So I’ve been itching to explore this old silver mine upstate for ages. Sala Silver Mine, they call it. Looks super cool in those grainy black-and-white photos online. Figured I’d finally just pack a bag and go for it.
Prep Work (Sorta)
First thing, tried digging deep online for info. Total mess. Old forum posts contradicted each other big time. One guy said it was wide open, another said totally sealed. Useless. Grabbed what I thought I needed: my trusty old boots, the headlamp with questionable battery life, a couple water bottles, and that emergency whistle I’ve never actually used. Oh, and snacks. Can’t forget snacks.
The drive sucked. Way longer than the map app claimed. Winding back roads, barely any signs. Passed the same grumpy-looking cow three times? Felt like it anyway. Phone signal vanished pretty much after leaving the main road. Had to wing it with blurry screenshots.
The Big Search Begins
Parked near where I guessed the trailhead might be. Walked for what felt like hours through scratchy bushes and stupid spiderwebs. Kept checking landmarks against my terrible photos – that crooked pine tree, those weird rock piles. Sweat pouring down my neck, bugs having a feast. Finally, pushed past some thick brush, and bam.
There it was. Sorta. Not the grand entrance I pictured. More like a hole in the hillside mostly covered in fallen rocks and dirt. Heavy metal grate tilted sideways, padlocked (rusty though). Could just about squeeze past on the side if I really shimmied. Not exactly welcoming.
Going In (Kinda)
Flipped on the headlamp. Dark didn’t begin to cover it past the entrance crawl. Cold hit me hard. Air smelled damp and kinda… old. Stone, wet earth, something else sharp and metallic. Didn’t see any bats, thankfully. Walked careful on loose scree, following one tunnel. Walls were rough-cut rock, dripping in places. Saw some old timber braces sagging real bad.
- Headlamp flickered once. Not cool. Panic mode activated.
- Water started dripping heavier. Heard a distant rumble like water moving deep down.
- Found old rail tracks buried under dirt in one section. Weird.
- Noticed scratch marks high on the wall? Animal? Person? Creepy.
Suddenly heard a truck engine growling real loud, real close outside. Like, RIGHT outside the entrance. Peeked around the grate. Park service truck! Booked it back into the shadows fast, heart hammering. Stayed stone still, holding my breath. Heard doors slam, muffled voices talking by the truck. Thought I was toast. After what felt like forever, heard the truck start up and drive off. Whew. Close one.
The Quick Exit & “Results”
Decided right then this adventure was over. Didn’t need trouble. Squeezed back out fast, blinking in the sunlight. Got super muddy, tore a small hole in my jacket on the grate. Didn’t get far into the mine at all. Felt kinda lame. Headlamp went properly dim on the hike back. Made taking photos inside impossible anyway.
So Was It Worth It?
Honestly? Not really like I hoped. Barely scratched the surface. No cool artifacts, no deep chambers explored. Just cold, damp darkness, near-miss with the rangers, and ruined gear. Got a sore shoulder from squeezing through that grate and muddy boots to clean. The mine’s probably fascinating deeper in, but seeing that sagging timber? Hearing that water? Probably smart I bailed. Messy, kinda frustrating, and ultimately just a story about almost getting caught. Maybe leave the deep exploring to folks with better lamps and fewer ranger patrols.