Several years ago, Alan C. and I photographed a Native American soapstone bowl quarry near this area.   We had seen a grated adit entrance, but didn't pay it much attention because we were concentrating on the bowls.   Not long ago, Mike B. sent me photos of a different mine adit that he had located in the area.   The mouth was badly slumped but seemed large enough to enter, so I arranged to meet Mike and his brother Alan to look at these underground works.   There are at least 3 separate mine adits in the area, as well as a number of prospect trenches.   While there are some better documented soapstone mines in the general vicinity, I haven't found much about this site, except a brief mention that they were mining soapstone here.   With all the soapstone at the surface, it makes me wonder why they put in the effort of underground mining. 1 - First Adit

Looking back at the partially slumped adit entrance With the bright glaring sun, I didn't take any photos of the entrance from outside.

Heading down Adit 1

Setting up, probably for the next photo (Photo by Mike B.)

Further along the adit

One of the several "pocket" shelves that the miners dug to place their lamps in. This one had a little hole in the back.

End of the line... The adit was just under 100 feet long.

Heading back toward the entrance.

2 - Second Adit

Slumped entrance to adit 2. While this hole was plenty wide, at about 12 inches in height it was a tight fit to squeeze through! (I mentioned the harsh light conditions; Mike took this photo when they found the tunnel the week before.)

Here I am squeezing down into the adit. (Photo by Mike B.)

Once past the opening, making my way down... (Photo by Mike B.)

View back to the entrance of adit 2. The slump was about 6 feet high, then the adit dropped down another 6 feet.   Luckily the miners had dug a couple of steps in the vertical section to climb back up.

Pick marks left by the miners in the adit wall.

This adit only went in about 20 feet. While the walls were mostly dirt, the rock chunks on the floor reveal that they were mining stone.

Mike's brother Alan had to help extract me! Between the steep dirt slope inside, and the tight squeeze, there was nothing for my feet to push off, and I couldn't raise myself to use my elbows.   I had to empty my lights and other gear from my pockets to fit through the hole. (Photo by Mike B.)

3 - Third (grated) Adit

This adit was closed by a grated culvert. It appeared to veer off to the left, but I couldn't get a decent view.

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