Green Eyed Monster

[Crystal]

That is really interesting. I hope someday we'll be the ones who get to explore it.
If you could make a small copy so it fits fully on the screen so we can see it as a whole and not in chunks.
Good work Mojave!

-Crystal

[Stuart]

there

There I shrunk it down to a more reasonable size. Anyone have info on this cave?

[Mike]

No, but its too small now. Perhaps you could repost the original image? Crystal is crazy and doesn't know any better. Bless her.

[Stuart]

Sorry cheese nacho

Sorry cheese nacho dude, here is the original link: http://www.jonjasper.com/MapGallery/...yedMonster.jpg

Hope that helps you out!

-Mojave

Man of the wilderness

[one_bad_rover]

A little info, take it for what its worth and years of struggles in the area.
The Green Eyed Monster Mine is located just a short hike to the north in Ophir Canyon. The site is a mine as it was started, that broke into a cavern, and some of the site was worked, but abandoned due to lack of mineral value. Leo Ault currently owns the land and as such, the mine. In 2007 there was a massive reclamation effort that was finished up in the area, took out a lot of the newer mines (after 1920s), the green eyed monster was in line with the rec plan. Timp Grotto managed to get in under OGM and place a gate over the GEM, this however, was an illegal gating as it wasnt their land to place it on. Last I heard from Julie (Leo's daughter), Leo had been out there with a series of winches and pulleys (its on a steep grade) and removed the gate, with some damage to the entrance. It is a strictly no trespassing site, and unfortunately, you cant really get into Ophir with out being noticed, and then if you park near the trailhead, there is usually a call placed to Tooele Co. Sherriffs.
Julie and Leo are both really nice once they determine your intentions, and have let GRE lead a few excursions up into the larger mine sites they own in the valley, the Wandering Jew mine being one of the most amazing, with "hebrew" writings near the last level of the mine. The caretaker of the site said that the writings have been there since the soldiers (that originally started reworking the old spanish mines) came in. We are planning a mid June trip up to assess the damage from the reclamations and photograph some of the GEM since there is so much controversy around it. Details on the trip will be posted on our google calendar if anyone is interested in coming along.
Also, just as a side note, any grotto that is claiming to have a key or legal access to any mine, or mining area is, well, um, full of hot air. OGM is gating up hundreds of mines each year, with NO KEYS given out. The gating is purely asthetic, once they are closed they are gone. Also, any caving preservation laws do not apply to mines or mining sites. FYI, a claim does not provide ownership either, a claim gives only access to the minerals within the specified tract. You can legally access any mine that is not marked no trespassing at any time, claimed or not, as long as you do not move, touch or modify any of the minerals or rocks in the site. However, if the site is on a patented claim (as much of Ophir is) then you cannot legally access the land, once the claim becomes patented, the claim holder is also the land owner and has all the rights of such. However... (again) the patented claim owner cannot close or deny access to any roads that were in the area prior to 1976, or if created after 1976, have been in use for over 10 years by the public at large. Hope some of that is at least a little helpful.

[Mike]

Hey Corey. Great to have you on with us on Mojave Underground.

That is some wonderful information! It's a blessing to find another person who has information and shares the passion we have for our dying history. Last year we made a trip into Ophir to explore more of the mines and discovered that they had all been gated, much to our dismay. Its interesting to know a little more about why that happened. A fews back we ran into Mr. Ault while he was working on a building. We mentioned our intent to hike up to the Buckhorn mines. He was very friendly, told us a bit of history of the mine and gave us some directions to certain locations on the top of the mountain. We'd love to get back in contact with him. Ophir is our favorite locations. The quality of the mines, along with the number of them and the history of the area have attracted
us to the area for many years.

Perhaps we can team up in the future with some of yours and our expeditions. I think with our shared passion for exploration, documentation, and preservation of our dying mines, we could make a great team!

[Stuart]

Thank you soo much!
This is wonderful information! I am very much looking forward to speaking with you further about these and other mines in Utah!

-Mojave

[jsteven]

One bad rover,

Where on earth did you get your info from?

The Timpanogos grotto had no part in gating GEM. It was done under direction the the land owner Leo and his daughter Julie.

A little info, take it for what its worth and years of struggles in the area.
The Green Eyed Monster Mine is located just a short hike to the north in Ophir Canyon. The site is a mine as it was started, that broke into a cavern, and some of the site was worked, but abandoned due to lack of mineral value. Leo Ault currently owns the land and as such, the mine. In 2007 there was a massive reclamation effort that was finished up in the area, took out a lot of the newer mines (after 1920s), the green eyed monster was in line with the rec plan. Timp Grotto managed to get in under OGM and place a gate over the GEM, this however, was an illegal gating as it wasnt their land to place it on. Last I heard from Julie (Leo's daughter), Leo had been out there with a series of winches and pulleys (its on a steep grade) and removed the gate, with some damage to the entrance. It is a strictly no trespassing site, and unfortunately, you cant really get into Ophir with out being noticed, and then if you park near the trailhead, there is usually a call placed to Tooele Co. Sherriffs.
Julie and Leo are both really nice once they determine your intentions, and have let GRE lead a few excursions up into the larger mine sites they own in the valley, the Wandering Jew mine being one of the most amazing, with "hebrew" writings near the last level of the mine. The caretaker of the site said that the writings have been there since the soldiers (that originally started reworking the old spanish mines) came in. We are planning a mid June trip up to assess the damage from the reclamations and photograph some of the GEM since there is so much controversy around it. Details on the trip will be posted on our google calendar if anyone is interested in coming along.
Also, just as a side note, any grotto that is claiming to have a key or legal access to any mine, or mining area is, well, um, full of hot air. OGM is gating up hundreds of mines each year, with NO KEYS given out. The gating is purely asthetic, once they are closed they are gone. Also, any caving preservation laws do not apply to mines or mining sites. FYI, a claim does not provide ownership either, a claim gives only access to the minerals within the specified tract. You can legally access any mine that is not marked no trespassing at any time, claimed or not, as long as you do not move, touch or modify any of the minerals or rocks in the site. However, if the site is on a patented claim (as much of Ophir is) then you cannot legally access the land, once the claim becomes patented, the claim holder is also the land owner and has all the rights of such. However... (again) the patented claim owner cannot close or deny access to any roads that were in the area prior to 1976, or if created after 1976, have been in use for over 10 years by the public at large. Hope some of that is at least a little helpful.

[Mike]

I wouldn't imagine that the Timp Grotto would participate in the gating in the fasion that Ophir was gated. But know knows.

The question now resides, who has access, and who do we talk to get gain permissed entrance?

[jsteven]

I wouldn't imagine that the Timp Grotto would participate in the gating in the fasion that Ophir was gated. But know knows.

The question now resides, who has access, and who do we talk to get gain permissed entrance?

Julie is the contact person and will typically let you in. For the most part they just want to know when people are there, they are not at all as scary as everyone makes them out to be, they just like to know who is on their land and what they are up to.

On a side note I read on another forum that no one from any of the grottos has even been in contact with Julie regarding the cave/mine for at least 2 years.

[jsteven]

Also, just as a side note, any grotto that is claiming to have a key or legal access to any mine, or mining area is, well, um, full of hot air. OGM is gating up hundreds of mines each year, with NO KEYS given out.

the Grottos DO in fact have keys to at least two mines containing a cave and there is a formal agreement with the BLM regarding them.
The caves are Candlelight Cave west of Utah lake and Crystal Cave west fo the great salt lake ont he Utah/Nevada border. I have no doubt there are others in addition to those two.

More info about those can be found under the gated caves section at http://www.caves.org/grotto/timpgrotto/

[Mike]

That is some good information. We'll have to find some way of getting in contact with Julie and scheduling a time to visit Ophir Hill and the Green Eyed Monster.

I have not heard much of Candlelight Cave. Crystal Cave has been one of our desires to explore for some time now. We'll have to coordinate with the Grotto on that.

Something we've been interested in is the rumored back entrance to the Timpanogos Caves. Does the Grotto know anything about this or would that be a discussion to have at a Grotto meeting?

[jsteven]

Something we've been interested in is the rumored back entrance to the Timpanogos Caves. Does the Grotto know anything about this or would that be a discussion to have at a Grotto meeting?

Unless you are talking about the natural entrances there is no "back entrance"
The big entrance you enter through for the tours is man made. The natural entrance to timp cave is just above this. The tunnels that connect to the other caves (Hansen and Middle) are also man made. There are natural entrances to both of those caves as well. They are on the cliffs above the cave, but they all have gates and motion detecters on them. I recall hearing something about cameras too but I am not certain on that one.

If you want to look for back entrances to things people are digging in upper cave in attempt to reach candlelight from it. This would be a major find if they were able to connect it. The passage is loose lake bonneville fill and is easy digging. One can progress 50' or more in a few hours. With a team of 3 people you can have one person filling buckets with the loose dirt and the others pulling the full buckets out.

[Mike]

Wow I didn't know they were so secure up at the timp caves. That is too bad. Candlelight sounds like just the cave we'd be interested in exploring. The Timp Grotto information ( http://www.caves.org/grotto/timpgrot...t-History.html ) gives some good stories. I think Stu, Crystal, and I would like to go check it out. What does it take to get coordinates? I'm personally never opposed to a little digging. Always find something interesting that way...

[Mike]

We are very interested in getting into the Green Eyed Monster. Does anybody have any information on how to contact Julie or a responsible party to arrange entrance?