An explorer from the bay area and myself decided to try and infiltrate smelter town last night around dusk. We rolled into Superior,AZ at about 6 o'clock and decided to drive around a bit and formulate a game plan for getting in. As we were driving by the main entrance to the mine which also takes you to the abandoned section and on to the active mine on the property a security truck pulls out. We should have taken this as a bad omen, but at the time we thought that he must be leaving for the day. What luck!
So we finally decide to park on a side street a little ways into a neighborhood adjacent to the mine where it looked like a Mexican family was having some sort of party. We figured that with all the other cars our truck would blend right in. It would have worked perfectly except for the chain link fence that hampered access to what we were seeking. It wasn't just any chain link fence, it was one of those pain in the ass, spike topped, flimsy as shit fences that are damn near impossible to climb. So we decided maybe we should look for a better way in besides trying to hop a fence 2 feet from a no trespassing sign with 15 people watching us. That move proved to be one of the best moves we made all night as we found a forest service road that led us to within a half mile of our goal. So we exit the vehicle and start hiking through the desert in 90-100 degree heat, about a half mile up and over several hills. Finally we reach the abandoned mine complex and start marveling about how awesome the 200+ foot brick smokestack is that lays right before us. We enter into the smoke stack and into a turn of the century brick building that was damn near falling in on itself. the smokestack was amazing in the sense that you could walk inside of it and look up through the hole at the top. It really gave you a sense of how huge it was.
After that, we continue on to one of the main buildings next to the smokestack and about 50 years newer by the looks of it. It was an awesome building, glass factory windows that were half broken facing the setting sun to our west. It made for a great photo op and set the tone for what we thought was going to be an excellent night. We descend into the basement to find all sorts of mining equipment, machinery and other interesting stuff. once back topside we here the sound of an engine right outside the building we were in. Shit!! We both look at each other and make a bee-line for the basement again figuring that we had been spotted by security hiking in.
We cram all the way back into a corner of the basement waiting for security to make a sweep and then leave for the comfort of their nice cozy shack near the main entrance. We were down there for about 10 minutes when this horrible banging starts happening in the building directly above us. We had no idea what was happening at this point, there was only two way out of the basement, the stairs we came down and a small window right near where we were hiding that dropped you right on the main road. So we wait, and wait, and wait some more and an hour passes by. The banging never stops and my companion goes to have a look to see what the deal is. He comes back and reports that he can't see any light in building above us(it was dark at this point) where the banging is coming from. At this point we started to make a little more noise to see if we would get a reaction, and we did. As soon as we starting making some noise the banging stopped immediately. So now we decide to take our chances and exit via the window out onto the main road. We hop out and low and behold there is no truck. WTF!? Were did it go? We both heard it pull up and now it has vanished without a trace. Now our attention is back to whatever the hell was making the banging sound. We come to the conclusion that it's a scrapper that has held us hostage in that damn basement for the last hour. I think he deserves scrapper of the year for doing his thing on an active mine property. I can only imagine how scared he must have been when he heard two people coming out of the basement directly below where he had been for the last hour.
So to sum up the story, we drive an hour and a half, hiking though a mile of desert to an awesome location only to be held hostage by a god damn scrapper. Oh well, I guess that gives me a good reason to make a return trip. ;)

Wilky