Interesting place

[ragdump]

Here's a neat place I found on Big Kimshew Creek while fishing a few years ago. I was walking the stream came around a corner saw that the creek split into two channels one was heading right at a ridge,came around the corner and found this tunnel used to divert the creek during the gold mining days

[CAPMountain]

Big Kimshew and it's surrounding area is very interesting.  I think these are pictures of the same tunnel you have, but I have also found a few other man made diversion like this one, up stream and downstream of this.  Here a few of the pics I took in 2007.

[ragdump]

That's the same tunnel,it's amazing how the tree debris is stuck up their in the roof of the tunnel,some of it must be 20 ft. up shows how high the water can get.I've been down stream about a mile or so and there's a ravine and falls that would be hard to get around and I was by myself so I didn't try. Up stream I found where the train trestle that went to Ramsey bar was,but I've never seen another tunnel like this. Is there another similar to this,I have been told by the head forester at Stirling there are,do you know were?I have a friend thats lived in the area all his life and us to run cattle all over the mountains and he didn't know about this tunnel.
 

   Then there' this water fall up above
 

[CAPMountain]

Big Kimshew has some really neat areas to it.  From the head waters down past Break Neck canyon.  Over the years we have found indian grinding stones, stacked stone walls and some of the most beautiful scenery around.  I am pretty sure I have seen at least one more tunnel, but I can't seem to find a picture of it.  If I remember correctly, the other tunnel we found we actually came right down on one time as we hiked to the creek.  It kind of startled us because we certainly weren't expecting it.  Further down stream I have found a few man made gullies and ravines with stacked stone walls.  I would love to explore the mining history of this area, but no one I know seems to know anything about it.  My grandfather used to hike from Ramsey bar via old rail road grades to fish this area.  He tells stories of 20 to 30 fish per outing...definitely not what it is now.  I go for the scenery and adventure of it.  Lots of good stories and memories there.

[ragdump]

I've been exploring the area for the last 25 years,like you said there 's not much info on the mining I have learned some from my friend,his family has lived in the area for 3 generations. I own 2 books on the area "Matches Flumes and rails" and Magalia to Stirling City.There is so remains of mining at the Snow mine and just below it was a mining town called Kimshew. I just found an 1898 butte county map on ebay and I bought that.I have found the railroad grade at Ramsey Bar and have followed it over to break neck
   

[CAPMountain]

I will have to check out the book "Matches, Flumes and Rails".  Haven't heard of that one before.  There are several pictures provided by my relatives in the book Magalia to Stirling City, especially the sections on logging.  My great grandfather was a logger in the Ramsey Bar area. 

The map you describe isn't nearly as detailed as I would like it to be.  The best place to get old and unique maps is in two different places, county recorders office and Bureau of Land Management.  It takes a lot of time and effort sitting down and going through things to find those few diamonds in the rough.  Have a few I found on the Philbrook area mines from BLM.  I have only just begun to explore these resources, and I think are a significant source of untapped information in regards to this area's history.   

I would love to share resources and stories to any and all parties who have stuff to share.

[ragdump]

One of the authors of Magalia to Stirling City Robert Colby has visited Ragdump before with the Paradise Historical Society and a historian from the Forest Service,so I was able to get a run down of the history of Ragdump from the 1880's up to the 40's.In the 1880's they built a steam powered lumber mill  (defiance mill) and a flume from Ragdump to Pentz 26 miles to float the lumber down then it was an overnite stop for freight wagons taking supply's to the people building the railroad in the canyon,fire crews were stationed there in the summer and in the 40's there was a CCC blister rust camp there,I had a visit from two brothers that were at the camp when Pearl Harbor was bombed,they hadn't been their since and wanted to see the place again

[Pantheus]

Historian, Bob Colby, is the FOTHL Historian, and wrote many of the texts on the FOTHL web site.

He's also a member on this board, although he seldom visits,  his user name is Iron Pony.

I could put you in direct touch, should you need some of his books.  We talk on the phone frequently, and we share dinners.  Lives not far from here (Magalia).

Ken