[grogenaut]

Walking the wonderland trail a few years ago I was remarking to my friend that in some of the most remote meadows at the top (7-8k feet) (https://www.google.com/maps/@46.9181125,-121.7649511,731m/da...) of the trail there were long stretches of very nice chat trails. He was saying what a pain it would be to bring the chat up and was trying to decide if it was ATVs or mules or whatever. I guessed helicopter.

We asked a ranger at the bottom. Answer: Helicopter. "They just dangle a huge bag of chat and we cut a hole and walk it along the path letting it pour out. Those mountain meadows are easier to do than the steep stuff at the bottom"

[Gracana]

I figured "chat" was gravel or something from the context, but had never heard the term before. Maybe I'm the lone idiot, but in case anyone else is confused:

"Chat is a term for fragments of siliceous rock, limestone, and dolomite waste rejected in the lead-zinc milling operations that accompanied lead-zinc mining in the first half of the 20th century. [...] Although poisonous, chat can be used to improve traction on snow-covered roads; as gravel; and as construction aggregate, principally for railroad ballast, highway construction, and concrete production."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chat_%28mining%29

[grogenaut]

In general it just means small crushed gravel. It's usually white or tan. Not sure if it's always a remnant from mining or not. Does a good job on the trail though.

[grogenaut]

Also egads is everything just mining leftovers?