On a two day trip this week, we spent our first day visiting Temple Mountain.
In this arid part of central Utah, the rock structures and spires are hauntingly beautiful.
However, we were surprised to find that the mountain is riddled with mine shafts. About 1900, prospectors discovered uranium, radium, and vanadium ores in the mountain. Some of the radium was exported to France, where it may have been used in Marie Curie's lab. By 1920, the boom was over, but resumed briefly in the 1950's and '60's. Temple Mountain produced around 2.5 million tons of ore during its mining years.
The sign inside says "caution, radiation area". Believe me, we weren't interested in entering. Another sign we saw later imparts this good news:
We saw an old miners shack,
However, we were surprised to find that the mountain is riddled with mine shafts. About 1900, prospectors discovered uranium, radium, and vanadium ores in the mountain. Some of the radium was exported to France, where it may have been used in Marie Curie's lab. By 1920, the boom was over, but resumed briefly in the 1950's and '60's. Temple Mountain produced around 2.5 million tons of ore during its mining years.
The sign inside says "caution, radiation area". Believe me, we weren't interested in entering. Another sign we saw later imparts this good news:
We saw an old miners shack,
and this long-abandoned stone building, which was apparently part of the town of Temple Mountain.
We also saw huge piles of mine tailings, complete with piles of junked equipment. (I didn't take photos of this. It was just too embarassing for the state of Utah.)
Here is one of many abandoned cars. 20's vintage?
Daisy checked it out, and reported it wouldn't start.
If you enlarge the photo below, you'll see a yellow truck that appears to have been hauled far up the mountain (presumably during the mining boom) and left there.
Here is one of many abandoned cars. 20's vintage?
Daisy checked it out, and reported it wouldn't start.
If you enlarge the photo below, you'll see a yellow truck that appears to have been hauled far up the mountain (presumably during the mining boom) and left there.
Though the land itself is beautiful, mankind has defiled this temple.
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You have a very interesting blog and I love the pictures!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE how your blog lets me live vicariously through your adventures! I have an awesome book called "Ghost Towns of Utah". I believe it is still in print. If you can find it, it is well worth owning. The history of these mines etc. just fascinates me. I've never heard of Temple Mountain but I'm so glad I got to 'visit' it via your blog!
ReplyDeleteThose ghostly Temple Mts are filled with scary minerals. Though I love the old buildings, somebody's dream. It always amazes me what gets left behind.
ReplyDeleteYet another wonderful post.
Does Daisy have a license?
smart daisy!
ReplyDeletelovely pics and interesting history too!
It was painful to see the human made scratches on the beautiful Utah. But beautiful photographs from you as always.
ReplyDeleteSmoked Off Face at the Willingdon Crescent in Jamnagar
Birdhouses, Birdfeeders, Birdbath
I have enlarged the pictures. These sculpted mountains are stunning. It must be wonderful to ride in the freedom of these great mountains.
ReplyDeleteWe all have our junk cars and abandoned stuff. Still Utah looks like a neat and beautiful place to explore and I am determined to head that way one of these days with my spouse and GSD.
ReplyDeleteI think that countryside would be interesting to visit, but seems so desolate without vegetation to speak of. What an enjoyable ride.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so desolate now that it's hard to imagine that it once was a busy place.
ReplyDeleteI see that at least the cars are providing someone with target practce!
ReplyDeleteI used to come to Salt Lake to work. It was great in winter with the skiing, but I loved some of the trips I took into areas like this. That old car is a classic.
ReplyDeleteYou photos are wonderful and the history wonderful. You combine two of the things I like to do most, ride and explore. I am having great fun exploring here and like you finding man's trash all about....right or wrong it is what we did freely then. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteSmiles
The desert holds an abundance of fascinating finds, yet with its abandonment retreating back to nature somehow never gives up its air of solitude.
ReplyDeleteThese mountains are really impressive and majestic. I enlarged the photos and enjoyed seeing all the details better. Thanks for sharing and for your visit!Have a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteJanie: You have so much to show. I love the old car and what was left of the house. The natural beauty of your country really shows.
ReplyDeleteWow another trip, love the places you saw, and i wouldn't enter that either. Love that old mine shack home
ReplyDeleteCool destination. I like the picture of Boss up on the mountain. The pictures look like it was warm.
ReplyDeleteThat first photo is so awesome! What fun! I love old mine areas and ghost towns. Looks like a pretty "rural mining area," for lack of a better description, if there weren't any actual ghost towns around.
ReplyDeleteWhat a scenery, what colours! Great landscape!
ReplyDeleteLike stepping back in time! Those mines are interesting--and dangerous.
ReplyDeleteToo bad the car won't run.
It's the abandoned works of frontier desperados (and entreprenneurs) that give that countryside an extra level of interest. I'm glad to see the house wasn't a hotel that you stayed in (didn't you fool us with that before?) ... Side note: did the car still run (looks can be deceiving!)
ReplyDeleteMy fav photo is the one where the dog comes out of the wrecked car. It's fantastic! Thank you for sharing this interesting story and photos with us.
ReplyDeleteprkl, Finland
Temple Mountain is beautiful. It's too bad people have left so much trash around.
ReplyDeleteI love all these photos. Reminds me a little of Arizona. The pics of the old clunker with Daisy checking it out are great.
ReplyDeleteSomething to consider is that without the Mines out there, no one would really know whats out there are you wouldnt have any access to it. Its a part of Utah history. Utah State University and the county have noted numerous times that if it wasnt for the late 1800s and 1950s mining that none of the roads would be out there and we would not have the knowledge of the sites or the glyphs in the swell.
ReplyDeleteBefore you talk about what a waste these remnants are, consider that they are the history of the land. The same way the Indians left granaries and petroglyphs, this is the only thing that we have left for future generations to explore and examine.