Finding Two Ore Cars 300 Feet Below Ground!
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2025
- In 1899, gold was discovered in this canyon and the prospectors were eventually led to this site which was the source of said gold. This is a very unique mine in that they used metal counterweights and a cable pulley system to open and close the ore chutes as well as the presence of much of the heavy machinery/equipment including a couple ore cars! This was such an extensive mine I didn't fully get the chance to explore all of it, hopefully I get the chance to go back and finish it off. Without any further ado, I hope you guys enjoy this one.
Balls of steel! Nicely done!
That's a fun one isn't it, Jerith? I love that ladder system. FYI you didn't miss much on the lower levels. The ladder near the ore cars going down comes to a very wet cave like area. The main shaft with the skip track and manway hits water before coming to the lowest level. The skip car is upside down in the shaft below the second level. The ore car sports a Tropico Mine badge from Rosamond CA. The fire started by accident sometime in the 1950's. Good explore!
Yay Tom and Julie - our favorite miners!
Thanks buddy. Take care. It's a terrific job. I'm watching it from Russia. You've got a brave heart. Don't go alone.
WOW...that was a great explore, you sure got a good leg workout for the week... And 2 ore cars 300 feet down... BUT... with all that deep exploring, Please take a Buddy with you and be safe...👍👍
So many things have to go right for a explore like that to be perfect. But it only takes one thing to make it go horribly wrong. Use ropes and bring a partner. I've got 18 current years working in underground mines and believe me, things happen in the blink of an eye. Stay safe my friend...
Yeah i hear you man. I would feel better about it if he at least tied in at the top of ladders and used a descender as a backup with some ascending kit ready to get him back up if needed
Came here looking for a RIP post and that this was found footage
cap
I'm only 21mins in and my stomach is churning for your safety. Yikes those are a scary set of ladders!!! Thanks for sharing - what a ride :)
I can't believe he was able to tote those 100lb balls of steel down and up all those old ladders. Dude, my feet were sweating watching this video. Wow
That is one deep mine and the ore cars were a plus. Neat artifacts too. The gold vein has hematite, the red material, and is very rich in gold. So much mine and so little time. Hope you get to see the rest of it someday.
Those ladders are nightmare inducing.
There's a manufacturer's plaque on the front left side of that first ore car. Would have been nice to see it. Terrific find, regardless.
Date on the chute above them was 1955.
Flappy piece on the flywheel looks like a brake shoe.
That is one of the coolest mines I've every seen. The maze of ladders were incredible and the ore cars were really neat. Thanks for the explore.
I think even by the safety standards of the day-this mine would've been considered extremely dangerous to work. There are sections where ladders are passing through ore cart rails-the rails for which are unsupported at numerous points, ore slides with no stops, etc. They must've been finding a lot of gold in this one because of how intensively worked it was-the disregard for safety was total.
Outstanding! Reminds me of exploring mines with family and friends in the 70's. Great work!
Such an awesome mine! Looks like they just walked away from it and never came back. So much is still intact and functional. Thanks for taking us along with you!
I watch many mine exploring videos from many people but your videos are in the top 3 for being extensive and very interesting. Your narrating and pointing out things of interest is great its almost like we are their in person. Keep up that good work but remain being careful everywhere you go in a mine. Make sure you always have at least one person with you there in case something happens. Maybe would not be a bad idea to use those little walkie talkies that some explorers so you can keep in contact with the other people some mines are so vast and extensive that it might be possible to get lost and always have an extra flash light and extra batteries also a couple of small bottles of drinking water in your backpack might be a good idea too. This video was great, thanks !!
amazing how stupidity is prime viewing material :)
Just a bit about the hoist: The device beside it was a motor, not a generator, the wheel beside it with the clamshell you moved back and forth was a brake assembly, The gridlike thing the behind the drum was an electrical resistor...it was used as part of the motor speed control and, possibly, an electrical retarder to provide speed control during lowering the hoist. The switch behind, of course, brought electrical power to the winch. Great find! And as you said, in pretty complete condition. Thanks for the fine video, it was an exciting trip into the past. Keep them coming and, of course, be careful! Do you ever run into any bad air or gas in you explorations? How do you check? Take care.
Ya. I was wondering how he checked for bad air. He most likely doesn’t.
How did you not get disoriented and lost down there?? So many twists and turns, ups and downs. Hell I got lost just following along with you. Stay safe dude and be sure to have an emergency plan when you go on these adventures. Thanks for sharing!
He was talking about using the right hand rule to keep track. Always going to the right. Then always go left on the way back.
Edit: I’d still make sure to have a partner and tag the way I went with chalk or something myself.
Something about the brief headlight malfunction, massive stopes and endless ladders gave me the willies. Hell of an amazing explore. And I think the cat is
cool.
Hi Jerith, this was such an awesome explore of this huge mine, I cannot believe how many ladders and stopes there were, a highly dangerous
exploration though but you handled those ladders like a boss. At 44:38 that part you weren't sure about is I believe a brake shoe to control the
winch, normally the shoes are attached a bit better as you can see from the right hand one.
A really cool mine explore, there was so much to see especially those 2 ore carts and that winch, amazing.
Thank you for sharing, much love. xx💖
The way you blithely walk across all those sections of false floor gave me the willies!
Hey brother great video and I get the urge to check out the ladders and tunnels but you are pressing your luck in these tunnels. I grew up mining active tunnels and I was taught even your voice can set off a collapse in a tunnel that's old. As an active miner they would not enter old mine shafts like this. Takes several guys and a plan in case a cave in. Tunnels are like playing Russian roulette with a pistol and one bullet ready to go.
When's the last time you heard of someone dieing in a mine , then when's the last time you heard of someone dieing in a car ?
@@ExploringCabinsandMines when you heard about it, or if you heard about it, is completely irrelevant (with millions riding in cars daily and almost nobody climbing into old mines what would you expect, an even death ratio?) that little comment is NOT something you should use to make a decision on something that could cost you your life. Even worse than an instant death would be a collapse trapping you or a broken back or even leg leaving you to slowly succumb to a long terrifying death.. Are ropes that bad? Having a partner who might be able to bring help?
@@Shawn-yp9ic Weird I don't recall saying don't use ropes hmmmm.
@davetileguy hmmm your weird
I don’t know when I’ve seen so much exposed smooth foot wall in a mine before. Impressive.
WOW!!! this reminds me of that old game "Chutes & Ladders"...just crazy!!!....this mine is incredible!
My deceased Father was a hard rock miner...His last words was "Son....No mine exploration is worth getting killed for....!!" I have listened to each and every word to this day...
Fascinating. It looks like you are pretty cautious, but still I wanted to say “ your shoelace is untied!!!” at one point. Also thinking some backup climbing equipment might be wise for the ladder sections. That ore car #3 looked like it might have a nameplate on one side, that would be a good photo next visit. Thanks for sharing your adventures. Stay safe.
Amazing footage! You are a brave soul 😂 thanks for taking us on this adventure!
Amazing looks like you hit the gold mine of hunting gold mines ...supper big
You’ve got balls of steel man for going into that alone. Love the videos
Man i felt the doom feeling when the rocks cut loose while on a ladder 300 ft down.
I have explored mines in north idaho & they can be really scary in many ways.
Cant imagine the anount of labor that went into that mine. Unreal.
This is really amazing watching this since I'm unaware of anything quite like this in MN - The only thing that bothers me is seeing all the modern trash lying about, namely the plastic water bottles. Man, it just kind of ruins it in some way for me knowing that people are littering like that disrespecting the area. I guess it pulls me out of that nostalgic feeling?
Anyway, I wish there was an underground explorer's code of "Leave it as you found it" or "Trash in, trash out" like we have here up North in the Boundary Waters Canoe Areas.
Otherwise, I love watching these videos!!! So cool to see what "A day at the office" may have looked like for some back in the day!!!
I'm always excited to see what you have in store for us.. It's much appreciated.
21:25 and 21:47
Your untied shoe while climbing down the ladder really got my OCD flared up. Great video.
Really great job of documenting this mine. Tanks for posting.
I hope you saved that Lucky Strike pack, it predates World War 11. When the war started the government took all the green colorants they could get for military use. Lucky Strike ran the moto "Lucky Strike Green goes to War" That's quite a find!
Very happy I stumbled across this channel. One of the coolest videos I've seen
Most amazing mine ever!
Love watching your adventures. Great video work and narration. You went down so far in this mine I thought you might hit molten lava at any point! However, doing stuff like this without a partner could prove disastrous for you! If one of those ladders had broken off after you went down past it, and you had no known escape route below you....... Don't let it happen! We want you to be around for a long time!
Phenomenal Explore Jerith! There was a name plate on ore cart #3 at 35.48. Something to go back to and film. The glass jar had an embossed number 22 on the top left side of the bottom. Could be from 4-1922. Can not wait for you to go back and finish the explore! As always thank you for 'taking us' with you. Excellent video and narration! And thank you for using the correct terms of the mining industry.
hope you boys are doing good!!! Keep up the hard work and stay safe!
I am glad somebody else noticed your untied shoe, dose not sound like a big thing but if you tripped because of it and made a header down the shaft it would be a big thing. I see you did tie it at sometime. Great explore, hope you go back sometime.
I worked uneground in a mine in the 1970's. We would fill the skip with ore and then push it and jump on for a ride to the main shaft.
Your very brave because I don’t think I could take being in there
Nice explore loved watching
Super impressive mate. You handled those ladders like a champ. Thanks for the amazing video
I didn't used to have vertigo, but after watching this video, I'm pretty sure I do. That being said, I wish I knew where this mine is. That looks freaking awesome
I really appreciate you taking us along.
Wow! Such great ladders to such awesome stopes! Game of "Chutes and ladders" IRL. I have been watching mine explorer videos for years but you must have found the one with the most "almost" vertical connected stopes I have ever seen. They must have have mined tens of thousands of tons of ore to make those stopes. Wish I was there!
I think I've seen Frank's episode of this mine. Because I remember those ore cars. It's cool you found his tag. I was worried about you alone on the ladders. You're sense of adventure is strong.
This was an awesome explore and I'm so glad you're getting out. Graffiti, STAN 55 was a pretty good date, even though it's much older. I like those oil cans. The stopes we're huge and the ladders never ending. 👍🏻
44:37 a parking brake, 44:40 electric motor, 46:34 a bank of resistors to control motor speed. 45:59 on the left side is the drum brake, you pull down on the handle!
I wish you could have told us what area you're in. You could be vague, like is this Death Valley, San Gabriels, Angeles National Forect, Lone Pine, etc.
Awesome explore!
Great video!
Thanks!
👍👍👍👊😎
Awesome experience i would say you had exploring that gold mine
i dont know if you know this. but MAAANY of us that go underground could only wish to find what you find, you find the "real deal" and it blows me away at how life is underground in a real mine, i really mean this but thank you so much for doing this. its a risk and i am not forgetting this. please dont ever go down a part for a viewer. only you
I think what your saying is never make the decision to go down for a viewer or for someone else and only do it if you are doing it for yourself first. If so I wholeheartedly agree with that. I would not want for anyone to be taking on the risk involved just to bring it to the viewer, me, and then loose their life doing it. Do for yourself Brother and thank you for sharing, don't do it for us. That will lead you to more risky decisions and bad ones.
@@Shawn-yp9ic exactly what i mean
Wow! Just Wow! Awesome mine indeed. I'd be interested to know how much gold they pulled out of there. Those stopes (up and down) were huge. And that massive slanted foot wall with the ladder laying on it was unlike anything I've seen in any other mine exploring videos.
All I think about is riding those two carts like a roller coaster in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom
Die Räder sehen an der Lauffläche noch so blank aus. Ist das Bergwerk erst vor kurzen geschlossen worden? Auch das Holz sieht noch so gut aus.
When you were climbing down the ladder and the rocks fell, I was expecting to hear drums start playing. Fascinating video.
Cool place I’ve seen this mine a few times now, on UA-cam that is. 😄 Thanks for the great video buddy!
Respect to the hard working tradesmen men with almost no technology back then besides pure manpower and faith
What a awesome mine. So very interesting to see.
Im blown away at the condition of the steel down there. Almost 0 rust after all that time. Steel rusts where I live insanely fast so thats crazy to see for me.
44:30 It's not a generator; it's the electric motor for the hoist. The break is broken, but we can still see the pads.
those little cars would be a very nice addition to a mining museum
Awesome finds great video.
Just for fun I googled Hendrie and Bolthoff... wow, quite a few entries! Not too sure why I keep watching these, as I am afraid of heights! Have to look away from time to time. Fun anyway, but please do take the safety advice from these folks with mining experience!
Love me some micro Monday 🤤 it’s Groundhog Day I hope first time I’d repeat Monday over and over again 😂
That was an awesome mine there now and dammit man you really need to find a friend or buddy to take with you in them and I'm willing to say that you climbed probably five hundred feet down those ladders in it too
Never have I ever seen a Mine Explorer ride a Minecart. Amazing video mate!
That was awesome! Thanks for sharing
I’m amazed at how giant that mine is. Did it look like any of it was naturally occurring cavern or was it all completely dug out? Also feel bad for the cat. It probably died of starvation from being left in there.
Yes, made me sad and sick.
Awesome mine. Its so cool to see the ore cars.
I'm not a miner, but as a general rule, when on a ladder, especially handmade ladders, whenever possible don't grab the steps hold the sides of the ladder.
Thanks for the free anxiety watching this lol. Man your channel is awesome. Be safe bro use some gear I enjoy watching you 😂
Greatest videos you have on UA-cam.. I love it and enjoy it.. bro damn your brave to climbed down the ladder lol 😂 happy you made out with a cool video and safe..
The drive at the end reminds me of driving through Nipton CA towards Searchlight NV. Or driving from Nipton towards Kelso.
You sir are awesome crazy.....
You really need someone with you when you do this bro.
13:10 wow. How many feet do you think that is?
After going down it I'd say at least 100 feet to the next level
Great videos. Consider bringing someone with you in case you get hurt and/or trapped.
Awesome video.
Not a generator. Electric motor for the winch. Would be interesting if could be powered and bring up whatever is at the bottom. The band is a break thats missing its clamp bolt. My first time seeing this vid / explore. Loved it.
what mine is this and where is it located?
Literally treasure down there.
nice job... I think the thing on the generator was some sort of brake...what causes the burnt areas if you know.... I would end up mapping the whole thing out, but nice job great nerves for doing it!
what are the ore shoots and where do they go?
Nice 1 hello from Australia opal miner here
What’s the temperature deep in a mine like that?
In this one if I remember correctly it was in the 60s. Usually they're in the 60s or 70s even if the temps exceed 100
@@WesternMineDetective thanks.
You have to wonder how they got that stuff down there
Slowly over many years.
one of your best
An awesome explore!...it just kept getting deeper and deeper - do you ever get to the end?
I can't believe you went down all those ladders. If something went wrong you would be in for the panic attack of a lifetime. There would be no way of getting help unless you told a friend where you were going. It didn’t know mines kept going down that deep. I would definitely want a crank power light. You should bring a tablet or something and map out this entire mine to scale as best you can. Take pictures of everything and add icons in the computer model so the pictures pop up once the icons are clicked.
17:50 😢 how was the cat stuck to the wall and how'd it get it down there?
Awesome. What do you mean when you say the mine was burnt out?
If you look at the walls in the spot you can see all the black on the walls. That is residue from a fire at that spot at one point.
Great video, be safe !!!
I love your vids but you need to be more careful. I'm sure I'm not the first to tell you. You only have one life, if you value it, use better equipement.
Lol
Wouldn't there be another exit on the same level as the ore cars? Safer exit point? Maybe it is sealed?
Your brave I would of trusted those ladders. Not just the wrungs but how well is each section of ladder fixed.
I hope someone knows whare you are as well.
Awesome footage and content but scares the heck out of me!.
I guess I'm just getting old.
Hi, new viewer. Like you show. Quick question; could you briefly describe how the coal chutes work?
Thanks in advance.
Ken
You should get a lil pet Canary to bring along with you for luck :)
And to test for poisonous air. :)
@@rockjockchick yep for sure
What sorts of creatures do you find in these mines?
At 5:58, that retaining wall was built really well. Sure wish I knew where this mine is.. I'd love to explore it! And who the HECK would tack up a mummified cat to the lumber like that?! I'm horrified. Also, please tell me you didnt explore this by yourself...
The mummified cat was more of a symbol.. people in the 1800s early 1900s would put a dead cat in the wall and the belief was to ward off evil spirts/bad juju
me too, I'd like to check it out but I don't know if I'd be wanting to go as deep as he did, but maybe. Definitely not alone, I have a feeling it wouldn't be that far from San Diego but I really dont know where it is.
@@brodowngaming well that's interesting info.. they could have used an evil eye though..
@@Shawn-yp9ic well, are you in Southern California somewhere? I'd go with you in a heartbeat😁😁😁
@@MPWEST83 I don't think they were aware of an evil eye in that time period.. it's possible.. but the cat is a long belief. Many ghosts towns I almost guarantee at least 1 of those homes have a dead cat in the walls