Back in Provo, back in Buckley's

[andy]

Hey everyone! I'm back from California. I didn't ever get the time to head into anything underground out there, so I made sure to get back in as soon as I was back in Provo. I was up at Buckley's on Labor Day and saw the remainder of the mine that I hadn't seen before. (I had never seen the pit with the rock bolts next to it. I'd love to rappel down that, but I have never been taught SRT. Anyone with some free time willing to teach me?) The upper grate has been repaired (it previously had been cut deeply with a hacksaw and was a few hours' work away from being compromised), the old hacksaws are now at the bottom, and a new set of hacksaws has been brought up to the top. I saw about a dozen bats and about a dozen other people, both of which I had not seen in this mine before. I tried to climb up the two separate vertical shafts on the first floor but was unable to scale either. The first opened up too far for my leg span (and I'm fairly tall) about 15-20 feet up and had poor handholds. I don't know how to climb it; perhaps I just wasn't being creative enough. The second is the one with a ladder only 15 feet or so above my head. I started to climb it, but a muscle in my leg gave out, I slipped, and I had to quit. It could probably be done fairly easily, and I have no idea where it leads. I may try again in a few weeks when I have more friends with me to carry me out if need be. (I was with a single friend who's much smaller than I am.)

Regardless, I'm planning on attending the Intro to Ophir trip on the 26th, but I'd love to go with a group doing more advanced stuff. I've barely seen anything besides the Blue Room and the lake. If anybody's heading up there any time soon, please give me a call. I'm itching to see more of it.

Finally, James sends his regards from Peru. He's leaving the Peru MTC tomorrow and heading into the field. I'm putting in my mission paperwork within the next two weeks, so this will likely be my last semester here for two years. It's good to be back in Utah.

[Mike]

Good job! Sounds like you had a good time in there, and that lots of others are taking the taxing hike to the top to enjoy that mine. Better luck next time with those ladders. Tell James hi for us. My lil bro just got his papers back. He's going to Russia in a few months, that lucky guy.

[cherokeepilot85]

So did you climb the main ladder to the upper level? I didn't even know about another vertical shaft.

[offroadcmpr]

There are two other shafts that go straight up. You access them from the first level. One does not have a ladder, and one has a ladder that starts 15 feet up. I climbed partway up one, but I decided that I was not comfortable climbing too far up with out a rope or anything besides dusty rock to hold onto.

[Stuart]

I saw about a dozen bats and about a dozen other people, both of which I had not seen in this mine before.

About a dozen people! Wow, I think Buckley's is potentially one of Utah's most visited mines. I think it would be worth our while to place a register in the mine and get a general idea for how many people visit it each year. It would also be a good way to reach out to some more amateur explorers and teach them some basic safety techniques. Anyone familiar with the mine be interested in putting a register in there?

[andy]

I'd be glad to help in whatever way I can. I feel like I know the mine reasonably well, but I don't know how to go about properly installing the register. Is that something we'd want to have our logo on behind a gated entrance?

I did climb the main ladder. The bats I saw were roosting on the upper level near the second entrance. I agree with Brandon on the second ladder, however – it's too long to do without protection. I saw no cracks to stick nuts or cams into. Would installing bolts be a desecration? Perhaps one of the two shafts connects with the pit on the upper level with the pieces of rail stuck in it and we could drop a rope from the top down.

[Stuart]

No I don't think a logo on it would be a good idea, just an anonymous register to get a general idea for how many people are visiting.