Comments on: How to ID a Shaft http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:10:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dogs Bishop http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1324 Dogs Bishop Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:11:13 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1324 Been x-country skiing the Norwich Bluff area for many years. Lots of open shafts which are hidden by 4 feet of snow during winter. It scared the heck out of me when I saw what I skied near in the summer. Been x-country skiing the Norwich
Bluff area for many years. Lots of
open shafts which are hidden by 4 feet of snow during winter. It scared
the heck out of me when I saw what I
skied near in the summer.

]]> By: Jay Balliet http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1323 Jay Balliet Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:16:32 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1323 Tim, When we were there in August there was a pretty tall fence around the entire area. I can't believe that there wasn't an outcry to put a better cap on it from the locals right after the Miller tragedy. We ran across it right after visiting the shrine at the #4. While driving around I noticed the fence and said "Hey, another shaft." Tim,

When we were there in August there was a pretty tall fence around the entire area. I can’t believe that there wasn’t an outcry to put a better cap on it from the locals right after the Miller tragedy.

We ran across it right after visiting the shrine at the #4. While driving around I noticed the fence and said “Hey, another shaft.”

]]> By: Tim http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1322 Tim Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:05:42 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1322 Jay - I've seen that one before, the first time I went looking for the Miller shrine; it's literally right down the road. Very dangerous - to unsuspecting children, it might just look like an interesting pile of rocks. Jay – I’ve seen that one before, the first time I went looking for the Miller shrine; it’s literally right down the road. Very dangerous – to unsuspecting children, it might just look like an interesting pile of rocks.

]]> By: dcclark http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1321 dcclark Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:32:16 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1321 I've tried to use the "watching for steam" trick before, but it's very difficult -- only on the right kind of winter day (proper temperature and humidity), and usually only with wide open shafts. For example, the old #5 at Quincy (with a huge bat cage over it) shows up well, but mostly covered shafts don't. I’ve tried to use the “watching for steam” trick before, but it’s very difficult — only on the right kind of winter day (proper temperature and humidity), and usually only with wide open shafts. For example, the old #5 at Quincy (with a huge bat cage over it) shows up well, but mostly covered shafts don’t.

]]> By: explorer http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1320 explorer Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:50:12 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1320 Jay.. Fixed it for ya! Jay..

Fixed it for ya!

]]> By: Jay Balliet http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1319 Jay Balliet Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:40:29 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1319 Wow did I screw that up!!! :p Wow did I screw that up!!! :p

]]> By: Jay Balliet http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1318 Jay Balliet Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:39:34 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1318 I just ran across a govt. website for kids explaining the dangers of abandoned mines and thought about forwarding a link. I ran across it while Googling "danger mine" in search of a sign like the one in the first picture. If I'm not mistaken, another thing to watch for during winter exploring is steam coming from out of the ground. <u><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfactor1/1296188927/in/set-72157603212674281/" rel="nofollow">Here's</a></u> a shot of a capped mine shaft at the Tamarack location. It's got almost all the examples of a capped shaft: fence (not pictured), old cars, poor rock and a vent. The thing that blew me away was that this was just around the corner from the Ruth Ann Miller memorial at the #4 shaft. I just ran across a govt. website for kids explaining the dangers of abandoned mines and thought about forwarding a link. I ran across it while Googling “danger mine” in search of a sign like the one in the first picture.

If I’m not mistaken, another thing to watch for during winter exploring is steam coming from out of the ground.

Here’s a shot of a capped mine shaft at the Tamarack location. It’s got almost all the examples of a capped shaft: fence (not pictured), old cars, poor rock and a vent. The thing that blew me away was that this was just around the corner from the Ruth Ann Miller memorial at the #4 shaft.

]]> By: Tim http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1317 Tim Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:46:31 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1317 Thanks for the heads up. Most of the shafts I've come across to date belonged to either CRI or C&H and thus are typically well-capped, rather obvious, and easy to avoid. When you start heading out to other sites though (Central comes to mind as an example that I've visited), sometimes they were abandoned rather hastily or they were left behind too long ago to have benefitted from more modern capping techniques. So it's good to have a working knowledge of suspicious things to watch out for, besides conspicuous items like warning signs and concrete caps. Thanks for the heads up. Most of the shafts I’ve come across to date belonged to either CRI or C&H and thus are typically well-capped, rather obvious, and easy to avoid. When you start heading out to other sites though (Central comes to mind as an example that I’ve visited), sometimes they were abandoned rather hastily or they were left behind too long ago to have benefitted from more modern capping techniques. So it’s good to have a working knowledge of suspicious things to watch out for, besides conspicuous items like warning signs and concrete caps.

]]> By: explorer http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1316 explorer Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:08:40 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1316 dcclark - The grove of tree's is a good one that I forgot. I've seen this a lot near Calumet and along the gap. The best example of that is N. Kearsarge No. 1 - a small tightly knit collection of brush and trees sitting in the middle of a field. It was a rather bit too obvious - but that's a good thing in this case. So don't go fighting your way into overgrown areas - not a good idea. dcclark -

The grove of tree’s is a good one that I forgot. I’ve seen this a lot near Calumet and along the gap. The best example of that is N. Kearsarge No. 1 – a small tightly knit collection of brush and trees sitting in the middle of a field. It was a rather bit too obvious – but that’s a good thing in this case. So don’t go fighting your way into overgrown areas – not a good idea.

]]> By: dcclark http://www.coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/how-to-id-a-shaft/comment-page-1/#comment-1315 dcclark Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:21:00 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/04/21/how-to-id-a-shaft/#comment-1315 A couple additions -- look for a sudden but small mound of poor rock or earth. Frequently that's been piled over an old shaft to "keep 'er shut for good", or just piled over a real cap (such as the Firefighter's memorial in Calumet). Another thing to be careful about -- many of the older shafts are now hidden in small groves of trees or bushes, even in otherwise clear areas. This is partly because anybody clearing the area near them for lumber, building, etc. doesn't want to drive a heavy vehicle across a cap, so it gets overgrown. Some of those trees may be planted deliberately to keep people out. Some of the shafts at Ojibway and Copper Falls are good examples of this. A couple additions — look for a sudden but small mound of poor rock or earth. Frequently that’s been piled over an old shaft to “keep ‘er shut for good”, or just piled over a real cap (such as the Firefighter’s memorial in Calumet).

Another thing to be careful about — many of the older shafts are now hidden in small groves of trees or bushes, even in otherwise clear areas. This is partly because anybody clearing the area near them for lumber, building, etc. doesn’t want to drive a heavy vehicle across a cap, so it gets overgrown. Some of those trees may be planted deliberately to keep people out. Some of the shafts at Ojibway and Copper Falls are good examples of this.

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