Having decided that Mt. Washington needed more snow before we make that trip, we substituted this outing.  Seven of us visited a number of caves and karst formations at the north end of Quadra Island.  We started at the Lucky Jim mine, an historic gold, silver and copper mine, which is well signed and has been made safe with gratings over the vertical shafts.  The steam donkey is huge and in good condition considering it was installed in about 1910.   We next visited a mine off of Open Bay Main, which we know very little about.  The horizontal shaft is in good condition. We continued to a karst cave with excellent marbling and were impressed by the risks inherent in the nearby grikes or eroded fissures in the limestone. 

After lunch in the parking area we cut over to the Granite Bay Road and an area of sink holes.  We started at a very large sinkhole with a lovely waterfall and then moved a short distance south for a walk following a creek which is insurgent and resurgent in the limestone.  There are areas where the creek seems to have re-routed for it no longer emerges.  The large sinkholes and walls are impressive.  We didn’t walk very far, but took our time enjoying the sites and the incredible green forest at this time of year.  A bit more than four hours, without the drive out.

Debbie

Photos by Norris

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Exploring – Two Mines and Some Karst – 12 Dec 2018