BigFishAllDay
New member
Ghost town of Kelly, NM > Mt. Withington, NM
With the 4Runner done and spring upon us, I had one more summit in southern NM that I wanted to check off my list before the area gets too hot for me. There are hundreds of mines in the area, but the grandest and most well preserved are found near the ghost town of Kelly, NM. Mining started in this area in 1866, and by 1884 there was town with 3,000 residents surrounding the operation, eventually leading to the establishment of the town of Magdalena. For anyone who loves history, geology, photography, or wheeling, this area is a must see.
The rig parked next to the shaft at Grand Tower.
Headed back down toward Pascal shaft and the head frames of the main shafts. The town of Magdalena in the distance at photo right.
The refractory, boiler, and assay structures.
There were huge nests in the tops of the old structures. The sticks were 2-3 feet long, so I'm guessing they were made by raptors of some sort, or large owls.
The main Kelly headframe, with a shaft 1,000 feet deep extending into the earth below it, with 30 MILES of mine shafts at the bottom.
To my amazement, the shaft had nothing more than a waist high fence surrounding it, and the fence was in disrepair. My stomach was turning over a bit while taking this shot. A fall would be certain death.
They built things to last back then.
The old Kelly church, which has been renovated over the years.
I did some recon on another trail in this area that looks like it could be one of the more challenging trails on FS land in the whole state. I am going to be in need of a few good men, with a few good Toyotas to go back and run it with me.
With the 4Runner done and spring upon us, I had one more summit in southern NM that I wanted to check off my list before the area gets too hot for me. There are hundreds of mines in the area, but the grandest and most well preserved are found near the ghost town of Kelly, NM. Mining started in this area in 1866, and by 1884 there was town with 3,000 residents surrounding the operation, eventually leading to the establishment of the town of Magdalena. For anyone who loves history, geology, photography, or wheeling, this area is a must see.
The rig parked next to the shaft at Grand Tower.
Headed back down toward Pascal shaft and the head frames of the main shafts. The town of Magdalena in the distance at photo right.
The refractory, boiler, and assay structures.
There were huge nests in the tops of the old structures. The sticks were 2-3 feet long, so I'm guessing they were made by raptors of some sort, or large owls.
The main Kelly headframe, with a shaft 1,000 feet deep extending into the earth below it, with 30 MILES of mine shafts at the bottom.
To my amazement, the shaft had nothing more than a waist high fence surrounding it, and the fence was in disrepair. My stomach was turning over a bit while taking this shot. A fall would be certain death.
They built things to last back then.
The old Kelly church, which has been renovated over the years.
I did some recon on another trail in this area that looks like it could be one of the more challenging trails on FS land in the whole state. I am going to be in need of a few good men, with a few good Toyotas to go back and run it with me.
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