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Empire Mine LbNA #1739

Owner:Funhog
Plant date:Dec 9, 2001
Location:
City:Grass Valley
County:Nevada
State:California
Boxes:1
Found by: handy trackers
Last found:Sep 13, 2014
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Dec 9, 2001
For over one hundred years men and mules toiled here thousands of feet beneath the earth's surface. They drilled, blasted and hauled tons of ore in the quest for gold. Deadly mercury and cyanide were used to extract the precious metal. The continuous thundering of stamp mills crushing rock could be heard three miles away. Today, the peaceful hiking trails of the Empire Mine State Historic Park wend their way through the forest past the rusting, weathered remains of many of the area's hard rock gold mines. At the Visitor Center you can purchase ($1) a map of the Park's trails which contains interesting information about the remnants of the mining era that you will see along the trail.

to the trailhead: From highway 49 take the Empire Street exit and follow the directional signs for the Empire Mine State Historical Park If you begin your hike at the Visitor Center you will have the opportunity to see the Empire Mine main shaft, assay office, owner's residence and vintage mining equipment, well worth the $1 entrance fee. Follow the Hardrock Trail toward Penn Gate. The loop is a little over 2 miles. Alternatively, you can park at Penn Gate, .7 miles downhill from the Visitor Center, for a brief half mile stroll to and from the letterbox.

to the letterbox: Walking along the Hardrock Trail you will come to the junction for the W.Y.0. D. (work your own diggins) Trail. Take this loop trail. This mine leased sections to individual miners and was considered to be very unlucky. Find the signpost with the unluckiest of numbers on it.(NOTE:this marker has been reported missing.) At this point you will see a hard box at 220 degrees and sharp strands at 5 degrees. Walk 24 steps toward the hard box to a trail junction. Look for a group of trees at 330 degrees. This is one time when a descent into depression will be rewarding. With your back to the smallest of three Ponderosas the letterbox is in front of you at the base of a clump of small stumps.

NOTE: Please do not enter this box into any database. Contact me directly to report on its status.