Entrance to Tin Mines
Tomorrow morning, Saturday, September 22 plan to hike
to the only Tin Mines ever in the United States. They are located in the
northeast Franklins. The hike begins at 7:30 a.m. Meet in the parking lot of
Chuck Heinrich Park. (Map)
Just turn off MLK onto Jon Cunningham which dead ends into the parking
lot. This really is an easy hike with
an elevation gain of only 935 feet. I'm rating it moderate because it is 6.5
miles round trip and takes about 4 hours. The trail is good. The short climb to
the mine entrance is a short scramble.
I'm excited to see so many hikers have signed up for this
hike at the El
Paso Hiking Meetup site. This is a great hike and definitely one everyone
should do not just for recreation but for learning something about the geology
and mining history of El Paso. Remember, we will be in the State Park. There's
a $5 per person fee which I'll collect upfront. If you have a State Park Pass,
please just write down the name and number on the pass and give it to me. This
way we can expedite entrance fees and not spend more time than necessary at the
Iron Ranger pay station. If you bring your dog, please be sure the dog is on a
leash. This is so critical as there is always the possibility of running into
rattling reptiles!
Be sure to bring plenty of water (2 liters at least and more
for your dog) and a hardy snack. (Hobbits will need elevensies as well as
second breakfast.) Wear sturdy hiking shoes/boots. Bring a flashlight. You
will be able to walk into the mines - but you will need illumination.
Hike BEGINS at 7:30 not 7:35 or 7:40. Please be prompt. You
can contact me at this email address or at 915-525-7364.
The El Paso
Tin Mining and Smelting Company operated in the northeast Franklins
from 1909 until 1915 when it was shut down for lack of productive ore. The principal mineral was cassiterite. UTEP’s Art Harris wrote: What most of us
don't know is that cassiterite, the major ore of tin, is rare in the United
States and Mexico, and we are reliant on sources in Malaya, Bolivia, Indonesia,
Zaire, Thailand, and Nigeria. One of the
few sources in the United States was located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert,
on the eastern side of the Franklin Mountains. These tin mines were founded in
1909 and worked until 1915. However, during this time span, only 160 100-pound
pigs of tin were recovered [a “pig” is a smelted block of the crude metal], and
the mines were abandoned as uneconomical. At least 27 shafts and trenches were
dug. Today, these lie within the Franklin Mountains State Park, presented to
visitors as part of our regional history.”
If you are really interested in the history and geology of
the Tin Mines, there is a very informative 1901 publication by the U.S.
Geological Survey that you can read online.
Know that, while we are on the trail, autumn will
begin. Fall for 2012 begins in the Northern Hemisphere at 8:49 a.m.
our time. You might want to check out a future hike to Devil’s Hall
in the Guadalupe Mountains. We always schedule that for Celebration of Our Mountains to coincide
with the brilliant fall colors of the leaves.
The 12th
Annual Artistic Celebration of Our Mountains begins next Thursday evening with
a reception at 6 p.m. at Ardovino’s
Desert Crossing.
There are so many great, organized hikes now. Just check out
El Paso Hiking Group, Guadalupe
Mountains National Park Meetup Group, Las Cruces
& El Paso Adventurists, Celebration
of Our Mountains and Peak Fitness
Challenge – just to begin with. And
Scenic Drive is open to all hikers, bicyclists, walkers, strollers (with
attached parent), even Chihuahuas (with attached human) every Sunday from 6 to
11 a.m. even though the road is currently closed to all motorists until
September 29th for roadway improvements.
Excelsior!
Jim H. Tolbert
Publisher, Elpasonaturally and the El Paso Hiker
Leading the way for sustainable living in the El Paso
Southwest
Get your friends
and family outdoors in this beautiful part of the Chihuahuan Desert. Forward
this message to them and suggest that they subscribe.
This email message
is written and published by Jim Tolbert who takes sole responsibility for the
content of the letter. To subscribe or unsubscribe, just reply to jimhtolbert@elp.rr.com
and say “Unsubscribe Hikers”.
"A million
tax-free dollars would probably tempt me to divulge your email address.
However, know that
your privacy is safe with me . . . Nobody has offered me the million
yet.”
The El Paso Hiker
E-Letter Volume 2, No. 25, September 21, 2012
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