Hoot Owl Mine

Howard wanted to try out his new four-wheeler. I'm always up for that so Monday we took off for the Hoot Owl Mine in Mitchell County. We've been there before but it's always a fun ride. First stop was a small abandoned feldspar mine not too far down the trail.

There is some really pretty scenery just about everywhere you look.

Viewed from the opposite ridge, these holes in

the mountainside give the mine it's name.

You can just drive right on in and all the way down to the bottom where there is a "lake". I don't know how deep it is but would guess not very.

It's a little unsettling when you're in there because you can just imagine a big chunk of rock falling off and bonking you on your punkin' head.

This "pond" is a result of mining activities and is always there, even in extreme drought conditions. I tossed a rock in and shot the resulting wave action reflected on the rock above. It looked like a spider web.

This is another view of the pond from a different angle. The water seems sort of chalky, I guess from the feldspar. Someone once told me that one of the uses of feldspar was to obtain the glossy finish on magazine covers.

Here we are headed out. Howard is visible back up the trail. This shot also shows the sheer size of the mine.

This is a view of the pond from the trail going out.

I made this panarama from six pictures I stitched together. This is about a 300 degree view from a high meadow that is situated at about 4000 feet elevation.

Altogether a good day riding but then I can't remember a bad day four-wheeling!