ODDS’N’SODS — Mining atop Mount Copeland

As the old saying goes, “some people thrive on adversity.” This may or may not be true. However, the crew who volunteered to work at the top of Mount Copeland in the winter of 1967 were sorely tested both in body and spirit.

Mount Copeland is the dominant peak amongst a majestic scarp of glacially scoured ridges lying to the north of Revelstoke, B.C. This isolated, mountainous area is encased in ice and surrounded by cumulus clouds. The bare rockface of Mount Copeland thrusts up to over 10,000 ft. through the panoply of stone and ice.

I was unaware of this area until an old classmate, Mal Robinson, phoned me from Calgary. There was a note of urgency in his voice: “We have diamond-drilled on Mount Copeland all summer and have hit a high-grade zone of molybdenum. However, the Securities and Exchange Commission is demanding specific information before we can go to the market. This means we must go underground for samples, starting now. Do you follow me?”

I followed him indeed and queried: “Where do I come in?” Equally direct, he replied: “Come up to Revelstoke on the Canadian Pacific Day-Liner tomorrow; we will meet you at the station in Revelstoke and go over the details.” I did so.

A winter campaign was being launched at the site, where they hoped to do underground exploration. A camp had been constructed and cable-bolted to solid rock in order to withstand the gales anticipated at these elevations in winter.

A start had been made on collaring a tunnel into the mineralized structure. Now, all that remained was to assemble the crew and perform the work over the next few months. Site unseen, I signed on for the job.

A helicopter wasted no time in flying me into the project. What a spectacle! Perched at the crest of a vertical cliff and immediately below an extensive glacier was the camp, comprising a timbered fortress — all in all, a breathtaking panorama of mountain, ice and human effort. The adit had been collared in solid rock, several hundred feet below the service area. Ladderways and anchored ropes provided access.

Once inside, all feelings of isolation vanished. The well-established facilities included shops, mine dry, bunkhouse, cookery and power plant. The entire facility was framed under a timbered roof designed to withstand snow avalanches and to provide a helicopter pad service. Stout steel cables anchored the building to solid rock. I did not deliberate too long. I instructed the crew to start up as this was the month of September and we had a lot of work to do before the arrival of winter storms which would inhibit the work.

And so began the vicious confrontation with winter conditions on top of Mount Copeland. Days of unending snowfall followed days of gale-force winds, and we persevered with the driving of the tunnel on a 3-shift basis. Avalanches of snow swept over our shelter and at times disgorged equipment and workers. The water supply vanished with the extreme cold weather and we were compelled to melt snow for the cookery, mine dry and mine.

The project was isolated for many days at a time as the helicopter was unable to combat the severe wind and snow conditions. Survival, at times, was the key item on all our minds.

Meanwhile, the tunnel advanced into the mountain and hit the main ore zone, fortunately prior to Dec. 25. We were able to ship out composite samples of material to satisfy our venture and the directors. However, as the season progressed to Christmas, I could sense the changing mood of the crew and I realized that our time on Mount Copeland was nearing completion. Just before Christmas, there was a brief break in the weather and I announced that helicopters would be arriving to evacuate the crew. A small group remained to board up the buildings, move out the food and secure the explosives.

As we assembled in Revelstoke before journeying to our many home destinations, we all agreed that our time spent on Mount Copeland was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

— S.J. Hunter is a retired mining engineer in Vancouver, B.C.