Finally getting around to exploring the local Panamint Valley and its backroads and history. A great place to practice social distancing. These shots are in the vicinity of the Modoc, Minietta mines and Lookout City. Further explorations later this week with a proper truck.

Day 1 – Discovering the road to Lookout City, and some of the Nadeau Trail

Searles Valley, Panamint Range, Telescope Peak
Telescope and Rogers peaks of the Panamint Range from Searles Valley, on the way to Panamint Valley. Slate Range in the foreground.
Panamint Range, Telescope Peak, Panamint Valley, Death Valley
Telescope Peak has recently had a frosting during a late spring storm … from Panamint Valley.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
The Nadeau Trail, no longer passable … from circa 1875, accessing the Modoc and Lookout districts.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
Not too much left of Remi’s road on this end. There are other ways around.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Lookout City
A hopper on the way up toward Lookout City. The road was beyond reasonable for a Subaru, so we will come back soon with the Dodge truck. This is as far as we made it on foot.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Lookout City
Silver, lead, zinc and copper were major minerals of this district.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Lookout City
A more distant view of the Nadeau Trail and a freshly frosted Telescope Peak.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, flora, desert bloom
Local flora fascination …the prickly poppy … springtime in the hinterlands.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, flora, desert bloom
Local flora fascination … encelia, aka brittle bush … springtime in the hinterlands.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, flora, desert bloom
Local flora fascination … Mojave Fishhook cactus … springtime in the hinterlands.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, flora, desert bloom
Local flora fascination … beaver tail cactus … springtime in the hinterlands.

Day 2 – the Minnietta Mine

Kicking around Panamint Valley some more, visiting the Minnietta Mine in the Modoc District today. Great cabin in good shape available for public use, first come first serve. Make sure you have the right vehicle to get there. The road is not Subarubable.

Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
If the cabin is occupied, you will see a flag flying on the front deck, if not vehicles parked around.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
Commanding a grand view of the Panamint Range and Valley.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
There are quite a few relic foundations in the area.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
Some of the diggings up the road from the cabin. Many of the adits are still accessible to the brave and perhaps foolhardy.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Minnietta
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
Found one lone Desert Five Spot

Day 3 – Modoc Mine

Peeling back Panamint. The explorations continue along the Nadeau Road (vs. the Nadeau Trail … more on that in photo comments). Eventually we found our way to the Modoc Mine, and discovered the foot trail that will someday lead us to Lookout City. (My Dodge truck is too wide and long of wheel base to accommodate the road leading to the City.)

Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Argus Range
The geology is amazing in the Argus Range on the west side of the Panamint Valley. We are travelling along the paved Nadeau Road toward a working mine off in the distance. Remi Nadeau was a freight operator very active in the freight hauling business in the region’s heyday of the late 19th century. He had his fingers in a lot of pies. He built a lot of roads along the way.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
Off the paved Nadeau Road, the Nadeau Trail is probably closer to the truth of the roads he put in back in the day. The Trail is a National Historic Trail designated by the BLM and runs about 28 miles along the west side of Panamint Valley, giving access to a lot of interesting side trips to visit historic mine operations. The Nadeau Trail is designated as P105, and these signs are found frequently connecting up with newer roads.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
My truck is parked on the bottom of the valley floor below. Just getting to the spur road involved walking over boulders and straddling washout gullies. From there we walked up this old road to the Modoc Mine, which extricated about 2 million dollars in ore in its day. Few adits to be found, no structures remaining to speak of. We confirmed the site through GPS. Silver and lead were the ores of interest, and interestingly, one of those ores was Coronadite, an oxide of lead and magnesium.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
A lot of good and impressive rock work remains in the area, though we did not find any buildings or structures left.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
From what I gather, Chinese labor may have been responsible for the craftsmanship of the rock works. Telescope Peak and the Panamint Mountains frame the valley in the distance.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
Lookout city is on the peak at the top of the picture, above the Modoc mine. There is supposed to be trail up the mountain. Lookout City had three saloons and I am sure these miners wanted the shortest route possible to their relief.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
An interesting relic … I wonder if this is a small boiler for a stamp mill?
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
A well of fame, full of interesting dates. some more interesting than others.
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc
19th Century!
Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Nadeau Trail, Modoc, Lookout City
And we found the foot trail leading up the mountain. We are quite a bit higher than the mine at this point, and this must be the trail that leads to Lookout City. You can see in the link below why I wont take my truck up there. One day we will make the climb!

Background on mineral wealth at the Minnietta Mine

Background on mineral wealth at the Modoc Mine

Some information about Remi Nadeau

Directory of the Saline Valley Chronicles