Cyphers Mine


Staffed Camp;
Water: well purified;
Facilities: Showers (wood stoked);
Programs: Stomp Mine Tour Blacksmithing Gold Mining & Panning
Treks Camping at Cyphers Mine: 12-2 12-4 12-11 12-15 12-17 12-19 12-21 12-22 12-24
Treks taking program at Cyphers Mine: 12-2 12-3 12-4 12-8 12-11 12-14 12-15 12-17 12-19 12-21 12-22 12-24 12-28 12-31 12-33 7-13 7-15 9-4 9-8 9-9 9-15
Located at 9302; Latitude 36.48275 x Longitude -105.11605;

The history of mining at Philmont dates back to the years immediately after the Civil War. U.S. soldiers were stationed in the West after the war, as the U.S. Army was driving out the Native Americans in the United States. The story is that some of these soldiers stationed at Fort Union traded with Native Americans for copper float. According to the story, some of the soldiers went up Baldy Mountain in 1866 in search of this copper but found gold. They could not stay to mine the gold due to the approaching winter and the area was overrun by miners by the time they returned in the spring.[8] Scores of gold mines were excavated and operated into the early 20th century on what was once the Baldy Mining District, now modern day Philmont. It is a common joke at Philmont that some day the mines under Baldy will collapse and Phillips will be the highest mountain in Philmont. The Contention Mine, located at Cyphers Mine, and the Aztec Mine, located at French Henry, are open to guided tours.

Crossing the bridge at Cypher's Mine View from the porch at Cypher's Music on the porch at Cypher's Mine Check-in at Cyphers
Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing at Cyphers Mine Blacksmithing at Cypher's Blacksmith at Cyphers Mine Blacksmithing at Cyphers Mine Blacksmithing at Cyphers Mine Blacksmithing at Cypher's Blacksmithing at Cypher's The Forge at Cypher's Mine The forge at Cyphers Mine Blacksmithing at Cypher's Mine Blacksmithing at Cyphers Mine
Campfire
'He Man' contest at Cypher's Mine
Gold Mining & Panning
Gold Panning at Cypher's Gold Panning at Cypher's Mine Gold Panning at Cypher's Gold Panning at Cypher's Panning for Gold Cyphers Mine
Stomp
Charlie Cypher's Cabin Stomp! Stomp!
Hike to
Arriving Cyphers Mine
Staff Cabin
The main Cabin at Cypher's as seen from the Stomp Cabin The Staff Cabin at Cypher's Mine The main cabin at Cypher's Mine
Crew Campsite
Adirondack Shelter at Cypher's Mine A campsite at Cyphers A campsite at Cypher's Campsite at Cyphers Mine Adirondack style shelter at Cypher's Mine
Infrastructure
Bear Bags Cyphers Mine
Mine Tour
The entrance to the Contention Mine Mine Tour of the Contention Mine Mine Tour at Cypher's Charlie Cypher's Mine Getting ready for a Mine Tour Entrance to the 'Contention Mine' at Cypher's Mine Mine tour at Cypher's
Water
Water at Cyphers Mine (Left of stairs)
Cavalcade
Preparing to mount at Cyphers Mine after lunch, mine tour and blacksmithing