DESTINATION Finch Wash - Copper Basin 1 Photoset
2017-10-21 | | -
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
| 4 labels |  |
|
|
-
| |  |
|
2 |
-
-
| |  |
|
2 |
-
-
-
| 2 labels |  |
|
|
-
| 1 label |  |
|
2 |
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
| 1 label |  |
|
3 |
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 8.32 Miles |
1,557 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.32 Miles | 4 Hrs 8 Mns | | 2.01 mph |
| 1,557 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Crossing the barbwire fence, I somehow managed to gig a knuckle anyway. Finch Windmill was working like a charm, but not pumping much water. The tank was mostly dead bees.
There were no claim signs near the travel trailer, so I’m not sure what the deal is. We avoided it anyway. I don’t like getting shotgunned by people that like to live in the boonies.
At Flower Gold Mine, Prescottstyle & I found still open vertical shaft of unknown depth. The headframe is separate from the shaft. There is a whazzit? to the side, which we failed to check out. (“Whazzit?” is what I refer to as interesting objects I spot on satellite view, but cannot determine what they are.)
We found nothing at Silver Gulch Lode.
At the bottom of the tailings pile, there is an adit that was too small for my fat fourth point of contact to crawl into. (And I’ve been into some tight spaces, such as Webber Mine.) I peered inside, and it looks like it may open up a little bit, but it would be a very sketchy entry.
Three miles into our hike, while checking out the old mining shack, I stepped on a nail. Right through the sole of my hiking shoe. Ouch! I pulled it out, but did not take off my shoe. We were almost at the far end of our hike, so if I was skewered like it felt, continuing would not make the situation any worse. At the very least, no blood was squirting out of my shoe. I was still in the fight. 
Upon entering Finch Wash Mine, I realized I had left my flashlights at home. As weak donkey as my flashlights’ beams are, it would have been better than what I ended up doing: Using my camera to flash my way down the adit. Literally, I’d take a flash photo, review it, walk 20 ft. forward, then repeat.
Despite extensive timbering, Finch Wash Mine's rock is pretty solid. The only artifacts it contained were a metal folding chair, some wires, a couple of surgical masks. 
A couple hundred feet into Finch Wash Mine, the adit narrows and begins angling downwards. It may be possible to continue, but we elected to turn around. It would be worth a return with decent lighting.
Back in Prescott, because I had stepped on the nail, I thought I might need to make a trip to the emergency room for a tetanus shot, but upon taking off my shoe, I discovered the nail had not even broken skin, let alone impaled my foot. Add that to my list of dodged bullets. 
After changing into half decent clothes, we walked three miles into downtown Prescott. Rosa’s Pizzeria had a line out the door, so we headed across Gurley Street to Casa Alvarez, which had delicious chips & salsa (red & green). I had chile colorado & dos Negra Modelo. 
After dinner it was Whiskey Row … 
Copper Basin Rd. Video: https://vimeo.com/478913388
Mine Exploration Video: https://vimeo.com/478914978 |
| _____________________
| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
