Page 90 - Vol. 1 Walks In The Black Range - 2nd Edition

12. Rattlesnake Mine From the Hillsboro Transfer Station
The western trail to the Rattlesnake Mine and Eureka Tunnel starts at the Hillsboro Transfer Station and heads northwest before turning generally northeast. Eureka Tunnel, in the upper right hand corner of this map is 2.3 miles from the Transfer Station. The route is entirely on old mining roads, the portion of the route which runs from west to east (about a quarter of the way from the top of the map) is the roughest and the last section of that portion is the steepest part of the walk.
The starting elevation is 5,195’ and the trail ends at 5,788’. There are several up and down sections along the walk so the total elevation gain on the walk is closer to 600’ than to the net gain of 508’. The main shaft of the Rattlesnake mine is at about 5,719’.
For most of the route the walking is very easy. Portions are quite rocky, however, and care should be taken. The usual natural culprits are possible along the trail. There is no shade on this route, take water as appropriate. The route ends at the Eureka Tunnel which is a flooded adit, part of the Rattlesnake complex. Access rights around the mine are unclear, we had permission from the curator of the mine to enter the Eureka Tunnel at the time we mapped this route.
A video of the mine site can be viewed here. The Role of Water in the Rattlesnake and
Opportunity Mine Groups
“Moody’s Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities” (1906) describes the Rattlesnake and Opportunity Mine
operations of the Sierra Consolidated Gold Mining Company. It notes: “The company is proceeding with development work, and purposes erecting a stamp mill and plant in connection with the Rattlesnake Group, capable of treating 200 tons of ore daily, and a pumping plant of sufficient capacity to furnish water to treat at least 500 tons of ore daily.” The company’s prospectus (p. 5) notes that “It will also erect a pumping plant at the source of water supply
which it owns and lay a pipe line of sufficient capacity to furnish water to treat at least 500 tons of ore daily.”
The prospectus of the Sierra Consolidated Gold Mining Company includes a report by a mining engineer named William M. Farish. At page 39 (following page) of the prospectus, Mr. Farish discusses where the water needed for the mining operation is to be obtained.