North Bay Resources Inc (NBRI)

[Autopov]

You won't need 4x4 in the Summer. The NBRI Ruby Mine entrance is on Forest Route 30. http://tinyurl.com/4j7as5j (Google Map)

Forest routes are graveled and maintained to low-clearance standards for passenger cars (i.e., you might not be able to travel at highway speeds, but with a little care, you should be able to get most vehicles up the things).

So, if you're coming from out of state, don't rent more vehicle than you need unless this year's higher-than-normal snowpack is still on the ground. When I was younger, I used to drive all over the Sierras in the Summer mostly to fire lookouts on unpaved "trails" in a 2WD Astro van.