Descending mine shafts?

[Bizzo]

Hey guys,

I wasn't really sure where to post this but I figure here is alright. My great great uncle spent his whole life looking for a treasure. He never found it, but in the area there is a few old mine shafts. Some are rumored to be up to 300 feet deep straight down. As far as I know no one has been in them in hundreds of years. I've been considering trying it. How would I go about it? I'm not really worried about the smaller shafts, but 300 feet deep scares me a little. Is it worth the risk? What exactly are the risks? Low oxygen? Dangerous gasses? What gear would I need? If anyone here has any spelunking experience I would greatly appreciate anything that could point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

 

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[Icewing]

Well the right direction is down, and be ready for whatever creatures may have fallen down the shaft. I also recommend at least 305 feet of rope tied of to a chevy, and someone to drive it when you start screaming.

 

[Bizzo]

Lol Icewing I have a GMC, I assume that will work too? If not you're pretty close to me, maybe you could drive me up when I start screaming.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Seriously, before you lower yourself 30+ stories deep take a few things into consideration. Air quality: are there dangerous gases in the hole?; Water: is it flooded?; Do YOU have any real experience in confined spaces?; Communication: How will you communicate with the surface crew?; Do you HAVE a surface crew? Yadda... Yadda... Yadda...

Getting my point yet?

 

[Keppy]

Terry is right there if you are smart you will not go in that shaft..If you do not know what you are doing the gas fumes will kill you fast..Just read that sign Terry put up .. That sign is very true..

 

[dtpost]

Have you ever thought of purchasing a plumbing camera to send down the shaft, may be able to rent one, but less expensive than your life!

 

[Crappies-n-Coins]

Go for it, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[pepperj]

Simple just sit in the deck chair with a cold drink under the umbrella and look at the dead things in the bottom of the shaft. No need to get in harms way in todays tech. world.

• 

 

[Bizzo]

Thanks for the concern guys, I'll probably drop a camera down them to have a look. I still think if there's any smaller shafts that don't have water in them it's worth the risk of climbing down. Maybe I'll find a professional to help me with it.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Have you considered that it's just fanciful legend gone awry, and there's not really any treasure ? As for someone "looking for it their entire life": Such is the allure of treasure stories. The human psyche wants SO HARD to believe it, "lest you be left out". Hence persons looking "their entire lives" does not lend any credibility/credence to the story. Heck, look at all the ghost story legends that people, even now, are dumping fortunes into finding. And no matter how deep they go, and an no matter how much evidence and alternate explanations arise, they're still utterly convinced it's there (and must merely be "deeper" and so forth). Oak Island, Lost dutchman, blah blah blah.

The stories were a dime a dozen (lost mines, stolen stage coach bandit loot, blah blah blah) in the 1970's treasure mag's. Fun to read, but all silly lore and made up stories. A friend of mine even submitted one of those stories (to get the $50 or whatever acceptance/publishing fee). Entirely made up. I wonder if anyone went out looking for it ?

 

[Robot]

It may be expensive...But Reverse Engineering ...May work!



It would take work, materials and money.

Reverse building the cribbing, ladders, and supports.

You may start by researching what king of mine this was and what it produced.

 

[GA_Boy]

Find yourself an experienced Spelunker and get his/her opinion. I like the helicopter idea with light and camera.
Marvin

 

[Brother Al]

Seriously, before you lower yourself 30+ stories deep take a few things into consideration. Air quality: are there dangerous gases in the hole?; Water: is it flooded?; Do YOU have any real experience in confined spaces?; Communication: How will you communicate with the surface crew?; Do you HAVE a surface crew? Yadda... Yadda... Yadda...

Getting my point yet?

And dont forget the snakes......and the snakes.......did I mention the freaking snakes?

 

[pepperj]

And dont forget the snakes......and the snakes.......did I mention the freaking snakes?

You afraid of these little guys.

 

[relic nut]

You afraid of these little guys.

View attachment 1259125

Dam Skippy!!! Don't even like pictures.

HH, Relic Nut

 

[Crappies-n-Coins]

Dam Skippy!!! Don't even like pictures.

HH, Relic Nut

Go watch Tremors....do it now!!!!!

 

[relic nut]

Go watch Tremors....do it now!!!!!

NO!!

HH, Relic Nut

 

[galenrog]

Pepper, the only good use for those things is dinner. Sautéed. In butter. With garlic, onions, and potatoes.

 

[yodi]

Probably gold down there just pound a few beers and go for it I wouldn't tell anyone were I was going either you don't want them getting your treasure

 

[Alex Burke]

Probably gold down there just pound a few beers and go for it I wouldn't tell anyone were I was going either you don't want them getting your treasure

Are you trying to get the guy killed lol. In case people missed Terry's post old mine shafts are very dangerous and here are some other things to consider. Let's say you find an abandoned hard rock mine here in Ca there are many.. Even if you found one of the richest abandoned hard rock mines in the state you would still be below economic standards to mine and process it, extracting gold from quartz/hard rock is harder than people would think. Then you have the areas that are closed to mineral entry and existing claims held for various reasons.

Miners rarely left jars of gold or caches in the mine itself they were far more likely to stash whatever gold they recovered under in or near their cabin imo. You can look at old mining claims and if you do your research you will find abandoned gold camps are sometimes listed in mining journals, so if you are serious about finding lost caches the locations of abandoned mining towns and camps would be more useful and a better start in my opinion.