There's a cave system open to the public where I live and even that terrifies me. I could never wander into an abandoned mine. You are a brave man! Subscribed from Australia 🇦🇺
Hello, Australia! Thanks so much for subscribing! Nice to have another viewer from down under. Yes, abandoned mine exploration isn’t for everyone - especially people who are claustrophobic. That’s why I’m so glad you can follow along vicariously through my videos and see things that you probably wouldn’t otherwise see. Thank you very much for taking the time to watch and comment. I appreciate it. Nice to have you on board as a subscriber, too.
Thanks for the comment, Tony! Yes, Nick from Miner49er went into some areas of the mine that I did not go into, so make sure you check out his Part 2 video of this mine which will come out next Saturday morning.
That "door" looks like some sort of bearing plate. The metal pieces are where a spool would ride to reduce the contact area between the plate and spool to reduce friction.
I see what you are saying. Seems to make sense. I’m just wondering where in the mine this would have been used as such a thing? After thinking about it here at home, I was wondering if the device might have been some kind of turntable used at a junction where there were ore cart tracks intersecting. It seems a bit too cumbersome for that, though.
I agree that it was probably a bearing plate of some sort. To add further evidence, at 4:05 if you look on the closest side you can see a circular abrasion pattern on the wood. To me this indicates that it was upright as or like it is currently resting. That central pole doesn't make sense for it to be a pivot due to how tall it is, they would have to inset it pretty far for that peice of metal to not be problematic. Also notice the lack of deep grooves/abrasion on the face of it, that makes me think that it was stood up right similar to how it is now, where debris is more likely to fall of than get pinched under whatever was on it, leading to less and shallower grooves/abrassion on the face. As per where... how about the vertical shaft that it's next to? Just speculation though as the means of mounting it elude me.
@@AbandonedMines11 I was thinking that it could have been used to change the direction of travel for a cable system used to pull the ore carts. Maybe some sort of idler pulley was mounted to it?
Great exploration, Frank! Glad you guys didn’t get lost in those intersections and avoided the vertical shafts. Your buddy Nick is quite brave! Side note - have you ever considered returning to the Waldeck mine where you heard the whispery voices? Very strange phenomenon, would love to get more insight as to what that may have been. Love your videos regardless, you do an excellent job documenting these old mines!
Sounds like you are enjoying my videos and getting something out of them! I love hearing that. Yes, those Y intersections almost looked identical to each other, didn’t they? If you get a chance, make sure you check out Nick‘s video of this mine because he went into some areas that I did not. For example, I did not cross some of those holes in the floor like he did to see what lay beyond. There is a link to his video in my video’s description. Thank you very much for your support and interest here!
You weren’t kidding about the holes in the floor. I envisioned smaller holes, not pits (like from the Atari game Pitfall). I like how you point out the soft rock and how it muffles your voice. Also glad that stuff stays “in place” for your videos. Stay safe!
Thanks for the comment! If you check out Nick‘s video for which I put a link in my video’s description, he got some great shots looking down some of those shafts in the floor that he actually crossed over. That one where he made the stack of rocks as a marker is exceptionally deep! When I saw his footage of that, I couldn’t believe it! Check out Nick’s video if you haven’t already. Yes, the softer and more unstable rock tends to have no reverberation whatsoever. It makes one’s voice sound kind of muffled. Thanks for taking time out of your day to watch my video and to comment - I appreciate the support and interest!
Another great exploration, all from the comfort of my desk! Thanks for taking us along. It's good you weren't alone is this mine with all those vertical shafts. Stay safe out there
You got it, John! Glad you’re able to follow along from the safety and comfort of your own home! I appreciate that. Thank you very much for your support.
It was a pretty big mine, relatively speaking. Thanks for taking the time to check out the video, Roy. I appreciate it. in Nick‘s video, for which there is a link in my video’s description, he got some great shots looking down some of those wicked shafts that he bravely crossed over. If you haven’t seen his video yet, check it out!
Thank you for watching and commenting! Yes, lots of potential traps in the floor of this mine! Was a very unusual characteristic of it, that’s for sure. If you watch Nick’s video of it on his channel, he got some great shots looking down those shafts in the floor. They go WAY down! Really frightening, to be quite honest.
Maybe Headframe Hunters might know what that contraption is. Hopefully he chimes in. It's always a nice alternative to have a connecting cross cut leading to the same area where you would have to cross a death trap! Awesome video, Frank!
Headframe Hunters probably would know what that contraption was. Someone suggested it was an ore cart track switcher to be used at one of the many intersections in this mine. That seems to make sense, but it seems to be too thick for that. I don’t know. Make sure you check out Nick’s videos of this mine because he filmed the areas beyond those holes in the floor that I was too afraid to go into! He also got some pretty scary shots looking down some of those vertical shafts. They go WAY down! Thanks for watching and commenting, Justin!
Lots of verticals in that one Frank. Even sitting in my office & watching Nick go across that log made me pucker. Vertical shafts are unforgiving: one mistake & it's over. I've considered taking some planks to bridge that vertical in the Monterey mine out here near me, but I pretty certain it will never happen.
Nick is more nimble than I am, that’s for sure. There is no way I would be able to get across those without losing my balance and falling in. If push came to shove and I HAD to get across, I probably could, but I am not going to test that theory out. So be sure you check out his two videos of this mine. He got some great footage looking down into those shafts as he was standing right above them on the logs. He’ll be uploading his second video of this mine next Saturday morning. Consider subscribing to him, too, if you haven’t. I hear you about taking additional lumber into a mine to make a precarious crossing safer. He and I explored an inclined shaft a couple years ago that had a huge hole in the floor that went down hundreds of feet. There was a narrow ledge on the right hand side which allowed one to get across, but it was too narrow for me. I tried to do it but I just couldn’t. I have always said that I want to go back up there with a large board and place it across that hole to make the ledge wider, but it hasn’t happened yet. And probably won’t. LOL Thanks for dropping in and checking out my latest video, Stan! I appreciate it.
I absolutely LOVE watching your channel!! I look forward to watching it EVERY WEEK! It amazes me what miners accomplished with dynamite, ingenuity, and a HELL OF ALOTTA GRIT!! keep up the amazing work!!
Thanks so much for the fantastic comment, Jesse! I appreciate it. Without enthusiastic and supportive viewers like yourself, there would be no reason for me to continue making these videos of abandoned mines and unusual places. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and to comment. Have a great weekend!
@@AbandonedMines11 I Will be a fan for the foreseeable future! Enjoy the weekend! They fly by and it’s back to the grind on Monday…..😢 Do you guys have a merch site setup?
This is a very interesting mine, as you mentioned that there was much varied colours of rock. There was also a lot to see as there were so many branches leading to different places. Certainly there were many shafts that could trap the unwary. Thank you for this excellent video presentation which is very much appreciated.
Thanks for commenting, John! Yes, the various shafts in the tunnel floors were very dangerous and would definitely be a hazard for the unwary - or for an explorer whose batteries died in their flashlight and they didn’t have any spares! Sounds like you enjoyed the video. Thank you very much for the support!
That looks like a spool stand. Someone else noted that the metal strips would keep a spool from binding up but it would be great for playing out cable or rope, and the spool could have a handle to crank it back up or take up the slack. If a winch was secured over the hole, then the rope or cable could be played out from the spool. It's not a permanent installation.
Those tilted shafts are like a fun house. I was right lol, it was many holes in the floors and always makes me wonder how much more mine is below. Thank you for the peak inside of earth.
Thanks, Michael! It seemed that all of the holes were of about the same depth - 70 feet give or take. I suppose they were exploratory shafts, perhaps, but the more I thought about it the more I began to think that maybe they were simply places to dump waste rock and other garbage. If that’s the case, I’ve never seen that in mine before. I don’t know - it’s all a mystery for which the details have been lost to time. Nonetheless, thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. You’ve been a big supporter here over the years, and I appreciate that.
Hi Frank, another great explore in an abandoned mine. I think I read somewhere they used like a bitumen to seal the joins in the vent pipe. Some very dangerous area's, I imagine the conditions would have been a lot worse whilst the mine was in operation though. I love the really nice warm colours that made up the rocks, very pretty. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx 💞
Thanks, Sue, for the information about the bitumen being used as a way to seal the joints on the ventilation tubing. I appreciate you sharing that. Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks again for all of your ongoing support here.
@@AbandonedMines11 I can't swear it was bitumen but I'm pretty sure it was a rubber type sealant, it could have been bitumen but from my understanding that stuff has to be pretty hot before it's malleable. xx
Hello Frank Thank you for the Video. This mine is very unusual as i said before. This holes in the ground right in way very unusual. Take care i wish you all a happy weekend and a good New week . Yours Frank Galetzka
Thanks, Frank! Yes, the presence of all those holes was kind of alarming! If you haven’t had a chance to check out Nick’s video, please do so because he got some great shots looking down some of those dangerous shafts that he bravely crossed over. There is a link to his video in this video‘s description.
The rock formations look a lot like flint, at least some old school ones. BTW that hole is hairy, there could be a previous explorer down there and you wouldn't even be able to see down. Scary.
Now that you’ve mentioned it, maybe that dust mask hanging from the ceiling belonged to an explorer who was going to retrieve it on his or her way back out of the mine but never did because they fell into one of those holes. That is a scary thought!
Wow! So many intersections and holes in the floor! That "blade" ceiling at the end....wouldn't want to be under that when nature decided it was time to come down. It looked very cracked and not very stable. Cool colors through. Thank you for sharing! Safe journeys Frank!
That rock blade in the ceiling at the end of the video was pretty spectacular! That particular drift tunnel only went a few feet, as you saw, so I wonder if the nature of the ceiling is why they decided not to continue mining in that direction. Due to all the fracturing that was apparent there, they would’ve probably had to timber that tunnel excessively and might not want to have been bothered doing that.
Coal mining used to be a major industry over here in the UK and referring to a friend or acquaintance as ‘mucker’ is pretty common, especially in the Black Country. Maybe that’s where it came from.
I was just recently thinking about the month of October coming up and how I should explore a more creepy mine for the Halloween season. I’ve never been to the Superstition Mountains, so I’ll have to research that area. Any suggestions?
@@AbandonedMines11 I believe there are many abandoned gold and silver mines in the area, although sadly The Lost Dutchman is still living up to its name! However there are quite a few physical locations that are directly connected to the legend such Weaver's Needle and the grave site of Waltz himself who is buried just outside Phoneix I think at a historic graveyard. There have been various canyons and ledges on the canyon walls identified as those illustrated on the famous map and trail stones. It would be amazing to see you visit some of those places and perhaps give your impression of the location. Many who have visited the Superstitions and looked for the mine describe it as an incredibly eerie, spooky place even in broad daylight with a deeply uncomfortable atmosphere. The story itself of the Lost Dutchman and the Peralta mules is one of the most classic pieces of history/folklore in the West I should say.
Thanks for the comment! Always nice to hear when somebody is getting something out of my videos. I really appreciate that, and it makes hiking to and exploring these dangerous, abandoned mines worth it. Thank you for the support!
Thank you for your comment! Yes, we never know what we’re going to find underground. There always seems to be some interesting feature or two in these abandoned mines.
That’s what I eventually came up with, Scott, after thinking about it here at home. But it seems to be too bulky for that, I think. If that is what it was really used for, I have never seen one of those before. It would make sense that they would have something like that in this mine due to all of the Y intersections and other junctions.
Thanks for that information regarding how the ventilation tubing was put together. Another viewer mentioned the word “brazing,“ as well. Sounds like you enjoyed the video! Thanks for your ongoing support here.
The number of holes right in the middle of the tunnel floors was kind of unusual. In Nick’s video, he crossed over one of those holes that had some boards across it and got a great shot looking down it. It went down exceedingly far!
Thanks for showing us around the mine! I just discovered your channel and subscribed today. I have a few questions. Would it be hard to breathe while you’re in there? And what’s the temperature is like? Rather cold or hot, or just normal temperature? Thanks again! Viewer from Hong Kong😆
Thanks for watching and subscribing! Glad to have a new viewer from all the way over in Hong Kong! Regarding breathing in these mines, it’s never usually a problem. The only thing that could be a problem is if you go into deep areas inside the mine that might not have enough oxygen in them. But even that is rather rare. Regardless, I always carry an oxygen meter with me just in case. The average temperature in these mines can range anywhere from 55°F to 65°F (12°C to 18°C). That’s a pretty comfortable range of temperatures.
When they left they took everything even the false floors i guess wow, very nice last part, but bit of a dangerous spot too dig in that ceiling there. P.s. made your last meal, was not bad at all.
They certainly did remove everything from this mine, didn’t they? If there were false floors, I’m glad they took them because doing so exposed the shafts and thus prevented us from accidentally falling in! Thanks for checking out the video, Rolf! Glad to hear, too, that you tried that chicken and feta cheese recipe I posted recently. Sounds like you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know.
Hello Frank the holes in the floor must have been exploring tunnels and then just stopped looking for more ore .The 3 way track was there a switch for left and right for the ore car ? I seen Nick's video 1st he will have apart 2 in part 1 he was really hunging the wall 🙏❤️🏆Great explore it was a great adventure ⛏️😟
You’re probably right about that! They all seem to be about the same depth except for the one where Nick put the rock stack. If you saw his video, he got a great shot looking down into that hole. It went a long way! It looked scary deep! I wonder what’s down there? I was thinking that the wooden device we found propped up against the tunnel wall might have been a track switching device for all the various junctions in the mine. But who knows? Without more details it’s hard to figure out what that was used for. Yes, the action shots of Nick crossing those shafts is pretty exciting to watch! Thanks for checking out our videos - we appreciate the support!
@@AbandonedMines11 The pivot shaft seems too long for a track table to pivot on. It is about as tall as the structure it is protruding from. Was it in a board or a plate of steel as seen at 4:04?
What you see in the video is exactly how we found it. We didn’t even move it or disturb it in anyway. I think you are right about it being too thick or too big to be a track switcher. If you read through the comments on this video, others have suggested it might’ve held a spool of some sort - perhaps cable or fuse cord. I don’t know. No, it wasn’t in a piece of metal or anything like that. We found it propped up against the tunnel wall.
Hello! I was recently in a mining museum in Silverton, CO. Even though I have been following your channel for a while it is nice now having a little bit more understanding of these places you are showing in your videos. I also picked up a book about the mines in that area. I was blown away to see that some of these mines 20 or even 30-some levels! Anyways, something mentioned in the book was stoping by shrinkage however it never explained what that actually is. I am curious if you know and can put it in layman's terms. I understand what a stope is just not sure what the process by shrinkage might mean. It seems to me that mining is a process of extraction, you are taking material out and thus the hole is getting bigger, not shrinking. Obviously I am missing something and hope you might explain it to a dummy like me. Thanks!
Shrinkage stoping, from what little I know, is when the miners take the blasted ore in a stope and leave it there for support instead of removing it and taking it outside. That’s a very general idea of what shrinkage stoping means. Here’s a good link that explains it in more detail: www.e-education.psu.edu/geog000/node/903
I have an oxygen meter as well as a hydrogen sulfide gas detector. I need to get a new hydrogen sulfide gas detector, though, because my old one expired. I also carry a SPOT beacon in case something happens to me when I’m above ground. The beacon will summon emergency search and rescue to come to my aid. I pay a hefty price for that on a yearly basis, but it’s worth it having the peace of mind. And, as you might’ve seen in this video, we are usually armed with a handgun of some sort.
@@AbandonedMines11 You do what you love & the history info is great. Is the gun necessary, in case you meet up with some type of animal or reptile? You are exploring mines in the Wild West. If I was younger I would be inclined to explore, of course with someone who knew what they were doing…I love caves, mines are different tho. Thank you & best wishes.
Didn’t it, though? I think that’s why that drift tunnel was so short. They probably decided that the nature of the ceiling would require an inordinate amount of timbering to make it safe, so they probably gave up and didn’t bother to dig that tunnel any further than they did.
OooYeahh Fun House Indeed, 4 Way Junction Whats There Function🤣 Hay,That Looks Like a Old Bar Top🍹 🦇 😷🦇 That Is One Batass Mine.. Yikes Sumone Kicked The Can I’m Sure in That Vertical Mine Shaft.. HeeHawww🪓👋🤠💫
Hey, “Tony!“ Thanks for dropping by and checking out the latest video. It was definitely a big mine. Those two Y intersections almost looked identical to each other except that one had a face mask hanging from the ceiling. Kind of confusing. Imagine what it would be like after consuming a couple snow margaritas! LOL Might be interesting….
@@AbandonedMines11 LOL 🤣😂 ❄️🍸Cheers... I Should Be Making a Hurricane Cocktail Video Right Now With This Mexico Margarita Special K👋🤠💫 ⚡️Batten Down The Hatches 💫
I remember those hurricane drinks! When I was in the Navy, we sailed up the Mississippi river to New Orleans during Mardi Gras for a port visit just to show the ship. Those hurricane drinks seem to be popular in that part of the country. I think they had them in Norfolk, Virginia as well. From what I can remember, I think they’re served in a very tall glass, right?
No. The rock stack that Nick made was simply his way of marking the spot so that he would recognize it if we came across it again from the other side - which is precisely what happened! I’ve never been in an abandoned mine where vertical shafts and things like that were marked or were otherwise made obvious by previous explorers.
Not really worried about radiation in these old gold mines. I do carry an oxygen meter and a hydrogen sulfide gas detector, though. Lack of oxygen and the presence of hydrogen sulfide, gas would be the two most common problems in these abandoned mines.
I hadn’t noticed that before until you pointed it out. That’s a good observation! We didn’t even stop to look at the mask or examine it closely, so I’m not sure what was going on with it and why the strings were so elongated.
That’s a great question! I sometimes wonder if we are walking right past a chunk of gold or silver. None of us, however, are interested in mining for ore. We are more into exploring the mines and documenting them on video before they are lost forever. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment - I appreciate it!
4.50 okay so youre walking thru a mine.. yeah? dusty sandy old mine.. you see a dustmask hanging on ceilling and you compair it with covidshizzle.....??? heh?? maybe it's just for lets say something weird to keep the dust out of youre longs ? 🤔😑😮💨
I had one on me, too, except mine wasn’t as visible. You never know who you’re going to run into at these remote, isolated places. Abandoned mines are always in very remote, isolated places where there is usually no cell phone service whatsoever. While it’s probably a one in 1 million chance that we would ever have to use our firearms in self-defense, it’s nice to have it just in case. Sometimes these remote locations are places that certain kinds of people like to go to who want to keep a low profile for whatever reason, if you know what I mean. The risk of encountering wildlife such as a mountain lion or a rabid coyote is also a distinct possibility although extremely unlikely. Everybody who is out exploring in the desert is armed in one way or another.
*_What a Crazy underground mine. Thanks for taking us along and doing what you do._*
You’re very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment.
@@AbandonedMines11 what is the creepiest our paranormal thing that you have experience?
There's a cave system open to the public where I live and even that terrifies me. I could never wander into an abandoned mine. You are a brave man! Subscribed from Australia 🇦🇺
Hello, Australia! Thanks so much for subscribing! Nice to have another viewer from down under. Yes, abandoned mine exploration isn’t for everyone - especially people who are claustrophobic. That’s why I’m so glad you can follow along vicariously through my videos and see things that you probably wouldn’t otherwise see. Thank you very much for taking the time to watch and comment. I appreciate it. Nice to have you on board as a subscriber, too.
Great video
Subscribed from.Australia ..Victoria ..the golden triangle of the gold fields ..
just got done watchig miner 49er , and his video stopped right after he built that rock pile . you showed the whole rest of the mine , thank-you .
Thanks for the comment, Tony! Yes, Nick from Miner49er went into some areas of the mine that I did not go into, so make sure you check out his Part 2 video of this mine which will come out next Saturday morning.
That "door" looks like some sort of bearing plate. The metal pieces are where a spool would ride to reduce the contact area between the plate and spool to reduce friction.
I see what you are saying. Seems to make sense. I’m just wondering where in the mine this would have been used as such a thing? After thinking about it here at home, I was wondering if the device might have been some kind of turntable used at a junction where there were ore cart tracks intersecting. It seems a bit too cumbersome for that, though.
That sounds pretty accurate. I couldn’t help but think of how bad that would travel into your body if you stumbled onto it.
I agree that it was probably a bearing plate of some sort. To add further evidence, at 4:05 if you look on the closest side you can see a circular abrasion pattern on the wood. To me this indicates that it was upright as or like it is currently resting. That central pole doesn't make sense for it to be a pivot due to how tall it is, they would have to inset it pretty far for that peice of metal to not be problematic. Also notice the lack of deep grooves/abrasion on the face of it, that makes me think that it was stood up right similar to how it is now, where debris is more likely to fall of than get pinched under whatever was on it, leading to less and shallower grooves/abrassion on the face.
As per where... how about the vertical shaft that it's next to? Just speculation though as the means of mounting it elude me.
@@AbandonedMines11 I was thinking that it could have been used to change the direction of travel for a cable system used to pull the ore carts. Maybe some sort of idler pulley was mounted to it?
Great exploration, Frank! Glad you guys didn’t get lost in those intersections and avoided the vertical shafts. Your buddy Nick is quite brave!
Side note - have you ever considered returning to the Waldeck mine where you heard the whispery voices? Very strange phenomenon, would love to get more insight as to what that may have been. Love your videos regardless, you do an excellent job documenting these old mines!
Sounds like you are enjoying my videos and getting something out of them! I love hearing that. Yes, those Y intersections almost looked identical to each other, didn’t they? If you get a chance, make sure you check out Nick‘s video of this mine because he went into some areas that I did not. For example, I did not cross some of those holes in the floor like he did to see what lay beyond. There is a link to his video in my video’s description. Thank you very much for your support and interest here!
Thanks for bringing us with you! Lots of color…that was fun!
Glad you enjoyed the adventure! There’s certainly were some nice underground colors in this one.
You weren’t kidding about the holes in the floor. I envisioned smaller holes, not pits (like from the Atari game Pitfall). I like how you point out the soft rock and how it muffles your voice. Also glad that stuff stays “in place” for your videos. Stay safe!
Thanks for the comment! If you check out Nick‘s video for which I put a link in my video’s description, he got some great shots looking down some of those shafts in the floor that he actually crossed over. That one where he made the stack of rocks as a marker is exceptionally deep! When I saw his footage of that, I couldn’t believe it! Check out Nick’s video if you haven’t already. Yes, the softer and more unstable rock tends to have no reverberation whatsoever. It makes one’s voice sound kind of muffled. Thanks for taking time out of your day to watch my video and to comment - I appreciate the support and interest!
Great explore Frank thanks for taking us along :)
Thank you very much for following along!
Another great exploration, all from the comfort of my desk! Thanks for taking us along. It's good you weren't alone is this mine with all those vertical shafts. Stay safe out there
You got it, John! Glad you’re able to follow along from the safety and comfort of your own home! I appreciate that. Thank you very much for your support.
Another good explore. 👍
Nice hearing from you again, Ronnie! Thank you.
Thanks Frank, have a great week!
Same to you, Doug! Thanks for checking out the video.
Another great vid! Keep em coming
The welding on the vent pipe is most likely Brazing, which is a lot like Soldering.
Excellent information! Thanks for sharing that, Kyle!
Nice cave exploring 👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment.
what a great mine Frank , i thought it was great the colours where amazing
It was a pretty big mine, relatively speaking. Thanks for taking the time to check out the video, Roy. I appreciate it. in Nick‘s video, for which there is a link in my video’s description, he got some great shots looking down some of those wicked shafts that he bravely crossed over. If you haven’t seen his video yet, check it out!
Really appreciate what you do, Thank you, looking forward to your next episode
Thank you, Rick! Glad you are enjoying the videos. I appreciate hearing that. Thanks for your interest and support here on my channel.
Great upload, my heartbeat went up seeing you avoid those holes. Keep it up and be careful.
Thank you for watching and commenting! Yes, lots of potential traps in the floor of this mine! Was a very unusual characteristic of it, that’s for sure. If you watch Nick’s video of it on his channel, he got some great shots looking down those shafts in the floor. They go WAY down! Really frightening, to be quite honest.
great enjoyed
Glad to hear that! Thank you very much for checking out the video.
Absolutely, crazy! Great film as always.
Thanks a ton, Jeremy! Glad you enjoyed it. I’ll have new videos coming soon.
Been awhile but here to catch up on some videos over the week ✌️
Thanks! Glad you’re back. Thank you for the support.
Maybe Headframe Hunters might know what that contraption is. Hopefully he chimes in. It's always a nice alternative to have a connecting cross cut leading to the same area where you would have to cross a death trap! Awesome video, Frank!
Headframe Hunters probably would know what that contraption was. Someone suggested it was an ore cart track switcher to be used at one of the many intersections in this mine. That seems to make sense, but it seems to be too thick for that. I don’t know. Make sure you check out Nick’s videos of this mine because he filmed the areas beyond those holes in the floor that I was too afraid to go into! He also got some pretty scary shots looking down some of those vertical shafts. They go WAY down! Thanks for watching and commenting, Justin!
Lots of verticals in that one Frank. Even sitting in my office & watching Nick go across that log made me pucker. Vertical shafts are unforgiving: one mistake & it's over. I've considered taking some planks to bridge that vertical in the Monterey mine out here near me, but I pretty certain it will never happen.
Nick is more nimble than I am, that’s for sure. There is no way I would be able to get across those without losing my balance and falling in. If push came to shove and I HAD to get across, I probably could, but I am not going to test that theory out. So be sure you check out his two videos of this mine. He got some great footage looking down into those shafts as he was standing right above them on the logs. He’ll be uploading his second video of this mine next Saturday morning. Consider subscribing to him, too, if you haven’t. I hear you about taking additional lumber into a mine to make a precarious crossing safer. He and I explored an inclined shaft a couple years ago that had a huge hole in the floor that went down hundreds of feet. There was a narrow ledge on the right hand side which allowed one to get across, but it was too narrow for me. I tried to do it but I just couldn’t. I have always said that I want to go back up there with a large board and place it across that hole to make the ledge wider, but it hasn’t happened yet. And probably won’t. LOL Thanks for dropping in and checking out my latest video, Stan! I appreciate it.
@@AbandonedMines11 I'm already subbed to Miner49er, Frank. They seem like good people.
Thank you for the video! ☺♥.
Thanks for checking out the latest video, Eric!
I absolutely LOVE watching your channel!! I look forward to watching it EVERY WEEK! It amazes me what miners accomplished with dynamite, ingenuity, and a HELL OF ALOTTA GRIT!! keep up the amazing work!!
Thanks so much for the fantastic comment, Jesse! I appreciate it. Without enthusiastic and supportive viewers like yourself, there would be no reason for me to continue making these videos of abandoned mines and unusual places. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and to comment. Have a great weekend!
@@AbandonedMines11 I Will be a fan for the foreseeable future! Enjoy the weekend! They fly by and it’s back to the grind on Monday…..😢
Do you guys have a merch site setup?
I am not set up with merchandise, Jesse. I know Nick sells merchandise over on his channel which is Miner49er.
This is a very interesting mine, as you mentioned that there was much varied colours of rock. There was also a lot to see as there were so many branches leading to different places. Certainly there were many shafts that could trap the unwary. Thank you for this excellent video presentation which is very much appreciated.
Thanks for commenting, John! Yes, the various shafts in the tunnel floors were very dangerous and would definitely be a hazard for the unwary - or for an explorer whose batteries died in their flashlight and they didn’t have any spares! Sounds like you enjoyed the video. Thank you very much for the support!
Amazing as allways
Thank you for your support and interest! Sounds like you enjoyed the video.
Awesome vid as always Frank !!! I hope to be back exploring in the next couple months or so . In the mean time these vids help with the entertainment
Thanks for the comment, Jeff! I take it you’re still waiting on your vehicle to get straightened out?
@@AbandonedMines11 YEAH THE WHOLE MOTOR IS BEING REPLACED SO ITS PROBABLY GONNA TAKE THEM A WHILE TO GET THE MOTOR DUE TO COVID
What a beautiful mine! ❤️
Thanks for your comment! I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Nice video as always.thank you⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks for the six star review! I appreciate it.
That looks like a spool stand. Someone else noted that the metal strips would keep a spool from binding up but it would be great for playing out cable or rope, and the spool could have a handle to crank it back up or take up the slack. If a winch was secured over the hole, then the rope or cable could be played out from the spool. It's not a permanent installation.
Great information, Mark! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on what that device might have been. I can see what you’re saying.
Those tilted shafts are like a fun house. I was right lol, it was many holes in the floors and always makes me wonder how much more mine is below. Thank you for the peak inside of earth.
Thanks, Michael! It seemed that all of the holes were of about the same depth - 70 feet give or take. I suppose they were exploratory shafts, perhaps, but the more I thought about it the more I began to think that maybe they were simply places to dump waste rock and other garbage. If that’s the case, I’ve never seen that in mine before. I don’t know - it’s all a mystery for which the details have been lost to time. Nonetheless, thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. You’ve been a big supporter here over the years, and I appreciate that.
Hi Frank, another great explore in an abandoned mine. I think I read somewhere they used like a bitumen to seal the joins in the vent pipe.
Some very dangerous area's, I imagine the conditions would have been a lot worse whilst the mine was in operation though.
I love the really nice warm colours that made up the rocks, very pretty. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx 💞
Thanks, Sue, for the information about the bitumen being used as a way to seal the joints on the ventilation tubing. I appreciate you sharing that. Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks again for all of your ongoing support here.
@@AbandonedMines11 I can't swear it was bitumen but I'm pretty sure it was a rubber type sealant, it could have been bitumen but from my understanding that stuff has to be pretty hot before it's malleable. xx
I’ll research it a bit and see what I come up with.
Hope you found something precious to reward yourself for this hardwork. Thank you and always *Safety First* 🇵🇭
Thanks for your comment!
Hello Frank
Thank you for the Video.
This mine is very unusual as i said before.
This holes in the ground right in way very unusual.
Take care i wish you all a happy weekend and a good New week .
Yours Frank Galetzka
Thanks, Frank! Yes, the presence of all those holes was kind of alarming! If you haven’t had a chance to check out Nick’s video, please do so because he got some great shots looking down some of those dangerous shafts that he bravely crossed over. There is a link to his video in this video‘s description.
@@AbandonedMines11 yes Thank you i will do so .
Stay safe and as the miners in Germany said Glück Auf
Thank you, Frank!
Awesome!
Thank you for watching and commenting!
Loved every second of this explore frank felt like i was there as well , quite a big mine though .
Thanks, Alex! Nice hearing from you again! Drop me a line via email and let me know what you’ve been up to.
@@AbandonedMines11 No Worry's frank and sure will do that soon :) just catching up on some of your explores atm 🙏🙏
The rock formations look a lot like flint, at least some old school ones. BTW that hole is hairy, there could be a previous explorer down there and you wouldn't even be able to see down. Scary.
Now that you’ve mentioned it, maybe that dust mask hanging from the ceiling belonged to an explorer who was going to retrieve it on his or her way back out of the mine but never did because they fell into one of those holes. That is a scary thought!
@@AbandonedMines11 Seriously, scary thought. The mask shows someone was there within the last 2 years (most likely).
very cool brother.
Thanks, man!
Good explore Frank
Great hearing from you again, Barry! Thanks for showing up, checking out the video, and taking the time to comment.
Wow! So many intersections and holes in the floor! That "blade" ceiling at the end....wouldn't want to be under that when nature decided it was time to come down. It looked very cracked and not very stable. Cool colors through. Thank you for sharing! Safe journeys Frank!
That rock blade in the ceiling at the end of the video was pretty spectacular! That particular drift tunnel only went a few feet, as you saw, so I wonder if the nature of the ceiling is why they decided not to continue mining in that direction. Due to all the fracturing that was apparent there, they would’ve probably had to timber that tunnel excessively and might not want to have been bothered doing that.
Looks like a present-day 'Sword of Damocles'
@@AbandonedMines11 That makes sense. That area looks like it would have needed some serious shoring up to make it safe enough. Not worth it. lol
Or a jumbo-sized ‘Occam’s razor.’ LOL
@@AbandonedMines11 😂
Heck yea. Great content
Thanks for the comment, Nick!
Also the mining graffiti. Dope = displacement, obstruction, pneumothorax and equipment failure
pneumothorax, meaning collapse
That’s awesome! I’ve been waiting for somebody to clarify that graffiti! That’s a lot of information being communicated by that word “dope.“
Coal mining used to be a major industry over here in the UK and referring to a friend or acquaintance as ‘mucker’ is pretty common, especially in the Black Country. Maybe that’s where it came from.
Yes, I believe that term “mucker” referred to the muck that the miners had to remove from their mines after blasting. Seems to make sense to me.
I keep hoping one day we will see you across in the Superstitions. Definitely material for October I think!
I was just recently thinking about the month of October coming up and how I should explore a more creepy mine for the Halloween season. I’ve never been to the Superstition Mountains, so I’ll have to research that area. Any suggestions?
@@AbandonedMines11 I believe there are many abandoned gold and silver mines in the area, although sadly The Lost Dutchman is still living up to its name! However there are quite a few physical locations that are directly connected to the legend such Weaver's Needle and the grave site of Waltz himself who is buried just outside Phoneix I think at a historic graveyard. There have been various canyons and ledges on the canyon walls identified as those illustrated on the famous map and trail stones.
It would be amazing to see you visit some of those places and perhaps give your impression of the location. Many who have visited the Superstitions and looked for the mine describe it as an incredibly eerie, spooky place even in broad daylight with a deeply uncomfortable atmosphere. The story itself of the Lost Dutchman and the Peralta mules is one of the most classic pieces of history/folklore in the West I should say.
I like your videos. This is education.
Thanks for the comment! Always nice to hear when somebody is getting something out of my videos. I really appreciate that, and it makes hiking to and exploring these dangerous, abandoned mines worth it. Thank you for the support!
Good morning from Southeast South Dakota
Thanks for taking time out of your breakfast to check out my newest video! As always, I appreciate your ongoing support and interest.
@@AbandonedMines11 at a local farm to table fair this morning. Will watch later
Awesome
And now..... On with the show...
I appreciate that!
The slanted roof was so dizzying, but I enjoyed this video a bunch 💖
Thank you for your comment! Yes, we never know what we’re going to find underground. There always seems to be some interesting feature or two in these abandoned mines.
Pretty amazing mine. Mind your step!
Thanks, Matthew! I agree with you - this mine is definitely one that you really need to mind your step in!
Could that item with the metal shaft been a turntable for directing the ore carts down different shafts in that junction?
That’s what I eventually came up with, Scott, after thinking about it here at home. But it seems to be too bulky for that, I think. If that is what it was really used for, I have never seen one of those before. It would make sense that they would have something like that in this mine due to all of the Y intersections and other junctions.
soldered or brazed the vent tube.
soldered would be lead/tin mix? brazed is some form of bronze.
great job.
Thanks for that information regarding how the ventilation tubing was put together. Another viewer mentioned the word “brazing,“ as well. Sounds like you enjoyed the video! Thanks for your ongoing support here.
There certainly are some sketchy areas in that mine. Don't want to sneeze in certain places lol.
The number of holes right in the middle of the tunnel floors was kind of unusual. In Nick’s video, he crossed over one of those holes that had some boards across it and got a great shot looking down it. It went down exceedingly far!
Thanks for showing us around the mine! I just discovered your channel and subscribed today. I have a few questions. Would it be hard to breathe while you’re in there? And what’s the temperature is like? Rather cold or hot, or just normal temperature? Thanks again! Viewer from Hong Kong😆
Thanks for watching and subscribing! Glad to have a new viewer from all the way over in Hong Kong! Regarding breathing in these mines, it’s never usually a problem. The only thing that could be a problem is if you go into deep areas inside the mine that might not have enough oxygen in them. But even that is rather rare. Regardless, I always carry an oxygen meter with me just in case. The average temperature in these mines can range anywhere from 55°F to 65°F (12°C to 18°C). That’s a pretty comfortable range of temperatures.
When they left they took everything even the false floors i guess wow, very nice last part, but bit of a dangerous spot too dig in that ceiling there. P.s. made your last meal, was not bad at all.
They certainly did remove everything from this mine, didn’t they? If there were false floors, I’m glad they took them because doing so exposed the shafts and thus prevented us from accidentally falling in! Thanks for checking out the video, Rolf! Glad to hear, too, that you tried that chicken and feta cheese recipe I posted recently. Sounds like you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know.
I was kind of hoping you'd say you'd found a haunted mine but those holes in the floor and the unstable ceilings look scary enough. ⛏️
You are absolutely right about that! Thanks for stopping by and checking out the video - I appreciate it.
Nice 👍
Thanks for the thumbs up, Paulo!
@@AbandonedMines11 You bet! How come you didn't jump? Lol!
You take care Frank.
Why didn’t I jump? Nick didn’t have enough money to pay me. LOL
Hello Frank the holes in the floor must have been exploring tunnels and then just stopped looking for more ore .The 3 way track was there a switch for left and right for the ore car ? I seen Nick's video 1st he will have apart 2 in part 1 he was really hunging the wall 🙏❤️🏆Great explore it was a great adventure ⛏️😟
You’re probably right about that! They all seem to be about the same depth except for the one where Nick put the rock stack. If you saw his video, he got a great shot looking down into that hole. It went a long way! It looked scary deep! I wonder what’s down there? I was thinking that the wooden device we found propped up against the tunnel wall might have been a track switching device for all the various junctions in the mine. But who knows? Without more details it’s hard to figure out what that was used for. Yes, the action shots of Nick crossing those shafts is pretty exciting to watch! Thanks for checking out our videos - we appreciate the support!
@@AbandonedMines11 The pivot shaft seems too long for a track table to pivot on. It is about as tall as the structure it is protruding from. Was it in a board or a plate of steel as seen at 4:04?
What you see in the video is exactly how we found it. We didn’t even move it or disturb it in anyway. I think you are right about it being too thick or too big to be a track switcher. If you read through the comments on this video, others have suggested it might’ve held a spool of some sort - perhaps cable or fuse cord. I don’t know. No, it wasn’t in a piece of metal or anything like that. We found it propped up against the tunnel wall.
Pretty surprising to see Nick packing so much heat!
We both are armed when we go out. We never know what we’re going to come across in some of those remote areas that we find ourselves hiking through.
@@AbandonedMines11 The hills have eyes, eh? 😂
And worse! LOL
Always wondered are your mine explorations public access or privately owned? Is there a risk in visiting private mines in terms of laws?
Hello! I was recently in a mining museum in Silverton, CO. Even though I have been following your channel for a while it is nice now having a little bit more understanding of these places you are showing in your videos. I also picked up a book about the mines in that area. I was blown away to see that some of these mines 20 or even 30-some levels! Anyways, something mentioned in the book was stoping by shrinkage however it never explained what that actually is. I am curious if you know and can put it in layman's terms. I understand what a stope is just not sure what the process by shrinkage might mean. It seems to me that mining is a process of extraction, you are taking material out and thus the hole is getting bigger, not shrinking. Obviously I am missing something and hope you might explain it to a dummy like me. Thanks!
Shrinkage stoping, from what little I know, is when the miners take the blasted ore in a stope and leave it there for support instead of removing it and taking it outside. That’s a very general idea of what shrinkage stoping means. Here’s a good link that explains it in more detail: www.e-education.psu.edu/geog000/node/903
You ready for NFL football? Great video!
Yes I am!
I was wondering do you take any precautions other than safety gear when you go in these places? Like for radon, and other gases? Thank u 🙏
I have an oxygen meter as well as a hydrogen sulfide gas detector. I need to get a new hydrogen sulfide gas detector, though, because my old one expired. I also carry a SPOT beacon in case something happens to me when I’m above ground. The beacon will summon emergency search and rescue to come to my aid. I pay a hefty price for that on a yearly basis, but it’s worth it having the peace of mind. And, as you might’ve seen in this video, we are usually armed with a handgun of some sort.
@@AbandonedMines11 You do what you love & the history info is great. Is the gun necessary, in case you meet up with some type of animal or reptile? You are exploring mines in the Wild West. If I was younger I would be inclined to explore, of course with someone who knew what they were doing…I love caves, mines are different tho. Thank you & best wishes.
Love the colors….could the red be iron oxide?
Possibly. I don’t know much about geology, though. But, yes, the colors were spectacular! Thanks for your comment, Cindy!
Have you explored any mines up near Washington/Oregon?
I have not.
That hanging rock at the end looked bad! Thanks Frank!
Didn’t it, though? I think that’s why that drift tunnel was so short. They probably decided that the nature of the ceiling would require an inordinate amount of timbering to make it safe, so they probably gave up and didn’t bother to dig that tunnel any further than they did.
OooYeahh Fun House Indeed, 4 Way Junction Whats There Function🤣
Hay,That Looks Like a Old Bar Top🍹
🦇 😷🦇 That Is One Batass Mine..
Yikes Sumone Kicked The Can I’m Sure in That Vertical Mine Shaft..
HeeHawww🪓👋🤠💫
Hey, “Tony!“ Thanks for dropping by and checking out the latest video. It was definitely a big mine. Those two Y intersections almost looked identical to each other except that one had a face mask hanging from the ceiling. Kind of confusing. Imagine what it would be like after consuming a couple snow margaritas! LOL Might be interesting….
@@AbandonedMines11 LOL 🤣😂 ❄️🍸Cheers...
I Should Be Making a Hurricane Cocktail Video Right Now With This Mexico Margarita Special K👋🤠💫
⚡️Batten Down The Hatches 💫
I remember those hurricane drinks! When I was in the Navy, we sailed up the Mississippi river to New Orleans during Mardi Gras for a port visit just to show the ship. Those hurricane drinks seem to be popular in that part of the country. I think they had them in Norfolk, Virginia as well. From what I can remember, I think they’re served in a very tall glass, right?
@@AbandonedMines11 OooYeahh🍹Totally90sCocktail
👋🤠Cheers
lol
Make another video in the place where you heard the voices in the mine.
Halloween is coming up, isn’t it? Hmmm….
Traci must be waring a bicycle helmet because it's got a tail light .
I didn’t notice that! I’ll have to take a closer look.
Do you stack rocks to warn people about holes?
No. The rock stack that Nick made was simply his way of marking the spot so that he would recognize it if we came across it again from the other side - which is precisely what happened! I’ve never been in an abandoned mine where vertical shafts and things like that were marked or were otherwise made obvious by previous explorers.
I learned that a mine entrance is called an adit.😊
How you avoid radiation and h2s gas ?
Not really worried about radiation in these old gold mines. I do carry an oxygen meter and a hydrogen sulfide gas detector, though. Lack of oxygen and the presence of hydrogen sulfide, gas would be the two most common problems in these abandoned mines.
The strings on the mask look long enough for sn elephant!
I hadn’t noticed that before until you pointed it out. That’s a good observation! We didn’t even stop to look at the mask or examine it closely, so I’m not sure what was going on with it and why the strings were so elongated.
i think its called tinning using lead
Thanks for sharing that information!
Damaskus mine lol
do you ever find some gold ?
That’s a great question! I sometimes wonder if we are walking right past a chunk of gold or silver. None of us, however, are interested in mining for ore. We are more into exploring the mines and documenting them on video before they are lost forever. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment - I appreciate it!
what gun is nick packing?
I’m not sure what kind of gun he carries.
@@AbandonedMines11 looks like a semiautomatic pistol m1911?
Maybe Nick will see your question and reply. I do know that it’s not a 9 mm handgun because that’s what I carry.
Should you have stepped on the wrong spot that Indiana Jones trap would have activated for sure. Close call.
it sure seemed that way!
4.50 okay so youre walking thru a mine.. yeah? dusty sandy old mine.. you see a dustmask hanging on ceilling and you compair it with covidshizzle.....??? heh?? maybe it's just for lets say something weird to keep the dust out of youre longs ? 🤔😑😮💨
Why is Nick carrying a handgun?
I had one on me, too, except mine wasn’t as visible. You never know who you’re going to run into at these remote, isolated places. Abandoned mines are always in very remote, isolated places where there is usually no cell phone service whatsoever. While it’s probably a one in 1 million chance that we would ever have to use our firearms in self-defense, it’s nice to have it just in case. Sometimes these remote locations are places that certain kinds of people like to go to who want to keep a low profile for whatever reason, if you know what I mean. The risk of encountering wildlife such as a mountain lion or a rabid coyote is also a distinct possibility although extremely unlikely. Everybody who is out exploring in the desert is armed in one way or another.
Gun update?
I still carry a 9 mm handgun with me.
@@AbandonedMines11 I’m talking about the H&R you found
adventuring from my home couch without getting in any danger
Thanks for watching and commenting, Simon! I appreciate it.