...can be an entirely frustrating undertaking, and today's trip was certainly no exception. After a two hour drive we arrived at our destination, the remains of a miner's cabin that sat along a ravine at 5600' in the Sierras Nevada Mountains. No snow, except for residual patches, a warm day, plenty of skeeters, and high hopes for some quality glass. Here we are, hiking through the pines and firs to the site.
What appears to the average person to be a pile of rocks is actually the collapsed chimney and hearth of the cabin itself. After 150+ years not much remains to identify what once was the home to perhaps a couple of industrious gold seekers.
The problem with bottles laying on the surface at that altitude, and suffering the effects of so many years of freezing and thawing, is that most are shattered. Yes, there were super bottles just beneath the needles and leaves of the forest floor, but all that we found today were broken beyond salvage. There were green Udolpho Wolfe's, Voldner's, Pig snout case gins, Aqua London Jockeys, deep green Lediard's Bitters, J.T. Daly's, and numerous small medicines, all pontilled of course. It's shameful that none survived at this site, but we never know, so we continue searching out new one's to investigate.
Yes, it was a laundry list of "criers", but we did salvage some artifacts to bring back. There were brass gun parts, tools, and even the guy's personal scales that were contained in a tin box that resembles a glasses case. Unfortunately, my camera's battery started to go, so no more photos were taken today. Next Friday, we will go to another, much larger mine site, so remain positive that it will give up some "glasseous" treasure. Many such places have produced great bottles, and that alone keeps us walking the high mountain canyons. We did get to see hatchling blue grouse and mountain quail, as well as young spotted fawns. I'm surprised that no bears were seen, they are usually out and about this time of year.
What appears to the average person to be a pile of rocks is actually the collapsed chimney and hearth of the cabin itself. After 150+ years not much remains to identify what once was the home to perhaps a couple of industrious gold seekers.
The problem with bottles laying on the surface at that altitude, and suffering the effects of so many years of freezing and thawing, is that most are shattered. Yes, there were super bottles just beneath the needles and leaves of the forest floor, but all that we found today were broken beyond salvage. There were green Udolpho Wolfe's, Voldner's, Pig snout case gins, Aqua London Jockeys, deep green Lediard's Bitters, J.T. Daly's, and numerous small medicines, all pontilled of course. It's shameful that none survived at this site, but we never know, so we continue searching out new one's to investigate.
Yes, it was a laundry list of "criers", but we did salvage some artifacts to bring back. There were brass gun parts, tools, and even the guy's personal scales that were contained in a tin box that resembles a glasses case. Unfortunately, my camera's battery started to go, so no more photos were taken today. Next Friday, we will go to another, much larger mine site, so remain positive that it will give up some "glasseous" treasure. Many such places have produced great bottles, and that alone keeps us walking the high mountain canyons. We did get to see hatchling blue grouse and mountain quail, as well as young spotted fawns. I'm surprised that no bears were seen, they are usually out and about this time of year.