The Gray Eagle Mine is located in the Saline Valley area. According to information I’ve found online, it is a talc mine. The mine itself is way high up on the mountain, barely visible from the valley floor. I had hoped to hike up to the mine, but the sun was already setting by the time I got there so there was not enough time.

At the base of the mountain there is an old wooden ore bin, a modern water tank, and a Skagit B-20 Logging and Loading Donkey. This gas powered donkey engine is used to operate a steep aerial tram, for hauling supplies to and from the mine.

The mine is still an active claim, and there are signs and a video surveillance camera protecting the site against vandals. A long tubular chute comes down from the mine to the ore bin. The chute is supported by a wooden frame that looks almost brand new. The donkey engine is quite old and weathered yet appears to be intact and looks as though it has been operated fairly recently. If you visit this site, please do not disturb anything!

More photos of the Skagit donkey engine, including detail images, can be seen here:

Skagit B-20 Logging & Loading Donkey  

Last updated September 2014.

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