The Buena Vista shaft commenced on July 5, 1882. It became the
deepest sunk into the Quicksilver Mining Company's lands,
eventually reaching a depth off 2,300 feet, 600 feet below sea
level. Though not a significant source of ore, the Buena Vista's
value was in pumping water out of the neighboring flooded mine
tunnels, thus allowing the miners to follow veins of cinnabar ore
deeper into the earth. Considered a masterpiece of masonry, the
Buena Vista's pumphouse was constructed using sandstone from New
Almaden and granite from the Sierras. Abandoned in 1893, the many
large granite foundation blocks are almost all that remain of the
Buena Vista today.
The massive Cornish pump's flywheel measured 24 feet in diameter
and weighed 25 tons. In 1887 the pump raised 86 million gallons of
water. Six cola-fired boilers in a brick-lined room (some still
visible today) supplied steam power for the pump hoist and air
compressor engines. Hoping to draw wealthy investors, the pumphouse
was painted red and had large, fancy cathedral windows that could
be seen from San Jose.
The closest parking is the Mockingbird Hill lot, about a 1.4
mile hike from the cache. From there take the New Almaden trail to
the Buena Vista trail, which are two of my favorite trail sections
in the park. These trails are mostly narrow hiking paths - no bikes
or horses on this route.
Be sure to bring water during the warm weather. Keep an eye out
for the local critters, and for poison oak. UPDATE: Pen is reported
as dry, please bring your own!