Last Chance Mine - A Juneau History

[Scorpion8]

Juneau and all of SouthEast Alaska is scattered with old gold mines from the Gold Rush Era. One of those right behind the town is The Last Chance in Perseverence Basin. We went back there today with some visiting relatives, and here's some pics for all to share.

This is Gold Creek near the headwaters. The creek was a huge hydraulic mine at one point, but nature has a way of laughing at what man tries to achieve and it's gone virtually back to the wild:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2331.jpg

This view if the last remaining building from the Last Chance Mine, and it's the compressor building. When they were underground (and this mine has ~100 miles of tunnel, more than ALL the surface roads in Juneau).

Here's the compressor building, and mining museum ....

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2374.jpg

And here's the compressor, turned by water brought in off Gold Creek via a flume ...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2334.jpg

Here's some remaining mining carts that hauled the subsurface miners in and out of the mines .....

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2358.jpg

And across the Creek was another mine, the Ebner Mine named after the stake-holder. It was a much smaller operation, and this pic shows the mine adit. We stood in front of it (it has a security gate inside) and the air coming out of that mine was cold enough to turn your Coors label frost blue in about 5 minutes .... very refreshing.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2390.jpg

At one time, the Alaskan Brewing Company stored brew inside the mines to keep it cool as the underground temperature is fairly constant at ~ +/-cold. If anyone has a chance to try an Alaskan Amber, it's highly recommended ....

Anyway, enjoy. I have more pics if interested ....

[Scorpion8]

In case you want to see the scale of that compressor, here's the wife viewing it's drive rope system....

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2335.jpg

And another view of some old mine relics ....

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p141/Scorpion008/DSCN2363.jpg

[Acoustic]

Cool and interesting looking place. Are those Xmas lights in that one picture of the drive rope system or something else?

[Scorpion8]

Cool and interesting looking place. Are those Xmas lights in that one picture of the drive rope system or something else?

Yup. They periodically hold wine tastings and small events at the museum (requiring participants to wear rugged outdoors clothes just to get there) and the place is decorated for such events.

[stuwee]

Very Cool place! What a fun afternoon! More pics when you get a chance, please!

Craig

[Fast Forward]

Alaska is on the short list for must visit

[Web Police]

Great Pics. Looks like fun to me.

[Rex Everything]

Thanks for the pics and the nugget of history from the area.

I was in Juneau once somewhere around '83 or '84 swimming in the state junior olympics. It is a beautiful city and area of the state.

I think I may have asked you this once before but is the restaurant named Scarf 'n' Barf still there?

[Scorpion8]

I think I may have asked you this once before but is the restaurant named Scarf 'n' Barf still there?

Nope, although that moniker would be applicable to quite a few of the <ahem, so-called> eateries around here. The whole downtown Front Street area has been renovated for tourists and cruiseships and most local places have been pushed out.

[Rex Everything]

Nope, although that moniker would be applicable to quite a few of the <ahem, so-called> eateries around here. The whole downtown Front Street area has been renovated for tourists and cruiseships and most local places have been pushed out.

Ah, I did a google search after posting this and found out it was also called George's Juno Main aka Scarf'n'Barf. I guess most things are gonna change after 24+ years :)