Motivations and Mountaintop Miners


A few years ago, a friend and I tried a new route up a mountain in Salt Lake's Big Cottonwood Canyon (the west side of Mt. Kesler from Mineral Fork). Much of the route was very steep and unrelenting, with no improved trail; in some sections we slipped back a half-step for each one forward. It took a LOT of energy! (There are a couple of easier routes up this particular mountain, but all of them are quite steep.)
As we neared the top of this area, we came to the site of the Carbonate mine, which was active here in the late 1800s. There are remains of a stone cabin that was 12' x 16'. Scattered around we found fragments of what appeared to be a cast-iron stove. Later this mine actually had a cable tram that carried buckets of ore down the mountain.
Seeing these items near the top of a very challenging mountain was so intriguing. It would have taken incredible effort to get a cast-iron stove up there! Likely mules were used, but even they would have struggled on the very steep trails (which were probably not nearly as good as they are now). There were no ski lifts up the hill, no helicopter drops. I don't imagine there was even much of a road up the canyon, to get to the base of the mountain.
So I wondered, what would motivate someone to put forth that much effort?? Many of the early miners were selfishly motivated by the lure of wealth that would come from a strike of silver or gold. Some were more altruistic, serving the needs of a community or trying to improve convenience and comfort with iron or copper.
When the first improved roads were put into these canyons by the early pioneers, they were not motivated by ski resorts, convention centers, or even hiking and biking. More practical needs existed, such as lumber for construction, access for hunting and fishing, managing water resources, and mining. Recreational use followed, but was not a primary motivation.
I'm always intrigued to ponder why we do the things we do - especially why *I* do what I do. Am I seeking for an easy reward, for recognition or honors? Am I trying to improve comfort, security, peace? Am I really, truly trying to help others? At times, elements of most of those motivations, or a combination, can certainly be justified and worthwhile.
I #GiveThanks for knowing there are "higher causes" in life. It's good to occasionally check our motivations and ponder what matters most to us.




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