San Juan mine trip

The San Juan mine is near BoLA. Carolina from the museum in Bahia organized a trip in March of 07 and I was lucky enough to be able to go along. The mine was active from some time in the 1880's to the early 1900's. During that time ships would come into BoLA and pick up the ore and take it somewhere to be processed. Thats when 2 men jumped ship, a Daggett and a Smith. Englishmen that were tired of life at sea and wanted off their ships. Not uncommon to this day to see blue eyed Mexicans in town.
The mine itself was quite successful until the early 1900's. Now it is just a graveyard of old mining equipment high in the mountains above BoLA. The hike up is spectacular, with views of the sea in the background.











Once we got to the top we set up camp, and Carolina cooked us an excellent meal. She is a very good camp cook.



then there was time to just sit around the fire and tell tall tales and out right lies to each other.




First thing in the morning our guides took us to the mine site. This tunnel goes in over 1000' and is high enough to walk in standing up all the way.



At about the 600' mark in the tunnel you can turn right or left and go for a couple hundred feet to where the miners started tunneling straight up to make a connectionn with the upper mine shaft.




The ladders in there are probably 100 years old but one of our group decided to try it out.




On the way out of the mine of the mine we kept feeling like something was flying past our ears and once we got home and looked at the photos we saw what it was. You can see the bats in the photos but we never saw them until we saw the photos.







This is the same trip that Carolina wrote about for Discover Baja's monthly news letter.

Recently I have been thinking about organizing another trip up there and I have found a Rancho that will set up a trip up there and supply the pack animals, guides, and food (breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner) for an overnight trip to the mine. They are only charging 500 pesos a day per person for mine portion, and 300 pesos a day for the stay at the rancho, so for less than $100 dollars per person we can have guides, animals and food for a guided trip to the mine.
I'd like to do it again and should probably do it soon before it gets too hot. I'am thinking April 13 to the 16. Anyone want to go along?

Fantastic!!!!

See more on the San Juan Mine and Las Flores, where the ore was processed at the end of the railroad line:

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=42384


http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=57252

Here are a few more photos from outside the main mine entrance.



This ore cart is huge, and the construction is really interesting.








On one of Earle Stanley Gardeners trips to Bola to go into Salsipuedes canyon, Francisco Munoz flew him up to the mine and Munoz wrote his name on a cart. I was told that this was the one.

I'll send an e-mail to the Rancho and let Rafael know that we are coming. My plan would be to arrive at Rancho San Gregorio on the 13th of April, spend the night and leave the next morn for the mine. Spend the night up there at the mine and return to San Gregorio on the afternoon of the 15th. Spend the night there if you want or drive out.
Several things you should have for the trip are:
A really good flash light, a divers night light works well.
Good shoes or boots for the hike.
Some bottles to carry drinking water for the hike. Good water is available at the Rancho
Extra food maybe. Rafael says they provide breakfast, lunch and a light dinner, so if you want more than that you should probably bring it.
A sleeping bag, a jacket, etc. It can be pretty warm during the day and cold at night.
More info as this shapes up.

Quote:

Originally posted by David K Fantastic!!!!

Thanks Larry... yah, the walk from Gonzaga to the Pacific also fizzled, it happens... The San Juan mine is so fascinating, I would like to be able to see it in person... and since Capt. Muñoz is no longer with us, I guess flying there is no longer an option!