As I explored, going from one broken down dream-crushed residence to the next, the amount of decay surrounding seemed always to escalate and magnify. I kept moving, but the depressive atmosphere of the old buildings seemed to permeate everything. Like walking through desiccated bowels, I prowled old hallways, kitchens and ha, living rooms!

Still, when I looked closely, there were signs of life, mostly birds nests, but then, when I looked closer yet, I was startled to find gaily colored flowers and butterflies a' wing, to find sunbeams all a' glow. They, whoever they were, the children, the families that had lived here, they'd purchased bright, cheery vibrantly colored stickers and had placed them on hot water heaters, on bed boards and on toilets, anywhere and everywhere, bringing a softer, gentler feel to this wild place they'd called home.

Even now as I write, I can still appreciate how wonderful and poignant those small splashes of color were, like light exposing a world beyond the reach of darkness and despair. Those simple splashes of color were so exotic and foreign there where everything was harsh and dull, brown and gray, that they jubilantly caused the soul to swell and I found it humbling, realizing how important these tiny almost insignificant personal touches must have been to those who'd actually lived here. I snapped off several photos of these and of the few rooms I found where beautiful flower covered soft colored wallpaper could still be seen so I'd remember and be thankful for all the luxuries I so often take for granted in my own world. Like I mentioned, the experience was humbling.

Having had enough exploration for one day, and noticing that the guys were stumbling around, I finished up and turned my steps back towards camp. I was thrilled to find my timing perfect, breakfast, freshly cooked bacon, was just ready to come off the stove!

The Darwin mining district lies within central Inyo County, at the southern most tip of the Inyo Mountains, and has long been known as an exceptional source of primary and secondary minerals. Rich silver - lead ores have historically been mined here since 1874, though earlier abandoned workings were known previous to this date. As word spread of these productive deposits the people came and a thriving community developed to support the many mines. Over the years, a majority of these properties were consolidated as the seemingly all-encompassing Darwin Group of mines. Examples of properties most intensely developed within this Group include the Defiance, Essex, Independence and the Thompson Mines. The Defiance has retained its individualism while the other three properties referenced were later further consolidated as the Thompson Mine. Of these mines, the Defiance has the deepest workings with the 1300 level being opened to approximately 1500 feet below the surface, in comparison, the deepest Thompson Mine workings were developed on the 900 level, approximately 1100 feet below the surface.

While these would be areas of focus and are among the most important properties, over the next couple days we'd also be visiting numerous lesser known workings within the Darwin Group which additionally offer the potential to yield an exceptionally varied palette of crystalline treasures to those willing and able to access their subterranean depths. With breakfast behind us, we set out to do exactly that but first, we packed. Among the materials we'd bring, we each brought multiple light sources, our hard hats, our tools, some food, water, a med kit and an accumulation of stuff, with these goodies stowed away, we hit the road.

Driving east through camp, we slowly gained elevation. We passed more houses and shops, even a monstrous swimming pool with its old cracked wooden diving board hanging over empty space. There was a movie theater, a store, and on and on. The paint was chipped and the water had long since evaporated in the hot desert air and there were no more tickets to sell or produce to buy. No matter, like a time traveler, my mind was consumed with a flashing collage of images as I imagined flowers blooming beneath curtained windows, the shrill joyous cries of children frolicking, splashing, the smell of popcorn wafting invisibly from the theater as it played what hit, what drama, all those long years ago. And like that reality, once we'd passed, the dust that had swirled up behind us settled back down. After that, it was difficult to tell that anyone had ever been through there at all.

We bounced and bucked our way up that old rattlely road until we reached a point where the old townsite of Darwin was more or less directly below us. It was a sad sight. A sea of derelict trailers blotted the landscape, their bright white aluminum siding glaring starkly from amidst a sea of rusting cars, trucks and snowmobiles. Real honest to goodness houses could also be seen among the clutter, they were just so poorly out numbered! After that we rounded the hill and the town fell behind us and was soon out of sight. Before us spread a vista of scrub covered rolling hills dotted and scarred by glorious old tailing piles. We were getting closer, but as to which mine we'd actually be visiting, I had no idea.

Purposely, I'd not asked any questions of the guys regarding our destination. I felt quite content to let them lead, taking me wherever they thought best and so, when we pulled up beside another nondescript adit, blocked by another heavy nondescript locked steel door, I had no idea of what to expect. But, I'd soon find out!

As I crawled out from the truck, the guys told me to leave my pack, that I'd not be needing it. With camera in hand, I followed them through the door and into the unknown. The section of tunnel we'd entered was heavily shored for a short distance until the rock turned solid and we left the timbering behind. After that, the tunnel opened up majestically into a huge room packed with miscellaneous mine clutter, lengths of cut timber, sodium cyanide drums, even an old electric locomotive. But this was only the beginning, as I proceeded deeper into the room, there next appeared great banks of electrical panels and then finally, the monstrous bulking mass of a dual drummed hoist materialized out of the darkness. It was then that the guys told me, we were in the hoist room for the Thompson Mine.

While the guys had been here before, for me, this was absolutely amazing. Everything looked fresh, only a thin film of dust blanketed the surfaces of the equipment and honestly, it looked like everything would power up with just a flick of the switch. The banks of electrical panels would light up, humming with freshly flowing current, the overhead lights would come on next and the blackness would dissolve away.

And that's how it'd been, once, a long time ago back when the mine was operating. The noises, the smells. I could only imagine and again I found myself wondering, what must life have been like for those who'd worked here, for the miners, the hoist operator, for the carpenters and mechanics, the geologists and the engineers. They were the real story here, the people, they brought life to the cold depths and yet, who they were, I hadn't a clue and sadly I mused, what a shame that their story would never be told.