He Did What?
There were some areas near Red Rock Canyon State Park in California that Mike and I wanted to explore so we headed out.
We stayed at the Holly Ash Mine for one night, did a little exploring and some night photography. The Holly Ash Mine, a pumice mine, was founded in 1930.
The next morning our adventure continued as we headed to Burro Schmidt Tunnel. I’m really not sure why this guy did this but he did. His name was William “Burro” Schmidt. He dug a tunnel. A tunnel that was deemed a “shortcut to nowhere”. He had hoped to make a shortcut through Copper Mountain to transport his ore to the smelter. The conclusion of the tunnel is on a ledge 4400’ above the valley floor. It took Burro Schmidt 38 years to dig this tunnel. He used mostly hand tools and explosives for excavation. A trusty wheelbarrow was used for the removal of rubble.
How long is this tunnel you ask? .5 miles long. Can you believe that? He ran across some ore here and there but he didn’t make a living at mining. He hired himself out during the summer as a ranch hand to earn the money to survive. During the off-season he and his two mules, Jack and Jenny, resumed the tunnel digging. He was a man on a mission! Burro Schmidt died in 1954. Through a long list of transactions, a Toni Seegar ended up owning the claim and tunnel. She died in 2004 and left the tunnel and claim to her nephew David. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said that all the transactions were controversial and that David didn’t actually have rights to the tunnel and land. David left in June of 2004. The cabins have since been ransacked and vandalized.
Mike and I really enjoyed our trip to Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel. It was hard to imagine someone digging a tunnel for 38 years! A man on a mission!
DIRECTIONS:
Turnoff to the tunnel is on the east side of HWY 14, north of the intersection of Redrock-Randsburg Road, or about 7.5 miles south of the intersection of HWY 178. A small wood sign marks the turn heading north. From the turnoff, drive east on a bumpy road for about 6.5 miles, then turn left for the last three miles to the tunnel.
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