In 1973 a friend and I explored the Big Lick tunnel. We were young and stupid. We entered on the Williamstown side and walked the entire length in as deep as we could go. We may have made it in about 100 or so yards. As we walked farther and farther in we could hear the rush of water getting louder. We only had two flashlights and one highway flare. The ceiling of the tunnel kept getting Lower and Lower from debris until we were bend about half over when we reach the end. We could hardly see the entrance as only a small dot of light. When we reached the end we notice the ceiling had either collapsed on its own or it was purposely blown shut. But what was amazing was it opened up into a huge cavern like area and just over a pile of rocks and debris we saw a huge bubbling of water being forcefully ejected from the floor area. Then like idiots we lit the highway flare to light up the area. We could see a large room of rock and coal debris. The open area was about 15 to 20 feet high and maybe 20 to 25 feet wide. We couldn't go any farther into the tunnel. As we stood there looking around with amazement , the smoke from the flare started to choke as out of good air so we turned and got the hell out of there as fast as we could. After we reached the entrance and were outside, we looked at each other and laughed about how dumb we were to light that flare not thinking there could have been trapped methane gas in that pocketed area we stood in. The tunnel had since been completely blown shut to keep the curious adventure seeks from exploring the old tunnel. We had learned about the tunnel from a science teacher in high school that taught a geology class. My grandfather told me he had walked from the Williamstown side all the way to the north entrance on the other side of the mountain in bear valley when he was a young boy. He claimed he did this at least twice. The tunnel goes into the mountain from the south side about 100 to 150 yards then makes a slight 20 to 25 degree bend to the right according to old maps. I believe my friend and I had made it in to where that bend was and that was it. The tunnel was also constructed of all concrete, sidewalls and ceiling all the way in until we couldn't go any further. Exploring these old tunnels is dangerous and foolish at the least. We at least were smart enough to tell another friend where we were going and that if we didn't check back in with him by a certain time he was to alert our parents and come looking for us. Fortunately that plan didn’t need to be executed. The tunnel is now impossible to access let alone find it anymore.
Born and raised in Dayton...old bear cave was right below the air shaft and big lick you walk almost right past as you walked up past where the gypsies used to live back in the 80s.. glad u found the sulphur creek n big lick
Thank you for posting these videos.....my grandfathers, uncles, and father worked these mines...in fact, two of uncles lost their lives in mines in the Good Spring, Keffers area. I always heard about them, but never saw them....always heard about the tunnel that went through the mountain at Bear Gap, and I enjoyed your videos about it. Thank you. This is my history and I appreciate being able to explore it with you.
My Pappy, died a year before my birth, he mined at Williamstown, Lykens, and Hegins. The black lung got him. My Dad and his dad, my other Pappy hauled many a load of coal out of that mountain. The mines are kind of in my blood, wouldn't want to work it though, ain't tough enough.
@@garyreed6237 you know what, Gary? I wouldn't be a bit surprised if somewhere along the line, at least one of my relatives worked in the mines with at least one of your relatives. Coal mining is in our blood. It's part of who we are.
The Big Lick Tunnel which is the source of the sulfur creek IS the authentic Big Lick Mine Tunnel. It is not just a drainage tunnel. I know this because my barber in Williamstown has historic.pictures of the area and there is a.period picture of that same tunnel above Dayton with the orange creek flowing out showing rails on the ground. That WAS the.mine.
Wow. Google Maps sucks. It took me forever to find the places simply by the names, county, town. I see all in the woods north of the place you parked there are lots of barely visible tailings piles and exposed white ridges of rock scattered here and there and old unmarked roads. I would LOVE exploring in a place like that. You know the proper people to ask are the high school kids. If anyone knows that ground like the back of their hand it's the teenaged boys that hike or hunt.
Just realized I never fully watched this video. It'd be neat for you to do a follow-up to this now that you've got some high powered flashlights/lighting.
Very Kool. I used to explore the coal co remains back in the 1980's and 90's. There was alot more remains back then. Shame so much is gone and it's another industry that will never return.
I really like your videos i too like to mill around the woods i live in philly so i frequent penny pack,wissahickon,old byberry ,rush state park.i see lots of neat stuff most of which im not sure what it is i found a bunch of old mill foundations in pennypack
The water you seen coming out of that mine is very acidic and can not support life. This is typical of Pa. Coal mines that produce streams leaving these old mines.
didn't used to have water running full width just a bit on the rt side tracks on the left . I gave you directions to this on one of your other vids. NOW find the entrance on the Gratz side on the north side of the mtn.
+RimfireRat Do you have any directions for that entrance? I've searched for it already. I found a huge hole in the ground, but it didn't look like a tunnel entrance...
+The Wandering Woodsman no I don't I've googled earth looking for a possible access ,I've read the stories of the small village that sprang up during the time the guy from the Williamstown side used to walk the mile thru the tunnel to go to work ,The video you did where you walked back in the G Lands from Bera Gap Rd and found the remnants of ,I think that same Bear Gap Patch .It should be near there Would have to near the electric towers I would thenk and the Creek probably feeds the water thru three tunnel .I got hit head on uurs back so I can't do the hiking any more Or I'd have found it by now. If I get to that meeting at GratzI will fer sure ask "shorty" .
@@RimfireRat yes its right near the second gate the riders association chased me a few times on my 81 yz465 and there's actually a hair scramble track past the entrance a good ways but before the porter tunnel..I grey up in Dayton my backyard was big lick and the like..like the huge ash clinkers and Taylor's rock and the TiT so on and so forth only trying to help I know all them valleys its in me blood
Thanks for a great video! I never realized how much coal was mined in PA until I started watching your videos. Why did the mines shut down? Did the coal deposits play out, or was there some other reason? Please advise. Thanks.
The dates molded into the tunnel [mine?] portals seem to range from around 1880 to 1920. I assume that's the date they were constructed. When did the mines shut down?
For those suggesting that WW get an ATV or other motorized conveyance, think of the solace and peace that walking brings, not to mention being able to spot more on foot. And for the bleep who has to bring lib or consy politics into a great video site, there are forums for that, and lawsuits know no side of the great divide.
You can find the tunnel on old topographical maps of the area. But my guess is that the tunnel is about a mile or slightly less. It goes only trought the mountain slightly higher then its foot. That mountain might be around a mile wide at its base if not slightly shorter.
Worried about skunks? Bears can be contended with by avoiding them, and carrying bear spray if you are really fearful. I hike a lot in woods and never think about snakes - maybe that is reckless.
Go to home depot and buy a Coast 20Watt led flash light. When I am using my phone camera in pitch night the 20watt flashlight turns even behind me into daylight. It ha 1 led. None of those cheap lights with 20 LEDs.
Why do they always have to block off every non maintained road. I have a jeep and would love to just drive up and around these places. I dont see what the big deal is. Im not a child that needs the governments supervision. Maybe Its because people dump stuff?
ppl are to sue happy... im in the skook and live near an area called blackwood.. it was my back yard my whole life untill the last 10yrs or so, and now its sold off as private property, game lands, or just closed to public vehicles after 60 or more years (i think). because ppl do stupid shit and than sue the property owner for their own stupidity...its not the property owners fault u did a hillclimb on ur quad and rolled it..but insurance company's think different. libtard thought process ....
@@daveh8316 Actually, the whole process of selling nearly worthless land just for profit so someone can "own" it is really a very free-market Conserva-tard kind of thinking.
@@anthonydavis9662 who was talking about the property market???????? talking about ppl being on private land. and hurting themselves. me my dad and brother own a large chunk of wooded property and i know for a fact that with that prop. posted we can still get sued if someone gets hurt, i feel for the coal co's with all that land to get sued over.... so its a fight with off road vehicles daily....(dont care much about ppl walking through) only because of insurance co's... also just few days ago in pottsville area a game warden was assaulted for stopping someone riding on state game lands..... wtf..
@@daveh8316 Would you believe me if I told you that both Liberals and Conservatives would sue you if they smelled money in it? Why anyone (like you) would try to characterize it as "Libtard thinking process" is beyond stupid.
Oreillys auto parts sells a nice small Q beam that puts out great light for about $40.00. you need this. Also your camera work is very shaky. stay on your subject long enough for us to recognize it.
In 1973 a friend and I explored the Big Lick tunnel. We were young and stupid. We entered on the Williamstown side and walked the entire length in as deep as we could go. We may have made it in about 100 or so yards. As we walked farther and farther in we could hear the rush of water getting louder. We only had two flashlights and one highway flare. The ceiling of the tunnel kept getting Lower and Lower from debris until we were bend about half over when we reach the end. We could hardly see the entrance as only a small dot of light. When we reached the end we notice the ceiling had either collapsed on its own or it was purposely blown shut. But what was amazing was it opened up into a huge cavern like area and just over a pile of rocks and debris we saw a huge bubbling of water being forcefully ejected from the floor area. Then like idiots we lit the highway flare to light up the area. We could see a large room of rock and coal debris. The open area was about 15 to 20 feet high and maybe 20 to 25 feet wide. We couldn't go any farther into the tunnel. As we stood there looking around with amazement , the smoke from the flare started to choke as out of good air so we turned and got the hell out of there as fast as we could. After we reached the entrance and were outside, we looked at each other and laughed about how dumb we were to light that flare not thinking there could have been trapped methane gas in that pocketed area we stood in. The tunnel had since been completely blown shut to keep the curious adventure seeks from exploring the old tunnel. We had learned about the tunnel from a science teacher in high school that taught a geology class. My grandfather told me he had walked from the Williamstown side all the way to the north entrance on the other side of the mountain in bear valley when he was a young boy. He claimed he did this at least twice. The tunnel goes into the mountain from the south side about 100 to 150 yards then makes a slight 20 to 25 degree bend to the right according to old maps. I believe my friend and I had made it in to where that bend was and that was it. The tunnel was also constructed of all concrete, sidewalls and ceiling all the way in until we couldn't go any further. Exploring these old tunnels is dangerous and foolish at the least. We at least were smart enough to tell another friend where we were going and that if we didn't check back in with him by a certain time he was to alert our parents and come looking for us. Fortunately that plan didn’t need to be executed. The tunnel is now impossible to access let alone find it anymore.
Born and raised in Dayton...old bear cave was right below the air shaft and big lick you walk almost right past as you walked up past where the gypsies used to live back in the 80s.. glad u found the sulphur creek n big lick
Didn't there use to be railroad switchback tracks up there?
Thank you for posting these videos.....my grandfathers, uncles, and father worked these mines...in fact, two of uncles lost their lives in mines in the Good Spring, Keffers area. I always heard about them, but never saw them....always heard about the tunnel that went through the mountain at Bear Gap, and I enjoyed your videos about it. Thank you. This is my history and I appreciate being able to explore it with you.
My Pappy, died a year before my birth, he mined at Williamstown, Lykens, and Hegins. The black lung got him. My Dad and his dad, my other Pappy hauled many a load of coal out of that mountain. The mines are kind of in my blood, wouldn't want to work it though, ain't tough enough.
@@garyreed6237 you know what, Gary? I wouldn't be a bit surprised if somewhere along the line, at least one of my relatives worked in the mines with at least one of your relatives. Coal mining is in our blood. It's part of who we are.
@@dlesher3101 I was in school with two Lesher boys from Gratz. Notable wrestlers at Upper Dauphin. Might be kin folk of yours?
@@garyreed6237 Most likely, yes. My husband has family from that area!!! Small world!!
so, Gary, you were raised in the Gratz area? I was raised in Rebuck and after I married my husband, we lived outside of Klingerstown for 37 years.
Interesting explore, a Cliff. Thank you for staying safe.
I never knew Pennsylvania had so much beauty to offer
The Big Lick Tunnel which is the source of the sulfur creek IS the authentic Big Lick Mine Tunnel. It is not just a drainage tunnel. I know this because my barber in Williamstown has historic.pictures of the area and there is a.period picture of that same tunnel above Dayton with the orange creek flowing out showing rails on the ground. That WAS the.mine.
Barber Joe he cut my hair as a kid I used to love the parachute troop after the cut
@@jasonduey5678 How did you guess my barber is old Joe? Could be you saw the same picture on his wall to the left of the door.
Wow. Google Maps sucks. It took me forever to find the places simply by the names, county, town. I see all in the woods north of the place you parked there are lots of barely visible tailings piles and exposed white ridges of rock scattered here and there and old unmarked roads. I would LOVE exploring in a place like that. You know the proper people to ask are the high school kids. If anyone knows that ground like the back of their hand it's the teenaged boys that hike or hunt.
Just realized I never fully watched this video. It'd be neat for you to do a follow-up to this now that you've got some high powered flashlights/lighting.
Yeah I like his older videos better than the new ones,they just have that rawness about them!
When you gunna email me lol??
Saumäßig gemachtes Video!
Very Kool. I used to explore the coal co remains back in the 1980's and 90's. There was alot more remains back then. Shame so much is gone and it's another industry that will never return.
Love these videos!
the first is not a tunnel it is a fan house used for ventilating the mine
That means you could probably get down into the mine if you had rope and a o2 meter.
I really like your videos i too like to mill around the woods i live in philly so i frequent penny pack,wissahickon,old byberry ,rush state park.i see lots of neat stuff most of which im not sure what it is i found a bunch of old mill foundations in pennypack
just fount this video saw most of your newer videos
The water you seen coming out of that mine is very acidic and can not support life. This is typical of Pa. Coal mines that produce streams leaving these old mines.
I always knew that as sulfur water
yep...same here.
didn't used to have water running full width just a bit on the rt side tracks on the left . I gave you directions to this on one of your other vids. NOW find the entrance on the Gratz side on the north side of the mtn.
+RimfireRat Do you have any directions for that entrance? I've searched for it already. I found a huge hole in the ground, but it didn't look like a tunnel entrance...
+The Wandering Woodsman no I don't I've googled earth looking for a possible access ,I've read the stories of the small village that sprang up during the time the guy from the Williamstown side used to walk the mile thru the tunnel to go to work ,The video you did where you walked back in the G Lands from Bera Gap Rd and found the remnants of ,I think that same Bear Gap Patch .It should be near there Would have to near the electric towers I would thenk and the Creek probably feeds the water thru three tunnel .I got hit head on uurs back so I can't do the hiking any more Or I'd have found it by now. If I get to that meeting at GratzI will fer sure ask "shorty" .
Gratz side entrance is in bear valley
@@jasonduey5678 i know it is
@@RimfireRat yes its right near the second gate the riders association chased me a few times on my 81 yz465 and there's actually a hair scramble track past the entrance a good ways but before the porter tunnel..I grey up in Dayton my backyard was big lick and the like..like the huge ash clinkers and Taylor's rock and the TiT so on and so forth only trying to help I know all them valleys its in me blood
Thanks for a great video! I never realized how much coal was mined in PA until I started watching your videos. Why did the mines shut down? Did the coal deposits play out, or was there some other reason? Please advise. Thanks.
Economic reasons mostly. Cheaper forms of power and energy became available such as electricity and diesel engines.
The dates molded into the tunnel [mine?] portals seem to range from around 1880 to 1920. I assume that's the date they were constructed. When did the mines shut down?
Chris Ackerley 1940's roughly
Demand. As Cliff said better fuels became available. There remains about two hundred years of coal in the ground here.
Hi ya, I live in schuylkill county and love exploring, I'd be happy to share some really cool places up here with ya.
Nice !!!!
Did you ever get a new flashlight?
For those suggesting that WW get an ATV or other motorized conveyance, think of the solace and peace that walking brings, not to mention being able to spot more on foot. And for the bleep who has to bring lib or consy politics into a great video site, there are forums for that, and lawsuits know no side of the great divide.
You have a problem with Libs? Well fuck you if you do.
Cool-looking tunnel! Again, I’m surprised at how flimsy that gate looks. I’m surprised nobody has bothered to cut that open.
You'd have to cart some car batteries to tack it back up or else your asking for someone to dynamite the portal.
Why would someone go to that effort to get into acidic water?
@@donmoore7785 they blew it shut less than 50 yds in so you go now where if ya did get in
The gas out of there is overpowering. When I hike up there, I smell it long before I see it.
Are there any prospects of finding the opposite end of the Big Lick Tunnel? Any idea how long it was/is?
You can find the tunnel on old topographical maps of the area. But my guess is that the tunnel is about a mile or slightly less. It goes only trought the mountain slightly higher then its foot. That mountain might be around a mile wide at its base if not slightly shorter.
7:14 time lap it had fire burning out of it and inferno because myself a family member survived real inferno burst because closed
I like your videos...im in york, where are you from?
Berks
Your more brave than me, i would be worried of snakes, bears or skunks in those area's
Worried about skunks? Bears can be contended with by avoiding them, and carrying bear spray if you are really fearful. I hike a lot in woods and never think about snakes - maybe that is reckless.
Did you ever go back to the 1st tunnel with a very good flashlight ?
He needs too,if not get me the gps coordinates and i will.
Go to home depot and buy a Coast 20Watt led flash light. When I am using my phone camera in pitch night the 20watt flashlight turns even behind me into daylight. It ha 1 led. None of those cheap lights with 20 LEDs.
Yes the stories are true it started as a family joke to scare but all is true
Why do they always have to block off every non maintained road. I have a jeep and would love to just drive up and around these places. I dont see what the big deal is. Im not a child that needs the governments supervision. Maybe Its because people dump stuff?
ppl are to sue happy... im in the skook and live near an area called blackwood.. it was my back yard my whole life untill the last 10yrs or so, and now its sold off as private property, game lands, or just closed to public vehicles after 60 or more years (i think). because ppl do stupid shit and than sue the property owner for their own stupidity...its not the property owners fault u did a hillclimb on ur quad and rolled it..but insurance company's think different. libtard thought process ....
@@daveh8316 correct dave
@@daveh8316 Actually, the whole process of selling nearly worthless land just for profit so someone can "own" it is really a very free-market Conserva-tard kind of thinking.
@@anthonydavis9662 who was talking about the property market???????? talking about ppl being on private land. and hurting themselves. me my dad and brother own a large chunk of wooded property and i know for a fact that with that prop. posted we can still get sued if someone gets hurt, i feel for the coal co's with all that land to get sued over.... so its a fight with off road vehicles daily....(dont care much about ppl walking through) only because of insurance co's... also just few days ago in pottsville area a game warden was assaulted for stopping someone riding on state game lands..... wtf..
@@daveh8316 Would you believe me if I told you that both Liberals and Conservatives would sue you if they smelled money in it? Why anyone (like you) would try to characterize it as "Libtard thinking process" is beyond stupid.
have you gone back to that 1914 tunnel? I've been trying to find it on google satellite view but can't.
Im trying too find it too,looks like an air shaft or maybe a fan house?
That looked like pig iron at 4:48
tunnel in Old Frame area of fayette co. coke region
Oreillys auto parts sells a nice small Q beam that puts out great light for about $40.00. you need this. Also your camera work is very shaky. stay on your subject long enough for us to recognize it.
It says Big Lick you could clearly see the I&G from the Big
Dank Daniels
Bunker
The Game commission sucks!!
Why?
@@donmoore7785 Because they destroy history.
You need better lighting!!
You should have used a 4-wheeler or a trail bike.
Why "should" he have done that, because you would? Pollution, uses resources, makes noise.
Dude,you need an atv.
Why? Noisy, polluting, and encourages laziness.
....goes looking for tunnels...does not bring more than a weak flashlight...and wtf is with the ADHD focusing...give a man a migrane....slow down...
You sound like an angry person. Bummer.
Chris fucken relax. If you dont like it do your own damn video.