High Ho — Adventures from Arizona to Alberta

Dave’s father and grandfather worked in the mines. Iron mines, to be specific. So his interest in mines and mining comes naturally. Over the years we have explored the iron mines of Hibbing, MN, as well as the coal mines of Canmore, AB.

Arizona happens to be one of the largest suppliers of copper. One of the three Cs. And that’s how a trip to Bisbee came into play. How about an underground mine tour in a historical little town not too far from here? Done and done. We invited Steve and Julie to join us. The stage was set for another adventure.

Bisbee was once known as the Queen of Copper Camps. Over almost a century of mining, this hotspot produced 8 billion pounds of copper, 102 million ounces of silver and 2.8 million ounces of gold. It was the place to be. The town prospered until 1974 when reserves were depleted and the mines shut down. Real estate plummeted, and the Queen became tarnished.

Bisbee’s only option was to reinvent itself. Gradually, artists, developers and small businesses moved in. Today, it is a thriving, funky, artist’s haven—full of shops, bars and hotels lining its narrow winding streets. With it’s lively nightlife and historic charm, it has become a bit of a tourist mecca.

We arrived in town just in time to grab a bite to eat at the Stock Exchange Bar and Grill before the Queen mine tour. It was cold, cloudy and windy day—perfect for going underground. Despite the weather, all of the tours were booked solid.

Tour time. We were given a hardhat, a nifty flashlight, and a vest to wear before entering, then squeezed onto a tram that looked like something the Seven Dwarfs would ride on. High Ho. It wasn’t as if you sat on this contraption, you folded yourself onto it. This was not Disneyland.

Left: A copper vein surrounded by lead, illuminated by Dave’s flashlight.

This is not a tour for those who do not like to be confined. Although Dave tends to be claustrophobic, I was the one who seemed to have more of a problem. Once we entered the mine everyone was using their handy flashlights to explore their surroundings. The barrage of flashing light made me a little nauseous.

Making our way up to one of many chambers.

Our tour guide was excellent in relaying what it was like to work down there. Maybe he was too good. When he mentioned how air was pumped in the many caverns - all I could think of was how still and damp everything was. Then he mentioned water, and I became fixated on how thirsty I was. We climbed up a narrow stairway to a large chamber used for mining. Meanwhile, Dave continued to shine his light incessantly - looking for veins of copper in the rock. Steve and Julie listened intently to our guide. I broke into a light sweat.

We all learned a lot that day. Our last stop contained an unusual boxlike structure on tracks, that could be moved from room to room. People seemed to be fascinated with it. They lifted the lids and peered inside. Strange. To me, it looked kind of like a shoe shine stand. Suddenly, our guide broached a rather sensitive subject. “When miners had to—you know—go, did they have to hold it all day?” Eewwww. That was no shoe shine stand. It was a portable toilet.

After the tour, we decided to take a hike up the mountain to see Bisbee from above.

Our climb up the hill led us to Jesus. Sorry, not really. Although the figurine had an affinity for chickens and was slightly disturbing, it did point the way to some pretty nice views.

Bisbee essentially died when the mines shut down, as did Canmore. I guess change is inevitable. It is heartening to know however, that over time, these little towns not only survived, but recreated themselves without destroying their heritage.