Down the NEW Columbia shaft!

This shaft was first sunk before World War One. It had begun to collapse in decades ago as the old railroad ties used as lagging slipped in. Current day visitors referred to it as the “ant trap” or Sarlacc Pit” due to the conical depression of loose sand that had formed after its collapse. But that’s been taken care of. We stabilized the hole, pulled out the bad lagging and cleaned out the debris inside, then built a brand new collar and installed 120 feet of new ladder, opening this up again down to the 165 level of Columbia. The entire mine can be reached via this ladder now, clear down to 950. It’s the second shaft we’ve repaired and we’re just getting started on this old Anaconda mine. And I can’t say enough to thank Robbin, Dan, Dave, Pat and Linda for the work they put in, and John for the blasting and Tim for the 165 drift clearing and shaft bridge. I’m forgetting several others and I’m sorry for not keeping better track but a hearty “Thank you” to everyone who swung a hammer, shoveled rock, ble