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The trip started with all 18 of us splitting up into 2 groups to tour the Hidden Treasure mine. I followed Stuart, Mike headed up the other group. Stuart took us down the main incline to the collapsed bit before we went back to the top of the incline to go see the drop he'll be taking later with a few of the lucky others with harnesses and proper vertical gear that leads to the Buckhorn Mine. After that we looked for the upper mineralized area of the mine (the lower being past the collapsed section of the main incline). While I enjoy rock hounding, I was there to explore, as was Troy. The two of us wandered up past a rather dodgy fence of sorts keeping many large rocks from rolling down the incline, up to a much larger incline. We called to Stu to come join us and take a closer look before continuing, then kept moving upwards into a rather large stope with a ceiling of about 50-60 feet at the peak.
We shot out most of the tunnels in the stope, with one leading to an incline, and explored one level up and one level below where we came in. In the tunnel leading to the incline was an ore cart. On the same level we came in was a branch off going down a smaller tunnel that leads to an intersection with a large cave room about 15 feet in diameter and about 60 feet tall at the peak, in a more or less conical shape. About at this point in time we had been separated from the group for about an hour and went back, after only scratching the surface of this incline. Mike's group as well as most of our group had already left the mine and went to go explore the Utah Queen. Great fun was had and we must go back to see the rest of this mine. If I forgot anything, let me know.
We shot out most of the tunnels in the stope, with one leading to an incline, and explored one level up and one level below where we came in. In the tunnel leading to the incline was an ore cart. On the same level we came in was a branch off going down a smaller tunnel that leads to an intersection with a large cave room about 15 feet in diameter and about 60 feet tall at the peak, in a more or less conical shape. About at this point in time we had been separated from the group for about an hour and went back, after only scratching the surface of this incline. Mike's group as well as most of our group had already left the mine and went to go explore the Utah Queen. Great fun was had and we must go back to see the rest of this mine. If I forgot anything, let me know.
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