Please consider donating to our efforts. If you like what we are doing and want to see the Tunnel and Site restored, along with more videos you can support our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CNAH8ZNSJL9KQ
Sutro himself drove the first pick for the tunnel in October of 1869 and it opened in 1874. I have seen photos of U.S. Grant and his son touring the tunnel upon it's opening. It's job was to drain water from the mines, adding an escape route, giving a downhill route for removing ore and ventilating the mines and keeping them cool as they were very hot inside.
That's mostly correct. The tunnel officially opened for business in May of 1879. It connected to the Savage mine in 1878. The tunnel stayed in operation until 1942 when it was closed due to executive order L-208.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel First let me say thank you for the work you are doing. My post was from memory of a book I read many years ago. Adolph Sutro, A biography by Robert E. Steward and M.F. Steward. I will have to find the time to reread it.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel Question. I looked up Executive Order L-208, which specifically ended gold mining, not silver mining. Could you please expand on that for me? Thanks.
@@rickkinki4624 it did specify gold mining but silver and all non essential mining was also included. They also needed the men that were working to enlist.
I Love the whole Virginia City area history. It has such an amazing story to tell, and efforts like this will tell the story. Thank you!! PS - Please watch the RUclips ads past 30 seconds to help out this effort !
That’s a heck of a nice drone…must have a lot of avoidance sensors and a very good pilot. Tunnel actually looks reasonable decent, all things considered. It’s had to get scale on things but it’s taller than I expected, assuming the bracing timbers and top bracing is tall enough to allow mules thru. Nice to see it…
Amazing video! Philip Diedesheimer's square-set timbering was critical to the success and safety of the Comstock's deep mining efforts, but I guess Sutro didn't get the memo!
The timbering you see here was done by Houston Oil and Minerals in the late 1970's - early 1980's. They pulled out the square set and polygon timbers and put in this wedged and nailed in design that was terrible and failed. We're pulling all of it out and are going with Sutro's original design.
I once saw a Huell Howser Video he did when he took a tour of the Sutro Tunnel. He was with a bunch of people all dressed in rain gear. They were riding a tram of some sorts, I believe.There was one section where water was shooting, not coming out of, but shooting straight out from this one wall. It was crazy. Great to see this piece of history being taken care of.
I've never heard of him visiting here. I'll have to find that video now. Do you remember if that was on one of his tapes or a broadcast? I've never heard of a tram at the Sutro tunnel. I'd live to see the video.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel It was a long time ago. The tram could of been a railcart/passenger thing. He did " California's Gold ". But I don't think this was a part of that. He did other programs like The National Parks and Road Trips to different places. The people he was with seemed like they worked at the Sutro Tunnel. I just remembered a lot of water. I wish I could remember more. I plan on signing on for a tour sometime this year.
Danke für die hervorragenden Aufnahmen. Zum Glück scheinen die Firste und die Stösse des Tunnels in Ordnung zu sein . Ein Problem ist der HolzAusbau der verrottet ist. Ich würde damit beginnen das Wasser aus dem Tunnel zu bekommen . Den vorderen Teil des Tunnels von oben nach unten von Trümmern zu säubern und dann die Wässer auszuleiten . Alles Gute und viele Grüsse aus Deutschland und dem Harzgebirge Frank Galetzka
Why would anyone dam up a free flowing drainage level. I know it's been done in redundant tunnels to Stoke up a hydraulic head for deep level pumping but if Sutro is the only handy way out for the water then it doesn't make sense. Maybe there is a very clever manifold in any dam which allows pumped water to pass through the clay dam. In North Wales Concrete filled sandbags have been used for this job but always Interleaved with puddled clay. I think Rhosydd had a 12" pipe coming through the wall but I'm told this was to clear accumulating silt not drain water. This tunnel is lucky to have such good friends 👍🏼🏴
That's one way to assess what's ahead. Looks like most of the fractured rock had sluffed off already. I wonder what condition the timers are in still. Nice bit piloting!👍
If you look at the wood, they don't make wood like that anymore no knot holes if any and solid. Our home was built in the 1950's and has that type of wood. Sounds odd but we appreciate the quality of our 1950's home wood like in this A++ drone footage.
Hope there are plans to open and reinforce the tunnel for tours. So much of our history is being lost to time and housing projects. When one is flying a drone to themselves, are the controls reversed?
There is a plan in place with the best engineer and mining contractor in the area. For drone questions I'll send you to EROCK llc. They are the professionals that do the drone work. ruclips.net/video/Gvgbq2cKniE/видео.html
Yes. The controls are reversed. L is R & R is L etc. Makes for excellent brain training. You’ll never get dementia flying a drone. Much like driving in the States, coming from Australia (RH to LH drive) it’s a simple brain flip & 3 laps of the rental car parking lot & I’m good to go.
It would seem the lagging all rotted and fell while the rock remained stable. Most unusual. Looks all that wood was totally wasted and need not be replaced - at least in this area.
At this point, we have no idea. We think there is a clay wall behind the damn that's at about 2,500 feet from the entrance but that is also what we've been told. Once we get that collapse gone and start working inside, then we'll know.
Wonderful!! As an old certified tour guide from Nevada, this is a sight for sore eyes. The square set timbers used still look like they are in decent shape. Tell me how to join or contribute to this effort. Thanks
@@Qrail The timbers that you see were installed in 1981 when they rebuilt the tunnel then. If you look closely they are not square set but instead just nailed and wedged into place. This is one of the reasons for the collapses. They rebuilt to 2,500 feet back, we'll see what it looks like in there once we get to that point.
@@lh6551 We speculate that there is a clay wall at 2,500' back with a dam that was built at 1,200'. This is from one of the crew that worked in the tunnel in 1981 but there are no written accounts from this time. So for now we're just guessing.
Its awesome! The Sutro Tunnel was an engineering marvel for its time and will soon be the only way to access inside of the Comstock Lode. Wouldn't it be amazing to go into the tunnel itself and go inside of the Comstock?
It would be nice if you overdubbed the video and explained what the viewer is seeing. Unless the viewer is familiar with Nevada and Comstock mining history, they have no idea what they just watched. Carl... Sparks, NV
You can learn more about it on some of our other videos. Here is the full explanation of the tunnel is Adolph Sutro's words. ruclips.net/video/C03qJcHsr58/видео.html
It was a daring plan to tunnel under the Comstock. Virginia City was high on a mountain. Down below thousands of feet deep into the shafts there was too much water and heat. Fresh air was needed. The plan was to dig a level tunnel from miles away at a much lower elevation. The excess water could simply and cheaply just run out. No expensive pumping would be needed. It increased ventilation and was an easier way to haul out ore instead of up the shafts. In case of a accident miners could have another way to escape. It was installed too late to get the fullest benefit. As a result it did not solve all it was hoped to fix. The mines eventually just got partially worked out.
@@jameshudkins2210 Thank you and accurate until the second part. The Sutro Tunnel, a drainage adit, was used successfully and to its full benefit until WWII.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel My understanding was that by the time the Sutro Tunnel had gone under the Comstock the mines had gone below the level of the Sutro Tunnel. This meant that pumping was still needed to get the water from down below up to the level of the Sutro Tunnel. The mines around Virginia City went into declineing production at some point. Because of those 2 factors the Sutro Tunnel would have been so much more beneficial if it had been built earlier. Thank you for the interesting project you are working on. Please keep us posted.
That is one of its purposes. It was also for transportation of ore to the stamp mill that unfortunately burned in the 70's and the other mills along the Carson River, for ventilation, transportation of goods and as an additional escape route.
You can take a look at some of our other videos, search Adolph Sutro or go hear to hear it all from Adolph himself ruclips.net/video/C03qJcHsr58/видео.html
Please consider donating to our efforts. If you like what we are doing and want to see the Tunnel and Site restored, along with more videos you can support our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CNAH8ZNSJL9KQ
Why not allow the mine explorers to explore it all the way to the end. Gas monitors waders and lots of batteries.
Excellent piloting skills, well done!
This project is an important piece of local and American history!
Yeah everybody seems to be destroying it lately especially the new administration.
was always fascinated with this tunnel, and the history behind it.
“Gly”: Very cool! Thanks for sharing, that was awesome!
Hi Gly! 👋🏽 love your channel!
I totally appreciate being invited on yesterdays tour.
It was our honor. We are planning more tours and every month there will be more progress and changes.
Sutro himself drove the first pick for the tunnel in October of 1869 and it opened in 1874. I have seen photos of U.S. Grant and his son touring the tunnel upon it's opening. It's job was to drain water from the mines, adding an escape route, giving a downhill route for removing ore and ventilating the mines and keeping them cool as they were very hot inside.
That's mostly correct. The tunnel officially opened for business in May of 1879. It connected to the Savage mine in 1878. The tunnel stayed in operation until 1942 when it was closed due to executive order L-208.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel First let me say thank you for the work you are doing. My post was from memory of a book I read many years ago. Adolph Sutro, A biography by Robert E. Steward and M.F. Steward. I will have to find the time to reread it.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel Question. I looked up Executive Order L-208, which specifically ended gold mining, not silver mining. Could you please expand on that for me? Thanks.
@@rickkinki4624 it did specify gold mining but silver and all non essential mining was also included. They also needed the men that were working to enlist.
Beautiful piece of history. Thank you
Damn good piloting!! Thanks!
Last time I was at the tunnel was in the early 70s. I still remember all the water draining out of it.
Wow ! Very interesting video !
Nice piece of flying, well done.
I Love the whole Virginia City area history. It has such an amazing story to tell, and efforts like this will tell the story. Thank you!! PS - Please watch the RUclips ads past 30 seconds to help out this effort !
that is fantastic .....would not take much to rehab it and would love to see up to the bulk head
Would love to have you at the site sometime. So come on, let's go!
Frank would go in there !
Send Slim in there to start diggin'!
That’s a heck of a nice drone…must have a lot of avoidance sensors and a very good pilot. Tunnel actually looks reasonable decent, all things considered. It’s had to get scale on things but it’s taller than I expected, assuming the bracing timbers and top bracing is tall enough to allow mules thru. Nice to see it…
They put a flexible plastic mesh around it
Great video! The Sutro Tunnel is a "Holy Grail" site for me. So much history between the Comstock and the Sutro Tunnel. Heady days of the silver boom.
We'd love to have you out sometime. Please send me an email and we can work on scheduling it. chris@thesutrotunnel.org
Amazing video!
Philip Diedesheimer's square-set timbering was critical to the success and safety of the Comstock's deep mining efforts, but I guess Sutro didn't get the memo!
The timbering you see here was done by Houston Oil and Minerals in the late 1970's - early 1980's. They pulled out the square set and polygon timbers and put in this wedged and nailed in design that was terrible and failed. We're pulling all of it out and are going with Sutro's original design.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel You've replied to two of my comments, thank you! And I'm glad to hear that Sutro was smarter than Houston Oil and Minerals.
Great flying
I once saw a Huell Howser Video he did when he took a tour of the Sutro Tunnel. He was with a bunch of people all dressed in rain gear. They were riding a tram of some sorts, I believe.There was one section where water was shooting, not coming out of, but shooting straight out from this one wall. It was crazy. Great to see this piece of history being taken care of.
I've never heard of him visiting here. I'll have to find that video now. Do you remember if that was on one of his tapes or a broadcast? I've never heard of a tram at the Sutro tunnel. I'd live to see the video.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel It was a long time ago. The tram could of been a railcart/passenger thing. He did " California's Gold ". But I don't think this was a part of that. He did other programs like The National Parks and Road Trips to different places. The people he was with seemed like they worked at the Sutro Tunnel. I just remembered a lot of water. I wish I could remember more. I plan on signing on for a tour sometime this year.
@@michaeljimenez1203 thanks, we look forward to seeing you at a tour. Please let us know if you find any more info on that.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel O.K.
Danke für die hervorragenden Aufnahmen.
Zum Glück scheinen die Firste und die Stösse des Tunnels in Ordnung zu sein .
Ein Problem ist der HolzAusbau der verrottet ist.
Ich würde damit beginnen das Wasser aus dem Tunnel zu bekommen .
Den vorderen Teil des Tunnels von oben nach unten von Trümmern zu säubern und dann die Wässer auszuleiten .
Alles Gute und viele Grüsse aus Deutschland und dem Harzgebirge
Frank Galetzka
Pretty incredible
Why would anyone dam up a free flowing drainage level. I know it's been done in redundant tunnels to Stoke up a hydraulic head for deep level pumping but if Sutro is the only handy way out for the water then it doesn't make sense. Maybe there is a very clever manifold in any dam which allows pumped water to pass through the clay dam. In North Wales Concrete filled sandbags have been used for this job but always Interleaved with puddled clay. I think Rhosydd had a 12" pipe coming through the wall but I'm told this was to clear accumulating silt not drain water.
This tunnel is lucky to have such good friends 👍🏼🏴
WOW Thank You. 3/4 on a mile long tunnel, a massive feat of construction
It's actually a 4 mile long tunnel, and I heard on another video that the drone went back 500 feet. Of course, I may be wrong...
It's snowing inside of there ! 😳😂 Getting the water to drain would be a good thing , for sure !
That's one way to assess what's ahead. Looks like most of the fractured rock had sluffed off already. I wonder what condition the timers are in still. Nice bit piloting!👍
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing
If you look at the wood, they don't make wood like that anymore no knot holes if any and solid. Our home was built in the 1950's and has that type of wood. Sounds odd but we appreciate the quality of our 1950's home wood like in this A++ drone footage.
Now only 3.68 miles to go 😆. Thanks!
Looks like a skid steer with a grapple bucket would clear most of the loose debris, some remesh and shotcrete would stabilize any loose rock
UV light would look awesome down there.
Wow....
Good job flying. Hope you get traction... Curious what drone was used? I could use one like this for rescue work.
It was done by EROCK llc, they used the elios 2
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel Thanks for responding!!
Will check it out
I wish this were closer to me, I'd donate some LHD time to start getting it mucked out!
Hope there are plans to open and reinforce the tunnel for tours. So much of our history is being lost to time and housing projects.
When one is flying a drone to themselves, are the controls reversed?
There is a plan in place with the best engineer and mining contractor in the area. For drone questions I'll send you to EROCK llc. They are the professionals that do the drone work. ruclips.net/video/Gvgbq2cKniE/видео.html
Yes. The controls are reversed. L is R & R is L etc. Makes for excellent brain training. You’ll never get dementia flying a drone. Much like driving in the States, coming from Australia (RH to LH drive) it’s a simple brain flip & 3 laps of the rental car parking lot & I’m good to go.
Will work for old wood.
Good piloting! What kind of drone?
An ELIOS II, ruclips.net/video/gz80PTxhKf4/видео.html
WOW... SKETCHY AF
I'm truly surprised it didn't' crash, radio signals do funny things in a tunnel.
It would seem the lagging all rotted and fell while the rock remained stable. Most unusual. Looks all that wood was totally wasted and need not be replaced - at least in this area.
That isn't the original timbering. That was put there by Houston oil in 1981, they didn't use square set and that's why it failed.
So how far back can you go before it's totally impassible?
At this point, we have no idea. We think there is a clay wall behind the damn that's at about 2,500 feet from the entrance but that is also what we've been told. Once we get that collapse gone and start working inside, then we'll know.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel Damn that dam!
Wonderful!! As an old certified tour guide from Nevada, this is a sight for sore eyes. The square set timbers used still look like they are in decent shape. Tell me how to join or contribute to this effort. Thanks
@@Qrail The timbers that you see were installed in 1981 when they rebuilt the tunnel then. If you look closely they are not square set but instead just nailed and wedged into place. This is one of the reasons for the collapses. They rebuilt to 2,500 feet back, we'll see what it looks like in there once we get to that point.
@@joesmith1922 🤣
Any idea how far it goes before it connects with the first mine under the Comstock?
It intersects with the Savage Mine at 3.88 miles straight back from the entrance.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel wow! I wonder if the tunnel remains intact that whole length.
@@lh6551 We speculate that there is a clay wall at 2,500' back with a dam that was built at 1,200'. This is from one of the crew that worked in the tunnel in 1981 but there are no written accounts from this time. So for now we're just guessing.
It appears that the back has held up well. Not much rockfall.
Why no history or information on the tunnel for this video? What's all that Tahoe timber put inside the tunnel for?
This is how the video is first given to us. Take a look at some of our other videos to learn more. ruclips.net/video/C03qJcHsr58/видео.html
That timber is what was put in by Houston oil in the 80's they did in incorrectly and that's why it failed.
Pretty good flying. Can someone explain to me what's so great about The Sutro Tunnel
Its awesome! The Sutro Tunnel was an engineering marvel for its time and will soon be the only way to access inside of the Comstock Lode. Wouldn't it be amazing to go into the tunnel itself and go inside of the Comstock?
I was offered a free GoPro Drone for my speleology.
And I immediately declined. I enjoy going underground.
What’s on the ceiling, is that calcium?
We don't know yet. But will find out soon.
If it were *niter,* I would wonder if there was an irate Nobleman named *Montresor* in the area…
@@dennisyoung4631 The Comstock area is really just a massive version of catacombs
So it is true that there is always light at the end of the tunnel 😂
👍👍👍
Is it just me or there is no audio???????????
There wasn't then but there is music now.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel
Thanks. So now it's time to watch it again. Cheers 👍
No sound?
Added some music now
A mine??
A drainage adit
Sorry, can't watch it. I have terrible claustrophobia.
My half-wit son was telling me about this
It would be nice if you overdubbed the video and explained what the viewer is seeing. Unless the viewer is familiar with Nevada and Comstock mining history, they have no idea what they just watched. Carl... Sparks, NV
You can learn more about it on some of our other videos. Here is the full explanation of the tunnel is Adolph Sutro's words. ruclips.net/video/C03qJcHsr58/видео.html
What's the significance of this particular tunnel?
It was a daring plan to tunnel under the Comstock. Virginia City was high on a mountain. Down below thousands of feet deep into the shafts there was too much water and heat. Fresh air was needed. The plan was to dig a level tunnel from miles away at a much lower elevation. The excess water could simply and cheaply just run out. No expensive pumping would be needed. It increased ventilation and was an easier way to haul out ore instead of up the shafts. In case of a accident miners could have another way to escape.
It was installed too late to get the fullest benefit. As a result it did not solve all it was hoped to fix. The mines eventually just got partially worked out.
Would attract any pocketknife owner
who enjoys whittle of old wood timbers.
@@jameshudkins2210 Thank you and accurate until the second part. The Sutro Tunnel, a drainage adit, was used successfully and to its full benefit until WWII.
@@FriendsofSutroTunnel My understanding was that by the time the Sutro Tunnel had gone under the Comstock the mines had gone below the level of the Sutro Tunnel. This meant that pumping was still needed to get the water from down below up to the level of the Sutro Tunnel.
The mines around Virginia City went into declineing production at some point.
Because of those 2 factors the Sutro Tunnel would have been so much more beneficial if it had been built earlier.
Thank you for the interesting project you are working on. Please keep us posted.
@@jameshudkins2210 Yes thats what I heard
Being in this tunnel...is it worth dying for??
That's why we sent in a drone. ruclips.net/video/Gvgbq2cKniE/видео.html
No surprise as it was built in the 1880's to drain the hot water from the mines in Virginia City.
Collapsed timbering and you're going to reopen it? Why?
For fun
It was for water extraction, nothing else.
That is one of its purposes. It was also for transportation of ore to the stamp mill that unfortunately burned in the 70's and the other mills along the Carson River, for ventilation, transportation of goods and as an additional escape route.
That does not look safe at all. Lots of rock falls means more rock falls. I would not go in there.
Leave it be 😡 No need to revive the dead!
Lol it’s just a tunnel, I’m sure it will be fine
Boo!
How can you learn anything fro this with no audio about this historic engineering fear? Nothing!
You can take a look at some of our other videos, search Adolph Sutro or go hear to hear it all from Adolph himself ruclips.net/video/C03qJcHsr58/видео.html
If I were u I wouldn't mess with those lost mines because its where the beast from thy ancient ones time lair of Dragons!
Dragons are our main concern.