| Central California Ranges | |
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The road from the summit to New Idria is steep and rugged. You don't need four-wheel drive, but it's a rough ride with almost no traffic and no cell-phone reception.
Mercury mining began in this remote region in the 1850s. The resource was very large—exceeded only by the New Almaden deposit near San Jose—and the quicksilver produced was used extensively in the California gold fields. The district was named New Idria after the famous mercury district of Slovenia. In 1894 officials took the "new" off the name of the mining town, but the inhabitants call it New Idria to this day.
All photos (c) 2003 Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com, Inc.
The road down to New Idria.
