Santa Margarita Mine: Part 2 - Underground Labyrinth

[@FyreFiend]

I’ve got to say you have the best mine videos on KZbin. No clickbait, not over produced, and you don’t pretend to know everything. Thank you for taking us along your adventures

[@TVRExploring]

Thanks a lot, guys... I love having people like you along for the ride!

[@Callmehkitten6]

Good videos yes but gly coolness better sorry

[@FyreFiend]

@@Callmehkitten6 I like his videos but he was who I was referring to with “over produced”. His earlier ones were much better in my opinion.

[@Dwendele]

Totally agree! I'm also amazed at how good the phone video is, considering where he's shooting.

[@alexduran6742]

Gly coolness doesn't even come close. You will never see him on a rope and leaves to many areas of a mine UNexplored.

[@leesherman100]

It just amazes me how miners don't know the word "quit". Incredible as always. Thanks an ore cart load!!

[@TVRExploring]

Like I always say, the old timers were tough!

[@davidsnider1703]

I've watched other mine explorers an hands down you guys are the best. I love seeing miners graffiti and studying colors and different things in mine. Thanks for taking us with.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you for the kind words and for coming along!

[@ActionAdventureTwins]

All those thick plates of dried mud looked really cool, awesome explore!

[@A50S2D]

You must have an amazing sense of direction. I'd end up lost and starved to death before I got out of some of the mines you've been into. You make my Wednesday afternoons!

[@TVRExploring]

Glad I can make your Wednesdays more enjoyable... Thank you!

[@mechanicman8687]

Best way to relax after work,., a bowl and TVR!

[@chrisackerley1842]

Justin - it occurs to me that the reason you don't find many crystal deposits in the mines you explore [similar to the crystals you found at 12:29] is that, during World War II, the War Department was buying up all the quartz crystals they could get. High quality quartz crystals were worth more than gold. They were used to tune the frequencies in radio sets. Every month, throughout the War, the War Dept. ran an ad seeking quartz crystals in the old Desert Magazine.

[@TVRExploring]

Check out my video of the Crystal Palace Mine... It is exactly what you described. The Crystal Palace was an old quartz gold mine that found a new life during World War II because of its crystals.

[@vernix]

​@@TVRExploring Are these not asbestos? Im no expert but I know there is a ton naturally occurring asbestos in rocks around the mine and throughout SLO county in general, particularly in serpentine rock outcroppings. If it's no id love to hear your thoughts process of how you differentiate and know it's not (genuine ask!) thanks!

[@Snotric]

Great explore, that was a massive level

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it was!

[@The_Cultural_Historian_DrRGST]

Love your stuff - now you know how the ladder got back there. Could have been there since the 1950's. Sam Carbis invented the aluminum ground extension ladder in 1930

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. I suspect that was a modern aluminum ladder, but I didn't realize they had been around for that long.

[@kimbra1132]

The furry crystal mine. Wow that was a huge mine and the colors were pretty.

[@archstanton9206]

What a labyrinth. I am the guy that would be pulling kite string behind me to mark the way out, LOL. That one sign said "What the hell are you looking for? There was so much of this place that didn't even look like rock, I am sure it was covered with dist from the blasting etc but it actually looked like hard clay. That graffiti from way back was fun. Probably young people out enjoying life, one guy so enamored with his car that he took the time to do a pic of it...looked like a 48 sedan...then he gives us the Chrysler logo as a further symbol of his pride. Those people are all either nearing the end of their lives or have since passed, but that one day, those few hours, who they were and their carefree exploring are frozen in time, there, in that lonely place.

[@ericcorse]

I thought is was an Airflow cool either way.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it ended up being quite the labyrinth... And, yes, very often the inside of the mines are covered in dust. Many people think the rock underground is all a dull gray or brown, but it is really just covered in dust most of the time. That's a great way to describe the old graffiti. I really love seeing it for that time capsule feeling it gives... Like you said, it captures the spirit and emotion of one happy, carefree moment in the life on someone that is long gone. Those always give me a deep feeling of nostalgia.

[@olspanner]

This mine has more twists and turns in it than a spy novel. Thanks again for sharing. Stay safe guys.

[@TVRExploring]

It sure did!

[@AdmiralJT]

As sketch as this one was getting, I still remember when you went through that drift to hell in that gold pacer mine uploaded Nov 6th 2019 "Into A Very Dangerous Underground Placer Gold Mine" That place makes all these flakey mine drifts like a walk in the park... Comment I left defiantly fit: "The nail-biting explores where you hope he makes it, forgetting that if he didn't, there wouldn't be a video... may luck remain with you."

[@cclyon]

That one still worries me.

[@tomsmith5088]

I have a old placer mine on my property and after watching that video I've decided I will never go into that mine

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it would be hard to top that video of the placer mine that you referenced! The ground in this one was a bit sporty in some places though...

[@paulcooper2897]

Wow .. very extensive level. That winze you explored was cool ... with the fury cryatals it almost felt like you were inside a big geode! Thanks for sharing!

[@StarScapesOG]

Once more, such an amazing mine! I love the crystals and the colors. The gobbing was really neat as well! It looks almost like someone's garden wall!

[@jonesfactor9]

The place is AWESOME 👍⚒🤘

[@bernardgonzales4195]

WoW that was an awesome mine, and as always you never cease to please. Thank you for the great adventure, we will always respect and appreciate the sacrifices you make for me and all your viewers. Stay Safe my friend.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. You've been with me from near the beginning and I really appreciate it.

[@TheSWolfe]

The crystalline adit urchins are fascinating to watch reflecting off yr lights. That's one heckuva mine - on to Part 3!

[@rickbauer7976]

What an adventure! Thanks for the trip!

[@TVRExploring]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@caseyhazlett7546]

Another awesome video man!!! I look forward to the next one..be safe out there

[@samuelgilbert9734]

Video from the phone, although not as good, wasn't too bad. Thank you for sharing it with us!

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, fortunately, I had just gotten a new phone with a decent camera.

[@oxskirra]

Wow that was EPIC!! Totally worth the wait.

[@diggindiggenit6540]

Best footage and coverage of mines on YT I have seen everytime wtg on that adventure

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much.

[@ralphpatrick3071]

Your curiosity abounds, much admiration! Hate to see those ravaged ore cars. Thanks for another great explore!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, it makes me sad and frustrated to see those ravaged ore cars as well...

[@craigmize4395]

Hey , glad you checked , I got to hunt the property next to the mines about 10 years ago , they built a City fence around the area ! It would be cool to explore them with modern lights . Keep up the great vids.

[@LolPepperGate]

The crystalization is badass to see!

[@SteveandSusiesHomestead]

O.K well this one just keeps getting better ... Thank you

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, this was a fun explore.

[@keithmcfaul9204]

Shame on you for forgetting extra batteries. That will cost you your next birthday. Great job exploring and documenting. Always enjoy your channel!

[@TVRExploring]

Total rookie move on the batteries... Glad you enjoyed this one!

[@myrrhavm]

Another hollow mountain. Blows my mind when I started thinking when you showed that picture of the car drawing. How old was that? Even 5 years ago led flash lights were sort of rare and were expensive. So imagine the old D cell flashlights and creeping around down there then the headlamp guys years before that and the candles before that. I reflect back to jobs I’ve had and wonder to myself, how the heck did we work with such crappy and horrible tools? Like working on emergency call outs climbing poles at night with spot lights shining from our trucks parked on the streets while we were a hundred plus feet away at times along with flashlights strapped to our hard hats. Or manholes with nothing more that a four cell flashlight. That ladder looked like it was bought yesterday. Have you seen the virus down there? Thanks for taking us along again.

[@TVRExploring]

I can't imagine exploring a mine with an old D cell flashlight... I remember those from when I was a kid and they were terrible compared to what is available now. Hard to imagine you working in the conditions you did as well!

[@macfilms9904]

Maybe make a checklist on your phone and go through it & your pack before you leave the car? Great explore, I'm enjoying seeing this mine. To me a lot of the stuff looks like early 1950s - so I'm thinking the mine was reworked at that time. Really enjoy the videos Justin!

[@rolfsinkgraven]

That was a big collapse at the start of the video, great explore in a crumbly mine. ( have too watch the rest in the morning time for my beauty sleep :-)

[@carlosasosa4293]

Bro on 4:42 or do I saw some rocks we have used here in Mexico to obtain silver ! Lots of it !!! Back then people didn’t use them because the amount is minimum but now days that’s our breath and butter here in Zacatecas

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, I've noticed in the past that the miners would only take the very richest ore and would leave everything else behind like it was trash!

[@MsSurigirl]

Very cool place. Gorgeous, needle-like crystals.

[@worldtraveler930]

Any idea what those needle-like crystals are?

[@AGDinCA]

@@worldtraveler930 Someone else in the comments said a form of gypsum.

[@worldtraveler930]

@@AGDinCA Cool, Thanks!

[@MsSurigirl]

​@@worldtraveler930 Actually I don't. It sounds like gypsum could be it. Fascinating stuff.

[@MiloPerrotti]

Awesome part 2 woo hoo, that is allot of dots!

[@jimarmstrong1458]

Quality gobbling, awesome!

[@worldtraveler930]

😳 WOW!! 😳 That became an Labyrinth really fast!

[@TVRExploring]

It sure did!

[@GlobeExplore]

too much rocks fell down inside the mine shows how danger is that. great interesting moments.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, I didn't think it was possible to get inside of this mine the first time that I visited.

[@AdventuresRUs]

That sounds like a great miners tune, “A little junk in the junction” 🎶

[@minimind11]

You ever thought about coming to Montana, Id love to see what's under my feet, love your stuff!

[@TVRExploring]

I had the flight booked and everything set up last year for a Montana trip, but an hour before I had to leave for the flight I got called out to a large forest fire.

[@minimind11]

@@TVRExploring That doesn't surprise me, hope you can make it a diffrent time, love your stuff!

[@ryanvargas4889]

I would love to go on one of these expeditions!

[@TVRExploring]

Good company is always welcome...

[@captaincalmag4953]

Those crystals are a form of gypsum

[@AGDinCA]

Are they? I was curious about that.

[@gregregula661]

Thank you for the videos!! This fascinates me.. with all the minerals and veins left could these minds still produce good results???

[@gingerbread6614]

This was a huge mine. Just be careful. Thank you.

[@SueGirling68]

Hi Justin, when you said you had to go down that sketchy bit I was "Oh nooo Justin" while putting my head in my hands lol, it turned out to be a pretty fantastic explore through there and those crystals were just stunning, I mean how on Earth do they manage to grow like that ?? is it like an icicle forms ??, very mind blowing when you think what nature can achieve all on her own. Wow the phone's video quality is really really good actually, I would be interested to know what phone you have ??. That shovel/hoe has seen a lot of work in it's lifetime. The part at 40:46 really looks like a crystal grotto, so pretty. I wonder if word got out in the 50's about all the crystals and the sparkly minerals and that's why there were so many people down there back then, they were rock hounds. What a fantastic mine explore, they sure liked there junctions, thank you so much for sharing, much love. xx 🙏💖

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you, Sue. I forget how crystals grow, but they're a naturally occurring phenomenon and happen fairly easily (and quickly). It was indeed sketchy down in that little chamber with the crystals, but it was worth it, I think. The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S20. It seems to do pretty well except for the colors being a little more washed out than the main camera...

[@SueGirling68]

@@TVRExploring I love crystals and have several here, my favourite is Amethyst. I think it was worth it too, for a phone it did a great job, I have the Sony Xperia 1 which has a decent camera also. xx

[@Dranzerk8908]

The phone camera is better because of the stabilization applied to it vs other camera. I try to tell people that its important to process videos with it, but they say it takes to long or can't see the difference, but the difference is not the picture, the difference is in the slight bouncing around of camera as you walk AND pan camera.

[@conscienceepoch9839]

Part 2 woohoo, Hey #TVR Exploring where is Mr. Mcbride been?

[@TVRExploring]

He's been really busy and he was having vehicle issues... We're hoping to get a lot more adventures in with the coming season.

[@davidsul7052]

I believe those furry crystals are gypsum. Gypsum is an evaporite mineral that grows crystals fast under the right moisture conditions.

[@tomsmith5088]

Someone must have been there fairly recently whole bunch of plastic water bottles everywhere

[@LawnMower-hu9pw]

Must have been a lot of goodies in this mine

[@TVRExploring]

I'd love to have seen it right after it was abandoned.

[@ericcorse]

Those crystal are neat it would be interesting to know what they are. That logo at 14.08 looked like the USMC emblem.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, I thought it looked like the USMC logo as well!

[@mfree80286]

14:07 you've had a Marine in the mine.

[@georgesmith8113]

Nice. 👍👍😎 Thanks!

[@timothyrobbins2510]

The phone footage was just as good lol

[@PlanetMojo]

"That is quality gobbing" That right there is a phrase you don't hear every day 😉

[@nnnnnnnnnick5557]

The Phone video turned out pretty decent

[@stevengill1736]

Some nice mineralization....looks like lots of esoteric sulfides and the associated oxidation products..galena, sphalerite, various pyrites? Cool.....

[@davidisonyt]

Great video, really appreciate all the work you do and risks you take for these videos. Wonder why someone collected all those rock samples then left them behind?

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. I'm glad to have people such as yourself along for the ride.

[@_tyrannus]

If these people who signed their names in the 1950s were indeed exploring this then relatively fresh abandoned mine, just imagine how even more extensive this labyrinth would have turned out to them. I would 100% get lost on my own in such a place, which I wouldn't like considering the sketchy ground. Perhaps not as dangerous as *that* placer mine, but the total absence of echo was eerie, and those crumbly slabs of many tons supported above you by century old planks... not even comfortable to watch from the safety of my chair.

[@TVRExploring]

Haha, it'd be tough to top that old placer mine for sketchiness! You're right that this wasn't entirely comforting either though...

[@_tyrannus]

@@TVRExploring I'm always amazed at your risk evaluating/managing abilities, regardless of those few times where you let your curiosity get the better of you. I would certainly accept to follow you into places where I wouldn't ever set foot on my own.

[@TVRExploring]

@@_tyrannus I appreciate the vote of confidence. Hopefully, my evaluation skills continue to hold up!

[@diggindiggenit6540]

put all the dug out tunnels and such in a line bet it would go a mile , what a maze

[@TVRExploring]

I think you're 100% right about that.

[@RH117]

Boxy, Underground Explorers and I think Socal Tunnel Rats or another group mapped and documented the mine. More collapse since their explore.

[@TVRExploring]

I know Boxy did. I'm not sure about the others... You probably know better than me. Yes, unfortunately, once these old mines start to go, they seem to fail pretty quickly.

[@raydowley1038]

just love your explorations and to see all the machinations put in by the miners to get the ore out, but what saddens me is to see all the trash left by others scarring the mine. take it in fetch it out should be a by-law.

[@worldtraveler930]

We don't need any more unnecessary and stupid laws just plain common sense, remember "Take only photographs leave nothing but footprints" once people know you follow that line of thought you'll get invited to more places to see.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, I hate to see all of the modern trash that gets left behind... You know those same people are taking all kinds of good stuff out of the mine as well.

[@raydowley1038]

@@TVRExploring yes forgot about the trophy hunters, but can see the sense in rescuing artifacts to preserve and place in a mining museum

[@raydowley1038]

@@worldtraveler930 maybe your right these type of people would probably ignore such laws, people are litterbugs not all but most just something missing from the common sense side of the brain.

[@worldtraveler930]

@@raydowley1038 Yep, my grandparents would have called it "Just plain ole' horsesense"

[@jamesjustus6568]

The graffiti said "what in the hell are you looking at me for".

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you.

[@darinday6930]

"I think I got to do it" lol

[@CharlieTalmadge]

That pennzoil can dates to the 1930s

[@Casmige]

Do you know what might be nice? just a video for us newbies who absolutely don’t understand what a winze is, an ore-pass, a drift, what a stope is, what an ore-chute is or how it operates, & etcetera. Even how the ventilation tubes worked & why. Just a whiteboard presentation and explanation would be nice..... Even an overview of how the mine would work? & What type of workers work what levels and who gave the oversight as to where to pursue whatever they were pursuing...

[@cornwellstingray]

On the ore cart with the barrel at 46:12 somebody wrote on it Fr... 2020

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, we're definitely not the first ones in this mine.

[@philliphall5198]

Makes you wonder how much gold they got out of the mine

[@gpetheri]

Time to laminate a checklist....

[@robertsnyder5149]

I'm glad you use the partner system. My partner and I do that in case of an accident. Gly doesn't do that and may pay for it some day.

[@TVRExploring]

When I first started doing this, I didn't know enough people that were willing to go mine exploring yet and so I did many explores by myself. However, I definitely prefer going with others and, fortunately, have enough like-minded people in my circle now that are not just willing, but eager, to come along.

[@robertsnyder5149]

@@TVRExploring One thing I never do and I see people doing is bringing kids along underground. They are very loud in bad ground ares and keep bumping into things.

[@johnyreb5464]

u should check out some of the iron mines in my areah one has a whole under ground called the ball room its 1 1/2 foot ball fields wide and i know if u where standing in the bottom and looking up with ur super light u still would not be able to see the roof and it does not breach the suffice

[@TVRExploring]

Where is your area?

[@RH117]

It goes deeper in the Boxy explore and the ore cart declines chain deeper meeting others and eventually connect to an adjacent claim. A lot ended up cut off for you.

[@hksp]

from the date, seems like most of the people who left writing on wall is goner

[@TVRExploring]

It always gives me kind of a strange feeling to see that...

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

Nice mine, too bad they took the ore cart trucks and most of the straight track. Maybe someone wanted to make a small rail road.

[@TVRExploring]

As large as that mine was, they could have built a decent-sized railroad!

[@patrickmcneilly4293]

Atleast there wasn’t an “uwu” or “OwO *notices your ore vein* Whats this?”

[@EminenceFrontX5]

Phone footage looks good

[@TVRExploring]

I'm glad it turned out OK. Thanks.

[@paulsouth4794]

With the ventilation tubes . Did the miners blow air in or suck air out ?

[@TVRExploring]

They blow fresh air into the mine from the outside...

[@trooperandcooperale3057]

I wonder how interesting a 360 degree camera would be done in a mine?

[@stevenospam4216]

Another site tried that and, to me, it sucked. You couldn't tell what you were looking at.

[@markattardo]

🤯

[@JDR1971]

42:20 Chrysler V8

[@davidsnider1703]

Sometimes I get nervous of what might be in there. Do you regularly carry a equalizer or just the one time we could see it

[@TVRExploring]

We don't always carry equalizers, but we often do. They're for the human predators rather than the animal predators though.

[@johnjimjohnston]

why do they walk off and do not take all tools with them this was very good

[@PissBoys]

Because if everyone just took whatever they wanted out of these old mines, there wouldn’t be anything interesting left in them for people to see. Leave Only Footprints, Take Only Memories applies to places like mines as well.

[@daveg2104]

@@PissBoys I think he was referring to the miners.

[@daveg2104]

For the old miners, they would take whatever they thought would be useful at their next mining venture, or could sell. The difficulty of removing old equipment would also be taken into account. Scrappers, amateur/hobby miners and souvenir hunters also remove easily accessible equipment. Some mines do have a lot of stuff in them, so it would seem the mine was shut down quickly, with the possibility it was going to reopen again later - WW2 caused a lot of mines to close, and prices for minerals varies over time, making some mines suddenly uneconomic.

[@johnbone5854]

Look good. Find any horn silver

[@Ed_in_Md]

At about 25:25 it looks like the graffiti says “last car” and is possibly signed below that by Glenn Shaw. Above that are two different dates. Could the mine have been worked a second time maybe and Glenn Shaw was referring to the last ore car? But I dunno..... curious. Great video!

[@TVRExploring]

I don't know either. Perhaps one of the dates is from Glenn Shaw and represents the very last ore car load out of the mine, while the other date is from someone else (or even Glenn revisiting it) after the mine was abandoned?

[@daalnweaver4354]

The footage you shot with your phone was way nicer than your main camera

[@TVRExploring]

What made it better?

[@sandmanbub]

@Whoop!

[@rh5563]

👍👍👍

[@ADITADDICTS]

I want none of this! Lmao

[@TVRExploring]

You know you miss it...

[@AGDinCA]

Justin, from the footage, the furry crystals appeared to have a purplish hue. Was that an artifact of the camera? Or was that true color? By the way, your phone footage was very nice. 👍

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. I'm glad the footage turned out alright. Yes, the crystals had a purplish hue. That wasn't an artifact from the camera.

[@leighsayers2628]

The phone footage is very good ..very acceptable vision .. Great video .great explore ..love this channel

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Can your cameras show how dim a carbide lamp would be if you covered most of your light?

[@daveg2104]

If you want to see a carbide lamp in action, there are videos on KZbin.

[@TVRExploring]

We have a carbide lamp. We're planning to do a video soon where we compare the various lights - starting with a candle, then a carbide lamp, etc.

[@johnyreb5464]

no persons like u going back into old workings to get what they did not

[@russell5920]

In decent condition, that Pennzoil can is worth $65-80 or more! I believe it dates to the 1930s

[@worldtraveler930]

Take only photographs leave nothing but footprints.

[@volktales7005]

One source says that design with the owls on the can was used from 1937 to 1942. Pretty cool stuff.

[@King4s]

Nice mine.. Nice footage from the phone. Don't like the quick panning

[@Lizzbird_]

Play this at 2x speed

[@Jcrum5th]

Quality gobbing

[@LazlotheInstigator]

Phone sounds better

[@chrisk181]

Is it just me or is the phone camera footage better quality that the camera?

[@TVRExploring]

What made it better? I may switch over if that is the case...

[@petej222]

When i saw crystal at first i thought asbestos.

[@mattottie6410]

People need to quit putting griffiti in thest old mines, look but dont touch..

[@LolPepperGate]

The easier to access the more of that you'll see. Every adit/mine i've ever been in CA or NV that you can almost drive up too or less then 1 mile hike...has evidence of modern exploration, modern trash and graffiti in it.

[@austriafilm5945]

WIEDER GANZ STARKES VIDEO - DANKE, DASS ICH VIRTUELL MITKOMMEN DURFTE - LIKE (8) AM 3. März 2021 SEHR GERNE ABGEGEBEN - BITTE BESUCHE MICH AUCH MAL WIEDER AUF MEINEM KANAL - EIN SERVUS AUS DEM WIENERWALD SENDET DIDI HOLZINGER