After we visited Big Horn Mine and another one on the way to Cucamonga Mt. my son Fedor was defiantly excited to explore more mines. Allison gold mine located higher up in Allison Gulch in the south face of Iron Mountain and was worked intermittently from 1915 until about 1942 by George Allison and his three sons. The center tunnel is around 250 feet, not very deep compared to Big Horn.
Initially I want to do a clockwise loop, but after a mile or so it become apparent that water level in San Gabriel river is too high and current is too swift for safe crossing. Good news we find out about water problem in the morning, not on the way back, that would be a total disaster.
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San Gabriel River
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Trail to Allison Mine
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| Heaton Flats Trail |
The Heaton Flats trail is very good and straight forward, when you get to the saddle turn left where Allison Mine trail starts. It's not maintained and very overgrown, hard and slow going, but with some patience sooner or later you will reach the mine.
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Allison Mine Trail
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Allison Mine in the center
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We found and explorer 3 tunnels, not very deep, but still interesting, there was also some artifacts outside, such as old boiler and broken water pipes.
