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Showing posts with the label Aguereberry Camp

California, 5th November, leaving Death Valley, Emigrant Canyon Road and Eureka Mine

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We spent our last night in Furnace Creek after a pleasant evening around a campfire with Mairi's friends Lily and Susie. We would not be seeing them again as our paths were diverging. It was sad to see the last of Death Valley. We had enjoyed it more than Yosemite, I think mainly because it was quieter. Also I must admit it was nice to feel  the warm sun. We drove out south east along Emigrant Canyon Road as we wanted to see Eureka Mine on the way. The road was very quiet and rough for the last part towards the mine. The scenery was barren and no one else was around. The mine was created by Pete Aguereberry, a French Basque who came to Death Valley in 1905 and nearly lost his life travelling across it in the summer heat. He visited the Eureka area with Shorty Harris and found gold so they both filed claims for the area around the hill. A tented camp known as Harrisburg was set up nearby and 300 men women and children eventually lived and mined around here. Pete worked the Eureka