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Safely Entering Mines and Caves on our Trail Runs

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  • Safely Entering Mines and Caves on our Trail Runs

    Some excellent information about safety in abandoned mines was posted in the thread for Mt. Ord Mines.

    Here is a link to that post:
    http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/sh...73&postcount=4

    It got me thinking.

    I agree with Roger's follow-up comment about it being good information, but not letting it deter him from doing what he loves to do.

    Most of the people I've met at MJR seem to be very safety concious.

    Given enough information, we all decide for ourselves what falls in the category of "acceptable risk."

    Taking personal responsibility in this way is what determines whether we will engage in skydiving, mountaineering, flying, scuba diving, caving, skiing, white water kayaking or off roading. These various activities all require a different level of education and proficiency in that field to conduct ourselves in a manner that would be considered safe by those who are considered experienced.

    Often times the challenge we encounter is that "we don't know what we don't know."

    Depending on the activity, this lack of knowledge can get us injured or cost us our lives. Sometimes, it's a very simple thing that can keep us from putting ourselves at an unnecessary level of risk.

    I've heard about the National Speleological Society (NSS) through scuba diving, because they have a Cave Diving Section within their organization.

    There may be other organizations more suited to offering us training for what we want to do that I'm not aware of.

    I'm interested in going into more caves and mines that my Jeep can help me get to, but think it might make sense to get more training that can raise the levels of safety, awareness and enjoyment.

    This was definitely something that I was thinking about when crawling and slithering through some of the mud caves in the Anza Borego Desert State Park. I thought that we were conducting ourselves in a safe manner in what is likely considered a dangerous environment by most people, but a seasoned caver might look at how we were conducting ourselves as excessively risky.

    Are any of you interested in learning more about safety in caves and mines from some organization that specializes in these environments?

    Also let us know if you think that there are other organizations that should be considered for furthing our education in these environments.

    I have one other question that I'm curious about. Are those of you who are interested in mines also interested in caves (and visa versa)?

    Christian
    "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

  • #2
    I think we would be interested in getting some more training or safety awareness in exploring mine shafts and such. I believe we can never get too much info on doing this excessively dangerous sport. We have experienced some of those dangers mentioned in that thread that I feel I could of have been better prepared for.
    Some say that if you listen to the little voices, you are open minded, if you answer them, you belong in a white padded room. I say, have a conversation!!

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