Hawver Cave/Mountain Quarries Mine

USA / California / Auburn /
 quarry, cave(s)
Hawver Cave was a natural cave that ran under Mountain Quarries and used by the Pacific Portland Cement Company to deliver limestone ore from the quarry. A glory hole was dug to connect the mine and cave. The ore was then loaded onto ore cars and taken to the nearby crusher building via wooden trestle for processing before loading hopper railcars and shipped.

In November 2006, the AMLU—in partnership with California State Parks, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Teichert Aggregates—helped to install bat-compatible gates at the historic Hawver Cave/Mountain Quarries Mine in the Auburn State Recreation Area. Hawver Cave was originally discovered in the 1880s by miners looking for limestone. From 1908-1910, many ice-age animal remains were discovered and documented in the cave. Mining of limestone at “Mountain Quarries” (other mine names were applied over the years) started in 1910; when operating, it was the largest limestone mine in Northern California. After work ceased in 1942, most of the equipment was removed from the site, and the main entrance was blocked with fallen rock. In subsequent years, however, people dug their way back into the abandoned mine. Park rangers frequently responded to party-goers, vandalism, and occasional injuries until recently, when State Parks staff called on the AMLU and its partners to close several known entrances to the mine.

www.trainweb.org/foothill/mqmp.html
www.conservation.ca.gov/OMR/abandoned_mine_lands/Contra...
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   38°54'31"N   121°1'35"W

Comments

  • Had some really awesome adventures in that mine. Like always, govt. had to shut it off because somebody might have got hurt or had too much fun. I hope the current Placer High kids can find some more secret entrances and enjoy the same adventures we had.
  • In our younger years, we'd explore the cave, roam the hills above and around it and find what we supposed were air shafts complete with old and rickety ladders leading down to blackness. Good times.
  • How well do you know that cave? We found a way in and would like to know more about it as we explore.
  • Logan I've been looking for a way in for a while, where did you find it? Thanks
  • I too have been looking. Some kids just recently found a way in and posted a video.
This article was last modified 10 years ago