RECONNOITERING IN THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA & GREAT BASIN
BY 4-WHEEL-DRIVE
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Introduction and Day 1: November 22, 2002
Since purchasing the Toyota Tacoma in June, 2002, and the Snug Top camper shell in October of the same year, I hadn’t really taken the chance to give them a proper shake down cruise out in the field. Also, permanently placed in my windshield is an annual pass for Death Valley National Park, which would expire in a few months and I had only used it once. And lastly, I needed to do some ground work, exploration and photography for a proposed WESTERN PLACES book on Greenwater. They sounded like good excuses to go to Greenwater to me.

I had invited several individuals to go along, which over the time approaching the planned trip dates dwindled down to one - John McCulloch, of southern Nevada, who has the superb website dedicated to the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad.

On November 22, 2002, I left Trona, California, bound for Greenwater. Though my residence is in Big Pine, my primary occupation is at the chemical plant at Trona, I keep an apartment to stay at during my working week. The trip commenced the morning after my last work day from that point. Weather on the first day ranged from chilly upon my departure at Trona at an early hour; to chilly at Skidoo due to altitude; to balmy and T-shirt weather at Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek; to cool and later cold and breezy and later windy in the Greenwater region due to its altitude. High clouds painted the autumn sky with wispy white feathers and the landscape with soft shadows throughout.

Though Greenwater and surrounding territory was my intended destination, I decided to make a short detour to Harrisburg and Skidoo along the way. Recent rumors that the Skidoo Mines Company mill at Skidoo was removed had been circulating. Though I had received word that this wasn’t the case from a ranger I’m acquainted with, I decided I wanted to check this out for myself, take photos and put those concerned at ease. On the way I also stopped by the Pete Aguereberry camp at Harrisburg to check on its condition. In recent years I’ve found it deteriorating rapidly, aided by human hands with ill intent. Sad to say, Pete’s camp is still declining badly and likely not long for this world; however I’m happy to report that the Skidoo Mines Company mill is still standing.

Leaving Trona.

Panamint Valley at Ballarat Road turnoff.

We took an interesting road that contoured along the face of the Black Mountains separating Greenwater Valley from Death Valley. Along the way we were treated to gorgeous views to the east and enjoyed exploring periodic ruins and mine shafts. At Furnace townsite, we selected a large tailing pile above town to park and set up our individual camps for the night. I stayed atop the large tailings, John pulled a short distance down the road and set up his camp.

Death Valley Chuck-Walla, January 1, 1907
"THE TOWN OF FURNACE"
  The vast extent of the copper deposits in the funeral range has produced a strange condition of affairs, out of which is growing the town of Furnace, a sister city to Greenwater, and located four miles to the north.  The new city is justified in its existence and, with that justification behind it, is going merrily along, building stores, restaurants, hotels and business houses, grading streets and doing such a business as any other thriving mining camp with a future before it.  The justification and underlying reason for such a condition of affairs is primarily the vastness of the copper deposits of the Greenwater district.
  Trolley cars and five-cent fares are not yet a part of the desert attractions, and miners cannot walk the weary miles from town to shaft and home again each day.  The copper of the Greenwater district is scattered for many miles, and the men whose interests are centered therein are employed throughout the same wide territory.  It is imperative that they should be within reasonable distance of their points of business interest.  With an appreciation of this fact the town of Furnace was started and is already giving evidence of the good judgment of its promoters by booming along at a rate which satisfies the most urgent.  The great Patsy Clark properties, among the finest in the Greenwater district, are the basis for the town.  The many other companies whose valuable holdings are in the same vicinity are adding to the stability and strength of the new city.  The vast deposits which are now known on the Death Valley side hold out a still greater promise for its future, for it is to Furnace that these owners will look for headquarters.
  Properties equal to any in the district surround the town.  Prospects of even greater promise border it, and a wider reach of territory still will be dependent upon its aid and will pay a fitting recompense in business and support.  Some wonderful discoveries have recently been made on the Death Valley slope from five to ten miles northwest of Furnace, and to gain the advantages of connection with this territory the townsite company is planning a road at a cost of thousands of dollars to lead into Death Valley and tap the mining properties, thus concentrating the business of that district at Furnace.
  A postoffice has been applied for, and the postal department has requested full information as to routes and population, preparatory to granting the application.  Stage lines from Amargosa and the end of the Borax Smith road are connecting with the town daily.
  Furnace is a town without a doubt.  It is a town to be reckoned with in the development of the district.  It has good men and good companies behind it, and contributing to its support.  Many of these are already working.  Among them are the Furnace Creek Copper Co., Furnace Creek Extension Co., Furnace Creek South Extension Co., Montana-Furnace Creek Co., Copper Oxide Co., Copper Sulphide Co., Clark Copper Co., Kempland Copper Co., Furnace Valley Co., Greenwater-Calumet Co., Butte-Furnace Range and a number of others.

Near Furnace townsite.

Formerly ventilated mine shaft north of Furnace townsite.

Darkness comes early at this time of the year, so John and I set up our camps in the dwindling light of dusk and were tucked in by dark. A brisk south wind had picked up as dusk covered the land and I was glad I was ready to crawl into the back of the truck and close the camper door to seal it out. I had picked up a newspaper at Stovepipe Wells and read to the light of the lanterns and the camper shell’s interior light. My camper is a Snug Top Hi Liner shell, the roof raised a few inches above the cab. I found this very comfortable over the cab high shell on my previous truck; allowing me to sit up against the front of the bed with the lights at each side, the top sleeping bag pulled up over me for warmth and a cozy feeling, while reading my newspaper. It also gives so much more room for contortions for a guy my size while trying to dress inside the shell.