Sometimes you never know what to expect in the desert. Death Valley National Park is home to hundreds (maybe thousands) of old mines, and on our last trip, we explored the remains of an old talc mine near Ibex Dunes–the Rainbow Talc Mine. There were a lot of remnants strewn around the mine site (scrap metal, etc), and the shafts were really well preserved. While not getting close to the edges, it was interesting to poke around and wonder what it was like to mine this area.
Remnants of the Rainbow Talc Mine, February 2010
Upon leaving, my friend and I happened to notice a note scratched into a piece of scrap metal near the mine’s remains. It said “We ‘saw’ the two big tall men carrying big packs! “ and was dated 2 days before our visit. Could something have happened here that is causing the miners to linger, more than 30 years after its abandonment?
Do you think we were being watched?
While I don’t believe in ghosts, I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder once or twice as we hiked out…just to make sure we weren’t being watched.
Have you ever had a spook while out on an adventure? If so, please share it in the comments!
Excellent short tale.. who knows?
Thanks Alister! Great to see you still around online…thought you’d dropped off somewhere.
Looking forward to seeing some of your new images!
I seem to always feel like someone else is around when I’m stumbling around in the dark with my camera in remote areas… quite unnerving actually.
It’s a big part of why I like to shoot with others when out exploring at night, for reasons both real and imagined.
I agree Matt. Its all too easy to get spooked out there by yourself. If you can get past that, the solitude and quiet can be very relaxing!