Ice Mine

The Ice Mine has been around for centuries based on the hieroglyphics at the entrance.

The Ice Mine is one of the odd attractions at Trough Creek State Park, along with the Balanced Rock, Copperas Rock and Raven Rock (at least looking at rocks isn't the only thing to do).

The mine is also the first thing I visited upon entering the park. The reason I stumbled across it is simply because I was lost, and it is at the end of the only road in the park.

But even though it serves as a dead-end road sign, the Ice Mine still deserves a moment of attention.

For starters, the mine is likely older than the park itself. The area where Trough Creek State Park sits today served as a hot spot for iron production going back as early as the 1790s. The park didn't open until 1936.

The Ice Mine is believed to be "a prospect hole in the early days of mining," according to an article written by geologist John P. Wilshusen of the Pennsylvania Geological Survey. A "hole" is the best description for the "mine." It is an opening about 3 feet high and about 20 feet long. If this was a mining prospect hole, it either lacked the iron to turn a profit, or our prospector was lazy. Whatever the case, the mine didn't get too far in production.

What Prospector Pete failed to realize was he may have made a fortune instead by discovering one of the world's first air conditioners.

Image courtesy of DCNR / This illustration demonstrates where the cold air in
the Ice Mine comes from. Cold air gets trapped between slabs of rock during the
winter. When temperatures rise in the spring, they warm the hill, causing the cold, denser air to flow downhill and out of the mine like a vent.

The Ice Mine acts as a vent at the base of the hill where it resides. "Frost action" and weathering have broken the hill's ledges into loose slabs and blocks, according to Wilshusen. During the winter, cold air fills the openings between these slabs and becomes trapped. When rising temperatures warm up the hill in the springtime, they cause the cold, denser air between the slabs to flow down the interior of the hill. The Ice Mine acts like a vent, releasing the cold air from the hill. Since cold air sinks and hot air rises, the former stays close to the bottom of the Ice Mine's stairwell.

The stairs provide the sensation of "Hell freezing over."

The temperature by the Ice Mine is most noticeable on a hot and humid summer day (duh). On the day I visited the mine, it was about 90 degrees with humidity near 80 or 90 percent.

As I descended to the mine, I could feel the temperature drop several degrees with every step. The temperature at the bottom was akin to being inside a cave. The humidity seemed to have dissipated, as well. The real question was, "Is there actually ice?"

The mine is almost pitch black other than the opening. I happened to be carrying a flashlight that day, so I turned it on and peaked inside.

There were no icicles, ice or even frost from what I could see. I was expecting to be peering into the wardrobe from "The Chronicles of Narnia" series where a tundra would be hidden away behind closed doors.

The Ice Mine, other than it being cold, seemed to be a dud at first sight.  I decided to take flash photography anyway for memory's sake.

Pictured: Not a magical tundra with talking lions.

When I started writing this post, I revisited the photos. As I looked at a photo of the mine's interior, I noticed a few white spots resembling what looked like cobwebs at first. I zoomed in and instead found small patches of frost and ice in a few spots. There wasn't enough ice for a suitable bourbon on the rocks, but it was ice, nonetheless. The Ice Mine lived up to its name, regardless of the quantity of ice.

You may be wondering how ice manages to form in the mine when the outside temperature is high -- at least I hope you're wondering, so I'm not wasting time writing this post. The easy answer is moisture.

This could be ice, or maybe the mine is haunted and these are
just orbs.

Ironically, if you look into the Ice Mine during the winter, you won't find ice (except maybe for snow blowing into it). That's because air in the winter is much dryer than summer air. It's the same reason why people get cracks in the skin on their hands during the winter compared to other seasons. Summer air, however, contains high amounts of moisture. When the cold air from the mine meets the warm, moist air from outside, the combination creates ice.

The ice does stop forming, though, once the cold air in the hill is depleted until the next winter, according to Wilshusen. He recommends visiting in the early summer for this reason.

If you're in the Trough Creek area, you should take my advice and go on a scorching hot day. Not only will you feel the difference in temperature more drastically, but you can save money on your electric bill by not running your air conditioner. Just remember to send a small checked addressed to me for my contribution. Hey, you don't think I write these blog posts for fun, do you?