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I decided at last minute today to head out to Sunshine Canyon and see what I can find. The turnoff is in 5-Mile Pass, with typical wood BLM signs that say "Sunshine Canyon". The road up to the old townsite is actually in good condition since sometime in the last year they bladed it to get some drilling equipment up there. The first large mine was the Sunshine Mine, but I didn't get to scope it out too much as there was a large group of dirt bikers playing on the tailings pile. Just up a bit further is the very noticeable large, yellow tailings pile from what is left of the Overland Mine and Mill. There are also a few smaller vertical mines in the area, but all have been sealed off.
This is the old Overland site-
Continuing up the trail northward towards Mercur, I ran into some drilling equipment. There was an old trailer, water truck, and large drill truck next to a tailings pile. I didn't look like it had been used in a bit, but still had a welder and some newer looking equipment around it. Sorry, no pic. I went up to the point I was next to private property from the company that owns Mercur. They have most of it all fenced off. This is a pic of the west side pit-
Looking northeast-
Next up, I wanted to try and find the Violet Ray mine. I found it fairly easily. The mine still has a huge ore bin standing, but it looks like the adit was blasted shut.
I headed back down, and once down the the old mills, I noticed what looked like a boom from a crane or truck. That's when I came upon a second drilling site.
Not sure what they were drilling, but I believe it was a 10" pipe and they had some sort of air/gas monitor on it.
This area sees a lot of traffic, but it's still worth a trip up just to check it out.
This is the old Overland site-
Continuing up the trail northward towards Mercur, I ran into some drilling equipment. There was an old trailer, water truck, and large drill truck next to a tailings pile. I didn't look like it had been used in a bit, but still had a welder and some newer looking equipment around it. Sorry, no pic. I went up to the point I was next to private property from the company that owns Mercur. They have most of it all fenced off. This is a pic of the west side pit-
Looking northeast-
Next up, I wanted to try and find the Violet Ray mine. I found it fairly easily. The mine still has a huge ore bin standing, but it looks like the adit was blasted shut.
I headed back down, and once down the the old mills, I noticed what looked like a boom from a crane or truck. That's when I came upon a second drilling site.
Not sure what they were drilling, but I believe it was a 10" pipe and they had some sort of air/gas monitor on it.
This area sees a lot of traffic, but it's still worth a trip up just to check it out.
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