Surprising Discovery Hidden Deep Inside this Abandoned Gold Mine 

I had a friend die in an abandoned mine back in the 1970's from something unknown to me. I ran into his brother who told me about his death after I asked how his brother was doing. up to that time I haden't heard about his accident, I felt bad after visibly upsetting my friend so I did not pursue the conversation to ask the cause be it bad air or cave-in. We were in the scouts together and went on many camp-outs in the Colorado mining districts. Our scout master was wise to the dangers and told us never to enter an abandoned mine. It's too bad my deceased friend did not heed that warning otherwise he might still be with us today. I enjoyed the video and am glad you made it out alive but worry others might see this and misunderstand the danger of following your lead and entering other mines. A warning to NEVER ENTER AN ABANDONED MINE is the only safe option for those that may follow you. Again glad you made it out alive you are lucky. Keep up the great videos but please stay above ground. Regards, -j

It’s really exciting to climb around these old mines from the early depression era and a lot of people out of work willing to risk their lives for the fruits of the ground. I’ve walked/climbed many old mines from the Twenties and Thirties in the Randsburg, RedMountain and Ridgecrest. There was only one old Silver mine above and over the mountain where the Yellow Astor Mine is located. The Silver mine shaft went straight down so far it was almost impossible to hear anything hit the bottom. Counting the seconds did not work and we didn’t have much rope back in the early Seventies. So we left it alone. It even had a wooden ladder that went straight down as well but it was so dry rotted there was just no way down. But the Yellow Astor Mine was the largest Gold producing mine during the depression that the amount of Gold removed helped America out of financial disaster. We got permission from the owner to wander the property and go into any mine at our own risk. Ah man I was in. The yellow Astor was chained off and had many recent signage warning of gas in the mine and was completely off limits. But surrounding where the Yellow Astor comes out of the ground at a 45 degree angle in the middle of where they removed the top of the mountain and turned the area into a dream mining system so big and huge that there just seemed to be no end to it. So I in my intrepid adventurist manner began to crawl through some of the scariest rock tunnels with 24” diameter blocks of wood holding up the rock ceiling. I continued further down where they were following a gold vein that eventually opened up into a cavern with multiple directions to go, so I continued to follow the Gold vein until the end of the shaft. Everything was hard rock mining. Solid granite is what they were tunneling through. But at the end there were the tools used by the last miner who worked that tunnel. He left his Pick Axe, Candle holder, shovel and a beat up half smashed corrugated steel bucket filled with about 4 inches of finely packed soil as hard as rock. I grabbed the bucket and carefully filled the bucket with my selection of soil and rock to be sifted and identified. It took a day to crawl out of that tunnel with that bucket. When I finally got back to camp I separated what dirt I took and the dirt that was left in the bucket. Stupid me could have just taken the bucket as it turned out that dang dirt was cram packed full of gold nuggets. Small indeed but gold nonetheless. So the gold I panned I put in a little bottle, set it in all that dirt/soil in the bucket as I planned on returning it all back into the mine where I found it. Unfortunately it was stolen from me before I could get it back and that’s it then. There was a difference back in those days because everyone who lived in Randsburg or Red Mountain were real desert rats. If something is left unattended, it would be stolen by the next day. That’s just the way it was out there where they live like it’s 1929. The desperation which is evident by all those people scratching at the earth hoping to make themselves rich. I entered a lot of the old Immigrant mines that were usually dug high on the ridges and because they were poor there was little to no wood timbers used to hold up the weight of the world over their heads. These mines were in Gullers Gultch, a canyon across the desert floor from Randsberg where my friend’s family owned a claim. The Immigrants mines were round at best to prevent rockfalls but they were pretty nasty tunnels full of Bats and their guano. Yikes and yuk. I never saw any indication of successful gold mining. So my buddy that owned the claims and three other friends spent an entire year digging a mineshaft 50 feet straight down and branched off in a couple of directions. No Gold was ever found in that hole. But one of them in their spare time found some very large Gold Nuggets up what was called Spanish Canyon because of the Spanish Immigrants who dug extensively in that area. But he found the Gold under a gigantic granite rock. Well these Sun Soaked Nutbags who were for all intents and purposes nearly insane by this time and decided to go completely Nuts. After having a half hearted gun battle that only succeeded in pissing them off even further and they in their brain-fried condition only managed to wound each others egos so they broke up the band. The last time I was in Gullers Gultch I looked down into the boys mine and it was mostly filled with water and had a dead snake floating around in what once was a dream of four men with Gold Fever. I’m Seventy now and would have a hard time fooling around in desert holes in the ground again but I loved every minute of it. Thank you to anyone who reads this. Hermit

Nope. No way man. Never.

i really enjoyed the strata in this mine it had to be easy digging. Outstanding production as always. Many big thanks for being my legs and taking me along.

Lost my father to a Mingo County, WV coal mining rock fall in 1943... Vowed to never enter or work in the mines. One can only imagine the injuries suffered and lives lost in this years long, massive gold mining operation. Interesting for us but risky for you, thanks for taking us along.

This is like panic attack….how do you find your way out??????😮😮😢😢

Absolutely no way on Gods green earth would I ever go under like this. I’m so scared right now!!!!!

That Mountain Dew can dates from the early 70s. Aluminum cans just started appearing around the early 70s, about 72 to 73.

Oh my you had me at the 1924 mark. I do not know how far in the mountain you are it would be amazing to see a map of aerial view of those tunnels to see how deep. Thank you for an amazing trip and having the guts to do this.

Thanks for taking us along!

I'd still be trying to find the exit. No way !!!

Incredible trip through this abandoned mine I’m sure glad you made it back to safely 😊

With that many tunnels how do you not get lost?

No, no, that entrance did NOT seem safe! You didn't even jiggle the roof to see if it wanted to fall down like a trap door and imprison you! That tunnel gave me the heebie jeebies!!!

Not supposed to use flash lights. Use a fuel lantern. When you come across bad air or no air, the lantern will flicker or fail due to low air and keep a flashlight handy for that time.

I'm so glad i have found your channel today, thats my RU-vid viewing sorted for a week watching all your videos, great content!!

Great mine as you are walking along at about 11.00 you spot a end (Face) but it seemed a dark black hole at the end it looked like a blow out to another tunnel unsure . But later you found a blow out a found the shaft great real exciting a great find as you sat next time lots of rope will be needed Super nice find ⛏️🤔 thank you for the tag along.

⭐️⭐️SURPRISE NOTHING WAS FOUND ‼️‼️

How exciting!! Thanks for taking us along.

As a former coal miner, I wonder how the workers got the ore outside. There is almost no space for minecarts in the small corridors. In buckets?

I'm not claustrophobic but caves and underground tunnels give me much anxiety, even vicariously, lol Memories of the story in Huckleberry Finn. How on Earth did you ever find your way out?

Can’t imagine digging that out by hand. I imagine that they were following and ore vein? Imagine, if you were to start digging anywhere along the corridor up, down, left or right, you could hit a vein of pure gold worth millions!

Now I know the meaning of "the light at the end of the tunnel".

Wow,that was so cool! Hope they got a lot of gold in 1932!

Another cool find, looking forward to the shaft explore! Be safe!

What should you do if you get lose inside the cave? I was suffering all the way long. Take care, it was an amazing exploration.

Your seasoned experience well done You have much love for Alaska we love her too. AND OUR LOVE FOR YOU GROWS EVERYDAY.... ❤ Thank you both for the most Amazing Adventures NORALY AND ALASKA ❤

Wow, what a cool journey! Thank you for a fabulous video!

Nice mine, but…WHERE DOES THE "SURPRISING" part begin?

Rolling the dice on that one!

Damn that's quite complex of tunnels, this would put to shame the golfers I have in the back yard.

How in the world that you keep from getting lost is behold me. 😮

thanks for the vid sir - I'm just amazed so many of these haven't all collapsed. Super neat and distinctive graffiti there too.

Man that enthusiasm is infectious!!!awesome!!!

Wow you are alone and taking some huge risk in my opinion. You show amazing things but should not be alone.

Thank you for taking us all the way down and then walkjng back. It was awesome. Something I would never ever do-

That was worth the wait,very nice adventure!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Your videos are so interesting.

We’re is the surprise ? show some gold ore . Because im getting motion sickness .

Seems very risky to trust your life to 100 year old shorings. You are alone with no way to call for help should there be a cave in.

First time watching one of your videos and I really enjoyed it. Liked n' Subscribed. Cheers

Way craziness. Better you than me. I'm not sure if I could have done that. Wonder what they were looking for . Thanks for your bravery and video.

Should sweep up all the material left on the floor of the mine and process it for the gold.... I bet you there's multiple ounces...😊

HOW do you find your way out!???

I’ve seen that Portrait of that mining character in a couple of different RU-vid videos from other mine explorers . Seems he was a pretty popular fellow , or the guy who drew him with his carbide light moved around a lot in the various mining districts. Thanks again for sharing your finds with us all , and as you always say “ Stay safe out there”😎👍

It looks in places almost like recombined old placer material, particularly the area you found the slab that had an alluviual look. Also seems like alot of tunnel for not much ore. Cheers Daniel.

Oh my, scarey enough and claustrophobia. Certainly keeps my attention. Thanks for taking us.

Wow, will look forward to that shaft adventure….thank you very much

I’d be terrified of snakes!

Somebody surveyed it.

Awesome man thanks

Amazing the work it took to complete this mine

You never know what lies below the ground. Have fun.

I've seen that Mohawk guy in a few different mine explores. He got around. Good days, stay safe.

I’d never get out!

Good job, good lucky

Have you ever found a gold nugget that was dropped by a miner while you were exploring?

Watching this is very cool,I actually am feeling quite claustrophobic!! Wow

When you were talking about the light difference, I started thinking, when they were in those tunnels in the 30’s they didn’t didn’t have good light at all. I wonder just how much they were really able to see while working those mines???

pretty clean and even tunnelling compared to what I've explored in my neck of the woods. ours usually have lots of water and the deposits are often at about a 45 degree angle.

Thank goodness @ 20:02 you didn't attempt to look down (or up) the shaft you discovered hidden deep inside the abandoned gold mine.

What are the random dark wet looking spots on the ground?

Doesn't look overly dusty. 👍😊😊

Was all of that smooth wall inside the mine a fault, or was it the canyon walls of an ancient canyon? It seemed like more of a placer type rock in a lot of places. But then there is a shaft and the winze you found. I am confused.

Love the channel.

Amazing you are wearing gloves! Good job. Why so many other's don't is beyond my thought process. I Rock search every week & wouldn't think of not using them.

Massive, making those tunnels had to be soooo much work. He missed a shiny silver thing in beginning.

Do you carry a backup flashlight imagine losing your flashlight back in the tunnels and feeling your way out with your heart beating hoping you don't make that your tomb😮 anyways imagine working in those mines in breathing all that dust into your lungs

I was scared just watching this. Never could do this!!!

see any gold? I am so so glad you found your way out safety!!!

So very cool video I can’t do such discoveries by my self (due to being injured by a accident) but I can enjoy it still by watching you video

He could learn a lot from an old story -“ never swim alone”. He should be partnered up with someone!

Good, thx

I love ARG channels like this

Racoon Hat probably. :p

I’d be completely lost! So many openings with multiple tunnels. How do you know where you’ve been and haven’t been?

Another mine to feel as though I'm the explorer! Wow! How long were the miners down there and what did they find? Do you run across rattlesnakes? Easy exploring and I can smell the mine!

I got lost in the first five minutes 🤣.

What do all the different colored ribbon mean?

That is exactly correct with that California mine…I watched in a couple of mines there with another videography….what kind of rock are you dealing with? Host rock…any stats on the mine? That face that is

Your song reminded me... Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Dr. Pepper too😂❤

Damn your a braver man than me brotha. I'm surprised you didn't Hear any rattling coming from under that sheet metal at the portal entrance. 😮YIKES!!

wheres the gold,and how did they get the dirt out, buckets,carts,how many people did it take to work this,just thinking out load,thanks for the journey

I've been in some old abandoned gold mine shafts in the Karangahake Gorge, Coromandel ,New Zealand, but they are nothing like thus one, that seemed to go on for miles n miles,were is the exit!!..buggar that you can keep it, thats some scary Indiana Jones tunnel of doom stuff.🤠

Wow Dare Devil....im Quite Impressd... impossible Missions

The further you went the more panicked I got...glad your out

On the way in, after a bit, there appeared to be a light in the distance. I suspect it may have been the flashlight light reflecting off something, perhaps? Unfortunately the explorer went into the left passage instead of continuing ahead along the passage with the 'light'. So we don't know what was the 'source' of the light in the end. Some passages didn't appear to be explored which is a shame. The small hole at the end of the passage which appeared to show some woodwork inside a shaft? Would have liked to have checked that out a bit more. Possibly the same shaft as per the shaft entrance near the end of the video? Was an oxygen meter carried along with the exploration? If not, that was risky as lack of oxygen can cause (serious) issues. Self exploration? If so, that was also risky. Better to have at least three people do the exploration so that it case of some emergency/difficulty. one or more people can help get out of any situation.

I can’t imagine the amount work & how long it took too dig tunnels??!

By 6:44 I'm lost. Enjoy ur travels.

You got some balls, ill give ya that!

When will explorers start to not use hand held devices and go with helmet mounted cameras?

Better you than me man, fascinating, but no underground for me.

Pure anxiety watching this. Relief when you got out.

Where can i find a video that explains windlass, drift, adit, winze, stope, etc etc, so i can understand what they are finding in the mines? Thx

Hi!!😊 They Are Markers!!😊

I didnt see you grab that lens cap...

مجازفه خطيره بروحك

Can you give some info on the geology of the the sides of the tunnel? On video it looks like either brecciated material or the large river rock of an ancient river.

I do stuff just like this here in az. i can point you to some cool mines with stuff in them

Won't it be great when they make helmet mounted lidar and you could hook it wireless to yor phone and view as you got tunnel mapping. 😂