Forum Index > Trail Talk > La Bohn Gap and the USGS map - ever hear of Crystal Pass?
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SlowWalker
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 2:06 pm 
In a recent thread in trip reports called "So much Middle Fork, so little time", I mentioned that I thought the USGS quad map has La Bohn gap mis-marked, and there were two responses that seemed to confirm that notion. I was up there this summer and we got a bit confused about which way to go because the map was not showing La Bohn Gap to be where the trail was headed. We chose the trail and had a fine time going up the ridge above La Bohn Lakes. I found the mining remains in the Chain Lakes basin interesting, so I sought out a book that might give me some more information about them, and I've been reading this one called "Discovering Washington's Historic Mines". The mines int hat basin are divided into two claims -- the Dutch Miller and the Seattle-Boston Copper Company claims. Anyway, the book describes how if they had found commercial quantities of ore they had planned to build a tram way from the top of the pass down into the necklace valley past Opal, Emerald and Jade Lakes to its destination. (I shudder to think) Now, here it the part that really caught my attention. The author of this book refers to this pass between the Chain Lakes and the Necklace Valley as Crystal Pass, and the peak to the southwest of the pass as Crystal Mountain. This is the first I've ever heard of these names, and I'm surprised because he tends to refer exclusively to the USGS maps, but he does say that Crystal Pass is not labelled on the map. Could it be possible that La Bohn Gap is actually correct on the USGS quad, and the trail actually goes over something the miners knew as Crystal Pass??

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Tom
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 2:16 pm 
Beckey confirms La Bohn Gap is marked incorrectly on the USGS Mt Daniel quad (see the appendix under Dutch Miller Gap Trail). Apparently it was marked correctly on earlier versions of the map.

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SlowWalker
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 2:45 pm 
Here is the TopoZone link, with the red dot indicating La Bohn Gap, and the area this author seems to be calling Crystal Pass.

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Backpacker Joe
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 2:58 pm 
That link is the correct location of the gapski.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Tom
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 3:08 pm 
Here is a link to the 1902 map which shows La Bohn Gap in the correct location.

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Backpacker Joe
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 3:11 pm 
Tom, I never would have guessed that you were that old. That first link is correct. That is the location of the Gap. That's where I went over years ago.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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SlowWalker
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 3:14 pm 
According to the GNIS, the BGN entered La Bohn Gap into its database in 1979, and declared it the official name in 1988. Given that the book I'm referring to was published in 1997, I still wonder about the names Crystal Mountain and Crystal Pass. It is baffling to me that he describes the area, and how to get there, without ever using the name La Bohn Gap or La Bohn Lakes. I'll post the description so it is more clear what I'm talking about. (Its just interesting, that's all. It isn't going to change anything. Apparently someone might put some kind of gate somewhere near there anyway. I don't know anything about that.) A related question: Anyone have an idea where the name La Bohn comes from? He isn't mentioned as a miner in the area, and google turns up nothing relevant.

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SlowWalker
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 3:17 pm 
Tom - cool! How did you get that map, I'd like to see more. Interesting to note the black squares representing structures in that map. Also interesting to me that in apparently 1902 it is called La Bohn Gap. I had thought perhaps it was called Crystal Pass back then and later changed, but that suggests it isn't the case. Where in the world did this author get his information??

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Tom
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 3:23 pm 
The old maps are here. Kind of a clunky interface. You have to click on the quad, then the thumbnail, then the obscure link after "View Map Image (Zoom)".

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SlowWalker
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 3:33 pm 
OK here is the text that has me so interested in the geographic history of this area. If nothing else, this is a history lesson. "In 1905, the Seattle-Boston Copper Company tried to sell stock in the Dutch Miller Mine. A.J. Walters, a writer for The Westerner magazine, features these properties in the December issue. It is not known whether this attracted investors to the venture. Because it would have been easier to ship ore to the north, the company planned to build a railroad from the Skykomish area, 8 miles up the Foss River via the East Fork, to a mill site. At the mill site, which was about 3/4 mile north of Jade (Success) Lake, a cabin and horse barn were built in anticipation of the railroad's arrival. An aerial tram was to be erected to carry ore from the mines over Crystal Pass to the mill site. This was to run from Crystal Pass, several thousand feet down Necklace Valley, past Opal Lake, Emerald Lake, and Jade Lake, to reach its destination." "Southwest of Crystal Pass is Crystal Mountain, whose summit rises to an elevation of 6,585 feet. Fifteen hundred feet west of this peak are a caved in adit and two trenches. One thousand feet south of these, at Chain Lakes, are Dutch Miller and Seattle-Boston Cooper Company Claims. Near Crystal Pass are two prospect digs in an enormous basin composed of white syenite, with numerous red-capped ore outcroppings..." "The Seattle-Boston Copper Company had 14 men opening veins in several high-grade ore deposits. Foreman James Cosgrove was in charge of determining the lode's value. If the lode turned out to be promising, the company planned to let a contract to mine 75,000 tons of the minerals, which would be taken by tram to the mill site. A tunnel was proposed that would run under Crystal Mountain from northwest to southeast to reach the ore body at depth, but work was never begun due to the remoteness of the site and lack of investment capital."

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Oldtimer
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PostThu Aug 25, 2005 11:18 pm 
"An aerial tram was to be erected to carry ore from the mines over Crystal Pass to the mill site. This was to run from Crystal Pass, several thousand feet down Necklace Valley, past Opal Lake, Emerald Lake, and Jade Lake, to reach its destination." (quote from Slowwalker message) In the early 1970's, a cable lay on ground going from "Tom's LaBohn Pass" down about 2/3 of the way to the valley. There also was some junk scattered about. Most of the time, the cable was covered with that "snow ski slope" that existed from LaBohn Pass almost to bottom of slope--at least it did in the old days. - Oldtimer

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wolffie
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PostWed Jul 31, 2013 10:44 pm 
There are at least 5 aerial tram hangers at one place in Necklace Valley (I hesitate to name the exact location). A large shaft bearing seems to have disappeared from this place. The cast bells on the carriers say, "T I PAT MAY 18 1897".
Bearing.  Note grease cup and zinc(?) bearing.  2006, Necklace Valley.   This artifact is missing 2013, and may have been stolen by vandals.  Note the grease channels in the zinc.
Bearing. Note grease cup and zinc(?) bearing. 2006, Necklace Valley. This artifact is missing 2013, and may have been stolen by vandals. Note the grease channels in the zinc.
LBG0012.TramTrolleyNTR
LBG0012.TramTrolleyNTR
Tram hanger detail 2008.  The circular object is a bell.  Note the date.
Tram hanger detail 2008. The circular object is a bell. Note the date.
Necklace Valley mining artifacts 2008.
Necklace Valley mining artifacts 2008.
I found one carrier/trolley July 2013 in the riverbed with what appears to be two plates for an ore car or somesuch thing, wired together and apparently never used (see photo). Note: I removed these from the riverbed, and in the process of moving them, I broke the wire holding the two plates together, thus destroying a significant feature of the artifact. The wire connecting these two heavy plates (maybe 5 lbs. each) indicates that they were never used. I should have been more careful.
Tram hanger.  Note that the paired plates are wired together, presumably unused.  They may have mounted the paired wheels.  Not sure.  This tram had a stationary suspension cable and a moving hauling cable, not like a chair lift.
Tram hanger. Note that the paired plates are wired together, presumably unused. They may have mounted the paired wheels. Not sure. This tram had a stationary suspension cable and a moving hauling cable, not like a chair lift.
Near the head of Necklace Valley, there is a large coil of approx 1" dia. cable, coiled, and perhaps unused.
LBG0129.MiningCable
LBG0129.MiningCable
At LaBohn Gap on the north side, there is a large winch, collapsed, but apparently positioned to lift supplies on sledges up the long snow slope.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 2013.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 2013.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 2013.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 2013.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 2013.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 2013.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 7/2013. I'm guessing this was for hauling cargo up the snow slopw on sledges, or maybe for installing the aerial tramway, whuch was never completed I think.  There's a big coil of cable in the basin below.
Winch at LaBohn Gap, 7/2013. I'm guessing this was for hauling cargo up the snow slopw on sledges, or maybe for installing the aerial tramway, whuch was never completed I think. There's a big coil of cable in the basin below.
You never get there without the trail crews:
New turnpike in Necklace Valley, 2013, thank you!
New turnpike in Necklace Valley, 2013, thank you!
Gwynnie on Hinman, 2008.
Gwynnie on Hinman, 2008.
Here are some links showing tramways using identical carriers from that time: Chilkoot tramways Chilkoot tramway2 There's an interesting recent chapter to this story. I don't know the details; perhaps some cognoscenti can supply the facts. Back in the 1980s or 1990s, there was some criminal whose well-known M.O. was environmental extortion. He'd secure the mineral rights to someplace like this and pretend he was going to develop it, frightening the public into buying him out. I remember reading about this, but the details escape me. He/They said they were going to build a road up to Chain Lakes, blast off the overburden, and operate an open pit mine. They had the right to do so, thanks to our unbelievably archaic and corrupt 1878(?) mining law. Presumably, they had no intention of ever doing so; why do actual mining -- a very risky business -- when shaking down the taxpayer is a sure thing? Yup, you and I paid him off. My apologies; I'm sure I've got some of this story wrong. Anybody who knows better, kindly correct me.

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GeoHiker
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PostThu Aug 01, 2013 12:49 am 
wolffie, you found some cool stuff. up.gif There were big plans to run trams from Necklace Valley down to the railroad in the valley below. I remember finding rail and several ore carts back in the 70's near the river. I can't imagine anyone trying to get one of those out, but you would be surprised what people manage to thief. It's amazing to see what was done in such a harsh environment. I don't recall if they actually had a running railroad to the 5 mile point on what is the Necklace Valley trail or not? There was a road. I always knew what is called Crystal Pass as La Bohn Gap. The first large pass you see climbing out of the valley. I don't think I was ever up there later than mid August, so it always had snow for much of it and the upper lakes were frozen. I've got to get up there in Sept-Oct. before I'm too old and crippled up.

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Joey
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PostThu Aug 01, 2013 9:14 am 
Tom wrote:
The old maps are here. Kind of a clunky interface. You have to click on the quad, then the thumbnail, then the obscure link after "View Map Image (Zoom)".
Busted link. The USGS has made hi-res scans of all the paper topos, even the old ones. Here is the 1902 map at issue: http://ims.er.usgs.gov/gda_services/download?item_id=5411328&quad=Skykomish&state=WA&grid=30X30&series=Map%20GeoPDF Download and unzip the file. To find other maps use one of the two links at the bottom of this page: http://nationalmap.gov/historical/ I like the second link since it lets me search by coordinates. Click the map to set a marker and then click the marker to see the list of maps covering that spot.

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wolffie
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PostThu Aug 01, 2013 9:44 am 
Wow, Joey, thanks. That is a wickedly cool map! I note A.H.Sylvester's name at the lower-left. Beautiful, hand-drawn without aerial photographs. How did they do this!? Note how everybody somehow missed Big Heart Lake. Look at the lettering. Was that all handwritten, or was it somehow typeset? It looks so regular and precise. My wife's uncle was a USFS cartographer. He showed me some of the equipment, early 1980's. Even then, all those contours, hand-drawn. 22.75° declination. I'm guessing the declination held steady for much of the 20th century, then the shift accelerated. I didn't know it shifted at all until I was practicing triangulation and bearings from a summit sometime in the early '90s, and got frustrated because all my bearings were almost 5° off. THen I realized how out-of-date my Green Trails map was.

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Forum Index > Trail Talk > La Bohn Gap and the USGS map - ever hear of Crystal Pass?
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