I saw similar devastation in Nevada at Virginia City where there is still a TON of gold, but it is too deep to get at w/out spending like crazy!
The entire hillside where the mines are is completely gone!
However, it may be the best Old West town I've ever visited, save Bodie, California. Beat the Hell out of Tombstone, AZ, which I hated b/c it was too commercialized on the surrounding streets.
