loop with the trail down to the creek and the gully up to the mine? Any water at all in the gully?

TFitz · Post by **TFitz** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:02 am

dima wrote:Welcome and welcome back! I'm glad the compressor is still there despite not being nailed down. TFitz: did you make a loop with the trail down to the creek and the gully up to the mine? Any water at all in the gully?

Yep, exactly. Started at Devil’s Canyon trailhead and wandered back along the silver moccasin trail rather than walking the road. I tried to get “creative” with my route up the gully to avoid all the bushwhacking, but quickly regretted it and ended up mostly in the bushes anyway. There was very little flowing water, but many intermittent ponds.

CrazyHermit · Post by **CrazyHermit** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:01 am

dima wrote: Welcome and welcome back! I'm glad the compressor is still there despite not being nailed down. TFitz: did you make a loop with the trail down to the creek and the gully up to the mine? Any water at all in the gully?

I've been to this one three times. The first time I trespassed through the Cal Trans maintenance yard and got chased by dogs into a jungle of brush. This was a terrible idea, and you WILL get arrested if they catch you in there. There are several full time residents living on the yard. After shaking off the dogs I made my way down into the gully, but overshot the mine and wound up in Devil's Canyon, an unsuccessful but informative search .

The easiest way to access this mine is to park in a large pullout just below the maintenance yard and walk across Angeles Crest Hwy slightly north to a dirt road leading to Mt. Mooney. After a few hundred feet walk off the road to the left (near some big boulders) and start looking for the shed in the distance on the hillside directly to the north. Then make your way down the steep hillside, turning left (yes, left) when you get to the bottom, then right at the first side gully where you'll see the engine parts. From there straight up the hillside to the right. My way takes about 20-25 minutes, whereas coming up from Devil's Canyon takes hours.

This was an unsuccessful molybdenum mine worked by several people, including Charley Chantry. Above the highway there used to be another adit, but it was filled in by Cal Trans when the highway reached that point.

David R · Post by **David R** » Fri Sep 07, 2018 12:34 pm

I just went down there today didn't see the detailed directions by CH prior and preferred it that way. Enjoyed figuring out which gully to go down and getting turned around as far as which direction to go to find the correct gully to the shack. Not really into mines and old buildings but enjoyed the treasure hunt of finding my way there. I purposely did not read any accounts so that I could figure it out myself. Now that I know the way it wouldn't take more then 20 minutes to get there versus over an hour with all my false starts.

CrazyHermit · Post by **CrazyHermit** » Fri Sep 07, 2018 2:54 pm

If you think that treasure hunt was fun, try looking for the Red White and Blue Mine in San Antonio Creek. LOL

margaritox · Post by **margaritox** » Sat Oct 16, 2021 3:59 pm

“The easiest way to access this mine is to park in a large pullout just below the maintenance yard and walk across Angeles Crest Hwy slightly north to a dirt road leading to Mt. Mooney. After a few hundred feet walk off the road to the left (near some big boulders) and start looking for the shed in the distance on the hillside directly to the north. Then make your way down the steep hillside, turning left (yes, left) when you get to the bottom, then right at the first side gully where you'll see the engine parts. From there straight up the hillside to the right. My way takes about 20-25 minutes, whereas coming up from Devil's Canyon takes hours. “

Thank you for these accurate directions. We did just that and were able to successfully get to the shack. Although it took us a little more than 25 minutes.
Picked up some trash on the way back.

margaritox · Post by **margaritox** » Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:01 pm

CrazyHermit wrote:
dima wrote: Welcome and welcome back! I'm glad the compressor is still there despite not being nailed down. TFitz: did you make a loop with the trail down to the creek and the gully up to the mine? Any water at all in the gully?
I've been to this one three times. The first time I trespassed through the Cal Trans maintenance yard and got chased by dogs into a jungle of brush. This was a terrible idea, and you WILL get arrested if they catch you in there. There are several full time residents living on the yard. After shaking off the dogs I made my way down into the gully, but overshot the mine and wound up in Devil's Canyon, an unsuccessful but informative search .

The easiest way to access this mine is to park in a large pullout just below the maintenance yard and walk across Angeles Crest Hwy slightly north to a dirt road leading to Mt. Mooney. After a few hundred feet walk off the road to the left (near some big boulders) and start looking for the shed in the distance on the hillside directly to the north. Then make your way down the steep hillside, turning left (yes, left) when you get to the bottom, then right at the first side gully where you'll see the engine parts. From there straight up the hillside to the right. My way takes about 20-25 minutes, whereas coming up from Devil's Canyon takes hours.

This was an unsuccessful molybdenum mine worked by several people, including Charley Chantry. Above the highway there used to be another adit, but it was filled in by Cal Trans when the highway reached that point.

Thank you so much for these accurate directions. We did just that today and were able to get there relatively easily. Picked up some trash on the way back.