We had an interesting hike in Great Basin National Park today. The Osceloa Ditch trail is interesting because it follows the course of a water project built in 1890 to supply water for the hydraulic mining of gold near Osceola, Nevada. The project was over 18 miles long which included three miles of flumes and a 632 foot tunnel. It was christened on July 4, 1890. Unfortunately for various reasons it never delivered the water needed. It turns out that the hydraulic mining found very little gold and the whole thing was abandoned by 1901. Mining was a risky business. It still is.

It was an enjoyable hike to Mills creek along the path of the ditch. The ditch was well preserved in most places, but the wood flumes are long gone. In today's photo we are standing in the Osceloa Ditch. You can see it extend behind us. It must have been very tough work to dig this thing.