Hayden, ID to Missoula, MT

The highlight of the day was our tour of the Crystal Gold Mine in Kellogg, Idaho.  Here we learned more about the process of hard rock mining during the 1880's.  The mine has an interesting history as it is unknown who developed the mine and it appears the miners attempted to hide the location of the mine by blasting down part of the hillside to cover the entrance.  One theory is that the miners where robbed and murdered while on their way to have their ore processed and obtain supplies.  The mine was hidden for over 80 years.  Its location was discovered when the entrance was exposed during the construction of Interstate 90 in the 1960's.  Today, the mine has been preserved as an example of early, hard rock mining.  We had a wonderful tour through the mine and furthered our knowledge of how gold was extracted and processed in the 19th Century.  It is estimated that this mine was the work of two to four men cutting through hard rock at the rate of a couple of feet per day.  Their tools and ore cart remained in the mine when the entrance was closed which supports the notion that the miners intended to return and re-open the mine.  As a result, the mine became a time capsule of the industry.

Driving the Drill Bit