Service labor needed in Ophir Hill Mine

[CaverStretch]

So, I guess when I look at a trip I should clean my glasses and look at the date. For some reason I thought this was next Saturday, the 28th. Miah emailed me about it and that's when I realized that i had the date wrong. So........That means I will be there. I can't let Stu go explore all the remote sections with out me.

I will be heading out Friday night to camp at the mouth of Ophir Canyon if anyone is interested.

Let me know if I need to bring anything. Coverall, helmet, lights, Charming Personality, good looks.....

[Mike]

Just bring your standard gear, ol' roberto.

[ExpUt]

...I will be heading out Friday night to camp at the mouth of Ophir Canyon if anyone is interested....

I'm hoping to be able to join you at camp that night

PS, thanks again for your guiding on Saturday, it was a pleasure to meet you!

[Mike]

Stu and I will also be camping out

[andy]

James and I would also like to come and camp out. We've got gear, but we don't yet have food or a ride. If we needed to, though, I think we could arrange for both.
Either James or I will call somebody later this evening to figure things out.

[Mike]

We are all full coming up from Orem, so can't help out. Sorry. I assume the two of you plan on helping out after you've obtained your mold, correct? We are not providing food that night either. There will be lunch for those that help out Saturday. If you would like dinner provided, feel free to bring $15 each and we will get you dinners.

[ExpUt]

Sadly I won't be able to make it out to camp tonight but I will be their bright and ready tomorrow morning. If anyone in the Salt Lake Valley area needs a ride I've got plenty of room. Leaving my house in Sandy ~8am. Let me know (801 518 3937) Thanks!

[Jolth]

That was a lot of fun, sorry i couldnt stay and help longer, there were a few things that i needed to do today, but i felt good getting a lot of the trash and stuff out of there. cant wait to come out again! Thanks guys!

[UnderUtah]

Thanks to all that attended and bent their backs to help us recover the mule cart batteries and the mule cart that have been sitting next to the hoist room since the mine ceased operations over thirty years ago. Here is a recap of the effort: A crew worked to clear another section of track of the foot deep dirt and debris while others finished extracting the two loose batteries from inside the haulage tunnel. After the batteries were out the fabrication crew salvaged the wheels from the small haulage cart and welded them to the new larger haulage cart and hauled in the cart and steel A frame. The frame was assembled above the mule cart nearly 4000' back inside the mine, and the battery pack weighing approximately #1500 was lifted off of the mule engine. The engine was pulled from beneath the dangling batteries and the batteries were lowered to the track. The frame was moved and reset and the engine was hoisted and set onto the haulage cart. After rigging and taking a very tight turn the engine was on it's way out.

Lots of prying and heaving was required to get the cart and it's load across a small section of missing track, and winching was required to get it over a section of track still covered with dirt. Once on clear trac it was smooth rolling all the way out and over to the shed where the engine was jacked up and off of the haulage cart and set on the tracks near it's twin. Lunch was served and everyone took a well deserved break bathed in the warm sun.

A small crew returned for the battery box and rigged it to the cart. The extreme weight of the battery box made passing the 6' section of missing track nearly impossible even with four pry bars and the ATV pulling with all it's might. The battery box and haulage cart were finally set back upon the main haulage tracks after an exhausting 45 minutes of back breaking labor.

It was decided that the battery pack would remain on the cart and just behind the section of track still covered by dirt until such time that the dirt could be cleared and the cart pulled freely across clear track. Considering the difficulty in extracting the mule engine over the dirt section and that the weight of the battery box was estimated to be 1.5 times the mule engine or more, coupled with the size and exhaustion of the crew it seemed wise to leave things for another day. With just a little more clearing the cart will be able to roll freely out of the tunnel and everything can be reassembled outside for display.

Again, thanks to everyone who was able to lend a hand, shovel, and back to this effort. Next time I think we will hand-out a gift bag filled with Ibuprophen!

[Derek]

Thanks for the trip report Miah, you beat me to the punch. Thanks again for everyone that showed up to help. Here is a link to the pictures from the days worth of work. Also as a side note the Ophir Hill Mine is adequately ventilated for limited ATV use for the work we were doing and in the past we have monitored the air in the mine while using an ATV so we are certain that it is possible. Please do not take ATVs into mines unless you have proper air monitoring equipment with you.

[Mikezauner]

That ibuprofen's a good idea, although something stiffer would be better, like Vicodin or sommat.

[Jeff]

Thanks to all that attended and bent their backs to help us recover the mule cart batteries and the mule cart that have been sitting next to the hoist room since the mine ceased operations over thirty years ago. Here is a recap of the effort: A crew worked to clear another section of track of the foot deep dirt and debris while others finished extracting the two loose batteries from inside the haulage tunnel. After the batteries were out the fabrication crew salvaged the wheels from the small haulage cart and welded them to the new larger haulage cart and hauled in the cart and steel A frame. The frame was assembled above the mule cart nearly 4000' back inside the mine, and the battery pack weighing approximately #1500 was lifted off of the mule engine. The engine was pulled from beneath the dangling batteries and the batteries were lowered to the track. The frame was moved and reset and the engine was hoisted and set onto the haulage cart. After rigging and taking a very tight turn the engine was on it's way out.

Lots of prying and heaving was required to get the cart and it's load across a small section of missing track, and winching was required to get it over a section of track still covered with dirt. Once on clear trac it was smooth rolling all the way out and over to the shed where the engine was jacked up and off of the haulage cart and set on the tracks near it's twin. Lunch was served and everyone took a well deserved break bathed in the warm sun.

A small crew returned for the battery box and rigged it to the cart. The extreme weight of the battery box made passing the 6' section of missing track nearly impossible even with four pry bars and the ATV pulling with all it's might. The battery box and haulage cart were finally set back upon the main haulage tracks after an exhausting 45 minutes of back breaking labor.

It was decided that the battery pack would remain on the cart and just behind the section of track still covered by dirt until such time that the dirt could be cleared and the cart pulled freely across clear track. Considering the difficulty in extracting the mule engine over the dirt section and that the weight of the battery box was estimated to be 1.5 times the mule engine or more, coupled with the size and exhaustion of the crew it seemed wise to leave things for another day. With just a little more clearing the cart will be able to roll freely out of the tunnel and everything can be reassembled outside for display.

Again, thanks to everyone who was able to lend a hand, shovel, and back to this effort. Next time I think we will hand-out a gift bag filled with Ibuprophen!

I will take full blame for the battery box Miah I should have payed more attention to the box coming off the rail but hey we did it! I would also like to thank everyone for the combined effort we did a ton of hard work on saturday and everyone should be pleased with all that was accomplished I would also like to extend a special thanks to Miah if it wasn't for him and his mad fab skillz,engineering prowess
and the will to make things happen we would not even be close to what we are today Thanks Miah

[Stuart]

I agree with Bodine, the krafty Miah made it happen. We will get that battery box the rest of the way out pretty easily. Mike and I were in on Sunday and Mike pulled it all the way out to where the track is covered. Thanks again to everyone for all the help! When the snow melts we will get our reward and do some exploring in some fresh mines.

[ExpUt]

I feel like such a slacker for bailing early, I honestly figured the battery would be easier to get out, a known method, a cleared track and the lift complete. I am still beat from all that, though it was totally worth the pain. Can't wait to do it again!

Thanks for the opportunity and lunch Mojave!

[Jeff]

You missed out on a great exploration op my friend.