This takes me back to playing "Zork" on the Apple II in the early 80s: "you go farther into the cave. The sound of roaring water is getting louder and louder". Glad you managed to get out of the mine without the "thief" character randomly appearing and stealing all of your gold coins....
Brian L. Hi Brian, a comment less nerdy and more cultural, if you like reading and mines, a novel ' Black Indies ' by the french Jules Verne. Pleasant and immersive in a coal mine.
A natural cavity that occurs underground and doesn't open to the surface is called a "vugh". pronounced "VUG" . If you ever get lost underground always remember that the points on the rail tracks always point to the exit. When rail track was laid it was always on a slight decline. That way you didn't have to push the full ore truck out, you just got it rolling then hopped on and rode it out and pushed the empty truck back. Much easier.
Hmm. I rode in a cart an old mine in Telluride, Colorado once, and I seem to remember it going downward at a slight angle when going into the mountain.
@@Vingul Yes I know that mine. It's called the "DUMB ASS MINE". They pushed the ore trucks up hill when they were full and down hill when they were empty.
That much moisture is indeed unusual. I think there is a thick layer of very porous rock above, with a layer of nearly impenetrable rock under it. The water could only seep through fault lines. But it could also be caused by the area getting a very heavy snowfall with the melt being nearly all absorbed into the mountain with little to no runoff.
I don't know how you guys do this! All that rotten timbering gave me goose bumps, you guys must have been feeling brave that day. Really cool video, the miners graffiti is always super interesting to see. It's cool you got to document the mine before the natural actions of water do their thing and close it up. You're in a dynamic little corner of history with mines, most of them having an expiration date. It's really neat!
+MrDastram Thank you for your comment! Always glad to have you along for the adventures as you watch the videos. I liked the smiley faces that the miners left in that one section of tunnel.
Anymore disembodied voices? Like in the Horton mine in Nevada? I will never forget that video with you hearing the siren call and the voice speaking french asking if you were were ready to die. Man that was one scary video, but one thing I can't connect and that was the siren. It just didn't fit in. Weirdest video of all time.
privileged i doubt it was a stunt, this guy doesn't have any reason to do this either. he never really mentions his viewers directly, so why would he ever need more, he clearly doesnt care about them
@@Mike-tg7dj The thought of disembodied voices threatens your belief system. Once you have experienced you will be a believer. In the meantime, keep an open mind and don't assume anything.
Nice to see this one again after so long... I know it was a while ago, but I don't remember seeing that rope on the ladder next to the waterfall when we were there. That might have something to do with us trying to film as we were getting pelted in the face with water though!
That rope IS intriguing! Someone must've gone up there. Makes one wonder what might be up there in terms of tunneling and the source of all that water.
glad you found your card :) phone signal underground lol i dont get a good reception on top of a water tower next the the phone masks lol keep up the great work :)
+IKS Exploration - Fridays 10AM I'm glad I found the memory card, too! I had forgotten just how awesome this mine was. Yeah, wasn't it strange that I had cell phone service inside the tunnel? I couldn't believe that!
It's to bad you couldn't go up the ladder to the upper levels, it looked surprisingly intact. Perhaps, someday, someone will fly a small waterproof drone up there.
+Hirobian That wooden ladder in the waterfall has had all that water cascading over it for decades, I would imagine. I am sure the wood is totally waterlogged and like wet noodles. It most likely would not support any weight at all. However, did you notice that climbing rope hanging down the ladder in my footage? That makes me wonder if somebody did attempt to climb up that ladder at some point in the past. It would be cool to see where all that water is coming from. Thanks for your comment! I really appreciate it!
The thought had crossed my mind that the wood was most likely structurally weakened by having sponged up water for so long, no matter how good it looked. That's why I assumed you couldn't climb it. It probably doesn't take very long for unvarnished/unprotected wood to become waterlogged. I'd guess a month at least would still cause problems, so that mine given years... yeah... that is a no go.
Chester Copper Pot, lol sorry I could not resist. Still have my Goonies T-shirt from 30 years ago. If you have never been too Astoria, OR where Goonies was filmed at the Police station parked out front... is the original black Jeep Cherokee used by the Fratellis
This was awesome, I think one of my favorites, I'm glad you found it. I feel you and Exploring abandoned mines in BC should do a colab. Our mines up here in BC are pretty interesting due to the winters eroding and slight volcanic things around (natural hot springs ect)
Thanks, Mandie! This particular mine was a real wet one with all the flooding. The waterfall was an amazing find. All of us are very curious as to what may be up that ladder in the waterfall. That wood, though, is probably so waterlogged and rotten from the constant water flowing over it that it would not support any weight whatsoever.
Exploring Abandoned Mines you guys have balls of steel. Are you ever concerned about the air quality in the dryer ones? I hiked Goat Canyon Trestle in Carrizo Gorge a couple of times (before they were ticketing people) and being in some of those old train tunnels had me freaked out about the air quality. Is it the same in the mines? I figure some of those mines were harvesting some caustic minerals weren't they?
+João Maria Vasconcelos Fontes de Barros Taveira Flooded mines do ratchet up the danger level several notches. Thankfully, nearly all of the mines in the deserts of the American Southwest are bone dry. Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate your support.
+Thomas E S Thomas Thanks, Thomas! Somebody else came up with the same theory that you did. I wouldn't have ever imagined that a wire like that could amplify a cell phone signal underground.
Yeah, in a lot of tunnels, like in New York, London and Tokyo they run wires along the ceiling (really so that Metro and Police personnel can use their radios) and signals are carried long distances.
+Charlie Pottorf Thanks for your comment, Charlie! Yes, that water tasted delicious! It's amazing the amount of water that is constantly cascading down that waterfall and from other areas in the mine. I would bet that the waterfall is still flowing at the same rate now as it was when I was there years ago.
Exploring Abandoned Mines yes truly amazing all the water! Was it all from a spring? Did it taste better than bottled water? Definitely a mine I would love to visit! I also noticed a lot of rocks in that which I like as well. The water flowing over the rocks is pretty cool.
Glad you found this one, what a great mine. I know its far to dangerous to go into the upper levels, but man, it would be neat to see how much water was up there.
I had somehow missed this one! A fascinating mine--very reminiscent of some of the copper and tin mines in the West Country that I have seen, especially the ladders and platforms in the last shot. In Cornwall they often have the excuse that the tunnels have run out under the Atlantic for two or three miles and that brings the water. In the middle of the desert though your miners were pretty unlucky to hit so much! Presumably they dug into the edge of an aquifer?
morelenmir Thanks for your comment! Yes, I believe the miners accidentally dug into an aquifer on an upper level and that is what caused the waterfall that you saw in the video coming down from high above. I bet when they did that, the mine probably shut down the next day or two. Permanently. Those ladders and platforms at the end of the video were for another vertical shaft going upward to other levels. It’s a shame that all of those timbers are waterlogged because it would be fun to climb up those and see what’s on the upper levels. On the outside of the mountain, we did find a portal that probably leads into the upper levels but it was totally collapsed and impassable. So who knows what’s up on those upper levels. Would be cool to see where the miners broke into the aquifer.
+Dominic Owen Yes, that's a real possibility. Fortunately, the water in this mine was pretty much clear because it was constantly flowing outward. Also, the deepest the water ever got was only a few inches. I would be more concerned about hidden shafts and winzes in water that was coming up to my waist or higher.
I was thinking the same. I was under the impression that flooded mines were considered especially dangerous. But you have a point with the shallow clear water.
Welcome to the mine, boys welcome to the toil. Welcome to the trouble beneath the earth and soil. Sweat a little water, sweat a little blood. And we'll all get out if the mine don't flood.
Awesome! I love your Vids. Been fascinated by old Mines since i was a kid. Hope to see a lot more Vids from you guys. You guys should visit Europe, there are Mines to explore dating back to the Romans. In my area you will find Iron Ore and Silver Mines dating back to the Middle Ages. And maybe, sometimes you find something leftover from WW2 in these Mines.
Hey, Erik! Thank you for your comment! I don't know if I'll ever get over there to Europe, but those mines from the Middle Ages sound incredible! That's the great thing about Europe -- everything over there is SO old compared to stuff here in the States. Thanks for spending some time here on my channel looking around. I really appreciate your support and interest.
Exploring Abandoned Mines in england you need like 7 licences to go exploring and still get arrrsted but if you do, go to cheddar gorge or this waterfall place with loads of caves
Nice waterfall! I don't think I've ever seen that much water coming down from an upper level, even in the wet mines of Oregon! I also love those timbers at 11:03 - nothing beats the look of old wet support timbers!
Super sketchy dude, ddamnnn. I would have had a large fear factor, would not have gone in. That being said, I feel comfortable watching you going and exploring, whilst I am warm and comfy in my hospital bed(long story for another time perhaps) Thanks for the blast from the past!
If you like exploring mines, you might consider the Paris catacombs, over 100 miles of mine tunnels. A small part of it is open to the public but most of it is not. This mining took place centuries ago and the stone they mined was used to build the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris which recently burned.
Love these videos you guys. I dragged my kids through similar abandon mines in eastern Calif . . But watch tasting the water . . There are different reasons for water staying crystal clear. It could be clean percolated ground water, but around an old mine and its tailings the likely hood of soluble chemicals killing micro organisms in the water increases . . My spidey (geology) sense goes off when I see that . . . Keep the videos coming . . Be safe PT
Funny how you can learn things from observing something new. First I had to check some of the terminology, like 'stope' (unknown word by the google spell checker too) Then after watching this I started reading about tungsten, from wolframite and scheelite found in crystal veins formed by granite incursions made from molten rock that squeezes it's way up through cracks and solidifies. It get's a bit too complicated when the text heads into chemical compounds and such haha but hey, learn a little everyday right? Aren't you ever tempted to bring a pick and see if you can extract something from some of these mines?
+QualeQualeson Believe it or not, none of the guys I explore with are into mining for ore. Most of us are just really fascinated and interested in how these mines were constructed and worked. I guess we are more into their history than the geology, so to speak. Thanks for your very informative comment. I appreciate learning about that kind of complicated geology stuff. I often wish I had a geologist that could go with us to shed some light on what we are seeing underground.
Exploring Abandoned Mines You're too kind. It wasn't that informative. It was just what I gleaned from checking the wikis for 5 mins :) But yes, the geology is interesting too. Most things actually are interesting, if you're the curious kind. Thank God for curiosity, it makes life a lot better :)
Another mining word that doesn’t come up in Google spellcheck and things like that is “winze.” A winze is a vertical or nearly vertical shaft in a tunnel floor that leads to a lower area.
Hmm... could be. I always thought it was interesting how springs can appear in higher elevations. Where I live there is one at 9,500 feet above sea level.
I really enjoy these video's..I wonder how they got the floors so flat and level for the rails..This had to be mostly hand work and it must have been painstakingly hard..
I have often wondered that, too. Also, did you notice that the water in the tunnels is constantly flowing out towards the entrance? They made the tunnels on a very slight downward incline so any water would constantly drain out and not back up and form a pool.
This was a good one! That waterfall coming down that vertical shaft was pretty spectacular and quite noisy! Had never seen anything like that before in any other flooded mine.
That Was a awesome trip. I wanted to share something with you. As you may know I'm am a knowledgeable miner. And that's a lot of water I have worked in several mines that had that much water or more in every heading, it is miserable to work in. Many pumping stations at best. But over the year the manufacturing company's came up with a water sealing source, we would drill the source of water in many, I mean many places and pump this sealer in it and it would bring the in coming water to a trickle. That is a amazing that water can be control like that. Other than pumping it. It brought back some flash back of so rough days under ground. We used it for long term mines and it works. You are truly a great adventurer! I wished I could share some of these adventures with you. All these will be lost forever some day. Thank you. I to wished I had done this and saved the videos and pictures. But we never think it would be a lost art. Oh yeah I have drank the water too lol. Thank you. Stay safe.
+bigsky12001 Loved reading your comment, bruh! That was some good information about how you miners would stop the inflow of water by injecting a sealer into the rocks. Very interesting! Yes, I can understand how you never thought to save any pictures or videos from back in the day because you never thought hard rock mining as it was done decades ago would become a lost art form. But, unfortunately, it has for the most part with all of these large, open pit mines and the continuous miner machines. We explorers - at least the ones I hang out with - are really interested in preserving and documenting these sites before they are gone forever. I was so glad I found this lost footage from over seven years ago because this was a really classic mine considering how extensive it was and how flooded it was. Glad to hear that you suffered no ill effects from drinking the water. I drink the water, too, and have never tasted anything so pure and clean. Thanks for taking the time to comment as much as you do - I really appreciate your support and interest!
+Exploring Abandoned Mines If you are ever interested in coming to Va. I would be happy to help you do a very promising video on the Coal mining Then and now type thing. And eastern Ky. Even Iron Ore mines in Tenn. I be happy to share my knowledge because it is a dyeing lost art. Thank you. I be happy to help work out details! Hope you think about it. I have no ideal where your based out of but for all that we can email all that if the time comes.
Sure does! There’s no way we could have climbed that because that wooden ladder has been constantly doused and showered with all of that water for probably many decades if not longer. It is totally waterlogged and soft as butter. There is no way those rungs would hold any amount of weight whatsoever. It would be cool to see what’s on the upper level or levels and to see where the water is actually coming from.
Thank you very much! Stoked to hear that you find the videos to be fascinating. Don't forget -- I upload new content on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month. Super glad to have you following along in the underground adventures!
Pretty cool, did you ever go to the top parts of the mine? Looks like it had a lot more to show you if it was safe, and the last part did not look safe at all! Glad you found the footage! Thanks as always!
+ScubaOz I noticed in the footage of that waterfall coming down the ladder that there was a climbing rope attached going up the ladder. I don't even think we noticed that rope seven years ago because I don't remember it. Anyway, I would think that ladder's rungs would be waterlogged and rotten with all that water constantly flowing over them. I would doubt that the rungs could hold anybody's weight.
+ScubaOz If you caught the very end of the video, you would have seen that I was at the bottom of some kind of vertical shaft with ladders and platforms going up. I'm sure that accessed upper levels, but there was water coming down that as well.
AWESOME vids just found channel I hope that the rest of your vids are as good as this one .And yes I subscribed .THANKS for giving me something better to watch than the crap that other so called explorers are uploading and the fake ass ghost hunting crap. Like Tom Buckminster,s fake crap THANKS AGAIN CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE
+lindsey bateman Thanks, Lindsey! Glad you subscribed. Welcome aboard! I really enjoy hearing from viewers like yourself who are excited and enthusiastic about the channel. So keep those comments coming! I really appreciate your support and interest. Thank you.
No, none of us have ever gotten lost in a mine. I realize that the video editing makes the mine seem very confusing in its layout. However, it really is only one way in and one way out. Can't get lost in a mine like this despite how extensive it was. If one was to get lost in a mine like this, I suppose one could simply follow the flowing water because it was all flowing out of the mine.
There is probably an underground river that the miners accidentally breached into while mining for the ore. It is likely that is one of the primary reasons the mine would have been abandoned as the mine would have no longer been considered "structurally sound", as much as any digging underground can be. They may also have feared that the continued spread of water through the rocks would erode it badly enough with the continued exploration that a collapse was all the more likely. I have read that the majority of mines/mine companies in the 1800's and early 1900's would quickly (within 3-6 months) shutdown completely once they breached a major water source, like you showed in the above video, regardless of how much ore was populated within the mine. It was simply considered a death trap for any that worked in those specific conditions.
I’ve heard something similar. I’ve also heard that mines like this, where there is a large body of water in an upper area, are also very dangerous. The reason for that is because the water, as you mentioned, can weaken the rock and suddenly cause a major collapse into a lower tunnel or a lower area which would then send a huge deluge of water racing throughout the lower areas of the mine.
I'm told the short-run dead end shafts were used to get mine carts out of the way, or to park filled carts until several were ready to move where they needed to be - all at one time - efficiency. Sometimes they followed a short-lived vein and stopped to continue the main vein direction. These are really cool vids !! Would love to participate !! (I know CPR and I can swim !! LOL )
Yes, I have heard the same thing about the short, dead end spurs. Let me know if you’re still interested in exploring abandoned mines! Always looking for sane, safe, intelligent people who are ready for adventure.
Wow! Awesome adventure! You're so lucky to have abandoned mines to explore. There aren't many that I"m aware of in my part of the world and the ones that I do know of are on private property or sealed shut. I'm impressed with your knowledge of mining. Do you have miners in your family? Thanks for a great video!
I kept hearing a low mumble or talking, several times...was not sure if that was your partner talking as he filmed? There are many examples, one is Around 10:50 you can here it it, anyone recognize this? Just curious, as it can be heard elsewhere in the video. Thanks for sharing old mine footage, awesome!
+Angela Smith Hey, Angela! I believe that was Justin talking up ahead of me - at least I hope that's what it was! Thank you for watching the video and commenting. I really appreciate it. I love hearing from viewers like you.
Wow frank that explor is a perfect example of why your channel is my all time faverate. Sorry dan bell it is close but frank wins, I've never had that good of luck with AT&T lol. Can you tell me when the last time the mine was worked and what they mined there? Great vid bro be safe
+David Samson Hey, David! Great comment, and thanks for posting it! I appreciate your support and ongoing interest. I'm not sure when this mine was last worked, but if I had to guess I would say in the 1950s. Just like the miners' graffiti that I show in the video, none of the other graffiti had any dates like we normally find in abandoned mines. This was a tungsten mine. Thanks again for watching and commenting, bro!
Quite a pretty wet mine! haha Yeah, it is very out-of-the-norm for me considering most of the mines I've documented in the seven years since being in this one have been bone-dry. Glad to hear you enjoyed this one! Thanks!
Hey, Matthew! Looking over topographic maps and satellite imagery is a big help. Also, reading old mining reports from back in the day is a valuable source of information as well. All I can say is do lots and lots of research. And then do some more research on top of that!
Yes, I don't see flooded mines too often over here in the American southwest. This one was definitely different. Glad you liked it! Thank you for your ongoing support -- I really appreciate it!
Pretty good video, excellent quality. But if you want to see wet mines then come to the UK, we'd call that one almost dry. The worst I've been in was neck deep and I wore a dry suit.
I don’t think I would survive over there in the UK. LOL I’ve gotten much too accustomed to the dry, parched, abandoned mines in the deserts of the southwest United States.
Awesome video! It's really cool to see a mine with a waterfall. It's amazing that alot of the ladders and pipes are still there after years of water. Stay safe!
+Bobby0345 All of that wood, though, is waterlogged and almost as soft as a stick of butter. It would be insane to climb up that ladder where the waterfall was. I'm sure every single rung would break. Did you notice the climbing rope hanging down that ladder, though? Somebody must have gone up there at some point before I was there eight years ago. Makes you wonder what is up there…
I do love AT&T, thank you. lol. They love you too now that you gave them the free shout out. Also I want to thank you for all the videos you post. They are educational and entertaining, and you earned a new subscriber. You are giving so many people the opportunity to see things we'd never see otherwise. You are a true pioneer in my opinion. Be safe , my friend.
Thanks, Stephen! I know you posted this comment two years ago but I’m just getting around to seeing it for the first time. I hope you’re still enjoying my channel even though I’ve cut back on the number of videos I’ve been uploading these last couple of years. Thanks again for your support!
I just started playing Oblivion (I know, I'm over a decade late). Really impressed with the music in that game. The Morrowind soundtrack was also cool. I'm a professional musician, so music is kind of my thing. Thanks for watching and commenting, man!
Surprised that flowstone had formed that much, that fast, but that is a lot of water. There's no telling what happened, they could have hit the spring in the initial event they were probably wondering what to do. It's wild to think if someone was living on the other side of the mountain and these miners tapped that only to have the spring on the mountain to stop producing water. That last part's hypothetical. When the installed a pipeline across the corner of grandparent's property and when they started blasting into the limestone which where we live in is common with lots of outcroppings. In order to bury the pipeline, they blasted and crack their ponds sinking them. They denied it the end.
I remember doing research on this mine. If I can remember correctly, a mining company was looking to re-open it back in the 1960s or 1970s. It was rather recent from what I can remember. I think they were doing some core sampling and drilling to see if it was worth re-opening. If that’s the case, I don’t think they would be interested in a mine that was flooded and full of water. So I’m thinking maybe the flooding began when they accidentally did something wrong at that time. Maybe when they were drilling core samples inside the mine or something, they might’ve hit an underground aquifer. From what I can remember researching, it seemed that the plans were abruptly scuttled for some reason. I’m thinking maybe because they broke into an aquifer and ended up flooding the entire mine. As far as I know, nobody has looked at the mine since.
We go in with oxygen meters and/or a multi-gas detector. Low oxygen has NEVER been a problem. It's rare in these hardrock gold mines. Now coal mines are another story. Very, very common to have oxygen-deficient air in those due to the nature of coal. I don't think I'd be up for exploring abandoned coal mines for that reason.
@@AbandonedMines11 Hard rock mines can still have buildups of gas from rotting material, chemicals, or drill holes that have intercepted gas, also trapped fumes from blasting, but probably less of an issue in something that's been sitting so long. There is sometimes natural flow of air without assistance due to temperature/pressure changes, but will vary depending on where you are in the mine. Most main declines/accesses will probably be the safest. Also I'd be wary about drinking ground water around any kind of mine workings, it can be contaminated with things like arsenic and other chemicals from mining or processing.
I don't know if you noticed that rope hanging down the ladder in the waterfall. Someone must've tried going up there in the past. I would think that the rungs would be totally rotten and unable to support a man's weight after being constantly saturated with all that water coming down on them for decades. As best as I've been able to figure out by doing detailed research, I think the flooding started sometime in the 1970s or so. Might've been caused when a company was drilling core samples and broke into an aquifer or something.
+Jeffrey Walewski As you saw in the video, there was some greenery growing around the portal. The water flowing out of the mine helps with that, I'm sure.
+Mr Cream When I first heard it, it sounded like a huge underground river to me. Once we saw the waterfall, it made us wonder how much water was suspended above us in that upper level. I downloaded and saved another explorer's video of this same mine - he was there four years or so after we were there, and the water flow looks to be about the same in his video.
Hey I love your videos if there is a way for you to check you can I promise I have probably watched more than anymore :) I have been in 1 or 2 mines because and I know a loud sound like this is usually is NOT a good thing but you are brave and this was great sounds like a MASSIVE Niagara Falls lol love it Love you videos I have your post notification on so I see as soon as you upload I watch :) God Speed buddy
You,can have low bandwidth text msg and notification service at some elevation when the signal travels successfully by line of sight in the entrance and straight down the mine, to where you are standing and receiving it.
Exploring Abandoned Mines could maybe make camera device that would have a camera and flash bulb and would take a photo every 6 hours or whatever, so by the time a year is gone by you could have a 50 second timelapse. if i find a good way to do that, i could maybe send it to ya. could easilly build it into a watertight ammo box too so it could be used a lot. it'd also maybe capture any other explorers that visited.
+Rinoa Super-Genius Maybe a car battery or even a large block of dollar store D cells. For the camera I bet an old out dated gopro could be gotten for cheap, or just any old digital camera with the button hard wired to a micro controller for power and shutter. An external flash or several would be good.
TAD2020 no, lead acids batteries are shit. they would die from just sitting there within the 1+ years let alone if there was a camera pulling from it. i think lithium-ion cells or lithium primary cells are the way to go. i was able to find a few instances of people making very low power timelapse cameras on the internet. unfortunatly the image was only 640x480. im not sure how much power a gopro would take.
That’s a pretty good guess, but what probably really happened was the miners unintentionally broke into an underground aquifer up on a higher level and that immediately flooded the mine and hasn’t stopped flowing to this day. The pipe that you see going up that ladder with the waterfall was probably part of the ventilation tubing that was used to circulate air throughout the mine.
