In 1890 prospector Pete Berry staked the Last Chance copper claim 3,000 feet below you on Horseshoe Mesa. The Last Chance Mine began a 17-year flurry of activity here at Grandview Point.
For a while the Last Chance Mine thrived. The ore was rich; it claimed a World's Fair prize in Chicago in 1893 for being over 70% pure copper. But the high cost of packing ore to the rim, then shipping it to be refined, doomed the operation. Berry and his partners sold the mine in 1901. The new owners continued mining, but ceased when copper prices plunged in 1907.
Mining on Horseshoe Mesa, though short-lived , had a lasting impact. Grandview became Grand Canyon's most popular tourist area for about 10 years when Grand Canyon tourism was in its infancy. The Grandview Trail, built by Last Chance miners to reach their mines, now serves thousands of hikers each year.
Comments 0 comments