Big Things Have Small Beginnings - Part 2

Do you remember the high-water mark that I pointed out to you when I first dropped off of the manway into the main haulage adit? That was a good eighty feet above the level of the water that we hit in this video. So, that gives you an idea of how much water levels have been dropping in California over the past few years.

It was apparent that someone else had gotten into the dry, upper area of this mine, but we are confident that they did not drop down the manway that we did in this video or even through the sporty section of slabbed rock that we used to reach the manway. Even if they had had the courage (or stupidity) to do it, everything would have been underwater. As you’ll see in the next video, there is good evidence that we were the first in those lower sections since the day the mine closed.

And, to be clear, in the future videos, we keep dropping down and fanning out in all directions… I’ll give away that we waited a few months until the latest possible time in the fall before heading back for our last time (we ended up making four visits to this abandoned gold mine). On that visit, the water levels had dropped dramatically from the visit in this video and we were able to finish dropping down.

To provide some context on what we were feeling at the bottom on this visit… We had not expected to find this gold mine. We weren’t lost, but we were just scouting around in the forest. We didn’t know what was in that area (if anything) in the way of mines. In other words, we were dressed and prepared for a hike in the woods, not an intense underground mine explore. Sure, we always bring some gear with us in case we find something, but we certainly didn’t have the full mine exploring setup with us. Furthermore, this was at the end of a physically grueling day. So, that is the reason that we didn’t push as hard as we normally do in such scenarios.

However, you know my rule on unfinished business. So, I knew that we were coming back.

*****

Several kind viewers have asked about donating to help cover some of the many expenses associated with exploring these abandoned mines. Inspired by their generosity, I set up a Patreon account. So, if anyone would care to chip in, I’m under TVR Exploring on Patreon.

Thanks for watching!

*****

Growing up in California’s “Gold Rush Country” made it easy to take all of the history around us for granted. However, abandoned mine sites have a lot working against them – nature, vandals, scrappers and various government agencies… The old prospectors and miners that used to roam our lonely mountains and toil away deep underground are disappearing quickly as well.

These losses finally caught our attention and we felt compelled to make an effort to document as many of the ghost towns and abandoned mines that we could before that colorful niche of our history is gone forever.
I hope you’ll join us on these adventures!

#ExploringAbandonedMines
#MineExploring
#AbandonedMines
#UndergroundMineExploring

[VendettaProspecting]

dude this one is still epic af! LOL so much quartz just everywerer!! deep you went!! LOL HEAVYPANS! the pyrite sands were nuts as well, looking foward to the next videos on this one..

[stephenmiller]

Nice to have your buddy in those shots to show the scale of the size of this thing!! 😳. Just boggles my mind what lengths those old miners went through to get the “ Good stuff” ….. lots & lots of time & effort went into mines like this one, not to mention the pure physical hard labor to bring down all the timbering & bracing and lumber for the ore shutes ….. just amazing what one finds when looking. Thanks Justin for sharing this with us. 👍. Can’t wait to see what you post next . Gly from “Abandoned and forgotten places” would be in Hog Heaven if he was with you guys here in this adventure. C-ya

[slimwantedman]

Good afternoon from Southeast South Dakota

[uwillnevahno]

This video opens up w/a passageway screaming NOPE so you know it's gonna be good.

[chellajx]

Have been watching these kind of videos all day and this is one of the best ones! How do people not get lost in these ?!?! Genuinely curious.

[larrycox]

Wow. Those ladders looked pretty sketchy. Thank you for sharing.

[robertquast]

That is a crazy mine. The size of that for when it was worked is impressive. You wonder what the material they took out was like when you see what they left behind

[gregmonger]

Huge mine, great video. Thanks again for a good video. Can't wait to see your future trips to this mine.

[trinketsmusings]

"Rust clams!" What?!? how cool! Happy holidays to you and your family Justin. Thank you for sharing your explores with us. Truly grateful. <3

[guywright]

The size of those quartz boulders is staggering!

[paulcooper]

How many times do I have to sit here and come up with a new way to express my amazement?
Amazing mine! Thanks for the effort.. Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦

[davidhiatt]

This mine has become a Christmas gift! Thanks for reminding me you never know what you will find unless you actually go look! Merry Christmas stay safe and god bless.

[archstanton]

I was amazed by the quartz! I know less than nothing about these things, but even a guy like me has to wonder, with the geology we saw and the vast amount of quartz in there (it was, quite literally, in almost every shot) if that mine could produce and make a buck in the world we live in today. The, "rust clams" are a real puzzle indeed. And your description was spot on.

[rickbauer]

This is one of a kind! Can't wait for the next trip into the unknown!!

[BrainsofFrank]

The amount of quartz is truly mind blowing.
Thank you for taking us along with you on this journey. I love the channel and I always look forward to new videos from you. Thank you

[frankgaletzka]

This is absolut grear.
Thank you for bringing this Film to us .
A big mine.
Thank you for taking the risks and the danger to bring thus to us
Merry Christmas and a happy New year stay healthy.
Greetings from the Harzmountains and germsny
Yours Frank Galetzka

[CornishMineExplorer]

More excellent exploring! That slipper incline looked well dodgy, one slip and you are down in that water. The clams we call them rust oysters, we see them too growing on iron and such. With all that mud I bet those levels do flood up in the Winter months. reminds me of a local mine we go down in the Summer as it's cut off with flood water in Winter, a kind of sump. Really cool exploring though, nice to see something original and no looked at before, it makes every inch special and exciting!

[mysterycrumble]

Sealskins socks are what you guys need! worth every penny!

[Patrick-mlmg]

Holy shit this is one of the best vids yet cant wait for the next video 💯💯💯

[markattardo]

The stunning mine exploration continues and does not disappoint! Thanks for put this video together last minute!