Some of you may remember the first time I explored this mine over 6 years ago. With how much my image quality has improved over those 6 years, I figured it was time for a revisit. I recall this trip taking about 12-13 hours in our first attempt. This time, I was able to cut it down to 10 hours, but it was still a tough day. Accessing this mine requires several miles of bushwhacking through Coney Basin. In both of my trips, I have opted to traverse along the edge of the basin, mostly on talus slopes. While still excruciatingly slow, it is a faster route than battling through the dense foliage in the bottom of the basin.
After 6 years, this mine looked no different than last time. It's quite difficult to access, so I don't think it gets many visitors. The Coney Basin claims were staked in 1892 and the mine was worked up until 1897 when an accident occurred that forced the mine to close. Several miners were killed in an explosion outside of the lower adit, which is now caved. Some work was done between 1897 and the 1940s as there is evidence of more modern mining. Like many cascade range mines, the primary ore body began to diminish at depth. Despite boasting over 1,500 ft. of development, only 200 feet of drifting was done on the primary vein before it pinched out.
This mine was once equipped with a 2,000 foot-long aerial tramway that spanned from the mine down to the mouth of the basin. The tramway is long gone and little remains of it. A serious investment was made into equipment and infrastructure for a mine that produced very little profitable ore. Regardless of the mine's lack of success, it is an interesting time capsule. Among other things, the mine contains a single piston Ingersoll-Seargent air compressor from the late 1800s. One of very few compressors that I have seen in abandoned mines.
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3 окт 2024
