A Cliff Ruin Map
The Cliff Mine is probably the most explored ruins in the Keweenaw, for good reason. The sheer awe of finding towering rock walls and smoke stacks rising up within the thick forest here is something most of us never forget. Though hard to do it justice here on these pages, the site is a must-see for almost anyone interested in Copper Country history. Both the resourcefulness of man and the resilience of nature share the stage along these towering cliffs - a sacred battleground between man and nature. The scattering of ancient graves along the cliff base, most of them children, remind us of the unforgiving nature of the northern wilderness and man’s struggle for survival. The towering rock piles and sprawling stamp sands remind us of the other side of the story - man’s destructive impact on his environment. Both should be heeded by all generations.
In order to help my fellow explorers experience the Cliff in all its glory, I put together the following ruin map:
Keep in mind that the map is not entirely accurate, but is simply a rough sketch of what remains at the site today. Some of the building identities are unknown to me, while others are educated guesses. The main cliff mine is scattered about near the base of the cliff and up on its top. Across the road was the South Cliff, which had two shafts of its own. The brown trail I mark on the map is also marked along the ground. Exploring the top of the cliff requires scaling the poor rock pile or the cliff itself - both very difficult. CAUTION! There are several shafts (all vertical and deep) on the property - some of which I didn’t mark.
I was about 14 years old in 1956 when I first explored the Cliff Mine site. I visited what I now assume to be the Avery Shaft House which was still standing at the time. I have 8mm movies of this structure. I was able, with no sense of caution whatever, able to actually enter and look down into the shaft. Threw rocks down to see how deep it was to the water lever. I don’t remember how far I estimated it was, but it took several seconds to hear the shaft. I actually started to climb down on the wooden structure going down into the shaft but “chickened out” at about 20 feet. Evidence of this is that I’m still here to tell the tale. I went back a few years later but the shaft house was gone (either pulled or fell down and I couldn’t find the shaft again). The reason I feel this was the Avery is that the building I explored was about half way up the cliff and looked like the pictures I’ve seen. Thanks for all your work. I plan to move to the Calumet area in the next years or so and will begin following your footsteps in exploration. What a passion!
Regards, Tom Thomson, Kimberly, WI
Tom | December 1, 2008
Welcome aboard Tom! Great story, and though I wouldn’t of had the guts to do into the adit I wish that the building’s were still standing today as they were for you back in the day. It sounds like an adventure for sure (too bad you didn’t have the internet back then to share you stories with everyone as I do today). Your mention of 8mm makes me wonder how much copper country exploring you have on film, and if you ever transferred any of it to other media. If so those films would be a treasure trove of material I’m sure, and I would love to get them posted here on CCE.
Thanks again for your great comment!
explorer | December 2, 2008
Thank you so much for posting these things! My dad starting exploring the Cliff/Phoenix area in the early 70’s while he was in college and he’s taken myself and my brother there for as long as I can remember. It’s one of my favorite places. From the stories he’s told me, it sounds like he too found the Avery shaft and threw rocks down, but he was never able to locate it again, it must have been filled in?
Keep up the great work!
Andrea | December 10, 2008
Thanks Andrea, glad I could help provide some Copper Country exploring memories for you. The Cliff is probably the most popular mine site around, it seems everyone has a story from their time poking around the base of those cliffs. Its a great place for sure, one of my favorites as well. Although I would of loved to see it back in its prime!
explorer | December 12, 2008