WHAT KIND OF NUT WOULD EXPLORE AN ABANDONED MINE IN A SKIRT?

December 31, 2002

Only a tranny would do that! On a chilly Friday morning in December I set out with two other people - a man and a woman, neither one transgendered. We drove out to Wendover and turned south on U.S. Highway ALT-93. Some distance south of Wendover, a little-used road heads back into Utah towards the isolated community of Ibapah and the Goshute Indian Reservation. From that road, a turn-off leads to the semi-ghost town of Gold Hill. There are some neat old abandoned buildings there, but the town still has a few residents and they do not appreciate people poking around in their buildings, so we moved on.

Not far out of town, a small dirt track leads to the Gold Hill Mine. We drove in as far as we could and climbed the old railroad grade up to the main mine entrance.

I was dressed rather inappropriately for the activity, wearing a white tank top, a knee-length skirt (black with floral patterns), white nylons, and a black sweater to keep warm. The skirt was loose-fitting, actually perfect for hiking. It did not interfere with my movement at all.

A pile of debris partially blocks the mine entrance. This is common - over the decades, dirt gradually comes down from the hillside. Maybe in 50 more years the entrance will be completely blocked. We had to crawl into the mine; I set down a sheet so that I would not get muddy. After getting past the debris pile, it was possible to stand up. Inside the mine, it was warmer than it was outside, so I took off the sweater.

We explored the mine for an hour or two and took numerous photographs. Most of the mine is blasted into solid rock and is structurally very sound. In the back, there is a very picturesque area supported by timbers, still quite sturdy in spite of the years (the dry climate preserves things very well). There are also a number of vertical shafts - one must always watch ones step when exploring a mine!

After exploring the mine, we did some shooting. I fired toilet paper out of a flintlock pistol - it made a nice flash, and a rain of shredded toilet paper came down on my head! After finishing up, we headed back to Salt Lake on the Pony Express Trail. Driving that road in the dark is an interesting experience. The place is so remote and empty that it imparts quite an eerie feeling. On the way back, we stopped by the Mercur Cemetery, an old cemetery that serves a town which is no longer there. No lawn grows there, just junipers and sage brush.

I have explored this mine before; it is perhaps my favorite, but I had never explored it quite like this! I guess it is something that many of us have to get out of our systems - to be in some very unlikely place wearing clothes way too fancy or somehow inappropriate for the occasion. This was my version of that. I enjoyed it so much that I might just have to do it again some day.

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A Word on Mine Safety

Added January 23, 2003

Just in case somebody feels inspired by this story, I felt that I should add a short mine safety lecture to this story.

Abandoned mines can be dangerous. Hazards include, but are not limited to, structural problems, vertical shafts sometimes covered by rotten wood, ladders which look strong but are not, bad air, dynamite, and old mine equipment. But many of these hazards can be mitigated by the application of a little common sense.

Upon discovering a mine entrance, check its structural integrity. If it is blasted into solid rock, and there are few or no cracks, it is probably fine. If it is supported by timbers, make sure they are not rotten or broken. Timbers in a dry climate are likely to be better preserved. A pile of debris in front of the entrance is not necessarily bad; these piles often accumulate over the years as rocks and dirt gradually fall from above.

I follow two general prohibitions. The first is that I never enter coal mines. They are plagued by structural problems and bad air which is usually flammable. Always avoid these mines. Second, I never enter mines through shafts (vertical passages). Ladders, if they are present, are not to be trusted. Climbing in on a rope is also not recommended. It is too easy to dislodge debris from the sides of the shaft.

Before entering a mine, I check my flashlights. As a general rule, each person must have three working light sources. In a large group (four or more), two per person may be acceptable as long as the group does not split up. Do not bring cheap flashlights or use second-rate batteries. Also, if the group is large enough, leaving someone outside the mine at all times is prudent.

Inside the mine, evaluate the structural integrity frequently and do not venture into dangerous sections. Also, watch your feet. Vertical shafts may be anywhere. As I stated above, do not climb in the shafts. Sometimes, shafts are covered by boards which are thin and often rotten, so only step on solid ground. Other dangers at your feet may be dynamite or old equipment. Dynamite sometimes becomes extremely unstable after many years and can go off with little provocation. Old, rusty equipment may have sharp metal pieces not immediately visible in the low light, and it can deliver a nasty cut to the unwary. Bad, oxygen-depleted air sometimes lingers in dead-end tunnels deep within a mine. If the air seems stale and there is no breeze whatsoever, use caution. This is most likely to be a problem at lower levels in the mine. Finally, avoid making loud noises or sudden, violent movements. It may not take much to cause some loose debris to shift.

It is my opinion that exploring abandoned mines is not any more dangerous than many other recreational activities, provided that common sense safety rules are strictly followed.

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