On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air,  up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light…

I’ve been to Las Vegas a number of times over the years.  Always for conventions and conferences either for myself or tagging along on one of my wife’s business trips.  I never had access to a car but this time we were tacking on a trip to Zion and Bryce so we rented a car.

This got me researching the area for interesting things within a somewhat easy drive of the hotel, when I found the Eldorado Canyon & Techatticup Mine or sometimes called the Nelson Ghost Town in Searchlight, Nevada about an hour or so from The Las Vegas Strip.

I headed out from The Venetian Parking Garage, got in the wrong lane on the highway, but eventually made my way out of Las Vegas suburbia-land and into the wide open, undeveloped desert out towards the area with the Hoover Dam.

The area seems to be in development with a new on and off ramps that don’t show up on the GPS, but eventually I found myself turning on to The Nelson Cut-off Road otherwise know as NV 165 which is a lonely stretch of road through empty desert and BLM land for miles before climbing up some hills and canyons before descending into a area of trailer homes, the town of Nelson.

The area known as Nelson was originally called Eldorado in 1775, by the Spaniards who made the original discoveries of gold in the area that is now Eldorado Canyon. The town was the site of one of the first major gold strikes in Nevada and one of the biggest mining booms in state history. Gold and silver were discovered here around 1859. The rush to the canyon began in 1861, several mining camps were established in the canyon, and a steamboat landing at the mouth of the canyon on the Colorado River, called Colorado City. – Wikipedia

Don’t blink while driving through Nelson or you’ll miss it.  About another mile and you’ll arrive at the complex know as the Techatticup Mine.    The family that owes the mine run a river and mining tour business housed in a former Texaco gas station, north of the road from the Techatticup Mine.

This picturesque spot has has been used as a filming location for several feature films, including 3000 Miles to Graceland staring Kevin Cosner in his first role as a bad guy.  In the movie Cosner’s character steals some beer at the gas station and blows the place up.  The airplane prop that sat on the top of the gas station is still on site.

When I showed up around 10 am the only other patrons was a film crew, ambulance and police car on the scene filming a music video.

I parked across the street by the old mine and followed the signs to the office where I pre-paid twenty dollars for two hours of photographing and signed a waiver.

They charge photographers $10 an hour to tour around the place which is littered with old cars, interesting buildings, cactus and tons of antiques.  This is a photo shoot business so even if you are just snapping away with your cell phone, go in a pay.

They’ll charge a group $15 an hour.  For example while I was there a trio from out of the country had stopped in to take photos with a wedding dress and a suit.  Maybe they were getting married in Las Vegas.  The owners provided a bedroom to change in but suggested that the bride might not want to wear high heels around the property.

Speaking of which, part of the “orientation” involves talking about rattlesnakes.  Each year they end up encountering about 18 rattlenakes on the property so you have to watch your step.  The snakes like to be in the rocky areas and hang out in the shade during the day, so just look where you are stepping.

The other danger is tripping or falling over something and the cactus.  They show you pictures of unfortunate photographers who backed into a cactus.  The cactus have barbed needles you end up with a big chunk of the cactus in your leg or behind if you are not paying attention.

The mine tour costs $15 and takes you over three miles.  You get a history of the area,  get to see inside the buildings and enter the cool 50 degree mine shaft.  Tours start at noon and then every two hours.

I noticed people starting to arrive around 11.  There was a surprising amount of people after spending the day nearly by myself in the morning.  If you arrive early for a tour one thing you can do is head down to the end of the road and look at the Colorado River.

Imagine in the heyday of the three mines that work in this area.  In Clark County alone they estimate there are 1,600 abandoned mines. The ore from this area was shipped out on the Colorado river by steamboat at Nelson’s Landing at the end of the road.  Now there are just a few parking spots and warnings about flash flooding.

Nelson’s Landing, about 5 miles (8 km) east of Nelson at the downstream end of Eldorado Canyon, was the village and landing established on Colorado River reservoir, Lake Mohave where the canyon had its confluence with the lake. The wharf area of Nelson’s Landing was destroyed during a flash flood on September 14, 1974.  Nine people died in this flash flood.

And no, you don’t have time to go see the Hoover Dam and make it back in time for the next tour, as someone asked.  But If you plan your day right you should be able to see the dam and tour the mine.

My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim

This place is a photographers dream.  Acres of old buildings, old stuff and best of all, old vintage cars, trucks, school buses and even some strange, odd, novelty type campers.

For all the stuff displayed, a lot of thought went into the arrangement.  There are lots of great angles to exploit and explore and around every corner is something new to photograph.

I had researched the site online and looked at what other people had shot and tried to plan out some new angles.  Basically I brought a bunch of different lenses and went around the property at least three times, each time with a different lens – my Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Wide-Angle Lens,

CanonTS-E 24mm Tilt-shirt and

Canon EF 17-40mm wide angle.

After an hour of photographing in 113 degree heat (but it’s a dry heat!), I started to get a bit dizzy and headed back to the general store for a refreshment.

Unfortunately,  Eldorado Canyon & Techatticup Mine does not offer any food and there certainly are not any food spots in Nelson.  I’d think they would do well to at least sell some chips, candy bars, some baked goods or at least put in some vending machines.   Maybe a few arcade machines?  I don’t know.  It does look like the place does rent out for catered events.  There is a BBQ area and tables around in various buildings.

Fortunately they do offer drinks – water, soda and Gator-aid.   Soda and water is only $1 and the Gator-aid is $1.50.  Everyone seems surprised how reasonable the prices were for drinks and one of the owners explained how she knew what is like being on vacation with a family when not everyone can afford to get your own drink.

You certainly need to stay hydrated and the office is a nice air-conditioned spot to have a drink and hang out with the friendly family members who run the place.  I felt right at home lounging around the office, talking to the family about middle school and those city folks.

It’s a friendly family that runs the place but you have to remember it’s their home, not some corporate run enterprise.  So if you show up with some kind of city attitude, demand this or that or wear inappropriate shoes or bring a yappy little dog into the mine, expect a bit of attitude.  Visit with a sense of respect and you’ll be welcomed in to the family.

There is also a small gift shop selling little trinkets like old keys and skull beads.  I didn’t see any t-shirts, calendars or bobble heads.  You could buy some gold flacks in a vial and some rocks.  But boy, they are missing out on the “I survived the Ghost Town” type shirts.

Nelson Cutoff Rd, Searchlight, NV 89046

or

16880 NV-165, Searchlight, NV 89046