Many riders regard Last Chance as their last place to withdraw from the ride if they or their mount are having any issues before the precipitous canyon section ahead. Once you proceed forward down the trail, there is no turning back due to the narrow one-way nature of travel. This is your last chance to make sure your bottles are filled and you’re cooled off and ready – it’s time for the CANYONS ahead!
History of Last Chance:
Gold was discovered in the Last Chance diggings by a mere accident, the singularity of which is worth recording. A party of prospectors had encamped upon a small stream near where the town now stands, and having fire-arms with them, one or more of the party were generally sent out each day to hunt, and thus keep the party in meat, the balance of the company being engaged during the day in examining the gulches, ravines and canons, and prospecting for gold. After being upon the ridge for several days, and the want of success having discouraged them, they were about to break up their camp and return to Bird’s Valley, from whence they had set out on the tour, one of them remarking that that “was the last chance they would have to find gold on the west slope of the mountains,” for they were so near the summit, he thought if they went further up they would have to pass over to the eastern side of the mountains before they could find any more auriferous soil. While this counsel was being held, one of the hunters, on his return to camp, and but a few hundred yards distant from it, finding a flock of grouse, fired at and killed one, which had taken refuge in a tall pine. The bird fell to the ground at the crack of the hunter’s rifle, who after re-loading his piece, proceeded to bag his game. On reaching the place where the bird lay be discovered that in its dying struggles it had scratched away the leaves, leaving the ground bare. In stooping down to pick up the bird he noticed a rock which drew his attention, and picking it up, on examination, discovered that it contained gold. He proceeded to the camp to report to his companions the success with which he had met, when, remembering the remark of one of the party who was in a most desponding mood during the consultation, they agreed to call the place Last Chance.
By 1861, Last Chance had at least 25 homes, 75 permanent residents, a saloon, butcher shop, a store and and a saw mill. As the miners continued to strike gold, the town continued to develop and by 1884 there were seven saloons and a two-story hotel. Yet, the bustling mining town hit its gold mining peak during the late 1860s and soon after the gold finds became sparse and sporadic, which prompted settlers to move on to other towns.
While there were still mining, construction and development going on, the population showed evidence of decline and by 1873, there were only 36 voters in that election year and only 26 voters by 1880. Last Chance had a handful of loyal residents but a fire in 1893 all but forced its last remaining residents to abandon the area. The small mining town was given one more last chance when the area was reopened to hydraulic mining in the 1950s, but it only lasted until the late 1970s. The Regional Water Quality Control Board censured the operation and “ordered it to abate the operation of the monitors,” cementing Last Chance as a ghost town.
On June 19th to 24th 2016, the American Trail Running Association partnered with the Google Maps team to capture 360 degree panoramic “street-view” imagery of the entire Western States Trail using the Street View Trekker backpack:
Last Chance