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JO Pass Trailside "Chimney" Mystery

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:11 pm
by franklin411
Hello folks,
My friend and I were supposed to hike to Twin Lakes on Saturday, but we were slow in getting out so we set up camp at the bear box/campsite located at the Twin Lakes Trail - JO Pass Trail junction linked below:

http://climber.org/data/BearBoxes/SC02.html

We liked the site so much (good water, good fire rings, lots of deadfall, not crowed at all) that we spent 2 nights there, and we made some interesting discoveries.

1. I found two trees by the creek that had a bunch of nails pounded into them, some of which were "U" shaped. The trees were about 2' apart, so I guessed that the tree had been used to cure/stretch a hide at some point.

2. There was a curiously flat piece of log-wood that we used as a bench...it also had a door or roofing nail in it (very wide head, short shaft).

But the big mysteries for us were:

3. Some sort of "chimney." The thing was a dome built out of rock and compacted earth about 4' in diameter, with a 6-8" square shaft in the center. There were recent burned wood remains inside the chimney, and a long rectangular shaft perpendicular to the chimney that measured about 6" x 6" x 5 feet.
p1.jpg
4. At least 4-5 odd rectangular "bricks" made of a semi porous beige substance, about 4" x 6" in size scattered about. It was too hard/tough to be hardtack or old fashioned campfire bread, but that was what we initially thought it was.
p2.jpg
Any ideas on what these things might have been?

Re: JO Pass Trailside "Chimney" Mystery

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:43 pm
by zacjust32
I would call SEKI and ask for the archaeologist and report what you found. They keep a catalog of all sites and could probably tell you what it is.

Re: JO Pass Trailside "Chimney" Mystery

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:24 pm
by franklin411
Thanks, I'll try that!

Re: JO Pass Trailside "Chimney" Mystery

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:03 pm
by franklin411
Well I think I got the "chimney" part figured out...Dakota fire pit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_pit# ... s_fire_pit