The Hwy '49er Series:
This is a series of caches meant to highlight some interesting and, maybe even, some more obscure historical facts about California's gold mining history. Most of these caches will be placed in the Sierra Nevada foothills in the general vicinity of Hwy 49, the Gold Country Highway. Highway 49 starts in the south at Oakhurst, Madera County, and continues generally northwest, weaving through many of the gold mining communities of Tuolumne, Calaveras, Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Yuba, Sierra, and Plumas counties until it reaches its northern terminus at State Route 70, in Vinton.
An Invitation:
All local cachers are invited to add to this series of caches, placing and calling out new locations of gold mining history along highway 49. New caches can be of any type according to cache publishing guidelines. It would be great to see this series eventually run the entire stretch of Hwy 49. Also, please share any information you may have about the postings in your logs. There's bound to be some intersting facts out there that can be shared with everyone.
A Warning - Please be careful when caching in any areas of the foothills. These hills are home to many creatures, including slithering ones. Please be aware of your surroundings and keep a watchful eye, especially if you have children with you while caching.
King Solomon Mines - There were two known mines names King Solomon but exact locations are unknown. One was in the Whitlock mining district, the second was in the Jerseydale Mining District east of Midpines. The top of the peak just to the east and above the cache location may have been the site of one of the mines.