New Road Cut

SBD · Apr 25, 2007

It is time for some Spring work at the mountain property. One of my tasks this last weekend was to cut a road down to an old gold mine on the property. 80+ years of erosion had left the mine entrance with tons of dirt an rocks to block the water trying to drain out of the entrance. Here are some pics of the road being built.

I will go back in a week or two and start working on moving the material from the entrance now that I have a road to access it.

SBD · Apr 25, 2007

Here is a pic where I was standing on top of the mine shaft looking down at the 'pad' I am building next to the entrance. I needed a flat spot there to work and turn around. I have to turn the road to a sharp left to get around all the rocks at the entrance. At least I didn't run into any of the granite while cutting the road down the hill.

Timber · Apr 25, 2007

Killer little project for you BX. It sure seems to be doing a nice job of it

thcri · Apr 25, 2007

Ok, that last pic *14sm.jpg* sure gave me the jeebers. I would let that one for the big guys.

murph

deereman64 · Apr 25, 2007

do you need drainage there? If so could you dig that out with a loader or would you go with a back hoe?

wolfe1 · Apr 25, 2007

You guys amaze me- I divided Hosta's and stacked firewood this weekend and your cutting roads - very cool - I need more land. Thanks for the pics

SBD · Apr 25, 2007

80+ years of neglect has let the dirt hillside above and to the side of the mine entrance erode, fall down and form a dam to block the slow trickle of water leaking out of it. There used to be 5 or more feet of water on the floor of the mine tunnel. We dug some of the dam out with hand shovel and wheel barrow but that got old fast. I was between tractors at the time and got the water level down several feet. Now that I have the BX down there, I will be able to work on it some more without killing my back. I've already used the BX to haul away a bunch of big rocks that were several hundred pounds each.

I should be able to remove the stuff at the entrance with the BX although I would love to have a backhoe if anyone wants to buy me one. The rock entrance appears to be wider than the 48 inch bucket so it should fit once I get more of the dirt out of the way. The picture mostly shows the top of the tunnel and not the floor that is wider.

I found a pic of the mine entrance from several years ago when we worked on it with hand tools. It's hard to see in the dark hole but the floor is still several feet lower than the dirt path in front.

JerryG · Apr 25, 2007

Cool place you have there.
I know that it more than likely goes without saying and you know it but. Make sure your seat belt is on at all times. The edges are bad about giving way when you get on them. I bet you have already got on the edge where you have had a hard time getting back over toward the back of the road. If you haven't given the amount of work you have done, you are very, very good. I have built two roads just like yours. I know that once in while it would get very unnerving for me anyway.
You are doing a great job and good luck with the rest.
Have you found any gold yet?

Renze · Apr 25, 2007

What's the purpose of this job ? i can think of 4 possible reasons:
either, the mine is used to drain another area, or:
it's curiosity, a kind of archological excavation project, or:
you really want to mine for gold, or:
you just have enough time on your hands to go play in the dirt..

RedRocker · Apr 25, 2007

Wish I had an old mine or cave on my place.

3RRL · Apr 25, 2007

SBD,
Great job you are doing there.
That's a lot of cutting and dirt moving in a precarious place too. I know, having done a lot of road cutting on my place. Good thing you didn't run into any granite or huge boulders too. That would be a bummer. Very interesting project.
Thanks for sharing.

SBD · Apr 25, 2007

Thanks for all the great feedback. I'll post some more pics when I bring the tractor back in 2 weeks. I believe that one more day on the tractor and I will have the entrance free and can drain all the water out.

No gold yet. But they mined the place from the late 1800s to the early 1930s so something must be there. The mining claim was pateneted in 1902 and at that time, the mine was 192 feet deep into the hillside. Man, that is a lot of dirt and rock to move!!! Most of it was probably done with Chinese labor.

The reason I am doing this road building project is because the hole is there and I want to explore it. After I fininsh, I plan to weld up a rebar gate/fence on the front to keep the bears and mountain lions from sleeping in there. I don't want to meet one at the end of a flashlight.

EddieWalker · Apr 26, 2007

Thanks for some greeat pictures. It's pretty unique to have a gold mine on your land. Do you know anything about gold mining, or is this sort of like a bonus to having the land?

Eddie

SBD · Apr 26, 2007

I am a novice at gold mining. My dad used to mine in Alaska when he was in his 20s. He is a retired geologist so I pick his brain for details.

My wife and I bought the land for investment and to do all of the outdoor things that we like to do. I imagine that this could all change if I were to trip on a gold nugget.

Renob · Apr 26, 2007

SBD,

By the way, don't you know you can't do any of the things that you are doing with that overgrown lawnmower!

Just kidding of coure, as I also have a baby tractor of a BX and I know better.

Impressive project you have going there. Looks like the tooth bar is coming in handy. I am planning to build one soon for a pool install project.

Keep the pics coming.

fishpick · Apr 27, 2007

Very cool job!

How far have you been back into the mine? Are you sure it's structurally sound - as in - not going to come down around you...

I never knew how useful a tooth-bar could be - wow!

SBD · Apr 27, 2007

I haven't been in the mine because there is still several feet of water on the floor. I don't know if it is structurally sound or not but I don't have plans to go way back in and be stupid with my jackhammer or anything.

This is the second road that I have cut into a hillside with the BX. The last one was going uphill instead of downhill. For that one, I didn't have a toothbar and it took a lot longer and was harder on the tractor. For the compacted soil and brush removal I've been doing, I would say it cuts the work down by close to half. I will never own another FEL without one.

Timber · Apr 27, 2007

I couldn't even imagine my loader without a tooth bar. I have done some pretty incredible things with my loader with it. I think a box blade too is a great addition to road building

mike69440 · Apr 27, 2007

Renob said:
SBD,

By the way, don't you know you can't do any of the things that you are doing with that overgrown lawnmower!

Just kidding of coure, as I also have a baby tractor of a BX and I know better.

Impressive project you have going there. Looks like the tooth bar is coming in handy. I am planning to build one soon for a pool install project.

Keep the pics coming.