Mining on Horseshoe Mesa
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 yhears 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.
Don't miss the rest of our virtual tour of Grand Canyon National Park in 10803 images.