Re-opening a collapsed mine shaft after eighty years!

The old original Columbia shaft. Originally sunk by the Tecopa Consolidated Mining Co back before World War One, it was bypassed by the Anaconda Copper Co. when they reopened the mine for World War Two. They seem to have maintained it as a ventilation shaft during their operating period and when they left, it fell into decay and eventually the collar and upper works collapsed. It’s been a feature of this site for decades as it’s continued to collapse with every new rain, over the decades until it resembled—and acted like—an ant lion trap, or the Sarlacc pit from the Return of the Jedi. The sides were crumbly and steep and undercut by erosion and anyone getting too close risked a fall and slide down to a very steep, deep, debris-filled shaft.

Well to mitigate the danger and preserve this section of the mine below, we’ve removed the old collar and built a new one. The shaft is being cleared out and a new ladder installed. Then the hole around the collar is going to be backfilled and a security structure built atop it to keep water and trespassers out while allowing ventilation and access for authorized personnel and bats if they desire.

This video features Robbin Christianson and Dan Riggs, the men who cut the lumber for this project, hauled it up here, and spent most of a week installing it. They’ve each got way more real mine and wood working experience than I do and I’m in awe of what they accomplished in such a short time.