Sunset Mine - Trout Creek

Our Hiking Time: 3h
Total Ascent: 800ft
Highest Point: 1650ft
Total Distance: 4 miles
Location: N 47° 51.4320, W 121° 27.9060
Required Permit: None
Difficulty: Easy

Every once in awhile we like to take a break from lakes, waterfalls, and mountaintops, and take a hike out to something a little different. After touring the Mineral City town site, we found a few other abandoned mining operations and decided to do a little exploring. Sunset Mine was easily accessible and looked exciting, so we geared up and headed out to Index.

The Sunset Copper Company was formed in 1897 to mine and extract copper, silver, and gold from the Sunset outcrop. Mining operations expanded to cover 960 acres and 12,000 feet of tunnels, almost all of which have collapsed or been submerged. Ownership of the area changed hands a number of times before operations ceased and the property was ceded to the US Forest Service in 1985. By that time, over 13 million tons of copper had been hauled out of the ground. Today, all that remains of the production site is the crumbling cement foundation of the copper mill.

Two large stopes are the principal attraction at Sunset Mine. A stope, we’ve learned, is a large underground opening left after minerals have been extracted. They are located up the hillside from the mill and can be accessed by the many bootpaths that riddle the area. Keep a careful eye out for the ventilation shaft near the largest stope – it’s a 150 foot drop to the bottom of the mine from here. Other than the cavernous stopes, there are a couple of adits openings that are filled with water and mostly collapsed that merit a peek.

Tromping around Sunset Mine is more a stroll through history than it is a hike, but what it lacks in distance it more than makes up for in the fun of investigating the mines. Obviously, all tunnelsand openings should be approached with caution, but the two large stopes have collapsed enough that they are now fairly shallow and do not go back much more than 200 feet. Lingering wooden beams and platforms seem to be the most unstable, so we avoided getting too close to them. All it all, the area was fun to explore. If you’re looking for a longer hike, there are supposedly more claims along Trout Creek further past the Sunset Mine, just keep following the road to find them.

To get there, take Highway 2 to the Index turnoff. Drive past Index and continue on the Index-Galena Road for about five miles to the Trout Creek Bridge, just before the road washout. Just past the bridge take a right onto a forest road. If the gate is open, decide whether to park your vehicle here or brave the two miles of pothole-ridden road to the mill foundation. Most four-wheel drive vehicles should be able to make it without too much difficulty. Remember the mines can be dangerous, so keep your explorations safe. -Nathan

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