Mt. Shasta Mine Loop
The Shasta Mine Loop can be explored in either direction, and is relatively flat for the first mile or so through a forest of primarily canyon live oaks and knobcone pines. White leaf manzanita, blueblossom ceanothus, and poison oak comprise much of the trailside brush. Further on, the trial leads to several intersections with the Clear Creek Canal Trail. This trail follows the footprint of the Great Water Ditch, a 40 mile, manmade ditch. Completed in 1855, the ditch was constructed for the purpose of supplying water to gold mines further south. This portion of the trail traverses an area scorched by prescribed burns in 2003 and 2004.
At about 1.5 miles into the trail, the Mt. Shasta Mine is to the left, the entrance now sealed and fenced off. The original owners sold the mine for $10,000 in 1897. In the next 14 years, the greatly expanded mine produced $178,000 in minerals from quartz ore. The ore was initially sent to the Keswick Smelter for crushing and processing. Around the turn of the century, a steam stamp mill was erected with a capacity of crushing 50 tons of ore a day. A sign at the entrance relates more information on the mine and its operation.
Further on, the trail skirts Orofino Creek, passes the Monitor Mine, and then forks. The main trail is to the left. Following the Orofino Creek upstream, hikers travel through trailside wildflowers of buttercups, shooting stars, and pussy ears. A mine adit, (horizontal mine shaft) possibly the Ono Mine, is prominent on the left. The entrance gate is specifically designed to allow passage of bats and other wildlife while preventing human entrance. The trail turns left and begins a steady uphill climb for the next 0.7 mile and passes through an oak and pine forest. At the summit, the trail intersects Orofino fuel break road. From here, the trail overlooks Whiskeytown Lake, the dam, and the Trinity Mountains in the distance.
