Sdaupanner Loc: South Dakota /New England

This is a mine shaft that my wife spotted down in a gully really out of the way. It has been pretty well shored up at the entrance but upon going into it I found out that it did not go to far back maybe 60 feet. Who ever was doing the shaft either did not find what he started looking for or maybe he did and what he was looking for may not been gold but a place to hole up for the winter. At one time the entrance was 5 to 6 feet tall and shored up with field stone, now one must crawl through on ones belly to enter, this is not done by the weak hearted

The crawl space is a bit on the tight side but not to fear it can be done.


The path up to the opening is pretty well traveled and upon going into the opening a lot of pine broughs were on the floor of the shaft. Those of us who do mine shafts call these collections of broughs and pine cones critter food and bedding. In some mine shafts it gets a bit on the scary side because the broughs are fresh and you never know what you may face includeing mt. lions.


This is kind of a pull back shot but it is the one that would show you how hard it is to spot these things I am a very lucky man for my wife has eyes like a hawk and not much misses her attention.


Here is antoher from the side...notice the tree in the middle that one was not there a year ago it was a victem of the Pine Bark Beattle. This little bug has killed millions of trees and desemated many thousands of acres in the Black Hills of SD. My wife has said that they should rename the Black Hills to either the Blackened Hills or the Orange Hills. But as a post script if you are not Familiar with mine shafts DO NOT ENTER take pictures from out side that way you can show them and we won't have to go find your remains. The Black Hills has over 900 mines and maybe about that many open shafts so enjoy looking at them and taking pictures of themwe will enjoy seeing the pictures right here on UHH.

blueeyes3515 Loc: WV

This is so cool, thanks for sharing!

colo43 Loc: Eastern Plains of Colorado

pretty neat photos

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

Hmmmm, I wonder how many years it took to shrink the opening down that low. I'll stay outside. LOL Thanks for sharing.

twowindsbear

How did the open shrink? Sediment? Subsidence? I'm curious.

Good shots, too!

Sdaupanner Loc: South Dakota /New England

It was built into the side of the hill so some of it came down to settle in front. Also the trees in the area added a lot to the closing by shedding needles and pine cones. But the most is that critter food and their bedding such as the pine boughs this is over many years.The gold rush into the black hills was started in 1875 or there about seeing how General Custer brought the whole of the 7th Calvary into the interior of the hills and with him brought a prospector to check out the rumors that had been around about gold. They settled down and set up camp in the town of what today is known as Custer and sent the Prospector out to check out this rumor, he came back and told General Custer that there was gold and it was at the grass roots level and enough of it that a man could make a living. Ummmmmm wonder where it is now I would be hard pressed to make a living panning gold so I have it just as a hobby. That prospector was later buried in the town of Custer where he died penniless HR Ross is buried in ground that he with the 7th Cav had rode over 20 or so years before.

Bunny-Jean Loc: Wisconsin

Got some great shots!!!!! thanks for sharing and telling the stories of them!!!!!

wrr Loc: SEK

Don't see any pictures of the inside...did your wife ever find her way out?

Sdaupanner Loc: South Dakota /New England

I am telling you she did not I got a ransom note first then a week later she sent out a note telling me she was going to stay because the guy was loaded with gold....No telling now...she returned to me a week later and had a bag full of gold I guess it pays to have a woman who know the right side if the pick. She also handles a .45 Glock quite well so GUN POWDER AND LEAD runs in her veins!!!