Exploring the Mountain Chief Mine – The Upper Workings (Part 1 of 2)

Exploring the Mountain Chief Mine – The Upper Workings (Part 1 of 2)

In this video, we find a 1920’s era mine located high up in the desert. This mine produced copper, silver, lead and zinc. Total production is unknown. The mine was worked on three main levels. The middle level is showcased in this video. The lower adit is shown in Part 2. The upper adit is very short and uninteresting.

The middle adit has many interesting artifacts including the remains of a hoist and an ore car. The mine has seemingly not seen much attention since closing.

In the next video, we explore the long lower crosscut and associated drifts. Part 2 will be released in one week!

#urbex #abandonedmine #mineexploring #abandoned #mining #exploring #desert #travel #history #adit #shaft #underground #minerals #silvermine #goldmine #exploringabandonedmines #orecars #ore #artifacts

50 Comments

  1. dave lafontaine on April 17, 2021 at 10:14 pm

    Why are most all mines explored on YouTube look so trashed, were the miners slobs or what?

  2. Hans Jacobsen on April 17, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    Those still shots of the ore carts are amazing. The clarity and color! I would love to make calendars with shots like this

  3. Judge has the Word on April 17, 2021 at 10:16 pm

    Just to let you know that isn’t a Gas winch. They never used anything gas powered in mines are caves. It was steam powered are compressed air. You know everyone would have died in there if the used gas. You need to do your research before you make your videos.

  4. Judge has the Word on April 17, 2021 at 10:17 pm

    I cart has ribbits not nuts an bolts means it is made in the 1885 to 1908 something like that.

  5. Lee on April 17, 2021 at 10:19 pm

    Amazing! I love how you stop and let a slideshow of high res photographs play. Your narration is excellent also – not everyone knows what all this stuff is (me), so it really enhances the experience when it’s being explained as the film progresses. Thanks for sharing!

  6. Oddlike Seven on April 17, 2021 at 10:20 pm

    Major Back to the Future vibe @ 0:50

  7. Enoch Bird on April 17, 2021 at 10:20 pm

    Its crazy to think the only time light ever gets there is when people are exploring it.

  8. Alisa Is Weird_ drieW sI asilA on April 17, 2021 at 10:21 pm

    anyone else notice the face in the darkness in the beginning?

  9. ty2148 on April 17, 2021 at 10:21 pm

    Did nobody else notice the winze for the big gas engine hoist was directly in front of it full of wood and debris?

  10. JF RL on April 17, 2021 at 10:22 pm

    Do you see the eyes looking at the camera from inside the inside of the mine? When you first start filming the mine hole. Check it out starting video from 1:05 (min and 5 sec)

  11. Kris Carmelo on April 17, 2021 at 10:23 pm

    What would you do if you found a bunch of dead bodies in there?

  12. Joel Hurd on April 17, 2021 at 10:23 pm

    Is there any way I could get a list of photos that you took of this mine? Those were some great photos.

  13. What did I watch just now? on April 17, 2021 at 10:24 pm
  14. JTSTRANGO on April 17, 2021 at 10:24 pm

    dude i saw the guy in the tunnel as you were showing the entrance and it freaked the shit out of me

  15. Crow Of Truth on April 17, 2021 at 10:26 pm

    nice walkthrough

  16. Dave Wait on April 17, 2021 at 10:28 pm

    The old in days are. Fasinating. !!!!! Iv been into most all the mines up here in washington state. Eastern wa.

  17. james chang on April 17, 2021 at 10:34 pm

    hows it going i love all the videos of all you guys that do this kind of stuff but every time i see one they all ways stay to the right can some one make a video of just going left this time thank you have a great day and a great Christmas and be safe jim

  18. Verticle Domain on April 17, 2021 at 10:34 pm

    Excellent photography. Glad there are people like you because I couldn’t do this. Yikers, you kidding me? not me.

  19. Robert Ordewald on April 17, 2021 at 10:35 pm

    Is there a way to get the ore car out of the mine? Not to be turned into furniture but to be used elsewhere.

  20. Mines of the West on April 17, 2021 at 10:38 pm

    Part 2 will be released next Monday! Also there will be only two parts (the title animation says 3 by mistake).

  21. Mutlap on April 17, 2021 at 10:39 pm

    8:25 batteries

  22. DeeAnn Commons on April 17, 2021 at 10:40 pm

    Ummm, wtf was standing in the portal w/ eyes?!

  23. Frank Dalla on April 17, 2021 at 10:41 pm

    I am forever amazed at the tonnage of material moved creating these old mines. Back breaking work.

  24. Adventures With Goat on April 17, 2021 at 10:41 pm

    Listen at 14:40 minutes when you say "Going all the way up to the stopes"… directly after… it sounds like something says "Here We Go" or something like that. I have played it back at least ten times. I believe you caught an EVP or an OUT OF BODY VOICE. I love It!

  25. Thomas Jones on April 17, 2021 at 10:42 pm

    Do you ever film the cool mineral deposits? I see so much passed up but never mentioned.

  26. Sunny Monroe on April 17, 2021 at 10:42 pm

    11:17 who said yes? his friend is too far away to say that into the camera, and the voice is an octave higher than the explorer.

  27. Treasure Hunters Illyria on April 17, 2021 at 10:43 pm

    Hello Archeology groups

  28. Ryland Oreo on April 17, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    There is a voice that isn’t yours in your video. Almost gives off a gurgling sound.

  29. Doug Reed on April 17, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    Is that blue and green colored rock Turquoise ? If it was copper possible I don’t know really, also you mention is high up in the desert makes me thinks of Palm Springs love that area. But thats pretty much cover state east of CA were I currently live Utqh Nevada Arizona New Mexico and Colorado I guess would be all potentially high desert elevation wise. I was trying to think Wyoming South Dakota Idaho Im not real sure what if any heavy mining that historically happened to speak of. There must have been something th3 blaxk hills have Uranium I know yhat much. Best yellow wake on the planet like out natural gas is probably the cleanest on the planet and China Joe wqnts to shut it down shit if we use it it gets better byproduct in the atmosphere this is a scam the planet is under constant change and what they wont tell us is the truth, thats the "why" to that one, and the reason for these mines was for raw ore to process as much as possible, thats a pretty good size mine in a short amount of time it seems. IDK

  30. Clark Kent on April 17, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    No it’s kind of interesting see these what you’re doing but you’re not explaining nothing to me I’m illiterate when it comes to mine all them names are using pitch and shoots and whingers and can’t explain your videos what they are what they’re used for

  31. Kingdom Hearts Fan2005 on April 17, 2021 at 10:51 pm

    This is how it feels exploring Tailfin Pass in Cars: The Video Game.

  32. 577 Jersey Customs Adventures on April 17, 2021 at 10:51 pm

    Cool..you go in these mines alone bro..you have o2 meter and stuff?
    I take it TVR is your mentor 🙂

  33. Joy Kidd on April 17, 2021 at 10:51 pm

    1:22 WAT IS THAT

  34. James Stoy on April 17, 2021 at 10:52 pm

    11:17 you hear a "yes" that don’t sound like anyone else that was exploring the mine too. And super close to the microphone.

  35. Uwe Steinki on April 17, 2021 at 10:54 pm

    Thanks for the fantastic journey,and so very informative. Cheers from Australia.

  36. michael beach on April 17, 2021 at 10:55 pm

    Fascinating video,thank you.

  37. Jeffinetly JefFBi on April 17, 2021 at 10:57 pm

    Those were boosters it looked like (those packed round tubes) aka explosives.

  38. Bill on April 17, 2021 at 10:59 pm

    If you want to be RICH…Pull out all the wood and artifacts, tracks, nails, jackets EVERYTHING, out of those mines.

  39. GODRilla on April 17, 2021 at 11:00 pm

    Just like a irl point and click mine level.

  40. Depressed Summer on April 17, 2021 at 11:00 pm

    What is a oreshoot? Is it the wood over the roof of the mine to keep the roof to not collapse? 🤔🤔

  41. Mike - Mama Edwards on April 17, 2021 at 11:00 pm

    Great job with "Stills"! (Pics)

  42. C Gk on April 17, 2021 at 11:01 pm

    Funny how accurate the minecart sound is in Minecraft after watching this 🙂

  43. Aaron DuBois on April 17, 2021 at 11:02 pm

    That’s a Fairbanks morse Z I actually just got rid of a fully functional restored version of that.

  44. MECHANIC MAN on April 17, 2021 at 11:03 pm

    Epic exploration all the way from the alien to the ore cart. And always have the best photography out of all. Wonder why your vids just came out. Awesome content pictures

  45. Kyler Goss on April 17, 2021 at 11:05 pm

    I really wanted to see that blower😔. Amazing job once again.

  46. vintageexcellence on April 17, 2021 at 11:06 pm

    Anyone else wanna jump in that ore cart and ride it around like temple of doom?

  47. nudge2626 on April 17, 2021 at 11:08 pm

    What camera do you use to film? It is really clear for such low light conditions.

  48. Cjburn 27 on April 17, 2021 at 11:08 pm

    Fairbanks Morse are still in operation in Beloit Wisconsin

  49. Robert Cable on April 17, 2021 at 11:10 pm

    I want to say carbide battery’s but not for sure.

  50. James Hendrickson on April 17, 2021 at 11:11 pm

    Thank’s for sharing. Very educational.

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