Tonopah Rockhounding Rendezvous

wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
The weekend before Thanksgiving, Cindy and I were getting the itch to get out and do some rockhounding. We had been reading about some trilobite fossils that can be found south of Goldfield, NV and so we decided to pack our bags and our Jeep Renegade and headed on out. Of course, as luck would have it, our good friends Tony and Stephanie let us know that they were looking to get out and play with their new 2015 Jeep JK Wrangler and being that they enjoy rockhounding as well, we invited them to rendezvous with us out in Tonopah.

On our way out, we took a shot of Renny, our 2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk posing for a shot next to the Big Green Cactus out on U.S. Highway 50.
main.php


Filler up? Making a stop at a ghost gas station along U.S. Highway 95.
main.php


main.php


"I always feel like - somebody's watching me". One of the last remaining original Bob's Big Boy statues now sits in front of the Tonopah Station Casino & Hotel.
main.php


main.php


Soon after pulling into Tonopah, we rendezvoused with Tony, Steph and their daughter Tina at the Tonopah Brewing Company - CHEERS!
main.php


main.php


After lunch, we decided to head up to the Tonopah Mining Museum to check out their impressive collection of rocks, gems, minerals and fossils to get a better idea of the things we can find out in then vast Nevada Desert.
main.php


After taking notes and picking up some new maps, we decided to take the self-guided walking tour to see some of the cool stuff they have out here. What's really crazy is that Cindy and I have been here multiple times and still find new things to see. Here's a shot of the old Desert Queen Mine & Hoist House.
main.php


main.php


This is the old vault where processed silver and gold were stored until they could be hauled off by rail.
main.php


main.php


Now this one was totally new to us but man, were we glad to see it! An old Nye County Search & Rescue Dodge Power Wagon van.
main.php


main.php


Going down?
main.php


Taking a peek inside and back in time.
main.php


Walking out to the Silver Top Mine & Hoist House.
main.php


main.php


Looking out toward the Mizpah Mine & Hoist House.
main.php


Checking out an old stamp mill on display.
main.php


The Grizzly.
main.php


I would just love to have one of these old ore carts in my front yard :D
main.php


After leaving the Tonopah Mining Museum, we decided to head out to the old Army airfield and got there just as the sun had dipped below the mountains.
main.php


This massive old hanger used to house B-24 Liberators.
main.php


main.php


The truth is out there...
main.php


It's not a great shot being that it was pretty dark out but, as we were leaving this active airfield, I spotted what was clearly an old airway beacon and was still working! It was way cool to see.
main.php


Back in town and pulling into our home for the night - the historic Mizpah Hotel.
main.php
 
Looking out our hotel room window and enjoying a beautiful sunrise.
main.php


Heading out into the open desert to look for some trilobites!
main.php


main.php


main.php


main.php


Tony up on the hill and digging away.
main.php


main.php


The area we were digging in is known as the Lower Cambrian Harkless Formation and it is roughly 540 million years old. While our goal was to find trilobites, the limestone beds are filled with an myriad of fossils of primitive lifeforms that once filled the seas in this area.
main.php


main.php


main.php


main.php


main.php


Taking a break from our digging, we found a few plants have already started to wake and bloom.
main.php


After a long day of digging, it was time to head on out.
main.php


Driving through a Joshua Tree forest.
main.php


It wasn't always graceful but we were able to get our Renegade through just about any deep rut we encountered.
main.php


Of course, Tony and Steph's stock JK was able to do all of the same ruts with ease.
main.php


On the way back to Tonopah, we decided to take a long cut down a Nevada Super Highway.
main.php


CHEERS to a great day out in the Nevada Desert!
main.php
 
That is really cool, very interesting. I really do need to get the family out more to visit places like this. Thanks for sharing Eddie.
 
Wow! This looks like a great adventure, one that me and my family would love to take. Thanks for sharing.
 
Wow! Looks like it was an awesome trip! Thanks for taking all the pics as well as the history lesson!
 
Exploring the Nevada desert never gets old. So much to see out there! Can't wait to get back out there and do it again. Thanks for posting the great pics...:thumb:
 
Looks like a great time. It's not that far from Bishop and we spend a lot of time exploring the area. We need to go back and check out the Ichthyosaurs fossils near Mina. The Ichthyosaur is the state fossil of Nevada. Here a photo of my ore cart filled with Quartz, most people on my block have one in their yard.

ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1448898274.446272.jpg
 
DetConU said:
Very cool, on my list of must see and do, thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...

Y'all are making me homesick! I was born and raised in Bishop and have made many treks around the White Mountain and Tonopah areas. Good to know the Mizpah is still operational.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom