I’ve been slacking-off on my blog recently. Why? Because I have a full-time job, in a Silicon Valley cubicle, so my time is more limited. Also, I’ve RUN OUT of interesting adventures close to home. So…that leaves distant adventures, like my recent trip to Death Valley (via a ski day at South lake Tahoe.)

One of the brief hikes in Death Valley, was a late afternoon hike to “Burns Spring”. It’s a short drive from Panamint Springs. It’s not hard to find the location, as well as the old buildings, on an old USGS map. If your interest is piqued, I’ll allow you 5 minutes to do the research. (Yes, there is an overgrown road on the USGS map, too. Hard to see from the pavement, but you’d find it quickly if you have the right navigation toys.)

This is the stucco-walled cabin, near a defunct little mill. According to a book I have, the owner established a mill, with a good water supply, and hoped to have customers from the neighboring mines. You can see, from the small amount of tailings, that business wasn’t so good!

Mill, on the left, just above the 194x Pontiac:

The interior of the cabin, in fairly decent shape. We found intact canned food, from ~1970-1975. There may have been a resident here that recently…

Campbell’s Soup, Mandarin oranges, and some black glop in a few Mason jars…all still sealed, but not looking too good. The cans were bulging…

The mill, just before sunset. The early March weather was pleasant in the daytime, but temperatures dropped quickly, without the sun.

194X Pontiac. Most of the glass was intact, which is unusual. Not too many visitors here!

There were also bits-and-pieces of a few trucks, but not enough to identify the manufacturers.

That’s it! If it looks interesting, you can locate it with a bit of research. Bring your own food, and leave the food that’s here for the next person to look at!