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While traversing up the Hellroaring Jeep Trail in the Beartooth Mountain Range, we stumbled upon this primitive structure literally in the middle of nowhere.

There was an eerie 13 painted in green on one of the logs, and a strange 8 on another. We then realized that the numbers were to guide the builder on what log to use and where. We then began to wonder what this structure was for. It was not just a cabin in the woods.

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We figured it must have been used for a very small mining operation. The structure has two shoots that material could have been pushed through. I would guesstimate this structure to be around 150 years old; the fact that it was built on this extremely remote mountainside officially makes this building an oddity. It is nowhere near any sort of town and is the only structure in the area. 

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We did find some green rock pilings near the structure, but it was unclear as to what mineral they were mining for. It is hard to believe that a narrow road winding along the edge of a steep mountains for miles and miles was created so many years ago with primitive explosives and horse and carriage. It winds for miles while gaining thousands of feet of elevation.

To top it off, imagine being the one to work the mine. It would be at least a two-day trip to the nearest town (Red Lodge) to get food and supplies. If you were to be injured or run out of supplies, you would probably die. I would think there would be maybe 3-4 men working this small mine, living in a tent camp, battling the elements of Montana, toiling with rock and heavy tools. 

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There are all kinds of odd structures like this all over Montana, and it is very hard to find any history about them. The only way these bizarre structures live on is through photos and speculation. 

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