They Got the Lead Out--and Left

One of my favorite Death Valley hikes is in the Daylight Pass area of the national park, northeast of Stovepipe Wells. Keane Wonder Mine Trail offers the opportunity to glimpse some of the valley’s colorful mining history. Short, but very, very steep trails offer grand vistas of the heart of the park.

One of the most noted mines in Death Valley’s Funeral Mountains was Homer Wilson’s Keane Wonder Mine, which was operated from 1903 to 1916 and produced gold, silver and some lead.

Even more noteworthy than the mine was Death Valley’s Sky Railroad, a gravity-powered aerial tram that ran for a mile up the precipitous slopes of the Funerals. The half-ton weight of the loaded ore buckets descending to the mill raised the riders up to the mine.

The tram must have been a blessing to tired miners, who, if they had to hike to work every day, would not have been very productive. The 20-minute ride was exhilarating, to say the least, for mine visitors, who sat on a little iron bench, legs dangling hundreds of feet above jagged rocks. Few visitors requested a second ride.

While the mine was profitable, most of the money went toward paying off loans, machinery purchases and searches (unsuccessful) for more pockets of gold. A failed bank, questionable stock transactions and insider trading caused legal battles that outlasted the mine itself.

Hikers can see some mill ruins and follow a trail along the route of the old tramway, past a series of wooden towers, to the mine. It’s a stiff climb; you will wish the tram were still running.

Directions to trail head: From Furnace Creek, follow California 190 north 10 miles, veer right onto the Daylight Pass cutoff, and drive 5.7 miles to the signed turnoff to Keane Wonder Mine. Turn east and drive 2.7 miles to road’s end at the mine.

The hike: Follow an old roadbed, then join the footpath and begin an extremely steep ascent. After a half-mile, the grade lessens and another half-mile of more moderate hiking takes you to the top of the aerial tramway and to the open mouth of the mine. Admire the ruins of the upper tram station and savor the grand valley views.

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Keane Wonder Mine Trail Where: Daylight Pass, Death Valley Distance: 2 miles round trip with 1,800 feet elevation gain. Terrain: Steep creosote- dotted west slope of Funeral Mountains. Highlights: Historic Sky Railroad, great views. Degree of Difficulty: Short but strenuous. Precaution: Stay away from dangerous shafts and tunnels. For More Information: Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, CA. 92328; tel. (619) 786- 2331.