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Monday, November 22, 2010

DEATH VALLEY..The Wildrose Charcoal Kilns.

In 1877 Modock Consolidated Mining Company completed construction of the charcoal kilns in Wildrose Canyon,a few miles from where I was camped.Each of the 10 kilns is 30' high and 25' in diameter and are probably the best preserved charcoal kilns in the United States.
The charcoal that was produced by the kilns was used as fuel for two silver-lead mining smelters in the Argus Range,25 miles to the west.
The kilns only operated for less than a year,until the summer of 1878, when the Argus mines,due to deteriorating ore quality,closed and the furnaces shut down.
Each of the kilns held 42 cords of Pinyon logs and after burning for a week,produced 2,000 bushels of charcoal.
The kilns owe their longevity to the fact that they were in use for such a short time.
There`s also a 4.2 mile 3000ft hike up to the peak for those looking to make a day out of it.Spectacular view.














Be Well


Murph

1 comment:

Shelly said...

Great story and photos as always.