RECONNOITERING IN THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA & GREAT BASIN
BY 4-WHEEL-DRIVE
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The Champion Spark Plug Mine is an abandoned mining camp, on public lands within Inyo National Forest, which was recently dedicated as a historic landmark by ASM International, an organization representing materials production companies throughout the world. This site was owned and operated by its namesake, the Champion Spark Plug Company, between 1919 and 1945, to mine a substance called andalucite, which was a major element in the production of ceramic insulators found on spark plugs used on virtually all gasoline engines.

Because of its remoteness and the dedication of individuals who have come this way since the closing of the mine, the main camp used during operations, called Black Eagle Camp, is intact. It has kept much the same ambiance and comfort that it once afforded the employees that worked here.

Brief History

• A Time, Only Known Natural Deposit of Sillimanite

• Modern Technology Used

• Mule Power

Oddly enough, it was the manufacture of dentures, not spark plugs, that brought Dr. Joseph Jeffery to this remote site in the White Mountains in 1916. Dr. Jeffery's goal was to find a deposit of natural Sillimanite, a material that creates a porcelain hard enough to stand up to the rigors of natural teeth.

Sillimanite is a composition of Cyanite and Andalusite, created under high temperatures and pressures, naturally forming under conditions of volcanism. At the time, Dr. Jeffery

had found the large deposit of natural Sillimanite, it was recently discovered that it could be produced synthetically, but it was a very costly proposition; there was no known natural deposit in the United States. The White Mountains were known in that day for their volcanic past, this is what brought Dr. Jeffery to this remote canyon.

During this time period, the early automotive industry was learning new technology on a tremendous learning curve. Early autos were cranky and expensive devices unsuitable for daily and reliable transportation, a major reason being that early spark plugs were prone to leaking compression and gas, and premature breakage. At this time, the Champion Spark Plug Company was working on a remedy for this dilemma, stumbling upon a process that created synthetic Sillimanite. But prohibitive cost persuaded Champion to send out Dr. Jeffery, who was employed with a company in which Champion had recently merged with, in search of the natural element.

After a two year search in the region, Dr. Jeffery and a prospector explored a large outcropping, which is quite visible in the region, finding that it was nearly pure in natural Sillimanite, and he surmised it to be a nearly inexhaustible supply. After the outcropping was discovered, the company began to exploit the mine, building everything needed to be self contained high up in the White Mountains.

Charles Woodhouse was put in charge of developing the mine and operating it. A camp was built at the mine near the top of the outcropping, at an elevation of nearly 9,000; and a camp further down the canyon on a wooded shelf at about 7,500 feet, which is now known as the Black Eagle Camp.

A ranch was purchased in the valley below the canyon, known today as the White Mountain Ranch. This ranch provided food staples for man and beast, and was situated along the narrow gauge Southern Pacific Railroad. This rail line connected with Southern Pacific's main east-west lines at Hazen (near Reno), Nevada, or Mojave, California.

A large flow of water in another canyon was developed and put into use to turn a Pelton dynamo, which produced electricity for the camps. This hydroelectric plant still stands on the southeast corner of the ranch. Telephones were installed at the camps and at the ranch below. At the lower camp, housing was built for the men, a bath house, sheds and there was a large cook house and mess hall, even a walk in refrigerator.

But for all the modern conveniences, technology could not change one thing: the rugged terrain. For that, mule power was installed. Mules hauled Sillimanite and Andalucite down, supplies up. This called for ingenuity many times on the part of men and mules alike and anecdotes could fill volumes.

Mining operations were straight forward. Ore was blasted from the rock outcropping during the early days, later a quarry was opened up near the Black Eagle Camp. Ore was then broken up and high graded to select the best samples. High grade ore was sacked and put onto mule back. Mules hauled the ore down to a point near where the canyon opened up onto the alluvial fan at the base of the mountains, where the sacked ore was transloaded onto flatbed trucks. This site is found where all vehicles must stop at the lower trailhead.

The sacked ore was then taken to two slabs located on the southwest corner of the ranch, where it was stored. Flat cars were kept at Shealy on the narrow gauge, located along the west side of the present Highway 6, and the ore was put into these for final shipment to Detroit, Michigan for final processing and use for insulators for Champion Spark Plugs.

The mine continued to be worked profitably and efficiently until World War II and it closed in 1945.

What Is There For You

• Semi-Furnished Cabins

• Spring Water Piped to Outdoor Faucets

• Simple Outdoor Shower and Sauna

• Museum

• Gorgeous Views

Today, the camp boasts several furnished cabins, piped water, wood stoves and its spectacular view. To reach the Champion Spark Plug Mine's Black Eagle Camp requires a sturdy, high clearance vehicle (two wheel drive is usually sufficient to reach the lower trail head unless there has been recent flash flooding), sturdy legs and lungs, and the ability to pack in supplies to last your stay. [Note: The sauna, which was located in a bunker, was accidentally set afire and is destroyed.]

How To Get There

• Requires Rugged, High Clearance Vehicle or 4x4

• Route takes Highway, Rough Road, Trail

• Trails are Moderate to Steep

The Champion Spark Plug Mine Black Eagle Camp is found deep within a chasm called Jeffrey Mine Canyon at an elevation of about 7,500 feet above sea level, perched upon a pine studded shelf on the western slope of the White Mountains; within the boundary of the Inyo National Forest. The best point of departure in Owens Valley is from the city of Bishop.

From the White Mountain Ranger Station and Visitor's Center of the Inyo National Forest in Bishop, turn north and go to the "Y" intersection of US 395 and US 6 at the north end of town. Turn north (straight ahead) on US 6, marked as leading to Tonopah, Nevada. Continue north 18.6 miles. There is an intersection signed "White Mountain Ranch Road / Chidago Canyon Road." Turn east (to the right if your are coming in from Bishop) onto White Mountain Ranch Road.

Immediately after turning, note two cement slabs just inside the fence on the north side of the road. These are the foundations of the ore transfer area at what was once known as Shealy Station (site of the station is on the west side of US 6) on the old Southern Pacific narrow gauge railroad that once ran through here; the railroad once ran between Keeler, on the east side of the now dry Owens Lake well south of this point, and Mound House, Nevada, near Carson City. This station site was where the ore brought down from the Champion Spark Plug Mine was transloaded onto the railroad for shipment to the company's mill in Detroit, Michigan.

White Mountain Ranch Road is well bladed dirt. Note ahead the predominate, yellowish colored rock formation almost dead ahead and about midway up the mountain. This is your goal. When reaching the southeast corner of the White Mountain Ranch, the road forks. Stop here.

On your left, note the block structure with the metal "snorkel" sticking out of the top. This was the hydro electric power plant that powered the mine and camps. There is no electrical power at the mine and camps now. The White Mountain Ranch was once used to produce alfalfa, cattle and other produce for consumption by man and beast at the mine.

At the fork, ignore the good road running ahead, but turn left (north) and drive along the narrow road through the brush paralleling the east fence of the ranch. The road will enter a thicket of willows. In about two-tenths of a mile, a road will branch off to the right (east), turn here. This road will climb upward toward the base of the White Mountains. It may be a bit rough in spots, but there should be no traction problems for two-wheel drive pickup trucks or other high clearance vehicles. Follow this road until it ends at an old, wooden ore loading chute. At this site, ore brought down on mule back was transloaded onto trucks for shipment to Shealy Station.

At this point, the visitor has two options to access the Spark Plug Mine:

Option #1:

If your vehicle is two wheel drive, begin your foot trek upward to the Spark Plug Mine from here. The trail is usually marked by small, homemade signs. On the lower trail, a hike at first along an old roadway takes one ever higher toward the lofty goal of Black Eagle Camp. The roadway soon gives way to a narrow foot path up through the canyon. There are some sections where the trail is barely a foot wide and there are some switchbacks. In most years, a creek flows along the canyon bottom, the trail at times bisects its waters. You may also notice an increasing number of weathered telephone poles along this route. These are the original poles that carried power and telephone wires up to the two camps. The elevation gain between here and the Black Eagle Camp is about 1,500 feet over a distance of about two miles.

Option #2:

For those possessing a four wheel drive vehicle, the other option is to back track a short distance down the road and turn onto a steep road (it is reached soon after the road drops into the mouth of Jeffrey Mine Canyon, though you may not notice it on the upward trip) heading northeast. Follow this road for about one mile. This road will bring the explorer to another trail which cuts off much of the elevation gain. Once the road levels off a bit, keep a lookout for a small sign pointing out the trail [Note: now longer there, but there is an obvious clearing where vehicles have been parked]. There is enough room for a couple of vehicles to park. On the upper route, the trail more or less contours and meets the lower trail just below the camp. The elevation gain along this trail is less than 500 feet over a distance of about one mile.

Black Eagle Camp

• What To See and Do

• Facilities

Once at the camp, you will find numerous buildings of corrugated metal and wood situated in a pleasant forest of Jeffrey pine trees, a rarity in the White Mountains. There is also a small museum housed in one of the smaller dwellings. The first dwelling that you will come to when reaching the camp sits apart from the main camp, and has been dubbed the Champion Hilton; it being one of the more comfortable cabins.

There are other dwellings nearby, sitting at several levels. The mess hall is the larger building on the bottom row. It has beds, some food and other non-perishables are usually left behind by previous visitors. Please feel free to use them and feel free to leave behind your excess supplies for others.

Most buildings have beds, wood stoves, curtains, cupboards and other items to make them livable and comfortable. Toilet facilities are limited to two outhouses nearby.

As of 1995, water had been piped into the camp from a nearby spring, found in the canyon bottom just south of the camp [Note: Visitors in autumn generally turn off the water system for the winter months]. An obvious trail accesses this. There is a makeshift outdoor shower, and in 1995, a sauna has been fashioned [Note: No longer there]. You must fill a barrel (now accomplished easily with a hose instead of multiple trips to the spring with a bucket) and build a fire under it to heat your water for these luxuries.

There are usually some tools in a shed near the shower for chopping firewood and other chores. Use them if you wish, but please leave them for the next visitors.

The museum is crammed full of interesting little mementos of the mine's past. It was started in 1969 by Margy Fraser, who, with her husband Don, have been coming regularly to the mine and camp since 1966. In June 1995, Don and Margy were recognized by ASM International and the U.S. Forest Service for their untiring efforts to help keep this camp from being destroyed or wasting away.

Then there is that view. From the camp itself, directly to the west is Mammoth Mountain on the Sierra skyline. At night the lights of the upper residences of Mammoth Lakes can be seen. Also, traffic along US 6 can be seen below. Headlights can be seen climbing Sherwin Grade along US 395. For a grand view, walk along the trail past the spring, where much of Owens Valley and Bishop can be seen.

After readying your cabin for your stay, you may want to explore your surroundings. Those with interests in the natural sciences will find pleasure in the varied and interesting territory. Flora and fauna abound in this region, seldom visited by man. Rockhounds will delight in the geology where there is an abundance of crystalline deposits nearby. Historians will delight in the museum's many displays. The photographer will be delighted by the views, lighting and topography to expose on film.

The Mines and Upper Camp

• Strenuous and Hazardous Hike

• High Elevation

• Mine Hazards

Dominating the camp is the yellow promontory noted earlier. The principal mine was near the top of this point, in fact you may have already noticed a hole up near the top. This is actually the back of one of the mine portals.

The trail takes off near the Champion Hilton and continues up the canyon. You will find many of the fore mentioned telephone poles along the route. Consider the task of sinking these through the very granite that contains them, using only common hand tools.

Along the way, you may notice a wooden trough. These were in place along the way for the watering of the mules who labored under heavy packs containing the andalucite on the way down and for supplies and equipment on the upward trek.

This trough is a landmark, though, because shortly past it the trail disappears under a landslide of loose rock. At this point, you must climb straight up the slope, and this is really for only those in good shape and agile. The climb is treacherous and the path unstable, combined with the high elevation, could lead to injury and exhaustion.

For those determined to make it to the mine and upper camp, use the standing telephone poles as a guide. When you spot the only double-pole, which you can see from quite a distance, your goal has been found. Immediately under it is the only standing structure left at the camp. Because of the vegetation and terrain, it is hidden until you are almost upon it. If possible, stay toward the west side of the slide. As you climb, you should stumble upon the point where the trail comes out from under the slide, a few hundred yards upslope from where you began scrambling. Continue your hike on the trail for the remaining distance to the upper camp.

When you get there, you will find several foundations sitting upon nearly vertical slopes, along with the only remaining livable structure. The camp was burned down by vandals in 1988. The other slabs contains some interesting items: an old wood burning cook stove and a water pump. The large building, which was an office building, is empty and not set up for camping. The elevation here is nearly 9,000 feet.

Across the way to the west of the camp site, you will notice that you are now on the east side of the large, yellow promontory. You then can see that it is literally full of holes. A trail leads to one that you can walk through all the way through, allowing you to peek through the hole in the rock that you noted down at Black Eagle Camp. The view from the portal takes in a sweep of the Sierra Nevada from Cottonwood Creek, south of Lone Pine, to Dunderberg Peak, near Conway Summit. Watch out! There is only a rudimentary cable stretched for safety across the portal, one step too far can lead to a vertical drop of hundreds of feet!

Some Precautions

Emergency Communication

There are no telephones here. Cellular phones may not work because of the terrain, distance to cell sites and atmospheric conditions. CB radios will work unpredictably as well. The nearest public phone is found at the Chalfant Valley Mercantile. [Note: Cell phones generally work well from the porch of the “Hilton” cabin.]

Firearms

Even though Spark Plug is remote, normal firearm rules apply. CFR 36 261.10 (d) prohibits discharge of any firearm in or within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area.

Firewood

Even though the Spark Plug Mine camp is situated in a forest, it is not a given fact that there will be plenty of firewood available. Please use only dead and down wood for use in the wood stoves. Better yet, pack a camp stove for your cooking to reduce your dependence on the meager supplies.

First Aid

This site is remote. Be back-country prepared for any emergency. Bring a first aid kit. There may be some first aid supplies left at the camp, but don't count on it in an emergency.

Hantavirus

Since the Spark Plug Camp is for the most part, abandoned and left to the elements, keep an eye out for signs of rodents in the buildings. Hantavirus is a real and dangerous problem in all remote areas of the American West, and does claim lives each year. Hantavirus can be present in rodent droppings. If you find droppings in your cabin, do not sweep them! Use a solution of bleach and water to either spray them and/mop the floor.

Trails

Be careful when walking up to the Spark Plug. The elevation gain, especially on the lower trail and that going to the upper mine is very steep in places, with a large elevation gain. The trail is often narrow, sometimes only the width of a hiker's boot. The trail to the mines requires a cross country scramble over very unstable rocks. Be sure that you are physically fit to tackle these climbs, carrying enough necessities to last your stay.

Upper Mine

The elevation here is nearly 9,000 feet and will test lowland lungs. There are many mine hazards here, as well as danger from falling out of the back of the portal if one goes too close to the edge. Please, use caution when exploring the mine portals. Keep an eye on pets and children!

Water

As with any undeveloped water source, use normal back country water purifying procedures before drinking water from the spring or faucets placed around the camp. Purify by boiling or using purifying tablets.

When using the sauna or shower facilities, water must be heated. This is done by filling up a barrel of water and heating it with a fire. It is easy to overheat the water. Test the water before using the shower or sauna! [Note: Sauna no longer there] If it is overheated, remove the fire from under the drum and cool with cold water from the faucet.

Weather

Dress and bring clothes for weather extremes. Keep an eye on the weather, it can change drastically in a few hours time, especially in Winter, Spring and Autumn. If you have a portable radio, KIBS-Bishop at FM 100.7, KBOV-Bishop at 1230 AM and KMMT-Mammoth at FM 102.3 broadcast detailed weather reports daily (Note: both FM radio stations have several repeaters in the region, so the actual frequency received may be different from these). In the summer, thunderstorms and cloudbursts are a common occurrence. Snow can fall in most any month, even in summer at the upper camp. Sudden temperature changes are common. [Note: In addition to the above, since this was written, there is now KSRW-FM in Bishop at 92.5 FM and there is a classic rock station in Mammoth at 93.1 FM]

Wild Animals

Keep an eye out for snakes. Rattlesnakes are found at these high elevations. There are mountain lions throughout this region. Coyotes tend to be shy, but if cornered will be unpredictable. All other animals found here are wild! Use caution when confronting them.

Conclusion

• Keep Clean

• Protect

• Enjoy!

When visiting the Champion Spark Plug Mine, be at home, be comfortable, and enjoy a little rugged corner of California. Often you will be the only one there, but remember those who have been before you and remember those yet to come.

Please leave the camp clean. Please do not deface. Recently a group of juveniles heavily vandalized the camp, destroying many years of hard work by those people who have come over the years and have made numerous improvements. The upper camp is much barer now because of vandals burning down several structures in 1988.

The Champion Spark Plug Mine requires effort, persistence and equipment to reach on its little shelf high in the White Mountains, but its rewards are many and rare in California. Enjoy it, savor it, protect it.

For more information, please contact the White Mountain Ranger Station of Inyo National Forest at 798 N. Main Street, Bishop California, 93514 (619) 873-2500

Author's Recommended Reading

THE CHAMPION SPARKPLUG MINE - Kelsey, Bill & Louise

The Album: Times and Tales of Inyo-Mono

Volume V, Number 4 (October 1992)

Chalfant Press, Bishop, California

SPARKS ON THE MOUNTAIN - Wright, David A.

The Album: Times and Tales of Inyo-Mono

Volume VI Number 1 (February, 1993)

Chalfant Press, Bishop, California

(A copy of both issues of The Album may be found in the Black Eagle Camp Museum.)

NATURAL HISTORY OF THE WHITE-INHYO RANGE, EASTERN CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN NEVADA AND HIGH ALTITUDE PHYSIOLOGY: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, WHITE MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION SYMPOSIUM Volume 1, August 23-25, 1985 - Edited by Clarence A. Hall Jr. and Donna J. Young

ADVENTURING IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT: THE SIERRA CLUB TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE GREAT BASIN, MOJAVE AND COLORADO DESERT REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA - Foster, Lynne

Sierra Club Books

Helpful Maps

7.5 Minute Series Topographic Maps:

Chalfant Valley, California

White Mountain Peak, California

Other Maps:

Inyo National Forest

Recreation Map

© 1995

David A. Wright

GREAT BASIN RESEARCH

The site is located on the west slope of the White Mountains above the White Mountain Ranch near Hammil Valley.

Instead of the usual plaque dedication ceremony at the side of a highway, this one required strong legs, lungs and wits by all who attended. A good vehicle helped also, as a steep track would its way up from the valley floor into Jeffrey Mine Canyon to a trail head. In addition, a steep hike of approximately two miles, relentlessly climbing a trail upward often as narrow as the width of one’s foot, brought people to the Black Eagle Camp.

The U.S. Forest Service, from the White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop, also ferried the dedication participants and others up an arduous and often scary track up the sheer face of the mountain to access a higher trail. This trail, though requiring much less elevation gain to access the camp, still tested the legs and lungs of those who came to participate.

The Black Eagle Camp, situated in a forest of Jeffrey pines on a narrow shelf of an otherwise sheer canyon wall, is a cluster of wood and corrugated metal buildings left over from the days when the Champion Spark Plug Company utilized the camp as a base of operations for procuring andalusite. This material was applied in creating ceramic insulators used in spark plugs, a common component used in internal combustion engines until World War II.

Like most relics from the past, this site would no doubt have crumbled into oblivion from the weather and vandals if it wasn’t for the persistent care and dedication of a few ho have passed this way since miners left the camp.

The ceremony served two purposes: the dedication of the site into the ASM International, a society representing the materials industry, and acknowledgement to several people who have helped to preserve a bit of Mono County history.

Starting off the ceremony was Robert Wallace, a volunteer of ASM International from Saratoga, Calif., who recommended the Spark Plug Mine to be recognized. Mr. Wallace, standing in front of the Black Eagle Camp Museum, gave a short dissertation of his reasons why he selected the site for induction. Behind him hung an old Champion Spark Plug flag, draped over an easel.

The next speaker was Don Fraser, from Palos Verdes, Calif., who along with his wife Margaret, has regularly returned to the site since 1966 and has been a major factor in the camp’s survival. Mr. Fraser gave a short discourse about the camp and its history since his arrival. He then went on to point out the accomplishments by the increasing number of visitors in the subsequent years and the changes that have taken place.

Next up was Larry Bell, a retired ceramic engineer from the Champion Spark Plug Company. Mr. Bell discussed briefly the history of the mine and its importance to the spark plug industry. He then presented to Don and Margy Fraser a ceramic evaporation bowl made from raw materials brought down from the high precipice over the camp.

Stan Theobald, representing ASM International as its president, commented about the organization itself and its background. He explained the Champion Spark Plug Mine joins 91 other historical sites worldwide, located in 24 states of the U.S., as well as Canada, Mexico, Japan, England, Spain, Wales, France, Austria, India, Brazil, Germany, Sweden and Italy. At that, Mr. Theobald handed over the sagebrush podium to Dr. William Quist, principal engineer of Boeing Aircraft Company and incoming president of the society.

Dr. Quist spoke about the development of the internal combustion engine and the role of the spark plug in the combustion process. During the early days of this process, spark plugs were know to fail prematurely, especially in the area of the porcelain insulator. Due to an accident in the laboratory, Champion scientists discovered that they ad produced a form of synthetic sillimanite, resulting in amazing improvements in strength, heat resistance and conductivity, qualities ideal for spark plug insulation.

Dr. Quist then recounted how Dr. Joseph Jeffrey, an outstanding scientist of his day, set out on a search for natural sillimanite. It was found in a huge outcropping up a west side canyon in the White Mountains.

Dr. Quist briefly recalled the difficult mining operations, high in a nearly inaccessible canyon, and how mules were necessary to transport the ore to the bottom of the canyon, loaded onto trucks, then taken to a railroad siding at the Southern Pacific narrow gauge at the current White Mountain Ranch. From there, the ore was shipped to Detroit for processing.

Being the only commercial deposit of andalusite, a form of sillimanite, in the United States, the mine remained in operation until 1945.

At that point, Dr. Quist called for JoEllen Keil, line officer for the Inyo National Forest, to come forward and accept a plaque presented by ASM.

The plaque, to be placed in the museum, was inscribed: “In 1919, discovery of andalusite at this mine led to the commercialization and development of advanced ceramic spark plug insulators for internal combustion engines and the growth of the world’s transportation industry.”

Mrs. Keil gave a short speech of thanks, then called up Forest Service Howard Grice, who had helped organize this event, to help her present plaques of appreciation to Robert Wallace and Don and Margy Fraser. A special plaque of appreciation, to which a Champion spark plug was affixed, was presented to the Frasers. Its inscription read: “Thanks to Margy and Don Fraser, Guardians of the Cabin in the Sky, Champion Spark Plug Mine, White Mountains, California, Inyo National Forest, June 1995.”

George Clarkson of Bishop, whose father was responsible for the use of mules and who designed and implemented electrical power in the operation of the mine, stepped up and recounted his experiences with the camp and its operation. He also related anecdotes about mules and their role in the operations. Mr. Clarkson then presented the Frasers with another of the ceramic bowls for the Museum.

The next speaker was Charles Woodhouse, director of the Santa Barbara Museum, whose father was a superintendent at the mine during its working days. Mr. Woodhouse thanked the individuals who worked to keep the camp intact, then recounted some of his father’s work.

He presented to the museum some of the original laboratory crucibles, a copy of “The Story of the Champion Spark Plug,” and a “brand” of the Jeffrey Ranch, now the White Mountain Ranch.

The ceremony, enjoyed by all, was climaxed by the atmosphere of the remote mine and its wondrous view.

5/17/91

David Wright (Addendum to last entry)

Jim & I (and Reno) went to high camp. Very windy & cold. Enjoyed it immensely. Reno got sore feet from rocks. I amost nailed Jim with a large boulder that came loose on the slide when I stepped on it. I continued on to the canyon bottom. Beautiful view from portal.

PLAQUE CEREMONY DAY – JUNE 11, 1995

David A. Wright ... Inyo Register/ALBUM ... Ridgecrest / Big Pine

10/31/05

David A. Wright, Big Pine, CA
http://www.gbr.death-valley.us/
Great Basin Research