Hiking through history on Montana Mountain, Yukon, 1991-1995

    This is one of a series of hike reports written from 1991 to 1995 as I was researching the historic mines on Montana Mountain, Yukon, for my first book, "Fractured Veins & Broken Dreams." I carried a notebook, a tape recorder, and a camera on most of the hikes. Photos from each of the hikes have been added.

Dateline: December 31, 2023.

The text of the printed report is in italics.

09:10: with Steven, start up north side of canyon. Altimeter set at 675m. Sunny, but very strong cold wind blowing.

855m: 32d tramway stand from bottom, 09:30.

880m: 4th tramway stand, 09:35.

Vault is visible from just above the 4th stand (900m). Several photos taken showing tramways No.1 and No.2 with bunkhouse.

1020m: tramway No.1 terminus, 10:15.

950m: heading down in area of presumed pack trail to Conrad City, ran into wagon road at 10:45. Two meters wide, nicely graded, still in excellent shape. The road angles off to the south, not the north as expected - obviously switches back soon.

920m: remains of tiny cabin (spread all over); there is a bed spring, tin cans (hand-soldered), and a wooden, metal-banded box about 18x18x24 inches. Wood still in very good condition, sawmarks appear to indicate whipsawing. Twenty meters further down, 2 more boxes, similar size, but not identical. Possibly a wagon spilled its load here.

Road lost, despite considerable searching in several directions. No sign of it anywhere lower, either.

12:10: back at the highway just north of the 1968 Venus.

Steve with a pack box along the ca. 1905 pack trail at 920m elevation.