The Moser Mine or Moser Claims are a series of workings shown on USGS Topo only as prospects. In actuality there are extensive works including numerous adits, several cabins and a milling operation. It is unknown when the mine began operation but modern documentation from the 70s and 80s show the mine as a gold producer. In addition two miners recorder daily production numbers on the inner wall of the bunk house from the 80s. Its hard to be sure but it looks like they were producing 400-500 grams per day with a final entry stating “decision day”.
Guy Starbuck, Death Valley Jim & Frank Hood
The site was visited in 2004 and posted online anonymously by Guy Starbuck as the “Moss Mine” in 2013 when it still had an ore cart and numerous steal signs where used to line the walls. Death Valley Jim visited the site and documented it on-line anonymously as the mystery mine in Feb 2015. In March of 2015 famed YouTube mine explorer Frank Hood posted the Moser Mine on his channel publicly ‘outing’ the mine and its location. By the time of our visit in December 2015 the adit had been sealed with a bat gate and the welds were still fresh. Much of the artifacts we saw in previous explorers post were gone, looted. Hence the controversy of weather or not to reveal mine locations despite most are public information anyway.
crossing the desert sands
Certainly an interesting location and a very long desert walk if you stop your vehicle at the Joshua Tree National Park Boundary that forbids vehicles. Upon our visit it appeared several explorers previously proceeded us and drove right up to the mine from the looks of the tire tracks crossing the desert sands.
