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I'm not sure on some of the names in the area, so any input would be great.
Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge is located on the Pony Express Route about 100 miles West of Salt Lake City. More information can be found at Fish Spring WR. Just to the west of Fish Springs is an old mining community with aprox 50 mines of various sizes and depths. In 1996 I had my first chance to visit the area with Ralph Powers and Brad Moss. We actually came from the Wendover direction, through Gold Hill and into the Tintic District.
As you pull up to the area there is a parking lot with huge tanks sitting there. The tanks were probably used for water storage at the mines. Just beyond the tanks there is a little road that goes up the hill side. The photo with Brad and Ralph standing in the entrace is a mine that goes back about 1000 feet and ends up in a room with a shaft going straight up to the surface, which you can see in the next photo.
Most of the mines in the area are relitively small with a few exceptions. This mine showing Ralph is just one of many with ladders, small rooms, and dry dusty air. Most of the small mines did not have any shafts or inclines. And most were no more than 500 feet long. As you work your way up the towards the main part of the mining district you come upon an old mine building. Not much left, lots of parties and trash. I've heard this building burned to the ground, but I would need someone to confirm that.
When you double back and start going up the hill again, you start to see some old mining equipment come into view. You can see the old hoist that has been torn down, but most of the equipmemt is still there. In the photo you can see the old engine that ran the miners and the ore up and down the shaft. The shaft still has the cement collar around it making the edge of the shaft much stonger. Of course we picked up a rock and threw it down to see just how deep the shaft really was. After falling for 6 seconds we realized that we had a deep pit, somewhere in the range of 600-800 feet. The interesting thing about this shaft was the amount of air coming out of it. On this day, the air was so strong that you could throw a small rock down it and the wind would pick it back up and throw it out of the shaft.
So of course after much discussion we decided that this is a shaft that we wanted to drop. So we took some measurments of the collar, took some photos of possible rigging points, and decided to head home and plan our next trip.
The next trip out we decided to do an exploritory drop into the shaft to see what we could find. We brought with us a 300 foot rope and a 220 foot rope. The plan for this trip was to see what was beneath the colar and check the stability of the walls. We decided to rig up an A frame for the drop. This A frame system gives you the ability to drop driectly down the center of the shaft without touching the walls. We decided the best anchor was my 1974 Dodge Ramcharger, since the rest of the equipment wasn't anchored down suffectly.
Since Brad found this area, he decided he wanted to be the first down the shaft. He geared up, and got ready to go. We all decided that he should only go down 100 feet and then turn around and come back up, giving us a report on what he saw. Mines and caves can be very dangerous, but vertical mines and caves can be deadly. Know your equipment, and don't assume that everyone in your group knows there equipment. So make you are always prepared to do a rescue. Because you never know what will happen.
Brad got down to the 100 foot level and tried to do a change over. He was using a vertical climbing system that he was very comfortable with, except when doing a change over. A change over is when you go from descending to asceding, and vice-versa. After about 10 minutes we started to hear a faint yell from the shaft. We went over and couldn't see Brad down below, but we could hear him. Somehow when Brad was doing his changeover he got his rack and his ascnders all tangled together and could not move. The more he struggled, the more he becamse tangled. Ralph and I had been working with the Utah Cave Search and Rescue and knew that we needed to get him out. So Ralph and I rigged a 3 to 1 haul system and lowered the backup rope we had to him. Once he told us he was secure, Ralph and I one length at a time pulled him out of the shaft. We were all very lucky that day, if we hadn't had the extra rope or all my rescue equipment, this trip would have turned out quite different.
Once Brad was out and we knew he was ok, Ralph and I decdided it was time to drop the shaft to the end of our rope, which was the 300 foot level.
Once I was in the mine, was able to see down the shaft much easier. I could tell that it went straight down, smooth walls, with little or no damage. The air was moving up the shaft still, and I continued my way down.
I finally reached the 300 foot level and looked to my left and right. The air was blowing out of this addit with a strong force. There was a passage behind me and in front of me, with track coming right to the edge. The shaft was too big in diameter for me to be able to reach the track, but I decided maybe on a later trip I could check out this level. I could see the top went another 30 or 40 feet below me, so I started descending into the mine again. At the end of the rope I reached my knot. I could see below me was another level, probably the 400 foot level. The interesting thing about this drop is once I went past the 300 foot level the air stopped moving. So all the air coming out of the mine was from the 300 foot level.
We decided to conclude this trip until next time. We knew that we were dealing with a fairly safe mine, and would try dropping the bottom at a later date.
August 24th, 1997
We dediced it was time to see the bottom of the mine. Dave Harris, Ralph Powers and I drove out with 1000 feet of rope and all our rescue equipment. This time we didn't have the ramcharger, so we rigged on Dave's Pathfinder, which worked great. We went out on a Friday, and that night we wanted to try and find out just how deep the shaft really was. After setting up camp, and having some good dinner, the sun had dropped and it was time to find out the depth. We first dropped a light stick down to see if we could see the bottom. After tumbling down the shaft there it was sitting on what looked like a pretty solid bottom.
The idea that we had come up with was to use kite string tied together. We needed to have a rough idea how deep the shaft was so we could make sure there was enough rope. So we started dropping the string down, then we would tie another length on and another and so on. Finally we readched what felt like the bottom, we measuresd, and the shaft came out to 710 feet deep. We had plenty of rope. Off to bed we went, gearing up for the big day.
The next morning we got up and re-rigged our A frame system. Now came the tricky part. We didn't have a 710' length of rope, all we had was 4 ropes that would make up enough to drop the shaft. We decided rather than carry down the ropes and tie them together as we were dropping, we would tie them together on the surface first. I used a Double Fishermans knot to tie the lengths together, creating 4 knots that you would have to cross on the way down, and then on the way back up. With the rop set in place, I decided I would go first. I use a rappell rack for descening, and then I use a Double Bungie system for ascedning back out. The double bungie consists of a seat harness, a chest harness, one hand ascender, and two foot ascenders. Basicually you setup the system so that are "Walking" up the rope. Very effient for long drops.
Once I started down the rope, I almost immedialty started having problems. Something we didn't think about. The 800 feet of kite string that we dropped down the shaft was still sitting in shaft, and as I was descending the sting started to get tangled up in the rope and in my rack. This slowed me way down. I couldn't get the rope to push through the rack, so I had to push the string down as I was going down the shaft, making this a very long decent. I finally reached the 300' level agian, and looked at the tracks and the passages. I looked down and took another photo. In the photo you can see the knot that I used to tie the ropes together. There is still 410' below me. I didn't know what was beyond, and I was little scared. This would be the deepest I have ever dropped on one single rope in a mine or a cave. I put my camera away, and started down again.
At the 400 foot level I could see another passage going off to the right. Not much else to see, I continued on. At the 500 foot level there was another drift. Same thing, not much to see. At the 600 foot level, again there was another drift. I was getting really excited at all the potentual mine to explore. The only problem that I could see was the 300 lbs of rope keeping me from the edge. I don't think I could have swumg into the side drifts even if I wanted to. Not without another plan. Now I know that you are saying, where are all the photos of the side passages. I have them, somewhere. Packed in all my photos. When I do find them, I will post them.
I finally got to where I could see what I thought was the bottom. I had just crossed my last knot, and hoped that our estimates on the depth were correct, and I wouldn't be caught in the air and have to turn around before I hit bottom. As I work my way down, the knot of string was getting really big now. All of a sudden there it was, the bottom. I could see my rope all tangled in a mess sitting on some rocks and metal siding. Finally I touched down. I was tired. I looked at my watch. It took me almost 90 minutes to descend down because of the knots, the string, and the just plain awesomness of the shaft that I had to keep admiring it. I pulled out my water bottle, took a sip. I decided that I would take some photos.
And of course I had to take a photo of myself at the bottom, and then I looked up and could see the entrace 710 feet above me.
Just as I was getting ready to do my ascent I looked down and saw the glow stick that we had dropped the night before. So I leaned over and picked it up. I hooked up my ascenders and my chest harness, looked up at the light, looked at my watch, and started. I was curious to see how fast I could do this drop in. The first 100 feet was easy, then I started slowing down. I came up to the first knot, crossed over, took a small break and started again. I repeated this till I was finally past the last knot. I could finally see Ralph and Dave poking there heads over the hole. I just kept climbing. As I got closer they started to ask me if I was ok and if I had made it. I was breathing so hard I couldn't say anything. I just kept pluggin away. Finally I made it to the collar. I sat on the side. They kept asking me if I was ok. I just waived at them to hang on a minute. I got off rope and laid on the ground. They came over and asked me if I made it to the bottem, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the lightstick and tossed it to Ralph. I had made it to the bottom. I looked at my watch, it took me 35 minutes to accend 710 feet. I thought I was going to die.
After I caught my breath and drank tons of water, Ralph and Dave decided they wanted to try, but both felt comfortable with only going to the 300 foot level on today's trip.
All in all, it was a great trip. I learned allot through these three visits. Always be prepared for the worst case, always have enough water, and never ever leave the dang string hanging in the shaft.
Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge - The Utah Mine
By Robert Cranney
Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge is located on the Pony Express Route about 100 miles West of Salt Lake City. More information can be found at Fish Spring WR. Just to the west of Fish Springs is an old mining community with aprox 50 mines of various sizes and depths. In 1996 I had my first chance to visit the area with Ralph Powers and Brad Moss. We actually came from the Wendover direction, through Gold Hill and into the Tintic District.
As you pull up to the area there is a parking lot with huge tanks sitting there. The tanks were probably used for water storage at the mines. Just beyond the tanks there is a little road that goes up the hill side. The photo with Brad and Ralph standing in the entrace is a mine that goes back about 1000 feet and ends up in a room with a shaft going straight up to the surface, which you can see in the next photo.
Most of the mines in the area are relitively small with a few exceptions. This mine showing Ralph is just one of many with ladders, small rooms, and dry dusty air. Most of the small mines did not have any shafts or inclines. And most were no more than 500 feet long. As you work your way up the towards the main part of the mining district you come upon an old mine building. Not much left, lots of parties and trash. I've heard this building burned to the ground, but I would need someone to confirm that.
When you double back and start going up the hill again, you start to see some old mining equipment come into view. You can see the old hoist that has been torn down, but most of the equipmemt is still there. In the photo you can see the old engine that ran the miners and the ore up and down the shaft. The shaft still has the cement collar around it making the edge of the shaft much stonger. Of course we picked up a rock and threw it down to see just how deep the shaft really was. After falling for 6 seconds we realized that we had a deep pit, somewhere in the range of 600-800 feet. The interesting thing about this shaft was the amount of air coming out of it. On this day, the air was so strong that you could throw a small rock down it and the wind would pick it back up and throw it out of the shaft.
So of course after much discussion we decided that this is a shaft that we wanted to drop. So we took some measurments of the collar, took some photos of possible rigging points, and decided to head home and plan our next trip.
The next trip out we decided to do an exploritory drop into the shaft to see what we could find. We brought with us a 300 foot rope and a 220 foot rope. The plan for this trip was to see what was beneath the colar and check the stability of the walls. We decided to rig up an A frame for the drop. This A frame system gives you the ability to drop driectly down the center of the shaft without touching the walls. We decided the best anchor was my 1974 Dodge Ramcharger, since the rest of the equipment wasn't anchored down suffectly.
Since Brad found this area, he decided he wanted to be the first down the shaft. He geared up, and got ready to go. We all decided that he should only go down 100 feet and then turn around and come back up, giving us a report on what he saw. Mines and caves can be very dangerous, but vertical mines and caves can be deadly. Know your equipment, and don't assume that everyone in your group knows there equipment. So make you are always prepared to do a rescue. Because you never know what will happen.
Brad got down to the 100 foot level and tried to do a change over. He was using a vertical climbing system that he was very comfortable with, except when doing a change over. A change over is when you go from descending to asceding, and vice-versa. After about 10 minutes we started to hear a faint yell from the shaft. We went over and couldn't see Brad down below, but we could hear him. Somehow when Brad was doing his changeover he got his rack and his ascnders all tangled together and could not move. The more he struggled, the more he becamse tangled. Ralph and I had been working with the Utah Cave Search and Rescue and knew that we needed to get him out. So Ralph and I rigged a 3 to 1 haul system and lowered the backup rope we had to him. Once he told us he was secure, Ralph and I one length at a time pulled him out of the shaft. We were all very lucky that day, if we hadn't had the extra rope or all my rescue equipment, this trip would have turned out quite different.
Once Brad was out and we knew he was ok, Ralph and I decdided it was time to drop the shaft to the end of our rope, which was the 300 foot level.
Once I was in the mine, was able to see down the shaft much easier. I could tell that it went straight down, smooth walls, with little or no damage. The air was moving up the shaft still, and I continued my way down.
I finally reached the 300 foot level and looked to my left and right. The air was blowing out of this addit with a strong force. There was a passage behind me and in front of me, with track coming right to the edge. The shaft was too big in diameter for me to be able to reach the track, but I decided maybe on a later trip I could check out this level. I could see the top went another 30 or 40 feet below me, so I started descending into the mine again. At the end of the rope I reached my knot. I could see below me was another level, probably the 400 foot level. The interesting thing about this drop is once I went past the 300 foot level the air stopped moving. So all the air coming out of the mine was from the 300 foot level.
We decided to conclude this trip until next time. We knew that we were dealing with a fairly safe mine, and would try dropping the bottom at a later date.
August 24th, 1997
We dediced it was time to see the bottom of the mine. Dave Harris, Ralph Powers and I drove out with 1000 feet of rope and all our rescue equipment. This time we didn't have the ramcharger, so we rigged on Dave's Pathfinder, which worked great. We went out on a Friday, and that night we wanted to try and find out just how deep the shaft really was. After setting up camp, and having some good dinner, the sun had dropped and it was time to find out the depth. We first dropped a light stick down to see if we could see the bottom. After tumbling down the shaft there it was sitting on what looked like a pretty solid bottom.
The idea that we had come up with was to use kite string tied together. We needed to have a rough idea how deep the shaft was so we could make sure there was enough rope. So we started dropping the string down, then we would tie another length on and another and so on. Finally we readched what felt like the bottom, we measuresd, and the shaft came out to 710 feet deep. We had plenty of rope. Off to bed we went, gearing up for the big day.
The next morning we got up and re-rigged our A frame system. Now came the tricky part. We didn't have a 710' length of rope, all we had was 4 ropes that would make up enough to drop the shaft. We decided rather than carry down the ropes and tie them together as we were dropping, we would tie them together on the surface first. I used a Double Fishermans knot to tie the lengths together, creating 4 knots that you would have to cross on the way down, and then on the way back up. With the rop set in place, I decided I would go first. I use a rappell rack for descening, and then I use a Double Bungie system for ascedning back out. The double bungie consists of a seat harness, a chest harness, one hand ascender, and two foot ascenders. Basicually you setup the system so that are "Walking" up the rope. Very effient for long drops.
Once I started down the rope, I almost immedialty started having problems. Something we didn't think about. The 800 feet of kite string that we dropped down the shaft was still sitting in shaft, and as I was descending the sting started to get tangled up in the rope and in my rack. This slowed me way down. I couldn't get the rope to push through the rack, so I had to push the string down as I was going down the shaft, making this a very long decent. I finally reached the 300' level agian, and looked at the tracks and the passages. I looked down and took another photo. In the photo you can see the knot that I used to tie the ropes together. There is still 410' below me. I didn't know what was beyond, and I was little scared. This would be the deepest I have ever dropped on one single rope in a mine or a cave. I put my camera away, and started down again.
At the 400 foot level I could see another passage going off to the right. Not much else to see, I continued on. At the 500 foot level there was another drift. Same thing, not much to see. At the 600 foot level, again there was another drift. I was getting really excited at all the potentual mine to explore. The only problem that I could see was the 300 lbs of rope keeping me from the edge. I don't think I could have swumg into the side drifts even if I wanted to. Not without another plan. Now I know that you are saying, where are all the photos of the side passages. I have them, somewhere. Packed in all my photos. When I do find them, I will post them.
I finally got to where I could see what I thought was the bottom. I had just crossed my last knot, and hoped that our estimates on the depth were correct, and I wouldn't be caught in the air and have to turn around before I hit bottom. As I work my way down, the knot of string was getting really big now. All of a sudden there it was, the bottom. I could see my rope all tangled in a mess sitting on some rocks and metal siding. Finally I touched down. I was tired. I looked at my watch. It took me almost 90 minutes to descend down because of the knots, the string, and the just plain awesomness of the shaft that I had to keep admiring it. I pulled out my water bottle, took a sip. I decided that I would take some photos.
And of course I had to take a photo of myself at the bottom, and then I looked up and could see the entrace 710 feet above me.
Just as I was getting ready to do my ascent I looked down and saw the glow stick that we had dropped the night before. So I leaned over and picked it up. I hooked up my ascenders and my chest harness, looked up at the light, looked at my watch, and started. I was curious to see how fast I could do this drop in. The first 100 feet was easy, then I started slowing down. I came up to the first knot, crossed over, took a small break and started again. I repeated this till I was finally past the last knot. I could finally see Ralph and Dave poking there heads over the hole. I just kept climbing. As I got closer they started to ask me if I was ok and if I had made it. I was breathing so hard I couldn't say anything. I just kept pluggin away. Finally I made it to the collar. I sat on the side. They kept asking me if I was ok. I just waived at them to hang on a minute. I got off rope and laid on the ground. They came over and asked me if I made it to the bottem, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the lightstick and tossed it to Ralph. I had made it to the bottom. I looked at my watch, it took me 35 minutes to accend 710 feet. I thought I was going to die.
After I caught my breath and drank tons of water, Ralph and Dave decided they wanted to try, but both felt comfortable with only going to the 300 foot level on today's trip.
All in all, it was a great trip. I learned allot through these three visits. Always be prepared for the worst case, always have enough water, and never ever leave the dang string hanging in the shaft.
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