MorrisoniteA2-mining claims

Mining
A. Morrison Ranch Jasper
2. Mining claims

The first mineral location or claim filed on the Morrisonite Jasper deposits was established in 1964 by Arnold Peterson and Emmett Morris. This claim was later dropped. In 1971 Ed Brandt filed the Christine Marie claim and J. Longwell filed the Big Hole claim.
In 1973 Charlie Caress filed the Big Hole II claim to the north of the Big Hole location. In 1971 Ed Brandt filed the Amy Ellen claim overlapping and extending to the south of the Christine Marie. The Amy Ellen claim has a long tall rock formation on it referred to as "the pinnacle". There is jasper showing at various places around its base and up on its side. The Amy Ellen is sometimes referred to as the pinnacle claim. This claim is in a very rugged part of the canyon and is difficult to reach by any means. To this day no mechanized equipment has been used to work this claim. In 1975 P. Caress filed the Lacey to the south of the Big Hole. The ground covered by these five claims is under claim today although some of the names have changed over the years. All the claims have one or more common borders. Their position is indicated on the topo map relative to the actual stakes on the ground.		This view shows the south half of the Christine Marie and the north half of the Amy Ellen. The pinnacle is the tall rock formation on the right. The Christine Marie "old boot dig" area is on the left.
		This photo shows all of the Christine Marie claim. The slide (white color) from the Jake's Place mine can be seen on the far left.

3 hours in a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get here!

This view is from near the south end line of the Christine Marie toward the pinnacle on the Amy Ellen.

The names of the claims as of 1996 are Christine Marie, Amy Ellen, Veronica Lee (old Big Hole II), Jake's Place (old Big Hole) and Verla Ruth (old Lacey). The Amy Ellen and the Christine Marie overlap a little. The story goes that Ed Brandt was so concerned about getting the best area covered, that he overlapped the claims. While the Amy Ellen is reported to have the most exotically colored jaspers, the Jake's Place claim has the largest excavation or mine. Most of the Morrisonite Jasper in the market today came from this excavation. The mine is on the north end line of the claim and actually goes over onto the Veronica Lee claim. This area has been worked by many different miners over the years.

Jake with his shovel - hard at work with Bev supervising!

Jake's Place mine in 1995.

If you look hard, you can see the dirt road switchbacks coming down from the ridge and going through the rock slide area.

This view shows the excavation (just right of center) on the border of the Jake's Place and Veronica Lee claims. The Jake's Place claim extends from the excavation over the ridge and down into the canyon on the right. The Veronica Lee claim extends from the excavation along the side of the mountain to the left in the photo.

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