A Modern Take On Old Time Drift Mining

[Jim_Alaska]

It happens Kurt. Overflow is a reality in Interior Alaska. I once had to leave a snowmobile for a week on the ice of a river. When I came back all that could be seen of it was about an inch of the top of the windshield.

Went home and returned a few days later with chain saws, ice chisels and a track vehicle to tow it back to the truck. It took some doing, but we got it out. Overflow had completely filled under the hood and in the track tunnel, that thing must have weighed close to a ton.

[chickenminer]

Oh man, tough break Kurt. Fighting overflow is a frustrating battle! Amazing how that water creeps through the snow and even goes uphill !!
I'm fought many of those battles and unfortunately lost most.

[Geowizard]

Flint,

Years from now, you will be telling your grandchildren about how "Mother Nature" saved your life!

This may be an omen and "Divine Providence" awaits!

- Geowizard

[Flintgreasewood]

Jim, you probably didn't get the use of that machine till the following fall. And Dick, it is crazy how the water runs uphill or so it seems. Sam Skidmore concurs that this is the only place in the world that water runs uphill. And Chuck, funny you mention "Divine Providence". Honestly, as a Christian, believing in the soverignty and omnipotence of God, I turned the problem of my glacier over to Him. Well, today when I went back to resume cutting out ice around the heater, there was no running water where it had been two days previous. And I took it all the way down to dry dirt. Based on what I've been hearing about glaciers, that there's just about nothing you can do to stem or stop them, I'm going to accept this as my own personal miracle. More to come.

[Jim_Alaska]

You are right Kurt, I had to retire it for the winter, it was a solid block of ice inside and out. Unfortunately it sustained a lot of damage due to errant ice chiseling. We poked holes in the seat, cowling and windshield. made a real mess of it. This was back in the 1970's and I had no way to heat it to thaw it out until spring.

[easy goer]

Any updates??

Easygoer

[Flintgreasewood]

Not too much to report. I successfully extricated my three generators from the clutches of the glacier. The Lister is heavy enough that I had to erect a tripod of large poles and hoist it above the ice with a come along. Today I dragged the two small generators over to the tripod where I had enclosed the structure with a large tarp. I'll set a kerosene heater inside and leave it run till all three generators are thawed out and usable. Even though the glacier isn't currently threatening anything important I still need to fully de ice the big Frost fighter and its hoses.
Soon I'll have the new coil for my snow machine so I can get that up and running. Till then I'll have to hoof it up and down the hill to the mine. Good training.

[ProspectingAK]

Kurt,

I'm new to Fairbanks and read your entire post about your drift mining adventures. I'd love to talk to you and possible see your drift mine or at least the shaft you carved out. You can call me I live in the North Pole at 509-919-8593
Cory

[Flintgreasewood]

Hello, Cory Welcome to Fairbanks. I'd be happy to show you what I have going at my prospect though it would probably be best to wait till the snow has melted off. Not really much going on at this time. I'll keep your name and number and let you know when things start humming again. Let me know what it is that brings you to the forum and mining in general.