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Author Topic: Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina  (Read 14405 times)  Share 

Offline Medic

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« on: March 28, 2006, 11:21:15 PM »
Saw a thread about this in the Pic Post forum and thought I'd add a little info.

The sinkhole and the mine are on adjoining private property. I spoke with a friend of mine today, Blair Pittman, who is the caretaker at the mine. He said he would be glad to arrange a tour of either or both with a little advance notice. He prefers group tours as opposed to individuals, however.

I'm posting contact info with his permission.

E-mail: blair@overland.net

Phone: 432-371-2154

Blair's name might sound familiar to some of you. He is an award-winning photographer and writer whose most recent work is "Tales from the Terlingua Porch". His previous works include "The Natural World of the Texas Big Thicket", "The Stories of I.C. Eason, King of the Dog People", and "Texas Caves". His photography has been published by National Geographic, Forbes, Texas Monthly, and Texas Parks and Wildlife. Now in his 60s, he has been coming to the Big Bend since he was a boy.
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Remember, folks, it's 100 miles to the closest hospital.

Offline SHANEA

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$
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2006, 11:27:24 PM »
Any idea on what a special tour costs?
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Offline BigBendHiker

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2006, 06:27:04 AM »
Man...I would love to see that mine!  I wonder if we could get a group of us from this BigBendChat page to meet out there for a tour of it?  I would be willing to make a special run to Terlingua just for that!


BBH
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"Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window" - Steve Wozniak

Offline 10ftTall&BulletPrf

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2006, 08:56:16 AM »
Quote from: "BigBendHiker"
Man...I would love to see that mine!  I wonder if we could get a group of us from this BigBendChat page to meet out there for a tour of it?  I would be willing to make a special run to Terlingua just for that!
BBH


Sign me up!
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"You may all go to work and I will go to Big Bend" - If Davy Crockett were alive today.

Offline Medic

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2006, 09:05:47 AM »
SHANEA, send Blair an e-mail and he'll give you the details. And I can assure y'all, it's a pretty neat place.
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Remember, folks, it's 100 miles to the closest hospital.

Offline sleepy

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2006, 10:19:07 AM »
i'd be in for that!
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It's never too late to be what you might have been-Geroge Elliot

Offline BigBendHiker

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Re: Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2006, 11:19:36 AM »
Quote from: "Medic"
I spoke with a friend of mine today, Blair Pittman, who is the caretaker at the mine. He said he would be glad to arrange a tour of either or both with a little advance notice. He prefers group tours as opposed to individuals, however.

Blair's name might sound familiar to some of you. He is an award-winning photographer and writer whose most recent work is "Tales from the Terlingua Porch".


I have exchanged emails with Mr. Pittman.  Very nice fellow and I would love to meet him in person.  I have a copy of the book "Tales from the Terlingua Porch". I highly recommend it.  It is informative and entertaining.

BBH
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"Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window" - Steve Wozniak

Offline travii99

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2006, 06:14:25 PM »
Howdy.  I have been to Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa De La Mina recently and thought I could add some pics and knowledge that might help.  I have known Blair a long time and he is a great guy, writer and photographer.  Please organize a group to contact him about a trip if possible and try not to bombard him with requests.  Also, I would bet that he will not permit access into the sinkhole as it is a 90' pit that requires caving rope skills and knowledge.

Anyways, the place in quite interesting.  They filmed a movie there once too.  The mine is pretty neat and is actually mined into a natural cavern.  I don't have any photos from within, sorry.

The sinkhole is a large hole in the ground, like the thing in StarWars (but without teeth).  Its pretty cool, but there is not much inside of it, just a room with no going passage.  Pics below:


Notice the caver standing on the rock in the middle of th photo, it's a large room.


This is a caver coming up the 90' pit and negotiating the lip.


This is photo looking across the pit.


This is VillaDeLaMina taken with 4X5 camera.  The place is still full of contaminates, so exploration of the ruins is pretty limited..
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Lemming_of_the_BDA

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2006, 11:35:38 PM »
Quote from: "BigBendHiker"
Man...I would love to see that mine!  I wonder if we could get a group of us from this BigBendChat page to meet out there for a tour of it?  I would be willing to make a special run to Terlingua just for that!


BBH


My beautiful, young Big Bend hatin' bride has signed my kitchen pass. Finally. Let's go :!:
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Offline uh_clem

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2006, 12:13:15 PM »
Quote from: "Lemming_of_the_BDA"


My beautiful, young Big Bend hatin' bride has signed my kitchen pass. Finally. Let's go :!:


Lemming
Lemming
Lemming of the BDA
Lemming
Lemming
Lemming of the BD
Lemming of the BD
BD BD A...a...A

I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Everytime I see "Lemming of the BDA" on this board, that song goes through my head. It just had to come out.

In case you haven't heard it...
http://lemmingbda.ytmnd.com/
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I'll be the jump start for the car parked in your mind, 'Cause you left the lights on all night long.

Lemming_of_the_BDA

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2006, 01:41:50 PM »
Need I say more??
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Offline RichardM

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2006, 01:45:40 PM »
Quote from: "uh_clem"
Quote from: "Lemming_of_the_BDA"
My beautiful, young Big Bend hatin' bride has signed my kitchen pass. Finally. Let's go :!:

Lemming
Lemming
Lemming of the BDA
Lemming
Lemming
Lemming of the BD
Lemming of the BD
BD BD A...a...A

I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Everytime I see "Lemming of the BDA" on this board, that song goes through my head. It just had to come out.

In case you haven't heard it... http://lemmingbda.ytmnd.com/

Um, yeah...thanks for that.  Now I've got that song running through my head on a continuous loop.  :?
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Offline txrounder

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2006, 11:48:29 AM »
that was probably my thread -reply to questions about pic I posted of the Terlingua Sinkhole. a GOOD(read: not cheap crap!) bottle of Scotch is a good way to intro yourself to Blair. Catch him on a good day on he will regale you with tales and tours that you wont soon (ever) forget. Catch him on a bad day and he might just run you off. Hence the intro gift!!
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Margaritas and Motrin- It's not just for breakfast anymore.

Offline txrounder

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2006, 12:17:48 PM »
I have some pics of the inside of the mine and cavern. Iwill try to post them later today
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Margaritas and Motrin- It's not just for breakfast anymore.

Offline txrounder

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Terlingua Sinkhole and Villa de la Mina
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2006, 02:49:31 PM »
just decided to put them all on Big Photos, you can check them there.


http://groups.msn.com/BigBendPhotos/oldies.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=714
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Margaritas and Motrin- It's not just for breakfast anymore.
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