Category: Destination4x4

Owens Lake Steamships

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Today it is difficult to imagine, but at one time not so long ago, Owens Lake Steamships ferried supplies and silver ore across Owens Lake from the booming silver town of Cerro Gordo, California. Cerro Gordo was a booming silver town located at high elevations in the White Mountains above the tree line. Water and fuel are hauled up the mountain utilizing freight wagons to support the silver mines.

Cerro Gordo overlooking the then full Owens Lake.
Cerro Gordo overlooking the then full Owens Lake.

Owens Lake, nestled in the Owens Valley of California, was once a shimmering gem nestled beneath the towering Sierra Nevada mountains. Spanning over 100 square miles, it was a vital oasis for diverse wildlife and a haven for migratory birds. Its glassy surface reflected the surrounding peaks, creating a picturesque landscape beloved by locals and travelers alike. With its abundant water and fertile shores, it supported Native American communities for centuries. However, as Los Angeles began to grow in the late 19th century, demands for water led to the diversion of the Owens River, gradually desiccating Owens Lake and leaving behind a vast salt flat.

Mortimer Belshaw (1830 - 1899 )
Mortimer Belshaw (1830 – 1899 )

Cerro Gordo was a silver mining town located high in the White Mountains east of Owens Lake. The elevation of the town offered some unique challenges in terms of supplies, such as water and fuel. Infrastructure to support the mines and the community needed to be built by Mortimer Belshaw. These supplies are staged in Keeler, CA and hauled up to the town using teams of wagons and a tramway. It is a natural step to build a ferry system to facilitate the transfer of goods, services and more importantly silver bars produce at Cerro Gordo.

Owens Lake itself faced a significant transformation in the 20th century. The Los Angeles Aqueduct, completed in 1913, diverted water from the Owens River, which fed the lake, to Los Angeles. This diversion caused Owens Lake to dry up, transforming it into a largely dry lakebed with environmental and health issues due to dust storms.

Bessie Brady

1950 Painting by William McKeever of the Bessie Brady is on display at the Eastern California Museum in Independence, CA. This image probably does not resemble the actual appearance of the vessel.
1950 Painting by William McKeever of the Bessie Brady is on display at the Eastern California Museum in Independence, CA. This image probably does not resemble the actual appearance of the vessel.

The Bessie Brady made its maiden voyage on July 4, 1872. Measuring about 85 feet in length with a 19-foot beam, the vessel could carry up to 100 tons of cargo, significantly reducing the time and cost of transporting ore. The ship’s route ran from the town of Swansea, near the western shore of Owens Lake, to Cartago on the southern shore. From Cartago, the ore was transported to Los Angeles. The steamer was actually so efficient in hauling silver ore to Cartago Landing, near Olancha, Ca, that the bullion began to pile up. The teamsters who hauled the Silver Ore from Olancha to Los Angeles, simply could not keep up with the vessel.

The introduction of the Bessie Brady revolutionized transportation in the Owens Valley. It provided a more reliable and faster means of moving ore from the Cerro Gordo Mines to markets, boosting the local economy. The steamship also transported supplies and passengers, further integrating the remote mining community with the rest of California.

The success of the Bessie Brady was relatively short-lived. By the mid-1870s, the completion of the Carson and Colorado Railroad reduced the need for lake transport. The railroad provided an even more efficient means of moving goods and people, leading to a decline in the use of the steamship.

Despite its decline, the Bessie Brady continued to operate for several years, serving various purposes, including transporting salt from the lake’s evaporative salt works.

NameBessie Brady
Other Names“The Pioneer inland steamer of the Pacific Coast”
Years of OperationJune 27, 1872 – May 11, 1882
Length85 feet
Beam16 feet
Propulsion20 HP Single Cylinder Oscillating Type Steam
10 inch cylinder bore and 10 inch stroke
Propeller54 inches

Molly Stevens

The Molly Stevens was a steamboat built in the late in 1877 and launched on in May of that year by Colonel Sherman Vanderventer Stevens. It was named after Molly Stevens, in honor of his daughter Molly.. The vessel was is smaller than the Bessie Perl, but does boast of more powerful powerplant. A few days after its’ maiden voyage, the steamship is swamped in the heavy wind driven lake waters. She is raised again to the surface with the help of the Bessie Brady.

By 1878, the Molly Stevens is only making the occasional trip across the Lake and spends the majority of her time moored. In 1881, the vessels is hauling from $6,000 in bullion a week, which is produced by nearby mills. Due to lack of hauling efficiency, the Molly Stevens is again moored and eventually scrapped in the spring of 1882.

On May 11th, 1882, during a refitted of the more powerful steam plant from the Molly Stevens to the Bessie Brady a fire breaks. The fire is started spontaneously by a combination of the Oakum, oil, paint and tar. The inferno quickly takes hold and destroys the last of the steamships on Owens Lake.

The Molly Stevens and Bessie Brady played a crucial role in the economic development of the Owens Valley. By transporting ore efficiently across Owens Lake, these vessels helped boost the mining industry, which was the backbone of the local economy. The presence of the two steamships reduced the time and cost associated with overland transport, making mining operations more profitable.

Molly Stevens Characteristics

NameMolly Stevens
Years of operation1877 – 1882

The Lost Treasure of the Bessie Brady

One other incident, which is not documented, is the alleged existence of a lost treasure in Owens Lake. Allegedly, a wagon load of bullion hauled by the Bessie Brady is swept overboard during a high wind storm. The tale is told that the heavy bullion-filled wagon was not correctly chained to the deck and simply swept over the side.

The story could be from a combination of events, such as the swamping and sinking of the Molly Stevens.

Seemingly a rumor, the Lost Treasure of the Bessie Brady seems to always originate from a person who allegedly heard from someone who knew the captain.

References

Lake Manly

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Lake Manly is a rare and ephemeral lake that occasionally forms in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, located in Death Valley National Park, California. This temporary body of water revives an ancient Pleistocene lake that existed during the Ice Age, when it reached depths of up to 700 feet and stretched nearly 100 miles long.

Looking into a perfect mirror image on Lake Many in January 2026. Photo by James L Rathbun
Looking into a perfect mirror image on Lake Many in January 2026. Photo by James L Rathbun

In recent years, including dramatic appearances after Hurricane Hilary in 2023, atmospheric rivers in 2024, and record-breaking fall rains in late 2025 (with more precipitation than an entire typical year), the basin has flooded to create a shallow lake — sometimes just inches deep, other times up to a few feet — allowing rare reflections and even temporary kayaking opportunities.

Badwater Basin itself is a surreal, otherworldly landscape dominated by expansive salt flats covering nearly 200 square miles. The surface is primarily sodium chloride (table salt), along with minerals like calcite, gypsum, and borax. The name “Badwater” comes from a small spring-fed pool near the road that’s extremely salty and undrinkable.

History of the lake

Lake Manly, gets its name from William Lewis Manly, a pioneer and hero of the 1849 California Gold Rush era.

In late 1849, a group of emigrants (known as the “Lost ’49ers”) took a risky shortcut to reach the gold fields and became stranded in the brutal heat and dryness of what would later be called Death Valley. William Lewis Manly, along with John Rogers, volunteered to walk out of the valley on foot to seek help. They trekked hundreds of miles across harsh desert terrain, eventually reaching safety, obtaining supplies, and returning to rescue the remaining group (including families like the Bennetts and Arcans) — saving their lives.

In honor of his bravery and lifesaving efforts, geologists named the prehistoric pluvial lake that once filled much of Death Valley after him. The name “Lake Manly” was formally coined in 1932 (sometimes misspelled as “Manley” in older sources, but Manly is correct). There’s even a proposed alternate name “Lake Rogers” for a potential northern section, after his companion, but “Manly” became the standard term used in scientific literature and by the National Park Service.

The lake itself is a remnant of wetter Ice Age periods (especially around 185,000–128,000 and 35,000–10,000 years ago), when glacial meltwater fed massive inland waters. Today, it only reappears briefly after extreme rainfall events — like the record storms in recent years that turned Badwater Basin into a shallow, reflective lake again.

It’s a fitting tribute: the name connects one of the valley’s most famous human survival stories to its deep geological past of water in a place infamous for being bone-dry!

Telescope Peak's reflection in the calm wates of Lake Manly, Death Valley National Park. Photo by James L Rathbun
Telescope Peak’s reflection in the calm wates of Lake Manly, Death Valley National Park. Photo by James L Rathbun

Conditions That Cause Lake Manly’s Formation

Death Valley is one of the driest and hottest places on Earth, averaging only about 2 inches of rain per year with evaporation rates exceeding 150 inches annually. This extreme aridity normally keeps Badwater Basin as a dry salt pan.

The lake forms only during rare, extreme rainfall events — such as remnants of tropical storms (e.g., Hurricane Hilary in 2023), powerful atmospheric rivers, or record-setting seasonal storms — that deliver several inches of rain in a short time. Runoff from surrounding mountains floods the endorheic (closed) basin, which has no outlet, creating a temporary lake. The water eventually evaporates rapidly under the intense heat and low humidity, returning the area to its characteristic salt flats — often within months.

This fleeting phenomenon highlights how even the harshest deserts can dramatically change with unusual weather patterns!

The hills next to Badwater turn green with the rains which cause Lake Manly. The sea sevel sign is visible high in the rocks on the the right. Photo by James L Rathbun
The hills next to Badwater turn green with the rains which cause Lake Manly. The sea sevel sign is visible high in the rocks on the the right. Photo by James L Rathbun

Winter 2026

Lake Manly is formed following several days of rain, so we opted to drive out to the park for a visit. Our first visit is cut short from a rain storm and flash floods which caused the road to be covered with flood levels. We made the drive from Vegas the next weekend, and were floored by the views of Lake Manly covering the salt flats of Badwater Basin. The walk out to the lake shore is about 1/4 of a mile from the Badwater parking lot.

On our visit, the lake surface is deathly still and the other visitors were silent giving us the feeling of isolation despite their being other travelers. This is my first visit to Lake Manly, and will certainly not be my last, if I am able to arrange the trip.

Billie Mine

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The Billie Mine (also known as Billie I and Billie II) is a former underground borate mine located in the Furnace Creek Mining District of Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California. Situated on the eastern slopes of the Black Mountains overlooking Death Valley, the mine’s surface structures—including the prominent steel headframe, shaft collar, support buildings, and waste rock dumps—are positioned just outside the park boundary along the paved Dante’s View Road, approximately 1.5 miles northwest of the historic ghost town of Ryan and 12 miles southeast of Furnace Creek. However, the rich borate ore body itself extends underground into park lands, with the mine portal offset about 1,500 feet west on Bureau of Land Management property to comply with environmental regulations under the Mining in the Parks Act of 1976.

The site sits in a stark, arid landscape typical of Death Valley: barren alluvial fans sloping down from rugged, basalt-capped ridges, dotted with creosote bush and sparse desert vegetation. The ore body, embedded in the Miocene-Pliocene Furnace Creek Formation, consists primarily of calcium borates such as colemanite, along with probertite and ulexite. Geologically, the deposit is lens-shaped, striking northeast with a southeast dip of 20–40 degrees, averaging 700 feet wide, 3,700 feet long down-dip, and 150 feet thick. Mining involved deep vertical shafts (reaching depths of around 1,200 feet) and long-hole stoping methods with backfilling to maintain stability, leaving tall, narrow pillars critical to the underground structure.

Today, the abandoned mine features a towering headframe silhouetted against the vast valley panorama, evoking the industrial intrusion into this remote wilderness. Visitors driving to Dante’s View often pause for photos, but the site is gated and off-limits—mines in the park are hazardous due to unstable shafts, toxic tailings, and potential collapses.

The Billie Mine’s history is intertwined with Death Valley’s long borax legacy, but it represents a modern chapter amid growing conservation efforts. Borate deposits in the Furnace Creek area were known since the late 19th century, exploited by the Pacific Coast Borax Company at nearby sites like the Lila C. and Widow mines near Ryan. However, after discovering richer sodium borates (kernite) at Boron in 1926–1927, operations in Death Valley largely ceased as companies shifted to more profitable locations.

Interest in the Billie deposit revived in the mid-20th century. In 1958, the Kern County Land Company staked claims and conducted drilling. Development accelerated in the 1970s: after the Mining in the Parks Act of 1976 restricted new claims and imposed strict environmental reviews, valid pre-existing operations like Billie were allowed to proceed with mitigation. Construction began in 1977 under a partnership that became the American Borate Company (initially involving Owens Corning Fiberglass and Texas United, later fully Owens Corning).

The mine reached ore in 1980 and became fully operational shortly after, extracting high-quality colemanite crystals (some large and collectible) alongside probertite and ulexite. Ore was trucked to processing plants in Dunn Siding, California, or Lathrop Wells, Nevada. For over a decade following the 1994 expansion of Death Valley to national park status, the Billie Mine was the only active mine within park boundaries, operating under rigorous National Park Service oversight to minimize surface disturbance.

Production continued into the early 2000s, but economic factors, declining demand, or resource depletion led to closure in 2005—marking the end of all mining in Death Valley National Park. In 2011, American Borate donated related patented claims (including parts of the Billie and nearby Boraxo sites) to the NPS, further securing the area’s protection.

The Billie Mine stands as a poignant reminder of Death Valley’s mining era: born from persistent exploration in a protected landscape, it bridged historic borax booms with modern environmental constraints, ultimately yielding to preservation in one of America’s most extreme and iconic wildernesses.

Doble California – San Bernardino Ghost Town

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Doble is a near-forgotten ghost town and mining site located near the dry bed of Baldwin Lake, east of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains. It represents a later chapter in the region’s mining story, tied to the “second gold rush” of the 1870s.

In 1873–1874, brothers Barney and Charlie Carter discovered gold-bearing quartz on a hill overlooking Baldwin Lake (then part of Bear Valley). Word reached millionaire investor Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin, a prominent figure from the Comstock Lode silver boom in Nevada. Baldwin acquired the claims, naming the site the Baldwin Mine (later Gold Mountain Mine). He invested heavily, building a 20-stamp mill in 1875 to process ore and surveying a townsite below the mine.

The town was initially called Bairdstown (possibly after an early partner or prospector) and later briefly Gold Mountain City or Bear Valley. By the mid-1870s, it boomed with saloons, hotels, restaurants, blacksmith shops, and residences—typical of Wild West mining camps. Fistfights, shootings, and a growing cemetery reflected the era’s lawlessness. A shelf road built by Chinese laborers improved access, hauling machinery through Holcomb Valley.

Despite the infrastructure, the ore proved low-grade and unprofitable. The mine and mill shut down after a few years, and the town was largely abandoned by the early 1880s. It sat dormant for about 17 years.

In the late 1890s–early 1900s, Baldwin’s son-in-law, Bud Doble (or possibly a relative/associate), reinvested, leading to a revival. A larger 40-stamp mill was constructed around 1900, and the town was renamed Doble. Operations continued intermittently into the early 20th century, with various owners attempting to extract gold. However, yields remained disappointing, and activity ceased by the mid-20th century (latest records around the 1940s).

Today, Doble is a true ghost town with scattered ruins: dilapidated wooden structures, mill foundations, tailings piles, shafts, and a small cemetery. The site is accessible via off-road trails like Holcomb Valley Road (high-clearance vehicles recommended). It’s part of the San Bernardino National Forest, popular for hiking and historical exploration, though vandalism has removed some markers over the years.

Doble Mine, San Bernardino County, 1930 - Photography by Adelbert Bartlett, UCLA Library Digital Collections
Doble Mine, San Bernardino County, 1930 – Photography by Adelbert Bartlett, UCLA Library Digital Collections

Doble Town Summary

NameDoble California
LocationBig Bear, San Bernarino, California
Also Known AsBairdstown, Gold Mountain
Latitude, Longitude34.2986169,-116.8216958
GNIS270883

History of Mining in the San Bernardino Mountains

The San Bernardino Mountains, part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California, have a rich mining heritage primarily tied to gold, with significant activity in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Mining in this region was challenging due to rugged terrain, harsh winters with heavy snowfall, and limited water resources, yet it produced notable wealth, especially from placer and lode deposits.

Gold mining began in earnest in the 1860s, spurred by discoveries shortly after the California Gold Rush of 1849. The most prolific area was Holcomb Valley, north of modern Big Bear Lake. In May 1860, prospector William F. “Bill” Holcomb, while tracking a bear, discovered placer gold in a creek that now bears his name. This sparked Southern California’s largest gold rush, drawing thousands of miners. Holcomb Valley became the region’s top gold-producing district, yielding an estimated 350,000 troy ounces historically (valued at over $450 million in modern terms based on early 2010s prices), with potential untapped deposits.

A boomtown called Belleville quickly emerged near the discovery site, named after the first child born there. At its peak around 1861–1862, Belleville had a population of about 1,500–2,000, making it briefly the largest settlement in San Bernardino County. It featured saloons, stores, and even vied (unsuccessfully) to become the county seat. The town was notorious for its rough character—claim jumping, violence, and vigilante justice were common. Placer mining dominated initially, with miners panning streams and using sluices. By the late 1860s, as easy placer gold dwindled, operations shifted to hard-rock quartz mining, requiring stamp mills to crush ore.

Other notable mines in the mountains included the Mammoth, Olio, Pine Tree, Metzger, and Greenlead. Production peaked in the 1860s but declined rapidly due to low yields, difficult access, and environmental hardships. By 1870, most miners had left Holcomb Valley. Intermittent activity continued, including large-scale placer operations in the 1890s and dredging in the 1930s–1940s.

A “second gold rush” occurred in the 1870s around Baldwin Lake (then called Bear Valley), leading to the establishment of the town and mine discussed below. Overall, the San Bernardino Mountains’ gold era transitioned the area from mining to tourism and recreation by the early 20th century, with dams and roads built in the 1880s–1910s facilitating access to Big Bear Lake.

Today, remnants like tailings, shafts, and foundations are preserved in areas like Holcomb Valley (now a historic site with trails), but active gold mining has ceased. Modern extraction in the broader mountains focuses on industrial minerals like high-purity limestone and cement.

Doble Town Map

Referenes

Gold Mountain Mine – Gold Fever Trail

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Gold Mountain Mine, also known as the Baldwin Mine or Lucky Baldwin Mine (originally Carters Quartz Hill), stands as one of the most significant gold operations in the Big Bear area of the San Bernardino Mountains. Located east of Big Bear Lake at coordinates approximately 34.3026°N, 116.8291°W, it overlooks Baldwin Lake and the former townsite of Doble. The mine represented the last major gold discovery in the region during the 1870s and highlighted the transition from placer to quartz mining.

The remains of Gold Mountain Mine, "Lucky Baldwin Mine" overlook the townsite of Doble and Baldwin Lake.
The remains of Gold Mountain Mine, “Lucky Baldwin Mine” overlook the townsite of Doble and Baldwin Lake.

Discovery and Early Development (1873-1875)

In 1873, brothers Barney and Charley Carter discovered the site while traveling to the Rose Mine for silver prospecting. Camping along the north shore of Baldwin Lake, Barney investigated a shiny quartz ledge on a hill, revealing rich gold ore. They claimed it as Carters Quartz Hill. This find came amid a broader context where placer gold in nearby streams had been noted since 1855, but harsh conditions limited early efforts. The Carters sold the claim to mining tycoon Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin for $30,000, who invested an additional $250,000 to develop it. Baldwin, known from the Ophir Mine in Nevada, renamed it and employed up to 180 workers.

Chinese laborers played a key role, constructing roads from the mine to Cactus Flat and a five-mile flume with a 300-foot granite tunnel to supply water for processing. Their expertise in blasting and ditch-building was crucial, reflecting broader involvement of Chinese workers in quartz mining across the mountains. By 1876, a 40-stamp mill was operational, crushing ore for gold extraction via sluicing. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Bear Valley boosted local prosperity, including the town of Belleville.

Operations and Challenges (1875-1895)

The mine ran for about eight months initially but faced a major setback in 1875 when Baldwin lost $2,500,000 in the Bank of California collapse, triggering a statewide economic downturn. Operations closed temporarily but reopened intermittently until 1895. Production figures are not precisely documented, but the site contributed to the region’s status as Southern California’s most productive gold district. In 1875, William F. Holcomb, whose 1860 discovery sparked the initial rush, returned to witness the decline of mining camps.

The Gold Mountain Mine
The Gold Mountain Mine

Later Years and Decline (1899-1940s)

In 1899, after resource depletion, J.R. DeLaMar partnered with Baldwin to build a second 40-stamp mill. The original mill operated until 1923, with hard-rock mining continuing until 1919. Various companies managed the site until the 1940s, but yields were disappointing overall. The mine’s concrete foundations and headframe remnants are still visible today.

Current Status and Legacy

Today, the dormant site lies within the San Bernardino National Forest, accessible mainly for hiking and part of the Gold Fever Off-Road Trail. It symbolizes the end of the major gold era in the mountains, with ongoing hobbyist mining in the broader area. The mine’s history underscores the economic volatility of 19th-century mining and the contributions of diverse laborers.

This report highlights how Gold Mountain Mine fits into the larger narrative of San Bernardino Mountains mining, which transformed the region from a frontier outpost to a key resource hub, leaving a lasting cultural and environmental legacy.

Overview of Mining in the San Bernardino Mountains

The San Bernardino Mountains, located in Southern California, have a storied mining history that dates back to the mid-19th century, driven primarily by gold discoveries amid the broader California Gold Rush era. This range, part of the larger Mojave Desert geophysical province, features rugged terrain with fault lines, basins, and arid conditions that influenced mining operations. Mining in the area encompassed a variety of commodities, including gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, tungsten, borates, and limestone, with gold being the most widespread and economically significant. San Bernardino County, which includes these mountains, hosts over 3,000 documented mines, with approximately 1,585 listing gold as the primary commodity. The history reflects cycles of booms and busts tied to economic events, technological advancements, and global demands, such as those during World Wars I and II.

Early placer mining began in the 1840s and 1850s, with gold strikes in streams and valleys like Bear and Holcomb Valleys as early as 1849-1855, often initiated by prospectors following the California Gold Rush. The shift to hard-rock lode mining occurred as placer deposits depleted, supported by laws like the 1872 General Mining Act. Key districts included Holcomb Valley, Clark, Providence Mountains, and Calico, with operations involving shafts, adits, mills, and infrastructure like railroads and water systems. By 1902, the county had 301 hard-rock quartz mines, producing 45 mineral commodities. The Great Depression revived small-scale gold mining due to higher gold prices, while World War II focused on strategic minerals like tungsten and iron. Post-war activity declined, though sites like the Mountain Pass rare earth mine emerged in the 1950s. Today, remnants such as mine ruins, tailings, and historical landmarks persist, managed by entities like the Bureau of Land Management, facing threats from modern development and recreation.

The mountains are particularly noted for skarn gold deposits and high-purity placer gold, with historical recoveries in Holcomb Valley estimated at around 350,000 troy ounces (valued at $457,660,000 in 2013 prices). Remaining deposits may hold up to 700,000 troy ounces in unmined areas. Limestone mining continues as a major modern resource, with operators like Omya and Mitsubishi Cement extracting from the north slope.

Timeline of Key Mining Events in the San Bernardino Mountains

PeriodKey Events and Developments
1840s-1850sInitial placer gold discoveries in Bear and Holcomb Valleys (1849-1855); Mexican miners extract significant gold from placers in Bear Valley.
1860sMajor gold rush sparked by William F. Holcomb’s discovery in Holcomb Valley (1860); boomtowns like Belleville emerge with populations up to 1,500; largest gold strike in Southern California.
1870s-1880sShift to quartz mining; Gold Mountain Mine discovered (1873); stamp mills built; economic downturns like the 1875 Bank of California collapse affect operations; gold deposits largely exhausted by 1880s.
1890s-1910sIntermittent revivals with new technologies like cyanidation; hard-rock mining at Gold Mountain continues until 1919; borate and tungsten discoveries; steady activity until World War I.
1920s-1940sDecline due to low prices; Depression-era reworking of tailings; WWII focus on iron and tungsten; sporadic operations.
1950s-PresentRare earth mining at Mountain Pass; limestone extraction; hobbyist claims and historical preservation; over 2,000 active claims in Holcomb Valley.

Mine Summary

NameGold Mountain Mine
Also known asLucky Baldwin Mine,
Carters Quartz Hill
LocationSan Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3026, -116.8291
Gold Fever Off Road Trail Marker No.12

Gold Mountain Trail Map