Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine
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The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is a historic vertical shaft mine near Cripple Creek, Colorado, United States.[1] The mine shaft descends 1,000 feet (300 m) into the mountain, a depth roughly equal to the height of the Empire State Building in New York City.[2] The mine currently gives tours,[3] and is visited by around 40,000 people annually.[4] The addition of the mines and subsequent tours of this mine and others in the area had considerable effect on the economies of both Victor and Cripple Creek.[5][6][7]
The mine was started in 1891 on a mining claim staked by Mollie Kathleen Gortner, after whom the mine was named.[8][9]
Other than a government-ordered hiatus during World War II, the mine operated continuously until 1961; since then, it has continued as a tourist attraction.[10]
On Thursday, October 10, 2024, during a tour, the elevator malfunctioned, killing one tour guide, injuring four, and leaving twelve others trapped underground—eleven tourists and a mine worker.[11] Eleven others were rescued. Authorities hoped to repair the elevator but had a fire department crew ready for a rescue operation.[12][13][14] All twelve people were evacuated via the elevator on Thursday evening.[15][16]
In mid-January 2025, authorities reported that the accident was due to operator error – not equipment malfunction – and that the mine could reopen for the 2025 tourist season.[17][18][19]
