Silver City Part 4 Whitewater Catwalk C

Silver City Part 4: Whitewater Catwalk January 25, 2025 US 180 northwest out of Silver City takes us to the Alma access road 159. The access road crosses through the stream coming from the canyon itself. If flooded by a storm, the access roadway is not recommended to cross. The Catwalk is a good hour away from Silver City. We found it difficult to comprehend the man-hours and ingenuity required in 1889 to construct the water pipes through this narrow gorge. The original wooden catwalks must have been a similar challenge to the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Gold and silver ore discovered above this canyon was transported by wagon trains to the mouth of this canyon. Water from the original 4-inch pipeline wound 3-miles through this canyon, powering the electric generators for the smelters and the local town. An 18-inch pipeline replaced the old one. The mill closed down in 1913, the mines above continued in operation until 1942. Interesting fact: Apache Chief Geronimo also used this canyon as a sanctuary in the late 1800’s. Learn more about Geronimo in our video on the Chiricahua National Monument. YouTube Copyright Free Music For Time To Disappear Go By Ocean - Ryan McCaffrey