The Famous Gold Bottom Mine - Exploring The Main Upper Level (part 1 of 3)
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- Опубликовано: 23 май 2024
- In this video, we explore the main upper level of the famous Gold Bottom mine. After clearing out enough rocks from the portal for us to squeeze through, we were faced with what ended up being a 30-foot crawl into a drift that had been flooded at one time. Once we were able to stand up, we proceeded to explore and found incredible mine workings and amazing mineral veins.
This mine was discovered in the 1880s, and these upper ore bodies were mined before 1900. After 1900, the lower parts of the mine were worked. This three part series is all about the older upper workings. The underground workings of this gold, silver, lead, and copper mine are more than 7500 feet in length. It was still being worked in 1936 when the ore averaged 0.63 ounce of gold, 14.5 ounces of silver, 15.9 percent lead, and 0.6 percent copper per ton.
The angle of the mineral vein left steep stopes behind after the ore was removed. Now, many years later, a lot of the supporting stulls are failing. In part 1we follow four different drifts to their faces and find several ladders going up and one man way, with no ladders, going down. In part 2 of this video, we rappel down the ladderless man way and work our way down through the huge stopes to the main lower level of the mine. In part 3, we climb a set of ladders up to find more very cool workings high in the mine. We hope you enjoy this video series, and thank you for watching!
Here is a link to part 2 of this video series:
• The Famous Gold Bottom...
Here is a link to part 3 of this video series:
• The Famous Gold Bottom...
Have a beer on me.Thanks!
Thank you very much for the generous tip! That's kind of you, and we appreciate it.💰💰👍😊
This looks to be a good size mine! Love the compression. Can't wait to see part two and three. Thanks Tom and Julie!
Hi William. Yes, it's a pretty good-sized working. Hope you like the other parts of the explore. 👍😊
Julie Hope that Beer Went Down Good!! Those Stopes looked deep!!!; )
Hi Richard. It takes the first beer just to wash the dust out of your throat so they do go down good. Those stopes are deep. We will navigate through them in part 2. Thanks for watching, we appreciate it!😊
@14:33 When placed perpendicular to the support face, a newly installed square pine stull maintains a static load rating of ~32 tons for an 8x8 stull (.5 tons per square inch for Pine, .6 tons per sqaure inch for Red Oak), with ~72 tons for a 12x12" Pine stull. In Austraiia, specific Jarrah or Karri round natural hardwood timber props (stulls) can provide up to ~80 tons of static load, and are resistant to decay. Shorter stulls/props are less prone to failure due to load shifting, however more often exhibit crush characteristics. Thanks again for another great explore, looking foward to parts 2 and 3.
Well, those are some interesting numbers about stull strength. Most of these appeared to be 8x8s and most likely pine. We appreciate the research to get those numbers. We'll see you for the next part!😊
Thank you, Tom & Julie. You found a big mine to explore this time!
See ya for parts 2 & 3 soon!
You're welcome, Jimmi. Yes, this is a good-sized mine. See ya on the next part.😊
Very neat mine guys.... lots of nooks & crannies in there!!! That stull forest was pretty foreboding with so many of them being fractured..... can't wait for the next episode!! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!!!
Hi Trudy. Yes, a very sporadic working going in all directions. The stope is slowly closing the gap, and those stulls are turning into toothpicks. See you next Friday for part 2. Happy Memorial Day to you!😊
FINALLY we get to see the south side of Tom going north!! HA! Thanks for another great adventure, be safe and God Bless!
Hi David. Haha I didn't know that my backside was an in demand attraction. You're welcome, and thank you for the comment and blessing😊
Thanks, Tom and Julie, Fun Day, mine exploring with you two. 👍
You're welcome, Lloyd. Glad that you had fun!😊
It so amazes me the difficult conditions these miners worked in to burrow around the rocks!
Hi Doug. No doubt the miners faced difficult and dangerous conditions in these mines. It's dangerous to just walk through them, so I can't even imagine doing the mining work. Thanks for commenting!😊
That was a great explore, colorful can't wait for parts 2 and 3. Thanks guys😊
Hi Linda. Glad that you liked the explore. The minerals here are really colorful. You're welcome, and thanks for commenting!😊
Thanks for another Saturday morning mine explore, a very interesting mine.
Hi Brian. You're welcome. Glad that you found the mine interesting. Thanks for watching!😊
Would not want to be nose-to-nose with a rattlesnake crawling into a mine entrance like that 😬- As always thanks for bringing us along in the explore Tom and Julie.
Hi BT. I would not want that either or a lion. You would test your reverse crawling abilities in a hurry. You're welcome, and thank you for watching!😊
Another great mine find with amazing timbering Tom and Julie thanks
Hi Tony. Glad that you enjoyed the explore. You're welcome, and thank you for watching!😊
You guys found a big mine! What a cool explore. Looking forward to part 2 & 3.
Hi Roger. Glad that you liked the explore. Thanks for watching!😊
Those broken timbers are crazy, so thick yet they broke. Great video, be careful. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jim. The stulls are 8"x8" and we're crushed and buckled by the forces trying to close that gap. Glad that you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!👌
Wow guys. kinda tight main haulage and stopes. Tom ladders were calling your name. Those timbers were failing, super pressure Im certain. A very old digging for sure. . Thanks for your dedication to explore another abandoned mine. Stay safe you 2.
Hi Jake. Yes, some tight places in this one for sure. There will be some ladders in part 2. You're welcome, and thank you for commenting!😊
thanks,as always a great show .keeps me sitting on the edge of chair. GOD BLESS
Hi Bud. You are welcome. Thank you for watching and for the blessing!😊
Hey it's my two favorite desert rats again. How are you Tom and Julie it's great to see you out and about. That kind of was a tight squeeze getting in there, it looks like a really neat mind I would say that that ran gold silver lead zinc copper, ran the gamut. The next two episodes look very interesting Hope to see them soon thank you so much for taking me along with you again today I really enjoy it. And as always be safe and everything you do. Hope to see you again soon.
Hi Bob. Julie and I are both doing well. We hope you are well, too. Yes, a tight squeeze going into this one. Good thing we didn't have to make a quick exit. I put some information about the ore that was taken in the video description. I think you'll like the other parts of this series. Thanks for watching and for the nice comment!😊
Hi T & J,
Nice explore of an interesting and fairly extensive mine.
I can only imagine the forces involved to buckle those stope stulls like match sticks.
Thanks for taking us along.
Hi Rob. Glad that you enjoyed the explore. It's a good-sized mine with beautiful mineral veins. Yes, imagine the force necessary to compress those stulls to their point of failure. You're welcome, and thanks for watching!😊
Can't wait for another. Thank you both for the share.
Hi Richard. Part 2 next Friday. You're welcome, and thanks for watching!😊
great mine, looking forward to parts 2&3. thank-you for the video.
Hi Tony. Yes, it a beautiful mine. See ya on part 2!😊
You guys find some pretty awesome mines with lot's of beauty. Thanks for another enjoyable adventure. Can't wait for part 2. Be safe.
Hi SS. You're welcome. There are some beautiful minerals in this one. Thanks for watching!😊
Hi there Tom and Julie on another “spine-tingling-exploration “!!! At 25:08, last part of name looks like M. Nielsen ; first name maybe Ingram??? The M & N have the high lead-in-tail on start of each letter. Really looking forward to parts 2&3!! Keep Safe & Healthy!!! P.S.: if y’all could find a 4th part, even better!! Glad y’all wear the Blue Helmets & Shirts, too!
Hi Cary. Thanks for your input on the old graffiti. A lot of the time, it's easier to read some of that on the video. In real time, your eyes can play tricks on you when you are going from bright to dark with the flashlights moving around. See you next Friday for part 2.😊
It always amazes me seeing the large quantity of full dimension lumber and what good condition so much of it is in.
Hi Jeff. The amount, quality, and condition of the lumber in these dry desert mines is nothing short of amazing. I've heard some of the old timers say that if a board had a knot in it, they called it firewood. A lot of the wood sold today is so bad I wouldn't make a doghouse with it. Thanks for commenting!😊
All I can say is “ WOW” !! 😳. You two sure find & explore some very interesting mines . 😎👍. Can’t wait to see your next segments on this rare find . Thanks as always, and stay safe You two.🤞. Happy Memorial weekend.
Hi Stephen. Glad that you liked the mine. The rest of it is pretty nice, as well. Thanks for watching. Happy Memorial Day to you, too!😊
Hey there you two, well this mine certainly had it's share of busted stalls ay !!, glad to see you made the decision not to venture too far into the dangerous areas, now hope you had a beer for me when you got outside, ok stay safe and catch ya Cheers
Hi Brian and Mary. Yes, this one is trying to close the gap that the miners created when they removed the ore. We'll work our way through a stope in part 2. We will pop a top for you for sure. Thanks for watching!😊
Hello Tom Hello Julie
This mine is very good looking a lot of timberwork and bottomless stopes.
Thank you for the pictures and your Work to bring it to us.
I wish you a happy weekend and a good cold beer in a nice place.
Greetings from Germany
Yours Frank Galetzka
Hello Frank. Yes, it's a nice mine working with those deep stopes. You are welcome, and we appreciate you commenting. I'll have a cold beer for you. Hope you have a good weekend!😊
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Thank you very much greetings from the Harzmountains and the Rammelsberg Mine
Yours Frank Galetzka
Hope all is well at your mine, Frank.
That was a great explore ! I was really surprised what was inside after seeing the portal mostly covered.
Looking forward to parts 2 & 3.
Hi Scottie. I'm glad that you liked the explore. These portals that are on steep terrain often erode shut over the years. I've dug out several. This one floods, too, so water brings material in eroding it shut faster. Thanks for watching. See you for part 2 next Friday.😊
Wow, I was nervous for you two with all those breaking timbers, that looked like a bad place to feel the earth move.
Thanks for the look, waiting for 2 and 3.
Hi Mick. Yes, those stulls are failing as the mountain closes the gap where the ore was removed. You're welcome, and thank you for the comment!😊
Beautiful colors in part one. Can’t wait for the next one. Thanks for sharing. Take care of each other and stay safe.
I think you will like seeing more of the colorful mineral veins in the next parts of the video. Thanks for the comment!👍😊
Hi Julie 😊 good episode can't wait for the other two 😁 toms socks rocks 😂
Hi Gary. Glad that you enjoyed this episode. Tom has on a pair of lightweight gaiters to keep rocks and dirt out of his shoes. Thanks for the comment. See you next week. 😊
Hi Tom & Julie, what an interesting mine, some much to see and do there and that's just 1 level. It seems it was worked for quite a few years early in the 1900's, a pretty neat mine either way. Nothing wrong with a beer in the evening lol, I'm looking forward to part 2. Thank you for sharing, much love to you both. xx
Hi Sue. Glad that you found the mine interesting. This upper part of the mine is the older part being worked from the 1880s into the early 1900's. I think that the lower part was worked into the 1950's. A cold beer always goes down well after a day in a dusty mine. Thanks for watching and for the nice comment. We appreciate it!😊❤️
@@TomandJulieMineExploring you are so welcome. xx 🤗💞
Yes that was a good one. Looking forward to the next episode. Thanks
Hi Paul. Glad that you enjoyed the explore. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you for part 2!😊
Good explore. Time to get a beer!
Haha, thanks. Yes, time for a cold one after all that dust. Thanks for watching and commenting!😊
Awesome video !!!
Thanks for commenting, DR!😊
Great explore !
Hi Dave. Thanks for the comment!😊
That was interesting, lots of mine stuff to see . We'll be waiting for the next segments with anticipation . Dave and kathi. From Oregon Coastal Mountains.
Hi Dave and Kathi. Glad that you found the mine interesting. The next part I'd pretty cool, too. Thanks for watching and commenting!😊
That looks like a great mine, there was a lot to see. Can't wait for the ladders and ropes. Y'all be safe and bless you both, as for me doing fairly well considering.
Hi Jimmy. Very happy to hear that you're doing relatively well. Ladders and ropes coming in part 2. Thanks for watching and for the blessing!🙏😊
Tom and julie, what animals go into a mine the furthest, weather to live or just trying to survive. Do optical illusions happen in any mines.Have you ever experienced a hallucination in any of the many mines that you've been in.Thank you both for showing the fans a part of the world most of us will never get to see.
Hi Karl. I would think that a ringtailed cat would be the animal that goes furthest into the mines. Rats are more common but don't usually go terribly deep into the workings. One other animal that surprised us were burros, which I have seen sign of 750 into an adit. I don't think we have had hallucinations, but there are plenty of optical illusions that occur with light from the flashlights dancing around. Plenty of strange noises happen, too. Thanks for the comment!😊
When you guys crawl through those narrow openings it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It's kind of cool cuz I don't have to take the risk but I still get the adrenaline. Takes a lot of courage to be crawling around in those mines. It must get your heart thumping.
Hi Brandon. Let me just say that exploring these mines definitely keeps you in the present moment. The first couple of times that you dangle on a rope over a vertical shaft that is hundreds of feet deep will also keep you in the moment and get your heart thumping. I guess that's all part of the appeal to a risk-taking type of person. Thanks for watching and commenting. We appreciate it!😊
Quite the mine and thanks for sharing🤩👍👍
Hi Chuck. Glad that you enjoyed seeing the mine. Thanks for watching!😊
that was very nice thanks Tom & Julie i like beer
Hi Jerry. You're welcome, and we're glad that you liked the explore. We like a few beer, too!🍺🍺🍻😁
that was a fun explore you two ....need to see what down there and the upper levels too....so you know what I m gonna say huh
Hey Jeff. We'll go both up and down in parts 2&3 of this video. Yes, I know exactly what you're going to say that I'm a smart feller. Lol. Of course you're going to say LET'S GOOOOO!😁
With my luck that crawl entrance would cave in while I was in there or the state would decide to close it for good that day.. 😵 I think nearly everyone smoked in those days... Always great info in your descriptions.
That's funny stuff, Max. I think you're correct about the smokers back in the day. Thanks for watching the commenting!😊
Awesome start!!
Glad that you liked it, Mark!😊
Love the colors.
Hi Ed. Yes, the colors n this one are spectacular. Thanks for watching!👌
OMG THATS SCARY LOOKING TOM,CRAZY CLAUSTROPHOBIC AS I AM LOL 😂 YOU ARE BRAVE SOUL'S 😅
Hi Mike. Yes, it's kind of a crazy hobby and not for people who are claustrophobic. Thanks for the nice comment!😊
You do have some crazy sock covers on.😮😮😮 I can see them now at the beginning of this video. You styling brother you're styling.😊
Too cool! Thank you for being safe and showing us great footage of a very interesting mine.
You're welcome. Always good to be relatively safe. Glad that you liked the mine. Thanks for watching!😊
Hello Tom and Julie exciting explore you showed this mine had 1.5ft high flood and later found the lower level went about 75 down ? when the 2 nd level was closed it must have been dynamited quite a bit to keep all the water in. This will be very exciting as allways to see when you find the blocked 2nd level entrance love seeing your adventures and part 2 and 3 p.s. Now you have are mines wondering what comes next thank you again ⛏️🤔
Hi Case. We're glad that you like this mine. We will go down through the stopes to a lower level in part 2. It's a nice mine with beautiful minerals. We'll see you next Friday forvpart 2. Thanks for watching!⛏️😊
5x5 Datil New Mexico Territory ooh the fun wow great mine you too fireworks for shur
Hi Michael. Glad that you like the mine. See you next Friday!😊
Interesting mine no doubt! Not a lot of relics but interesting infrastructure. Can’t wait to see the second part.
Coors was my favorite beer till I was diagnosed with gout. Dammit!
Thanks, T&J!
Hey, do you think you’ll make a collab with Guy and Linda? I made the suggestion and he was all for it.
Hi Ralph. True that there aren't a lot of small artifacts in this one. The big stopes and beautiful minerals make up for it , though.
I had gout last year and it was not fun. I was told that beer can trigger a gout attack, but I believe I'm proving otherwise.
Are you talking about a collab with Gly and Laura? We could possibly be up for that, depending on schedules. Thanks for the comment!😊
Pub beer good choice
Hi Eddee. Yes, Pub is decent beer. It says cheap fun in small letters on the can. 😊
Many Critters go into Mines in search of Mineral Salts and/or Mine Water and Weeps to Lick.Thanks for yet another Fun Explore. Happy Memorial Day🙅
Hi TBI. Yes, there is a fair amount of life in these old mines. You're welcome, and thanks for your input once again.
Happy Memorial Day to you, as well! 😊
You do have some crazy sock covers on.😮😮😮 I can see him now at the beginning of this video. You styling brother you're styling.😊
Hey Eddie. Those are my Dirty Girl gaiters with the skulls and fire eyes design on them. 💀
10:04 Tererro, NM - I never heard of it either.... I lived in Albuquerque 1975-80 and I've been to nearly every place in NM but not there. Apparently it's a campground area near Santa Fe. Anyway, nice mine. I like those stoped areas.
Me too.
I hadn't heard of it either. I lived in Albuquerque from 1971 to '75 when I attended Sandia HS. Those big stopes are fun to see. We navigate down the stopes in part 2.😊
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Cool. I went to Cibola HS for the first nine weeks of 9th grade before we moved to Las Vegas, NV. Sometimes I still miss those days of exploring the petroglyphs near Paradise Hills... wasn't far from where I lived. Could walk there in 15-20 minutes. People used to go shooting out there but I guess now it's a conservation area. There certainly were quite a few cool petroglyphs out there. I kick myself now for never documenting them lol
Too bad you didn't have a nice digital camera back then. I believe it's a national monument now. We used to go to Paradise Hills occasionally dirt biking. There were closer places to dirt bike towards the foothills from where I lived, so not too often to the westside.
Fun explore
Glad that you enjoyed it, David. Thanks for watching!😊
*East Liverpool, Ohio - the pottery capital of the nation!*
Wow, what a busy mine you two have there - almost feels hectic to watch you exploring it.
(Tererro NM is NE of Albequerque - I just typed that in Bugs Bunny's voice).
Do you think miners back then knew explorers would come behind them one day, so they
spent so much time leaving their names and dates and such marked in mines?
Great explore, looking forward to more of it.
- Ed on the Ridge
Hi Ed. Thanks for the information on East Liverpool and Tererro, NM. It's my guess that the miners just put their names there for fellow miners to see. Remember that most of these mines were worked off and on several times over many decades. We've seen places where the same miner would add a new date to their original tag 25 years later when they worked there again.
Glad that you enjoyed the explore. See you next Friday for part 2!😊
Love your videos. Have a beer for me.
Hi Ed. Thanks so much for your generosity. We certainly appreciate it!👍💰😊
When will you start hosting exploration trips? Just awesome! Thanks for your time and content it's truly amazing to see. I could picture the workers just completely busting hump to get that done. That's when men were men. They wanted gold and silver not soy milk, DEI and wokeness.
Hi Adam. I'm very happy that you enjoy our content and appreciate the fact that you would go on an explore with us. I'm not sure that my hosting trips would be a good idea, though. It's a very dangerous and unhealthy hobby. It takes a big toll on our bodies, and we often get hurt. There are also things like toxic dust, bad air, and the possibility of falls and cave-ins. So I really wouldn't want to be responsible and would feel terrible for anyone getting hurt. I am willing to share suitable locations for beginning mine explorers if that helps.
I couldn't agree more about the work that was accomplished by the old-time miners. They had to be some tough and sturdy individuals to make it in that job. I do worry some about the direction our society is headed. The work ethic and abilities of some are at the very least questionable.
Thanks for the interesting comment!😊
If that is the same gold bottom mine, I think it is, the locals stopped playing in it in the sixties. Best to stay out of those old mines around here. Weve had some Very large earthquakes in this area and have smaller ones all the time.
Hi Mike. Yes, this is the only Goldbottom that I know of. We've been in just about all the mines in this area both before and after the big quakes near Ridgecrest. I don’t know about what the locals do, but the lower level of this one still gets a lot of visitors. The upper levels where were not so much. Thanks for the comment!😊
That was assome Idaho northxm
Hi Charles. Thanks for watching!😊
That would be an interesting experiment at least to me. Find out how much pressure it takes to crush say a four foot long 4x4. Would have to be someone smarter than I.
Someone in an earlier comment had some numbers about that subject that you might be interested in. I think it was something like 32 tons that an 8x8 stull could hold.😁
Wow. Is this in California?
It is in California. Not far from Trona. The lower level is popular with weekend explorers, the upper levels not so much.
Pitcher Oklahoma was a mining town too now no one lives there I think they mine lead there
Hi Vincent. Thanks for your input on Pitcher, OK. I had never heard of it until I saw the name in this mine. 😊👍
I lived in Altus Oklahoma for a year and I was looking up mining there Pitcher Oklahoma came up and believe it or not in the area where I was living there was a lot of mining there to mostly for gold. Thank you guys for great video and be safe out there my friends
Forgot to say pretty kool see a miner from Oklahoma came there to mine
I thought that was pretty cool, too.
Good lord! For me it would be the Life Alert commercial only, "Help I'm crawlin' and I can't get up!" Better tie a rope around your ankle so Julie can drag you ass back! The things we do.. Anyway Pitcher, Oklahoma is one of the nations largest toxic waste sites and was once a huge producer of lead and zinc. The town was so dangerous everybody had to move. Do you think the person who left that was a transient miner from pre-1920? I saw a map of the flooded tunnels under Pitcher and it is miles and miles and miles of tunnels. They probably operated in a similar manner. Be safe you two.
Haha, I should have had a rope on me just in case.
Very interesting information on Pitcher, OK. I have never heard of it. I'm almost certain that a miner from that area worked this mine. I see no other reason to write that. Thanks for the interesting comment!😊
@@TomandJulieMineExploring What years do you think this mine was active?
It was discovered in the 1880s and worked officially on record until 1937. I believe it was in operation much later than that. We saw dates in this upper part of the mine from the mid 1940s and the lower part I believe might have been worked until the 1950s or later. You have to realize that these mines can change hands many times over the years and are reworked as metal prices change and new technologies emerge.
@@TomandJulieMineExploring When was carbide phased out? I suspect the Okie was out there after the depression.On another note, my wife and I are thinking about getting out of tornado alley after she retires in a few years. That means West! We don't want to fry unless we want to be warm, and don't want to freeze unless it's fun!! That narrows it down to pretty much Arizona, Utah, Nevada....Where ever we can afford and enjoy. What got you out where you are now?
I used a carbide lamp for work in the late 1970s, so they were still being used then.
We lived in Minnesota and wanted a change. We have a summer place in Central Oregon, and we travel in a motorhome for the winter months. It is hard to find an affordable place in the SW that is not too hot in the summer. What we're doing works for us, although at some point, it will probably get old. Sounds like you need a couple road trips to see if you can find a suitable place. Remember to visit a place you're interested in during different seasons.👍
Was there good airflow in that mine?
Hi Owen. Yes, there is good airflow throughout the areas we were in. 😁
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Oh and how's the road going out there right now?
It looked very questionable on Google Earth.
I like Coors Banquet. Best ever lager.
Hey Ody. I like Coors, too. I'm not very picky, so I like a lot of different beers.🍺🍺🍻
@@TomandJulieMineExploring But it has to be Coors Lager. Their light beer tastes like carbonated coyote pi$$
I agree. We drink the regular, not the light.
@@OdySlimwhere do you find carbonated coyote pis do you use a stil when you make it 😂
@@casedoumasr656 I do have a still but not for coyote piss 🙂 To get it you have to follow the coyote around with a funnel and hope you dont get bit when trying to get your pee 🙂
"Dorthy" "Bill" Pitcher OK- Don't visit on a windy day or drink the water See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picher,_Oklahoma
Hi Fred. I had no idea of what Pitcher, OK was about when we saw the name in the mine. Thanks for your input!😊