A little more than twenty years after an attempt was made to blast the adit of the Hibernia Mine shut, instead leaving fractured and dangerously loose rock hanging perilously from a cliff overhead, it appears the mine is finally being stabilized. Upon a recent visit to the historic mine tunnel which is driven more than a mile underground, the trench leading up to its mouth has been mostly cleared of fallen boulders and earth erosion. In fact, it has been so thoroughly removed as to reproduce in elevation, the approximate grade of the narrow gauge railroad that once led up to the opening 100 years ago.

Prior to the stabilization, the adit was obscured behind a massive pile of rubble that obscured its aesthetic grandeur. This pile was the cumulative effect of years of boulders that have detached from bedrock that was weakened during the prior incomplete reclamation. Although the adit hardly resembles its trademark look in 1907 featuring a timbered opening with tracks leading in, it is a pleasing compromise and retains a more historically accurate topography by the removal of erosion. This new look helps reinterpret the level path the unique steam powered locomotives took before entering Hibernia mountain. Good work guys!

In addition, an opening has been secured with concrete to allow bats access to an upper level of the mine. Hopefully all of these efforts will help improve bat habitat in the midst of the current WNS crisis.

For photos see http://www.ironminers.com/mineforum/viewtopic.php?p=116829.

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"If you thought old, abandoned mines were only in the west, then you haven't been to IronMiners.com!"

Now if backhoes return to the site of the main incline of the Beach Glen Mine, we might have another potential bat hibernaculum and restored opening. Upon visiting the site two years ago, there was evidence that a backhoe had begun devouring the gigantic mound of backfill that had been haphazardly bulldozed over the tunnel around the same time Hibernia's adit had been blasted. While at least a few tons of debris had been cleared away from the entrance, the operation was halted, perhaps due to a lack of funding.

Interestingly, when the mine was originally closed, a concrete wall like that at Hibernia had been constructed just inside the opening. However, this wasn't satisfactory enough so the reclamation crew proceeded in bulldozing tons of earth and massive boulders in front of a concrete wall. Not only did this completely annihilate an entire bat population at the time, but it made sure even the most ambitious trespassers armed with backhoes would be unable to gain access.

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"If you thought old, abandoned mines were only in the west, then you haven't been to IronMiners.com!"