Exploring Montezuma's Mine - Southern Utah

Video Notes: I added captions for the quieter parts, so that is why some subtitles appear in only a few spots in the video. I also edited out the VERY loud portions in the video. So when you don't hear music or our voices, it's because I muted the the video and saved all of our eardrums! :-)
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This was a fun adventure and we had no idea what to expect when we went there! In my mind, I imagined the tunnels going several hundred feet, but in actuality there are only about 150 ft. worth of tunnels. Some people believe there is a large cave at the end of the tunnels, but the tunnels were so narrow that it was impossible for us to continue down them. And, we didn't want to get even more sandy ;-)
We didn't find gold, but we loved living the history!
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The Legend of Montezuma's Gold
(There are several versions of this legend. I have pieced together a few of them for this video)
About 500 years ago, the Spanish Conquistadors invaded the land of the Aztecs in what is now known as Mexico. The Aztecs reportedly had so much gold that the Spanish were shocked that it was seemingly everywhere. Of course, the Spanish wanted this gold and soon their desire turned to lust. Seeing this lust, the king of the Aztecs, King Montezuma (also spelled Moctezuma), had a group of people and soldiers bring as much of it as possible to the Aztec Homeland: Aztlan.
Some people believe that the Aztec's homeland is located in the area surrounding present day Kanab, Utah. The Aztecs travelled extremely far with much gold to get to this area and they dug tunnels in the sandstone mountains to hide their treasure. They supposedly carved petroglyphs as hints near the tunnels for anyone who would be searching for the gold.
Around the 1900s, a man by the name of Freddy Crystal was convinced that the Aztecs had hid their treasure near Kanab, Utah. He came into possession of a treasure map that showed the geography of what Freddy thought was the Kanab area! He followed the map to a place just outside of Kanab and found what appeared to be a tunnel sealed with stone and mortar. Using the only tools he had at the time, he used a pocket knife to break through the mortar. It proved too difficult and Freddy went to the town of Kanab to recruit any and all to help him retrieve the gold. It is said that 3/4 of the town came to his aid and helped clear out the tunnels that were backfilled with sand. They supposedly found bones and beads, but no gold.
So, the legend lives on to this day. Was the Aztec gold really hidden in the mountains of Kanab? We may never know! It is a fun place to explore and you should check out these other links for further reading. Also check out our own post on The Trek Planner!
Trek Planner Trek
Anyone can view this small Blog Shot post that we have on the mine:
thetrekplanner...
Need to be an Insider Member to view the entire post:
thetrekplanner...
Montezuma's Treasure
www.thespectru...
www.kanabguide...
visitsouthernu...

[@tjens09]

Seeing all that loose sand on the floor makes me wonder what it would take to dig it all out, and what might be found. It would be quite the undertaking!

[@TheTrekPlanner]

I thought the same thing. Might take something like a hand dredge or something!

[@tjens09]

@@TheTrekPlanner Or a bunch of folks with hand trowels and buckets. Ugh...

[@TheTrekPlanner]

@@tjens09 You're probably exactly right lol I wonder how long it would take a few dozen people to dig out

[@tjens09]

@@TheTrekPlanner Also, the Aztecs' language, Nahuatl, is in the same language family as Ute, so it's not impossible that Utah/SW US *is* their ancestral homeland. Just an interesting side fact. I wonder how they crossed the Grand Canyon, or if they went around it, a la Dominguez and Escalante style.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

@@tjens09 Thanks for the info! Now, that is VERY interesting. It would be amazing to see a time-lapse of how people moved around back then.

[@GoldVP...]

Loved the beginning of the video music, and how you edited that, over how its formatted now. Great great show. Thanks 🍻🇨🇦

[@JosiahNielsen]

Haha I've been in that same exact mine. There is actually another one on top of a cliff right next to it. But it is sketchy getting there.

[@oriraykai3610]

I'd like to see what ActioAdventureTwins could with some of those drops. That looked like an interesting cave!

[@randallminchew6780]

I went there last spring. Cool place.

[@MineExplorerUK]

oh my! This place is unreal. would love to go here!

[@TheTrekPlanner]

It was a very unique experience, that's for sure!

[@kenwyley1433]

Great job! Thanks ever so much for sharing. If I were 20 years younger I,ed ask to go with you. However at mid 70,s its better to go via your camera. Southern Colorado is so much different, many years of exploring it. take care Ken

[@daveh893]

A new episode: Indiana Jones and Montezuma's Mine. Great video!

[@taylorbistline3601]

Hey! That's Montazuma's Cave! I rapelled into that hole in the floor years ago! Also, that tight spot you came to does lead to another entrance around the corner from the main one.

[@UrbexTroll]

Sweet video. These caves are so much like the man made sandstone caves in St Paul & Minneapolis, Minnesota. I've had many years of fun times in those Minnesota caves and I'm still exploring them, I've got a lot of videos of those caves on my KZbin Channel.

[@Marcus_Octavius_Maximus]

Sand has blocked off many areas that were accessable years ago. Go back 500 years & you could imagine the areas that are no longer reachable. However, it's just sand. With enough time & hands, you could dig it all out.

[@manuelsalas8039]

It looks like someone already took off with the gold lol 😂

[@jirihamersky6152]

Interesting and attractive video. Thanks.

[@TerriAnnNiemeier-dy3no]

You n Annie keep on exploring

[@gijsv8419]

Are you not supposed to leave a sign at the entrance when you go in ?

[@58nomad]

Could you please let me know which Google earth app you are using?

[@lindapowell917]

oh dear that one freaked me right out.

[@Randomthings-im3zl]

Would the sand have been put there? just kinda weird that sand would be in a natural cave? Or a mine? just curious what you all think?

[@TheTrekPlanner]

The sand is pretty weird. I thought it could have been brought it, especially in that back part where it's too small for us to get through. The more that I've thought about this mine the more that I believe that it was probably part cave and part mine. It seems like it was hand dug at some point and then drills were used later. The mine shafts are very narrow, almost like they were dug by hand. It's a weird place for sure though

[@TJackSurvival]

It falls from the top of the cave, much like how all the half arch caves in this area have sand floors. However, you do find a ton of archaeological stuff in that sand if you dig deep enough as things tend to sift and fall to the bottom of it.

[@trustysteed8982]

maybe a wind sand storm over the years

[@taylorgall9516]

Sandstone

[@jardinsmaison]

Wow Nice place, cool

[@billcooke84]

Bones is a nickname. Lol

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Nice video, I know you saw drill marks, but looks like a lot was hand dug?

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thank you! Yeah, the drill marks were interesting even though it looks like the mine was indeed, hand dug. There really isn't much info about this mine. Almost every website I have visited has a slightly different story, so who knows! It may actually be dug by hand by the Aztecs ;-)

[@musiknbooks]

Ya'll scare me, but itlooks like sooo much fun! Is there a cute rat in this universe?

[@StevenSchoolAlchemy]

Greetings.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Hi Steven! Thanks for watching

[@RichardBrooke-g1e]

You’d have to drill or use a gold detector treasure won’t just sit on open sand

[@spockspock]

Weren’t you scared of monsters?

[@jigglycupcake2766]

There is evidence it WAS STASHED there but was later moved,I have bee there and to the pond 9f the real resting place of the gold

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Is there any idea who might have moved it? The Aztecs? Kanab residents? Someone else?

[@Maddiesghosttownadventures]

@@TheTrekPlanner the Aztecs supposedly moved it. Several legends revolve around the pond. People have scuba dived into a shaft and state they seen a ghost and they felt their air was cut off like a choking sensation

[@TheTrekPlanner]

@@Maddiesghosttownadventures Is that the pond that is on the Discovery or History channel episode I've seen before?

[@taylorbistline3601]

I also scuba dived the ponds but it too was empty but the underwater cave does go back about 100 feet under the cliff face. The water was 35 feet deep at the back of the cave and 31 feet deep at the entrance, however, unlike the caves up Johnson Canyon, the three- lakes pond underwater cave looked like a natural spring to me.

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

Anybody else get stressed just watching this?

[@ProdigyDancer79]

Great video but both o Yall should really get helmets on! 👍

[@TheTrekPlanner]

I agree! Honestly, we didn’t expect to find the mine since we had just awful directions. Once we rolled around in the desert for a few hours we did find it but didn’t have helmets :-/

[@mandolao5039]

It’s the wendigo

[@jardinsmaison]

Metal detector

[@jeffsimslmt]

Eh! A different production. I don’t know why, but it wasn’t that much fun. I’m spoiled.

[@stevesmith3556]

Nope!

[@giorgiocisilino4874]

wish some would not tag ot leave graffiti.

[@thomascagle8904]

Did you marry her yet?

[@jeffbatke4902]

Sand stone no minerals I think

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Yeah I wasn't expecting much of anything. I was secretly hoping for that Aztec gold ;-)

[@kingkyronex9202]

over dramatic cheese.

[@MandyLeonxo]

Y’all are crazy lol I would a legitimate panic attack crawling through there

[@TheTrekPlanner]

lol honestly, it was pretty nerve-wracking to be crawling through it

[@twistedleft1060]

So you go off to film a mine and only bring one flashlight.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

I had spare batteries and a smaller flashlight in my backpack, plus we had two cell phone lights, so we were semi-prepared

[@spearsinspines]

Long ways to carry gold from central Mexico lol

[@carolinemcgreal2382]

Interesting caves, thanks for sharing.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thanks for watching!

[@queennine]

Wonder if anyone has brought a metal detector..

[@TheTrekPlanner]

That would be interesting to see!

[@TheRockgremlin]

Hmmm....I've spent a LOT of time in abandoned mines, active mines, and caves, and I've gotta say...this resembles a cave more than a mine. All of the curves and passages are very soft and rounded, as opposed to a man-made mine where the walls and ceiling are very jagged and irregular. Also, with the exception of that small cluster of drill holes at 4:30 I didn't see any evidence of hand tools anywhere. IMHO I believe this is a natural cave system as opposed to a man made structure. Anyways, I enjoyed the virtual tour, and thank you for sharing!

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thanks for your comment, Rock Gremlin! I have gone back and forth between: "is this a mine or a cave?", for a few weeks now. I think parts of it could be a cave and the other parts could be mined out. Like the near vertical shafts at the entrance, I bet those were mined out. But then other features seem like this was a cave! Anywho, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks again for commenting!

[@zaynegrey7056]

The area this is in is very smooth sand stone. You can rub the walls and bulbs in the wall would smooth out. There are plenty of these in the area where they would mine out the sand stone for sand

[@StarWars5691]

Hey Rock Gremlin, about to go on a roadtrip through South Dakota, Utah, and Arizona, know any good mines and/ or caves that you would recommend?

[@TheRockgremlin]

@@TheTrekPlanner Upon revisiting this comment 3 years later, I find myself in the vicinity of Kanab. I believe you are correct about this cave being a hybrid of cave and mine. I rewatched the video and there are definitely parts of the walls above the vertical shafts that appear to be chipped out with tools. This is a really great channel! You hit on two of my favorite things: abandoned mines and canyoneering.

[@katesutton1476]

U guys r brave I don't go in caves for nothin. Never could. Man kind always leaving trash & graffiti everywhere. It's sad. Thx 4 the ride it was interesting. Much luv carry on

[@putsomething]

Let Russell Cook!

[@taylorbistline3601]

The last name is "Cooke" yes I know him.

[@valoriel4464]

caves n mines r stressful sometimes. Glad all went well ✌🏻

[@crispoulson8830]

Those Aztecs liked their beer 🍺

[@LuisVegavideodrone]

Interesting! Great video man! 🤙

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thanks, man! It was a fun place to check out!