Belfort, at an elevation of 10210 feet was a mining camp in the Patterson Mining District in the 1880s. Very few vehicles are able to reach this site, and I almost didn't get in or out. If you try to make it anyway, don't say I didn't warn you! It's way up on a crazy 4WD road. We scraped the bottom of my SUV on large rocks, slid down lose rock "scree" wondering if we'd go over the edge and have to jump out, we had to cut a ledge with a shovel to not slip into an eroded crevasse (and possibly roll down the mountain), trimmed trees to get around one large rock in a forest, crossed muddy creeks, and thought me might roll in a couple of places (I let +Lori Hibbett out several times so she could call someone to recover my body). Then after 5 hours in 4WD low gear, we ran low on gas. My arms are sore from the adrenaline… gripping the steering wheel and hanging on. My vehicle has some fresh "redneck racing stripes" from brush.
The only other vehicles we saw on the trail were 4WD ATVs. That's probably the best option for access due to the washout on a steep hill that you could roll down, but our neighbor who has multiple ATVs just rolled his last week and broke his collarbone and several ribs, so he won't be leading any excursions any time soon. It's probably just as well… the descent down steep, narrow roads on loose rock isn't one which should be .taken lightly, or attempted by beginners in any sort of vehicle. This is one of the few places I feel safe naming and mapping. It's well protected by its location, and the access won't be improving in the forseeable future.
This was definitely one of those "kiss the ground when you get there" roads. +Gerard Sanz knows what I'm talking about. We thought of him, and his rental car, as we passed the narrow section with the dangerous washout.
#ghosttown
Ghost town of Belfort, California. Very few vehicles are able to reach this site, and I almost didn’t get in or out. If you try to make it anyway, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
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Glad you guys got out alive! Thanks for shooting the place. How far is it to hike on foot?
Never mind…….just mapped the place and it looks way to far to hike in.
nice framing
I LOVE that story. Reminds me of most of the adventures I had with my dad when I was a kid. I'm glad you guys were both okay. And I hope +Lori Hibbett had fun despite you saying stuff like "I'll let you out so you can recovery my body." =/
very nice place a shot!
great pic.
Lindo…
Probably 10 miles plus the 3000 foot elevation gain +Doug Thompson. This place is pretty secure from any risk of over-visitation.
I would love to visit this place.
Glad to see you made it out safe. Also the "Redneck racing stripes" are more like a badge of honor for your vehicle 😉 as I said very glad everyone made it safely to and from this site. As for the photo great shot. I always have admired your photography.
I didn't exactly say that +J. Rae Chip, but +Lori Hibbett sure seemed eager to get out and "help" me as a spotter whenever there was serious risk of rollover, injury or death!
To add insult to injury, if I rolled the truck it not only would have been totaled (gold-plated transmission and all), but the Forest Service probably would have required recovery of the vehicle, which I could only imagine occurring via Chinook helicopter. It would either be a $10,000 – 15,000 debacle (wild guess), or we'd have to convince the local Marine Mountain Warfare Center near Sonora Pass to do with their big birds as a training exercise.
It was definitely a fun adventure once it was safely over, but one of those "but let's not do it again" types.
WOW! Thanks for taking us there. Wonderful shot.
Some animals could nest in the vehicle. As long as you take out the oil and gas, I don't see a problem. Other people just don't like seeing it. This would be a real waste of energy sending out a Chinook for that.
Agreed +Hal Cooper, but they're flying over our house every few days, so whether for training or transportation, the fuel is getting used for one reason or another.
lol I'm glad +Jeff Sullivan. A good spotter is pretty much the most important thing to four-wheeling. It's great you have that in Lori. To this day the only person who I trust to guide me like that when I'm off-roading is my brother.
There's an Army training area in Bridgeport, CA – last I knew 3 yrs ago they were training SOF how to use pack mules, so they could use them in Afghanistan. IIRC, it was just North of the town, so somewhat near to that ghost town.
Wow, thanks
Sounds like fun. Yep ATVs are the way to go to get to some of them places.
Superbe
Great shot!
I'd totally go there!
I wish I had a bit of land like that, wow what I could do with it looks like Heaven I would go there in a second do you now aproxmently were the address
I wish I had a bit of land like that, wow what I could do with it looks like Heaven I would go there in a second do you now aproxmently were the address
lol. i doubt there is an address. You might be able to google it though.
Good evening, I like, thanks
me also the land is a total keeper
Good evening I like