Isle Royale Forums

When I was reading more about the death of three wolves in a mine shaft back in 2011/2012. One of the articles I read stated the mineshaft was previously unknown and unmapped. Which leads me to wonder a few things.

Is it true the mine in question was unmapped or unknown? If so, is it reasonable to assume there are other mines not currently known? It's certainly one of the things on my mind now and one of the reasons I'm hesitant to bushwhack solo. My true nightmare is falling into a water-logged mine and freezing/drowning to death.

Tortuga wrote: ↑Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:41 pmMy true nightmare is falling into a water-logged mine and freezing/drowning to death.

I think that is extremely unlikely. It could have been a case where a snow ledge broke causing the wolves to plummet, but from what I've read about this incident, the theory is the wolves willingly descended (implying a shaft at some angle). They then broke through a frozen surface into the water.

This was an unmarked/unknown shaft but if you don't bushwack across snowy areas your chances of ending up in a hole are nil. You would most likely spot a hazard such as this with no snow present.

I speak from experience. When I was 8 yo, I ventured too close to a snowy ledge and fell into an open septic tank. Happy ending but not a happy story.

Next to no chance it could happen. I spent my college days in Houghton at Da tech. Every free minute I had I was trompsing in the woods, usually looking for old mine tailing to satisfy a life long interest in rock hounding. Including a lot of time on snow with snowshoes on. (That was usually rabbit hunting thugh.)

The Keweenaw is the same as Isle Royale, just backwards. Its the other edge of that failed rift zone. I never did find any "undiscovered mine shafts".

You probably got a better chance of being struck by lighting.

Fair point