Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine (EarthCache) EarthCache
Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine (EarthCache)
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is an easy, but educational EarthCache. All required areas are handicapped accessible. There is free parking and you do not have to go into the museum or ride any of the attractions in order to log this EarthCache.
Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine was an active anthracite coal mine up until 1931 when it was closed. In 1963, it was re-opened, but this time as a tourist attraction where people can come and learn about anthracite coal and how it was mined. There are actually several attractions in the immediate area:
The Museum of Anthracite Mining is where you will begin this EarthCache. It is open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4 pm, and costs $3.50 for adults, $1.50 for students, and Free for kids under 6 years old. More info can be found at this link: (visit link)
The "Higher-Ups Park" is a free community park and picnic area adjacent to the Tunnel. The Higher-Ups Park offers plenty of picnic tables and a large open playground and public restrooms.
“The Lokie” ride is a train ride aboard an old-time narrow gauge steam locomotive named the Henry Clay. Built in the 1920's, The Henry Clay takes you on a scenic three-quarter mile ride around the side of Mahanoy Mountain to show you a type of mining called strip mining. You'll visit the Mammoth Stripping, an area where an unusually thick seam of anthracite known as the Mammoth Vein outcrops to the surface of the earth. Here, in days gone by, monstrous steam shovels ripped out millions of tons of coal from the exposed vein and left a wall of solid rock 150 feet high extending westward as far as the eye can see. Much of the coal was pulled out by the narrow gauge predecessors of this Lokie . . . a lot of it on the same trackbed. As of publishing this EarthCache, tickets to ride the Lokie can be purchased for $7.00 for adults and $5.50 for kids (ages 2-11). It is open from April to October, but call or check Online for operating hours since they change throughout the operating season.
The Gift shop and snack bar is where you can buy tickets for both the Lokie ride, and the Pioneer Tunnel Mine Ride (as well as souvenirs and refreshments).
The Pioneer Tunnel Mine ride is perhaps the centerpiece of the area and certainly a unique opportunity to travel down inside a real coal mine. The Tunnel affords visitors an opportunity to learn how anthracite coal is mined. Pioneer Tunnel is a horizontal drift mine. Its level tunnel runs 1800 feet straight into the side of the Mahanoy Mountain. The temperature inside the mine averages 52 degrees year-round, so a sweater or jacket is recommended. The tour lasts about 35 minutes. Deep inside the Tunnel, guests actually get out of the mine cars and follow their guides on foot to receive an explanation of deep-mining methods. There are storyboards inside the mine depicting the mining operation. Your guide will point out the numerous coal seams and describe various configurations of passageways, some cut from solid rock in order to reach the coal. The tour is very educational as well as entertaining. You will see how a vein of coal lies between rock and strata. You will see the gangway, manways, and chutes. Part of the Tunnel is timbered and part lies in solid rock and requires no timbering. The tour guides are experienced miners who know mining thoroughly. Visitors ride into the Tunnel on electric powered mine cars rebuilt to carry passengers. The Pioneer Tunnel Mine Ride is open from April to October, but call or check Online for operating hours since they change throughout the operating season. As of publishing this EarthCache, tickets cost $9.00 for adults and $6.50 for kids (ages 2-11). More info is available at this link: (visit link)
To log this EarthCache, go to the above posted coordinates (in front of the Museum) and have a picture of you or your group taken in front of the museum. Be sure to hold up your GPS receiver(s) and get the name of the museum in the background. (Paying to go into the museum is optional.) Next, walk or drive up to the following coordinates: N 40* 46.688 W 076* 21.132. From here, find the largest single piece of anthracite coal that you can find. Find out the weight of this lump of coal. Conduct some research (ask some workers / tour guides, or perform an Internet search if the attractions are closed during your visit) to answer the following questions: What is the most obvious way to visually distinguish anthracite coal from other, more common types of coal (such as bituminous coal)? List at least 3 ways that anthracite coal differs from other types of coal. (This can include how and where it was formed, composition, combustion differences, or other unique characteristics.) Post your photo from in front of the museum in your log and E-mail me the weight of the largest piece of anthracite coal and the answers to the above questions to receive credit for this EarthCache.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures