Weather:  Overcast with a very light rain for the first 45 minutes or so - then partly cloudy with nice alpenglow.
Present were:  Gordon, K7HFV; Clint, KA7OEI; Bruce, KI7OM; Randy Lawrence, KG7GI; Randy Adams, N7BRP
Destination:  Up Cardiff fork, as far as we could go before it got too dark.
Comments:  As last week, we separated into three different groups.  Mr. Adams and Clint went ahead, Mr. Lawrence was in the middle - not too far behind, while Gordon and Bruce were bringing up the rear.  As noted below, more of us should really be carrying (working) radios.
By the way:  For going up canyon, it would appear that the road is shorter than the trail.
Question of the day:  "Where's Randy?"
Mr. Lawrence, being by himself in the middle of the pack, went elsewhere and wasn't seen again.  Since he wasn't at the car when we returned, we retraced some of the trail and found him coming down the road in the dark - having been delayed by his having been to Cardiff Pass.
We were further delayed when Mr. Adams locked his keys in his car - the only vehicle that we'd brought.  We were able to get back into his car without breaking anything, however.  Upon return, Mr. Adams' wife suggested that he get a radio of his own.
He has ordered one.
Total distance:  It depends.  My GPS-based odometer showed 7.04 miles - having gotten within 15 minutes or so walking distance from Cardiff Pass - but turning around rather than walking on the road in the dark.  Mr. Adams and I then took a detour and met with Gordon and Bruce, adding at least another mile.  In looking for Mr. Lawrence, I added yet another mile or so during the reconnoiter.  Mr. Lawrence's distance was likely very similar to mine, while Bruce and Gordon's distance was likely a mile or so less.
Times:  Left car:  1839;  Passing buildings:  1938; Clint and Randy turnaround:  2019;  Met Gordon and Bruce:  2038;  Returned to car first time:  2205;  Found Randy:  2224;  Returned to car and left:  2234
Altitudes in feet ASL (approx):  Vehicle:  7700;  Main building complex near the Howell Tunnel:  8800;  Where Clint and Randy turned around:  9550; Where we met Gordon and Bruce below the Baby McKee Mine:  9000
Elevation gain/loss:  2250 feet (approx.)
Local sunset on this date:  8:53 pm

Images (225-800k each, .JPG):

• IMG01100 - Looking to the North, across the canyon
• IMG01102r - The Reed and Benson Ridge
• IMG01104r - Up canyon, toward Mt. Superior, showing mine dumps in the Howell/Meadow tunnel area.
• IMG01107 - Remains of one of the structures near the Howell Tunnel.  Similar picture is #1106.
• IMG01108r - Up canyon, showing the slickrock in the vicinity of the Monte Cristo mine (not in view.)
• IMG01110 - Mr. Adams with Cardiff Pass in the background (near sunset)
• IMG01111 - Cardiff Pass - without Mr. Adams blocking the view.
• IMG01112 - Clint, blocking the view of the southern extent of the Reed and Benson Ridge which was bathed in alpenglow.
• IMG01113 - Similar picture - except with Mr. Adams.
• IMG01114 - Looking down canyon;  the Reed and Benson Ridge in alpenglow. Similar pictures are #'s 1115, 1116 and 1117.
• IMG01118 - Looking down Cardiff fork to the north, late sunset.
• IMG01120 - Very late sunset, looking toward the west.  Similar is #1122.

Maps/profiles:

• A topo map showing the traveled route, as recorded with a GPS receiver.
• An elevation profile of the trip. Note:  The "peak" to about 8100 feet within the first 1/2 mile of the profile is bogus, as the GPS receiver hadn't settled out yet.
• A topo map with the large wooden building at the crosshairs.
• GPS track on a more detailed map.

About the Cardiff Mine and surrounding:

The Cardiff Mine area was worked into the 50's or 60's - largely by Desdemona Beeson - one of the few female mining engineers.  Lead (mainly from cerussite and galena) and some silver ores were the main products of the mines in Cardiff fork.  Above the remnants of the buildings is the Baby McKee mine - near which the remains of a steam boiler may be seen.  This portal seems to be connected in some way to the Howell Tunnel located across the canyon (on the west side) from the Cardiff mine.

The Utah Mine Locations page of the Trainweb site give the location of many of the mines in the area.

Comments:

• If you want one (or more) of these images and wish some sort of adjustment (color, brightness, exposure, etc.) please let me know:  All of these image have been processed in some way.
• These images are 225-800k in size, .JPG and are in chronological order.
• No-one ever said that all of these images (or any of them) were good.  Some of them may have definite focus/exposure "issues."
• EXIF data is present for most of the images, showing time, date, and precise exposure conditions.  Recent versions of Irfanview will show this in the "View->Image Information->EXIF" tab.
• All images taken using a Sigma SD-10 camera using the 18-50mm zoom lens.

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