Atlas Coal Mine

So we have lived about 1/2 hour from the atlas coal mine at East Coulee for at least 16 years  And we went one year about 8ish (I cant remember lol) years ago to a ghost walk that was there in the tipple.  Which is where they sort the coal.  Ever since then I have wanted to go to the rest of it so this summer when My Mom and Clint were out I thought was the perfect time.  Neil and Clint went golfing in Rosebud and we were gonna meet them in Drum for supper so we had a couple hours of time left.  And so I suggested the mine, everyone seemed happy about it so off we went.  It was really good.  There was only 5 people in out tour group so that was really nice we got more info and time to ask questions.  My mom didn't take the tunnel tour with us because she didn't think she could walk the 200 steps down from there.   She did a train trip tour instead and said it was really good too.

(Its now a national Historic Site so that's kinda cool)

(the Tipple)

(inside the tunnel, it was hot in here until we actually got in the dirt part, 

then it was chilly but she said about the same temp all year round +5*C)

(looking down from the blacksmith shop)

(the forge)

(and even a power hammer way back when)

 Our Lady took us right through like we were miners, from the showers to the tunnel, through the blacksmith and up and then finally in to the actual mine.  Was at least a 20 minute walk to the mine everyday.  Then they had to go tho the tunnel they were working in, the mine was I believe 8 miles long and 5 miles wide, kinda crazy.  They only worked in the winters and were the cleanest guys around cause the showered every night before going home.  Sounds like a tough life, they recruited Jaret as a blacksmith helper cause he could lift 2 pails of teeth for the cutters and take them up to the blacksmith shop to get repaired.

(the mine plan)

(The tipple from the mine entrance)

(On the way down, you can see the tunnel we came up in on the right side)

(and more tunnel and the mine site, and the train with my Mom in it)

(we all got a helmet and a light from an actual miner that we wore inside, I was number 15, a single German who earned $70.33, not bad pay I musta been a hard worker cause they paid per tone of coal you got out)

Glad I went, even if it took a while for me to get there.

Coal Mine Tour

Ach I'm so behind!  So much is going on that I feel like I need to blog about but had no time!  But Ill start back where I left off.  Hopefully can catch up soon!

***If you click on the pictures you can actually read the signs ***

Another walk I went on in Drumheller, just a couple days later.  I had walked on one of the many trails they have in Drum and had planned to go to the same one again cause it was pretty.  Well I parked at the same spot and then got lost haha.  Started walking on the railroad track cause I thought it was on the other side of it.  But couldn't find it, then I got across the highway and saw the Midland coal mine, well I had always wanted to tour that so went over there and did that instead.

(where I parked and the train bridge)

It was a cool place, there was a lot of coal mines in Drum, that's how the town started.  All are closed up now but there is a bunch that they have made into tourist sites cause its always interesting to see where a town came from.

(The tourist building, must have been used for something but it doesn't say)

(the main sign of the Mercury Mine)

(telling how it all ended)

(ponies :) )

(This shows the hill to the left where the water tower stood)

(they even put in a mini gazebo so you can rest)

(old rail lines still there)

(not sure what these were for, 

but there are pillars on both sides of the mowed area, 

must have been footing for a building)

There is a lot of signs showing what they did while mining.  Its interesting and really amazing how much is still there.  Hard to get pics cause the day was pretty cloudy and I only had a phone to take pics, gonna have to go back there on a sunny day and look again.

(Showing how the men and mine cars got down in

 and back out of the mine in the elevators)

(and how the mine was laid out)

(Another mine right close by, the area both these mines are in is called Midland)

(Explaining where the mines went)

(And an old coal cutter, pretty impressive machine really)

There was a lot of mines in Drumheller, but only a few did the historic stuff, I'm glad a few did, the only cooler one is just outside East Coulee, the Atlas Coal Mine, and they still have a tipple you can go in, I only been there once on Halloween, should go again in the daytime, hopefully less chainsaw killers around then.