The tower and many crumbling ruins. Founded in 1873,74, Panamint City had many mills, saloons, stores, a red light district, a cemetery - all built along the uppermost end of the Surprise Canyon. Due to the constant hijacking of the ore wagon, the miners soon cast the silver into one large ingot that was too big and heavy to be stolen. Then it hit. This spelled the end of the town.
Some people say they got what they deserved for their wickedness.
The County of Inyo used to maintain the road to Panamint City until about 1983, when a terriffic series of cloudbursts completely washed the canyon out to bedrock. There is always water running down this section of the canyon, the source is Limekiln Springs, and the water runs above ground for about a mile and a half. Good roads leading to the mines from both places. Its elevation is about 4,800 feet above the level of the sea, at the head of Surprise canon. The road up the canon is a good natural grade, with an average rise of about 500 feet to the mile, and is being improved as fast as possible.