The Blue Light Mine has a fascinating yet grim history. Brothers Nicholas and Glen Anderson entered the mine in 2002 and never made it out. Notorius for low oxygen and nautious gasses, the mine was entered by seven divers who recovered the bodies. (See gallery below) The OC Weekly reported that 5 of 9 existing entrances has been sealed in 2008 with bat gates.
The mill site (now only a foundation) and two entrances known as the upper and lower entrances are frequent hiking destinations.
Silver ore was discovered by two hunters in 1877. The mine was worked from then continuously until the 1950’s.
Though there is a lot of information and photos on the Blue Light on the internet none of them pinpoint the mills location nor the upper and lower entrance location. I couldn’t find anything showing the 9 adit locations (wouldn’t that be cool)! Though USGS Topo doesn’t name the mine it does show a “structure” (probable mill location) and two adits (probable upper and lower entrances) high in the hills between Pine Canyon and Halfway Canyon.
If you have any more info please comment below.
2 Comments
Can get you right to the entrances
In the 80’s we were able to access the upper portal. If you climb up (scramble) and follow the iron cable you will come to a very old, over grown dirt road. Follow it up and it leads around the ridge where the upper portal is located. We went in quite a ways and there are many caved areas the require a crawl. We found several winzes and an inclined shaft but did not descend any deeper. The mine was in very poor shape in the 80, probably completely caved by now.
This was probably the most dangerous mine I have explored. I would not go in there if I were you.