Mining in the Park? EarthCache
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Park in the access road and walk to the site from there (about 20 meters). Disaster point can be seen east of here a few hundred meters down the highway.
One of the interesting features of the park is that mining at one time was allowed which makes this a historical site. In order to know something about this particular mine, you need to know a little about the geology of the area and some of the history.
To remember the geology of the Rockies we need to take it range by range. The main ranges form the continental divide which splits North America into eastern and western slopes. In Jasper Park the main ranges are largely made up of coarse sandstone, limestone, shale, and a somewhat metamorphic rock called quartzite.
I will deal mainly east of the main ranges which are the front ranges of the Rockies and that is where this particular mine was situated.
The sea allowed a great many plants and animals to grow and live here, probably because of its shallowness. The organic matter that resulted contributed lime mud, which thickened and hardened into massive amounts of limestone. The front ranges are a pale grey from the lime and distinct from the reddish brown of the main ranges. A typical front range peak in Jasper is Roche Miette at which foot we find this mine.
Here at this waypoint is all that remains of the ruins of the office of this company which operated nearby.
All these mines were established after the park had been, but, until 1930, the act governing parks permitted the lease. It held that working of the mines and the development of mining interests within the limits of the park was okay as long as this activity did not in any way impair the usefulness of the park for the purposes of public enjoyment and recreation.
That all changed after 1930.
This company was initiated by George Brown and H.H. Needham, two men who had worked for the railways. They were permitted to do this and build a kiln beneath Roche Miette. After having a spur line built off the main railway line, they settled down to make their fortunes. At the outbreak of the First World War this enterprise came to a halt, even before they could ship their first load, they were ordered to tear up the rails. The load was dumped off the tracks and remains there to this day and is furrowed by the trails of mountain Sheep.
The place they dumped their load is not far from what became known as Disaster Point where the railway builders planted the dynamite which blasted away the nose of Roche Miette where it jutted into the river, and had to be crossed at high water. The top of the steep slope (the ridge) consisted of down sloping slabs of slippery rock which, as the horses bunched at the top often sent them hurtling over the precipice. That is why it was called Disaster Point.
This particular site where the mine was, used to be a grassy hillside at the foot of the Roche Miette range. It is still grassy with small trees and brushes growing on it. There is something else that you need to observe. What do you expect a grassy hillside to look like?
😎 To log this cache and proof of your visit, you need to answer five questions. You MUST E-mail the answers to me before you can log this cache.😎
1). What is the name of the Company that mined here?
2). Between what dates did they operate?
3). What did they mine and what did they dump off the tracks near Disaster Point?
4). Who was the Structure later sold to and what did they use it for?
5). What do you see that you would not expect on a grassy hillside and why do you think it is there (think earth)?
Don't forget: Post a Picture of you with your GPS in front of the remains of the ruins of the office of this company.
Additional Hints
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