Cave on trail to Cecret Lake in Albion Basin on Little Cottonwood Canyon

[dirjud]

We were hiking to Cecret Lake in Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon with the family, and we noticed a cave entrance just off the trail. The entrance is small and required me to crawl in on my stomach, but once inside it opens up to a 4 foot tall shaft that goes back far enough that I could not see the end. I just had my cell phone LED flash as a flash light and could only walk back about 15 feet before the water got deep enough that I could not continue without getting my shoes wet.

In searching the Internet I could not find any information on this cave. With most of the family waiting outside, I did not have time to investigate much, but since then I have been wondering if it was not man-made, like a mine shaft. It has been years since I have been a member of the NSS and I have never been involved with any grotto's since moving to Utah, and it seems online information on caves is non-existent.

Can anyone tell me anything about this cave? What is it named? How long is it? Is it natural?

[jumar]

I haven't heard of one up there. My first thought would be that it was a mine. Let's go check it out. Send me an email jeff.a.baird(AT)gmail.com

[Scott P]

It's a mine, not a cave.

[jasonbx]

I haven't heard of one up there. My first thought would be that it was a mine. Let's go check it out. Send me an email jeff.a.baird(AT)gmail.com

I agree with the consensus that it is probably an old mine shaft. I don't know of one there, but there are several in the cottonwood canyons.

Jeff would be good to check it out if you can line up with him. Or let me know if your schedules don't work out, and I can find you somebody else in one of the local grottos that is available. (I'm probably pretty busy until October, or I would jump on the opportunity myself.) I can think of a couple people that would be interested in seeing it whether mine or cave.

--Jason Baxter
SLC Grotto

[Scott P]

I can think of a couple people that would be interested in seeing it whether mine or cave.

It's a well known mine entrance, just south of the trail. When there isn't water in it, you can see metal rails in the bottom (or there were several years ago). If I remember right it's also in quartzite. Caves aren't typically found in quartzite, especially in Utah.