Explored the Whiteside Mine near Independence, CA yesterday. The main tunnel goes in straight for 2000 feet! There are two branching tunnels. We climbed up to the second and third levels via some ladders. There are at least three more levels above that which we did not get to. The Whiteside Mine also has a very large, flooded vertical shaft in the main tunnel. It looks like there might've been a couple levels down below, but now they are forever flooded. The water in the vertical shaft was crystal clear, and you could see far down when a flashlight was aimed downward. I've read that the Whiteside Mine was never profitable and that nothing of value was ever found there. Not sure how accurate that bit of history is, but the mine certainly is quite extensive.
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Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 1 on 8/16/2010 6:57 AM >
Were there any obstructions you could see in the flooded shaft? What size was it, roughly? We're heading out that way soon and I think I'm taking dive gear.
How far back from the portal is the flooded section? Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
The flooded vertical shaft was about one-third of the way in the tunnel where it branches to the right. In my video, you can see a wooden ladder sticking up from out of the water. There were some submerged pipes and stuff in the water, too, but it seemed as if there was a clear passage all the way down the shaft. I was surprised at how clear the water was. Of course, once somebody goes in there and stirs it up, it will probably turn cloudy. The dimensions of the shaft are probably 10' x 10' (rough estimation) -- probably a bit bigger. Definitely big enough for someone to go down it. When do you think you'll do this diving attempt? Might be worth driving up there with Matthew to watch you do it! [last edit 8/16/2010 9:37 PM by hoodrat - edited 1 times]
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Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 3 on 8/17/2010 12:02 AM >
Well apparently on my possibly upcoming trip, the are they're exploring isn't really close to there. I wasn't sure how far away it'd be.
And there was a less-than-enthusiastic response when I brought up the subject. I think it was understood that I'd need them to sit and wait or support me from above or something; which wasn't what I had meant at all, as I can do what I need to do while solo. But I don't wanna make waves since it's their trip that I'd be joining.
Perhaps you and Matt and I *could* plan a trip up there to do it? That'd be awesome.
Similar with wreck diving, silt gets stirred up. There are ways you can help to mitigate that a little, but in the end it'll always be silty on the return. It's just the way things are. However... in a mine it might not be as bad. In the ocean, sediments are constantly being pushed in and layering out inside. A mine would be a relatively stagnant environment, and as it's all rock, there's at least a good chance that it'd be significantly less silty than would a shipwreck. Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 4 on 8/17/2010 2:22 AM >
Keep me posted when you want to do this. Either myself, Matt, and/or a couple other guys we know down here would come up there to Whiteside to watch you do this. Not sure how extensive that flooded shaft would be or how long you'd be down there exploring it, but it would be great to also explore the rest of that mine's upper levels (we only did the second and third levels -- there are a few more above those) and check out other stuff in the area. Might be a good idea to camp out overnight due to the amount of stuff to explore and due to the driving distance from San Diego. If you did descend into that flooded shaft, can you film underwater? That'd be cool if you had a camera that could do that! Do they even make such cameras for divers???
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Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 5 on 8/17/2010 2:27 AM >
Yeah, I have my GoPro helmet cam, with a mounting adapter I put on my helmet.
It's waterproof to 180', and can take video or snapshots, or triple-snap-shots, or time-delay shots. You can specify for it to take a pic every 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 20 seconds I believe.
I noticed you said "we"... who else would go for it? Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 6 on 8/17/2010 2:37 AM >
Matthew would be up for it, I'm sure. I talked to him earlier today and mentioned that you were thinking about diving into that flooded Whiteside MIne shaft.
I've also met a couple other guys down here in San Diego who have been extensively mapping some of the larger mines near Julian, CA who would also probably go along. Check out my Hubbard Mine video posting in this forum that I did last Saturday a week ago to see what I'm talking about. I zoom in on one of the guy's maps that he's drawn. His other buddy, Rob, was the one who was with me in the Whiteside Mine and Reward Mine videos this past Friday.
Myself and any of them would be interested, I'm sure, in heading back up there. [last edit 8/17/2010 4:57 AM by hoodrat - edited 2 times]
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Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 8 on 8/18/2010 12:10 AM >
Once it was pointed out that I'm being trolled, I decided the detailed response I had posted here isn't necessary.
[last edit 8/18/2010 5:22 AM by Therrin - edited 4 times] Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 9 on 8/19/2010 6:49 AM >
It's actually not anything to do with spending time supporting the dive or waiting during it. We'd like to explore the mine too. The part that concerns me is the danger and impossibility of assisting if things go wrong. Also, as cold and crass as it is, we want to do anything we can to avoid an incident on one of our expeditions and diving that shaft is very dangerous. Heck, we don't want anything to happen on anyone's trip... mine exploring injuries or deaths are bad for all of us (especially the one getting hurt/killed).
We're definitely game for additional trips up there. There is plenty more to explore that we haven't hit yet. We want to target the area to the east right now because it's at high elevation and is weather sensitive. We couldn't access the mine on our last trip because of a blizzard!
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Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 10 on 8/19/2010 7:18 AM >
Yup yup, its all good.
I've talked to several people who want to do it and we're planning a separate trip for it. =) No worries!
I suppose i'll throw in the qualifications now... just so everyone else knows where things are at.
My scuba certs include: Basic, advanced, Deep Diver, Night Diver, Wreck Diver, Rescue Diver & Divemaster. I've been diving for almost 11 years. I'm also a certified visual cylinder inspector and air fill certified by AquaLung; and have taken other classes and seminars at their facility as well.
I have over 350 logged dives, and at least 14 wreck dives. I've dove several planned deco dives (as opposed to no-deco diving), and have been as deep as 242ft on regular air. I worked at a SoCal Dive shop for two years and have done everything from beach dives, boat dives, lake dives, river dives, overhead environment dives & wreck insertion dives. I'm also an LA County cert'd EMT, and have 100% O2 cylinders and equipment.
This dive likely wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as some of the wrecks I've been in, where there are electrical conduits, pipes, debris, silt, buckled bulkheads, fishingline, nets, etc. to get tangled up in. It's actually pretty straight-forward compared to that.
Typically I almost always wreck dive solo. It's not an uncommon thing in technical diving. The risks I take are my own, I'm not putting anyone else's life in danger. Therefore, if it's something I choose to do, and people will go with me for it... it's my decision whether its a "bad idea' based on my training and experience, or whether it's just one more run on the ladder of adventure. These are choices that are made INDIVIDUALLY, and aren't for anyone else to say or decide.
Snordhol, I heard you just got your basic open water cert this summer. Congratulations! I hope you have a great time exploring the underwater world. Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Dang, you're sounding like a real UER member now!!!
I figured if some of the people on here know the extent of my technical diving background they *might* be more interested in what I'm trying to do, rather than assume that I'm just going to kill myself doing "something stupid".
I've already talked to a few fellow technical divers and begun preparing a planning scenario as to how to approach this. From initial survey of the area, to a recon dive with specific parameters, to a more in-depth exploration of the first submerged level; considering that certain factors line up properly.
And if they don't line up right, or something is "off", then any additional diving is scrapped.
There are plenty of flooded mines to dive in, but given the size of this opening, as well as that it's located inside a stoped area where a tarp can be layed out for easy gear donning & doffing, it seems like an ideal location for a trial run. [last edit 8/19/2010 10:39 PM by Therrin - edited 1 times] Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 13 on 8/20/2010 3:15 AM >
Therrin: I applaud your efforts. I do know the statistics, and it's not the safest thing in the world to do, but neither is driving down the road. To each their own! I've logged about 150 dives myself. I'd love to join you, but I don't have enough experience in confined areas. Only been on about 5 wreck dives w/ very little penetration.
Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 14 on 8/20/2010 3:54 AM >
Therrin,
My buddy Rob is getting his pictures back tomorrow from the Whiteside Mine. I talked to him today and he is certain that he took some of the structure that's above the flooded shaft as well as some of the general area. I should have those by tomorrow night or Saturday, so I'll send you the relevant ones.
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Re: Whiteside Mine <Reply # 15 on 8/20/2010 5:58 AM >
Excellent! And thanks so much Hoodrat, also tell him I said I appreciate it.
That'll be great for assisting in some of the planning.
I created a planning thread, so that we can leave this one alone. I may see if some of the planning content can be moved to it as well, instead of clogging this thread.
http://www.uer.ca/...d=1&threadid=83292 Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =)
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