The shortest way from Susanville to Engels Copper Mine is via Gold Run, though not advisable if your are not familiar with the territory. In 1880 Henry Engels discovered copper at Lights Creek near Taylorsville, it being a part of the Plumas Copper Belt.
Major development of the mine occurred in the 1910s. For a time it was the largest producer of copper in California. At its peak in the early 1920s, the townsite of Engelmine boasted a population of 1,200. While the mine closed in 1930s, the remnants that still remain are worth a visit.