Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

Started by glenn kangiser, January 30, 2005, 10:24:03 PM

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glenn kangiser

Thanks Andrew. Glad you enjoy it.   It's great to have all of this history and nature within a few hours of the underground complex.  Can't let it all go to waste.  :)

Yes.... I took 497 pictures and a few short videos on this trip.... you don't want to see all of them, but I take a lot of information pictures too, like for some who may be interested in seeing more of the trail, better or different angles, more or less in the shot, etc.  Many pictures look good zoomed in to a specific item while others look best with the whole thing included.  I find that if I can look at a catalog of pix together in small sizes side by side it is often easier to pick out the best one.  It kind of pops out at you.  [shocked]

I was using Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition but it was too good so they stopped supporting it. It will not handle the higher resolution photos for adjustment of exposure or other things that may not be the best from the field.  Picassa 3 is good now so I have begun using it, uploading to Google+ then posting here from there.  Seems to be working well so far.  I was able to drop uploading it to Photobucket that way saving some time and seems to be no problem so far. [idea]





"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

Wish I had that tin at the underground complex... looks like others wanted a lot of it too.... [waiting]




I wasn't kidding when I said these guys tend to shoot things up quite a bit here...




Nothing like random shooting for no specific reason... didn't see evidence of any targets taped to that car... must have been to see if they could put a hole where there wasn't one before.... and just think of the beer they must have went through... no wonder the trees are growing so well.... [ouch]






"Hey look what they did to your car Maaann......"      [noidea'
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

I figured that with this much equipment and tailings here there must be something of interest to see above the mine... [noidea'

Sure enough there was ... protected from us for our viewing pleasure... [ouch]



Yeah ....I suppose some idiot might try to go into the mine and expose himself to danger.... ???


.....like me.... but this trip I was in a rush to get to do a lot of things in the short time I had so... no internal mine exploration for me today.... and yes... I found a way in... as well as the kid who told me about it had been in there....  [cool]





...that wasn't it though.... just put my camera through the bars to get a better picture for you... :)


Here is a shot from above the mine looking back toward Bridgeport Valley/reservoir area....




See you soon with more fun stuff.....  :o
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Windpower

Often, our ignorance is not as great as our reluctance to act on what we know.

glenn kangiser

#4204
Thanks, Windpower.  I didn't have time to do any panning or prospecting except..... I did pick up one rock sample that I will almost guarantee has gold bearing pyrite in it.  I would assume that is why there were cyanide vats there and the very finely ground sand or pulp.

Gold does not separate easily from pyrite so they may have been going for lower recovery... but wait a minute....roasting will help remove the gold from the pyrite so that could explain what this is....




Maybe a great big roasting furnace....




Then it comes to me...... why the axles on the furnace looking thing....I was thinking that from the time I saw this furnace on the ground...  I get the idea to research the name along with "roasting furnace"  and things start getting weird.... At the time this mine was running they were just working with continuous roasting furnaces --- they apparently could move this furnace on tracks  - I see doors on both ends... not sure how far it went  but apparently there was a fume hood on the side about the size of the crapper pipes by the small building - some elbows could make it flexible and move with the furnace...

Pyrite puts off some hellacious sulfur dioxide gas when roasting .... don't ask me how I know.... in the old days they did not worry too much about it as long as they didn't die right then...

Anyway this old book tells about the process though it is not specifically about gold. 

Technology on the Frontier: Mining in Old Ontario
By Dianne Newell


Looks like this furnace may have been using some of that technology and they actually were roasting at least the concentrates or maybe they were making gold bars. [noidea'

This tells about recovery of gold from pyritic sulfide ore.... Can't do it this way today but we could yesterday.... [waiting]


http://mine-engineer.com/mining/minproc/gold-in-pyrite.htm


BTW... Chalmers went on to be part of Allis-Chalmers company....
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

#4205
That furnace was at the May Lundy.   It may have been used in processing the sulfides as per my first guess.  The gold in pyrite is held tightly by the iron and sulfur.  Roasting drives off the sulfur and allows the gold to separate from the iron.  The gold in gold bearing pyrite generally occurs as very fine tiny flakes.

http://geology.com/publications/getting-gold/gold-ore.shtml

Found a bit of info about the ore here.

QuoteHistory
Although this area was prospected during the Comstock silver rush of the 1860s, the lode deposits were not discovered until 1877. The district was organized in 1879. The May Lundy mine was named for the daughter of W.J. Lundy, who operated a sawmill here in the 1870s. This mine was worked on a major scale until 1911. Accumulated tailings were treated during the late 1930s, but there has been only minor prospecting since. The mine has a total production of $ 3 million.

Geology
The principal geologic feature is a two-to-four-mile-wide belt or roof pendant of metamorphic rocks that extends northwest along the Sierran crest for many miles. These rocks consist of schist, slate, and hornfels of Triassic and Jurassic age. Granodiorite lies on both sides of this belt. The Sierra Nevada Mountains here have been prominently shaped by Pleistocene glaciation.

Ore Deposits
A series of northwest-striking and southwest-dipping quartz veins are found at or near the metamorphic-granitic contacts. The veins usually average two to three feet in thickness. The ore contains free gold, pyrite, and smaller amounts of other sulfides. Milling-grade gold ore yielded as much as one ounce per ton with a high content of silver. Several ore shoots at the May Lundy mine had stoping lengths of up to 300 feet.

http://www.westernmininghistory.com/articles/295/page1/

Can you imagine drilling from the bottom working up into a stope 30 stories high?  [ouch]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

I left the Chemung Mine and started looking for the Masonic Mine further up the road.

Hadn't remembered my instructions well so did not find it at this time.... found a Bobcat though.



Couldn't ready my camera fast enough for a good pix.  Had one poor front shot...



Now off for some fishing and maybe more instructions later..... [waiting]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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PEG688

 Nice eye , I'm sure not may people see bobcats on the hoof / or paw and to get a photo  [cool]

So is this the "new" Glenn hiker explorer extraordinaire??   What have you done with he's always at work Glenn ?   

Interesting country your exploring , just think how wild and remote that place was  200 to 150 years ago! And how much work it was to haul all that gear in there by horse drawn wagons I'd assume?? 

Do / did you notice any sign of broken down equipment along the roads going in?   
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

glenn kangiser

I had to work for three weeks straight, PEG.... blew my hiking to the mine plans earlier so had to get up there before the snow... probably this Monday.  It may not close the pass. :)

I am working around here also making some sidewalk for Sassy... planting the garden so the small animals, deer and birds don't starve... digging out a place for a shed for the stuff we moved from the other place, but looks like tarps for a start. 

Moved about 30 yards in the last couple days.  Had to air the tire on the tractor after I blew it up because it was flat right after I jumped it because the battery went dead before it started.... right after I ripped the jack hammer off of the Bobcat because the mounts were worn and I had to fix it...welded it up and heated the loose mounts to hammer them tight.

Moved dirt then completely blew out the tractor tire so took it off and got another one, then cut up the logs in front of the woodshed so I could get the woodsplitter out of the way before I make more sidewalk.  Went for more bagged ready mix when I got the tire.

After the dryer quit for the third time a couple weeks ago I went and got a new motor 75 miles away in Fresno and put it in.  Solved that one for the final time - took about twenty minutes to change and lube the rollers and belt tensioner... I have had it apart enough to be a pro now.  Really fixed this time though.  The old bearings kept tightening up or the centrifugal switch was bad.  Either way the new motor solved it.

Yeah - still doing a couple things - [ouch]

Makes me want to go hiking and fishing again now...[waiting]

Caught a 14 inch rainbow last Wednesday evening I think it was.....

I plan on doing a lot more hiking and prospecting this year as we sold the old home place and paid off most of the bills.... don't need to work quite as much.  I am still on call for one company but I have been turning down most extra work so I don't get bound up between two or three companies when I don't need to.  ;D
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

Oh yeah... the road going in...



This was the only piece of equipment I saw on the way in and I would guess it was lost by junkers in the years the road was open to 4x4 vehicles.  They stripped all of the copper and brass at the mine.  Today if the road was open I assume they would steal all of the cast Iron too.  That is why you see lots of machinery broken with sledge hammers at this type of historic site.... junkers....  >:(
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Sassy

PEG, Glenn is always busy working on something  c*  Amazing how much he gets done in spite of having to do 5-6 things before he can get to the original task he wanted to get to  d*  And he even has gotten a little time to hike & fish  :)  The sidewalk is looking good - it will be so nice to be able to walk to my truck without tripping over something (rocks, holes) & I'll be able to stay clean, too  [cool]

I'm hoping that after my hip replacements I'll be good as new & will be able to start hiking again - I used to love doing that kinda thing, just wore the dang things out  :(

I picked a bunch of peppers, green beans, eggplants & apples - Glenn picked some of the pomegranates that were ripe & splitting - quite a bounty!  Oh, and he had to fix the drip irrigation tape in a few places where the gophers decided to see if it was tasty  >:(  Did a bit of watering & weeding too.  Now I gotta do some laundry & use my "new" dryer - I told Glenn he could be the Maytag man now  :D

Gotta get most of the stuff from the garden ready for freezing - ate 1/2 a cantaloupe & a small pomegranate for breakfast - yummy (both from the garden). 

We had lots of company last week...  Glenn's daughter & 2 grandkids came down from Oregon, then his son, DIL & 3 grandkids came up to see them & us & we barbecued, then his parents came over for a couple days - also from Oregon. 

Glenn's mom had to help his brother finish up the cabinets in the kitchen - he has been remodeling it for the past year so she came down to put a fire under him so his wife could start using it - everything is beautiful.  His mom helped put the upper cabinets in & polyurethaned them all...  she's only 80 y/o  :D  think that's where Glenn gets all his energy.  She just retired from working at the post office driving a rural route in the rain, snow & ice a little over a year ago. 
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

glenn kangiser

PEG... regarding how they got it up there.... this is the story of the mine I went to a few weeks ago not too far from Lundy and associated with it for a bit via roads and trails to get there.






from Sharon Giacomazzi

http://www.amazon.com/Trails-Tales-Yosemite-Central-Sierra/dp/0939431254/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350763825&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Eastern-Sierra-Canyons-Backpacking/dp/0939431327/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350763825&sr=1-1
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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PEG688


Thanks Glenn 2.0 still seems busy.  c*
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

glenn kangiser

Gotta get a bit of work done or I don't get to hike and fish, PEG.  :)

Working on another bit of the sidewalk today... don't want to rush these things.... [ouch]





About one more troweling and a non-slip surface and that one will be done.....

Trying to keep it in far enough to where with a slight modification I can still get equipment, crane etc into the yard..... gotta have room to work you know... [waiting]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

I added Fibermesh to the concrete mix and the forms are as you see them... 1 1/2 inch thick concrete with thickened edges and wire (6-6-10-10) in it.  I did the first part with sand, pea gravel and cement I had but needed more speed so bought bagged concrete mix.  I was not going to do enough at once to call a truck..... What's up with that.. Think I'm  energetic or somethin'.   [noidea'

Meanwhile back in the mountains...

I looked through the bushes at a formerly worked over mine site and thought I found Masonic... I found out later I didn't....



The water at this site was run into a small totally hidden pond for the wildlife.  Invisible from the road unless you knew where to look, the deer enjoyed the little oasis.




These girls and fawns were not worried about the truck load of hunters that asked me where the deer were.  I told them of the does and fawns and they replied, "Yeah, but we can't shoot them... "  I knew that... [ouch]

Off for some stream fishing and to find out that I had not reached the Masonic Mine..... We shall return...  [waiting]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

Headed out to the creek for some fishing... It was running low this year and holes were few and far between and that's if you count the small ones....

These little rascals were in one of them - I wasn't much interested in catching them anyway as they were small - about 7 to 8 inches.. any guesses what they are?  I didn't know until later...




....small holes, but it was in a rather small hole that I caught this.... lost my hat and worms in the creek too but got them both back... :)





Hmm ???   Looks like an 18" Rainbow to me... nice...  [cool]


I guess that is the biggest one I ever caught though I caught a 17 1/2 in Oregon that was a bit fatter as I recall... when I was about 10.  Fed the whole family with that one.. cut it into steaks it was so fat.  My uncle told me it was too small - throw it back...


Oh... think I hear someone calling... [noidea'






Did you say something, dear?







"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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PEG688

 
Wow nice fish Glenn!!

I saw a nice buck last week just outside of town, he was barely able to walk, left rear leg was messed up , pretty sure he was hit by  a car .  Doubt he'll make it , it possible he will I shot a dandy buck back in 91 or so that had a broken left front leg , it had healed , had what looked like another knee join , from the healing process.

Any mines found? Artifacts?
When in doubt , build it stout with something you know about .

glenn kangiser

Thanks, PEG.  It was a bit of a thrill catching one like that there.   :) 

I haven't deer hunted since I left Oregon... they wanted me to do a California Hunter Safety Course... I was shooting skunks under the kitchen sink when I was nine years old in Oregon... I wasn't takin' no stinkin' California Hunter Safety Course to get a California Hunting License... It's just the principle of the thing... [waiting]

I didn't find anything but fish and deer that were of interest... wait a minute... I lied... also found a bird and a squirrel I took pix of... other than that no artifacts on this creek.  [ouch]

I headed back to the Sports shop and the same kid that gave me directions was still there.  I told him about the fish... where, size and type.  He asked me if I had seen the mine. 

I told him what I saw... he said I didn't go far enough as I hadn't seen the things I was supposed to see if I did.  I was supposed to go a couple more miles past where I saw the Bobcat.  It was near evening so I headed off to the mine again, this time doing about 40 up the gravel road.  Stopped a second for an overview shot of the Chemung Mine from the road.  The evening lighting was good.







I jumped in the truck.. peeled out and headed to the Masonic before dark... didn't think I'd make it but... just in case I hurried.  So many things to do I didn't look for stuff in the bushes around the mines a lot this trip.  Just the highlights then I'll explore more while showing friends some time.

Past Bobcat Flats... into another canyon on Masonic road.. found this cool ore hopper but just shot it from the road.  Pedal to the medal trying to beat sundown.






Finally... I was almost to Masonic and almost to the Nevada state line.  GPS showed it to be about 2 miles or less away if I remember right.   [cool]

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

Continuing down the road a ways I come upon signs that I am on the right track....


A big old tailing pile hiding in the Aspens....






Some old corrugated tin siding....






Yup.. this sounds like the right place.  :)


The kid at the store told me they stayed in the canyon throughout winter and summer.  Imagine that... currently weather at Bridgeport is going to get down to 10 degrees Wednesday evening...  [cool]    I mean...cold......[waiting]

History of Masonic...

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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glenn kangiser

#4219
Meanwhile back at the ranch.......raining so went out and stripped the forms off Sassy's sidewalk so she can use it when she gets back from her volunteer work.  ::)

First half decent rain and snow in the mountains of the year so Tioga Pass closed today.  Glad I went hiking earlier.  It may re-open and I found another cool destination if I can get there. 

Digging away by the sawmill to flatten a bit more ground and expand the flat area at least enough to have a bit of work room.

Sassy was harvesting fruits and vegetables....  [cool]



Small but tasty apples and pomegranates.  Some of the pomegranates were splitting a bit but not attacked by bugs so still good.

She got a whole bag full of peppers, beans and Asian Eggplant...probably 20 to 30 lbs worth.... x $3 est. for (mostly) organic a lb. is not bad.   [cool]







...and the strawberries have been putting out all summer.  I bought a different type for the dragline bucket and while not quite as tasty as the other type we have, they have been the best full summer producer.  Berries Galore I think they were called.  ???


"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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pmichelsen

Quote from: glenn kangiser on October 22, 2012, 09:36:04 AM
currently weather at Bridgeport is going to get down to 10 degrees Wednesday evening...  [cool]    I mean...cold......[waiting]

Man, Bridgeport is where we are starting our 60 mile hike Thursday morning, better pack another pair of long johns.

glenn kangiser

I would say for sure...  :o

Also, take your chains.  Two feet of snow on 80. As always.. Sierra Nevada weather can change from minute to minute.

Bridgeport is sometimes the coldest spot in the US.  Breezes and wind come from the west over the sierras and that cold heavy air drops down through the east side canyons and valleys setting in there to stay for a while. 

A beautiful place but a harsh one in the winter.   [cool]
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Ernest T. Bass

Ohh, nice strawberries.. Unfortunately, our "ever-bearing" varieties never do anything past June.. We have hundreds of feet of beds and still not enough production..  d*

Our family's homestead adventure blog; sharing the goodness and fun!

glenn kangiser

#4223
This is the only variety that has produced a decent amount of berries all summer, Andrew.  The other one or two kinds we have pretty much stopped by the end of June or July also I think.   ???
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Meanwhile... back at the mine....

Finally... workers homes... one of the things I was supposed to see.   :)




Being right on the road, I imagine this mine is really well picked over but still, interesting stuff remains. 


Up on the hillside I could see some of the remaining hoppers where the mill once stood.   [cool]


"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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