Colorado Hiker's Death Shows Risks of Abandoned Mines

In the Colorado backcountry, the most dangerous hazards are the ones that don't look like hazards at all. The recent death of a 54-year-old hiker who fell into an unseen mine shaft has rekindled scrutiny of the state's vast network of abandoned mines, reports the Colorado Sun. More than 23,000 of these relics are scattered across Colorado, and many are unmarked, unsecured, and slowly overgrown until a collapse or one unfortunate misstep exposes them again. State officials say about 14,000 openings have been sealed since 1980, but shifting soil, rotting timbers, and overgrowth continue to reveal new hazards. "Obviously that leaves a lot more than we think are out there," said Jeff Graves, manager of Colorado's Inactive Mining Reclamation Program.

In this case, officials say they were unaware of the eight-foot-wide shaft near Spirit Gulch in the Uncompahgre National Forest before Jennifer Nelson of Ridgway fell to her death while hiking with her dogs on Oct. 20. The Ouray County Plaindealer says the shaft Nelson fell into was completely unmapped, and rescuers found her body in a deep, water-filled pit off an old mining road. The dogs remained nearby and quietly watched the rescue effort. Throughout abandoned sites in Colorado, mine shafts remain the leading cause of death and injury, and they're often concealed beneath brush or material prone to collapse. "A feature may not be visible at the surface because it was covered in timber and over time, that timber rots and suddenly now there's a new feature," said Graves.

Colorado has record of at least 18 people dying inside abandoned mine openings since 1955, but officials believe the real number is higher, which is echoed nationwide. The Bureau of Land Management documented 381 deaths and 152 serious injuries at abandoned mine sites across the US between 2000 and 2013, underscoring how widespread the hazards are. But sealing one opening can cost about $5,000, and reclamation teams are working through a growing backlog as new discoveries outpace closures. Officials are urging hikers and residents to report any suspicious openings or old equipment they come across. As Graves said: "We can't be everywhere all the time."