Lost and abandoned mines

[Dan-o]

Great pics, you two!


Thanks for sharing.

[wadu1]

Cool photo's you guys. I know of one vertical shaft just south of Swan Lake (Ferry County). I would love to know the history on it. In the late 60's we would find Prince Albert tins nailed to the trees.

[vandeman17]

I love finding them, but scare the hell out of me when I go in a little ways, not a cool way to die!!  There is an old silver mine up by crystal mnt that I went into about 20 yards, I'm surprised they aren't sealed up?

Our property up on Blewett has old mine shafts in it from my great grandparents days of the gold rush. When I was little, we would explore in them not knowing the danger but the family decided to close them out to be safe. Still have some of the old equipment up there that is pretty cool

[bearpaw]

Been to that mine many times too KFH, there are tons of old mines all over the NE. When we could still hound hunt I can't remember how many mines bear, cougar, and bobcats ran into over the years, lots of them that do not have roads to them. One time a bear literally ran over the top of me in a cave, lol, that was a crazy time.

[highcountry_hunter]

That’s funny you say that bearpaw, just the other day I was thinking of a story I was told by a guy who ran a lion into an old mine at the bottom of dominion. He went in with his flashlight, saw eyes and touched off a round with his .40. He said his hearing took a few days to come back haha

[Rob]

That’s funny you say that bearpaw, just the other day I was thinking of a story I was told by a guy who ran a lion into an old mine at the bottom of dominion. He went in with his flashlight, saw eyes and touched off a round with his .40. He said his hearing took a few days to come back haha

And the bats did not fly straight for a month!

[whacker1]

i think finding the mines became a lot easier in the last several years when they are marked on onx maps.  clearly many still on private property/mining claims, but many are mining claims on public property and more likely abandonded.

fun stuff....great pics and stories.

[bearpaw]

That’s funny you say that bearpaw, just the other day I was thinking of a story I was told by a guy who ran a lion into an old mine at the bottom of dominion. He went in with his flashlight, saw eyes and touched off a round with his .40. He said his hearing took a few days to come back haha

I learned the hard way, you don't shoot in caves without hearing protection. What did you say? 

[Caseknife]

Just saw this, know its a bit old.   If any of you ever get to Salzburg, Austria, definitely take a tour of the salt mines.  Many different levels and have to keep the doors shut in certain areas to keep the wind speeds under control due to the natural airflow at different levels, that is how they kept the air fresh.  The tunnels went into Germany from Austria.  Real cool, well worn slide, kind of like a big wide bannister, got to put on a leather apron, kind of like a hay apron but on backwards to protect your butt as you slid down about 100 vertical feet.

The mines around here that are scary are the addits(vertical shafts) that are hidden in the brush on a hillside.

[hunter399]

Been to that mine many times too KFH, there are tons of old mines all over the NE. When we could still hound hunt I can't remember how many mines bear, cougar, and bobcats ran into over the years, lots of them that do not have roads to them. One time a bear literally ran over the top of me in a cave, lol, that was a crazy time.

That's very true.
There's lots of mines around.
I've heard a few story's about some of the mines around here.
Everything from lost treasure,too people go in and don't come out.
They are just old campfire story's,I think.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Just saw this, know its a bit old.   If any of you ever get to Salzburg, Austria, definitely take a tour of the salt mines.  Many different levels and have to keep the doors shut in certain areas to keep the wind speeds under control due to the natural airflow at different levels, that is how they kept the air fresh.  The tunnels went into Germany from Austria.  Real cool, well worn slide, kind of like a big wide bannister, got to put on a leather apron, kind of like a hay apron but on backwards to protect your butt as you slid down about 100 vertical feet.

The mines around here that are scary are the addits(vertical shafts) that are hidden in the brush on a hillside.

Wished I had known about those when I was there.👍

[HighlandLofts]

Nice reading here.
I'll have to check out Whitehorse mine.

[Ghost Hunter]

Checked out the Whitehorse Mine last fall.  How deep is it under all that water?  I've found several claim markers and test holes in the general area.  Careful walking around in the dark.  Still trying to figure out how to explore my 100'+hole.  Anybody got a big pump?

[pianoman9701]

Very cool, KF. I've never been in or seen a WA mine. The Johnson mine is fairly close to where I hunt. Is there anything to that one?

[Ridgeratt]

Some info on mining in washington.

https://www.mindat.org/search.php?lo=1&ty=1&search=washington