New Road Cut

[SBD]

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]

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]

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

 

[thcri]

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

murph

 

[deereman64]

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

 

[wolfe1]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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