nooob!

[Bansheenut]

Hey. My name is Cory. I stumbled onto your site back in May while doing some research about a ghost town/mine hunting trip a buddy of mine and I went on. We attempeted to go to Jacob city, but it was the week in may of that last really bad storm, and it was snowing pretty bad up there. We did make it to the first gated mine in Dry Canyon before turing around. We also drove up Ophir canyon, just for the ride. Not knowing where private property is and isnt, we didnt want any trouble. After that, we headed to the harker canyon area, and were again blocked by snow. Not the falling kind, but the drift kind. lol So, no Harker canyon either. After that, we heaed to silver city area and walked around near the taliling piles not to far off the side of the road. We did stumble accrosed two shafts that had been attempted to be covered by old cars. And some old runis of what I am guessing what the headframe stuff. It was a pretty cool area. We then went over to mammoth just to look. Again, not knowing about private property. Was really impressed by the mamoth mine opening. That was incredible! After that, we stopped in Eureka just to snap some pics. I have been going through Eureka since I can remember on my way to the dunes with my family. It had been a few years since I had been through there, and I was discusted at the look of the town now after reclamation. Its all rocks everywhere! Its just sad. I would really like to come on one of your adventures. Sounds like alot of fun! You guys have a great site, keep up the good work!
Here are a few pics of the trip we went on.... Nothing to impressive. lol

Ophir canyon is so beautiful!!



Anyone know what mine these tailings came out of? They are just as you start on the road to dry canyon from ophir.


Mining still active at the dragon mine. Mining for halosite clay.


Thess tailings piles are at the top of silver city (dragon canyon) and are almost at the gate where the pic previous was taken. Have all the mines up there been closed off? East of the fence there were not any no tresspassing signs to be seen. It would be a hell of a hike though. lol

This one you can see some kind of foundations on the hill.


Silver city old foundation


Headframe or hoist foundation?


NASTY water!!!


One of 2 mineshafts we literally stumbled onto. They shouldnt cover these things up with rotting cars!


Silver city tailings


Mammoth mine portal and workings



Eureka... The town the reclam...ed er ruined.




cool headframes....


Not so cool headframe, kinda fake headframe....





All the rest of the pics can be found on my photobucket page. (dont mind the car parts)

[Bansheenut]

Uh, oh yeah. Photobucket link

http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/bansheenut420/

[Mike]

Welcome Cory. Good to have you with us. Looks like you had quite an adventure travelling through the Ophir and Eureka districts. Both of which are our favorites. Feel free to register on our meetup.com site and join us for the 19th, 20th trip.

Those are some great pictures. Makes me wish I was back out there again!

[Crystal]

Welcome to the website and great pictures. Eureka is a fun little town, we were just there not to long ago and about to go again. Lots of open mines to go explore. Unfortunately, thanks to DOGM, they are going to close all of them soon (including the Mammoth area), with 6 bat gates and the rest 100+ mines will be back filled and gone forever. Hopefully we can stop them or at least delay them for. . .ever.
Join us on camp-outs/mine exploration always lots of fun! Again welcome to the site!

[UnderUtah]

Welcome! Sounds like you should come along with us on our next outing. Some great photos of Eureka. Hope to see you out there!

[Bansheenut]

Thanks for the welcome guys! I would love to come on your meet in August. I just started a new job, so I will have to see what I can do but I would love to come.
As far as Eureka, is threre anything that can be done? It so sad to hear they are going to do this. I mean, when was the last time someone got hurt out there? I dont remember ever. And they keep doing all these things like closing mines to "protect" us. When are they going to make laws to protect us from the idots?

[Derek]

Mike thanks to Bansheenut we find that the name of the clay being extracted from the Dragon mine is Halosite.

[Stuart]

Welcome!

Welcome!

Looks like you had a fun little trip! Its too bad you couldn't get into any mines, in both of those districts it can be pretty tricky to find the open adits especially in the snow. I think you would really enjoy our August trip, guaranteed you will get into at-least one good mine. I hope you find all the information on our site valuable to your future adventures both with and without us.

As far as Eureka, is there anything that can be done? It so sad to hear they are going to do this. I mean, when was the last time someone got hurt out there? I don't remember ever. And they keep doing all these things like closing mines to "protect" us. When are they going to make laws to protect us from the idiots?

A lot of us are doing the best that we can to stop the ongoing destruction of our mines and mining history. If you want to become involved, the first and most important thing you can do is inform everyone you possibly can about the damage that is being done in the name of "safety". Tell them the truth about mine dangers and how accidents that are already at a very low level can be prevented by using common sense and a few basic mine exploration rules. Tell them how millions of tax dollars are being spent every year to destroy the mines that made the west what it is today. Tell them that mine exploration is not a thrill seeking suicide wish, but a perfectly normal, safe, and fun way to learn about the past. Tell them that hundreds of adults in Utah responsibly explore abandoned mines and that we will be terribly angry if they are all destroyed! The last thing you should tell them, if they are still in doubt, is to visit any of Utah's mining districts after DOGM has "reclaimed" them. They WILL see the damage and they WILL wish that it had not been done, so lets all join together and stop this once and for all.

-Stuart

[Bansheenut]

Mike thanks to Bansheenut we find that the name of the clay being extracted from the Dragon mine is Halosite.

I actually spelled it wrong. Its halloysite. oops.