Osoyoos locals recall historic gold mine tunnels on Kruger Mountain

Mine tunnel memories

Photo: Danny Thompson

A photo is stirring up a historical blast from the past regarding the old Dividend-Lakeview Gold Mine on Kruger Mountain in West Osoyoos.

Last week, Osoyoos resident Danny Thompson shared a photo of one of the mine's entrances to Facebook, sparking memories among locals of the historic mine industry once alive in town .

Some residents, referring to the former entrances as "the glory holes," recalled when the mine areas were blasted in the late 2000s for safety reasons. People were known to explore the dangerous tunnels prior.

"I used to hike up there when I was 11 or 12 with [two] neighbours of mine; it was quite the hike," said one Osoyoos resident on social media.

"Threw rocks down the hole; never heard them land. And we encountered a rattlesnake den. Spooky and exciting at the same time. That was 50 years ago."

According to a provincial document, the Dividend-Lakeview area of the Osoyoos Mining Division saw exploration for various precious metals, primarily gold and copper, as far back as the early 1900s.

Photo: BC Archives

Dividend-Lakeview Mine circa 1913.