Donner Tunnels in the Sierra Nevada

We walked through the Donner Tunnels last weekend.

It'd been several years since we were there last.

There is a lot more artwork it has changed quite a bit.  

Above was one of my favorites. 

We got there fairly early and had lots of room

to take photos and look at the artwork.

Bats squeaking in the rafters.

Don't forget your flashlight. Lots of larger rock tripping hazards

in the loose gravel. 

Got to walk through a nice Sierra summer rainfall

in between tunnels. 

There is some seriously excellent artwork

done on the walls,

but some feel the need to ruin it unfortunately.

I imagine it takes a lot of effort just to

carry painting equipment up there and

work in a very dark environment 

with the lovely bat guano aroma. 

Frustrating.

This may be a tribute to the nearly 15,000 laborers,

many from China, who created the tunnels.

Blasting out all of that granite rock.

View from outside when we were heading down.

A pen and ink sketch trying to 

depict the ruggedness of the rocks.