2017-18 Photos--The tunnel escape raise project

The "escape raises" otherwise known as emergency exits, originally were smallish vertical shafts housing wood ladders to the surface. But like the tunnels themselves, these also deformed and compressed over time, and also (at least for the ones close to the rodwell and sewer) filled up with frozen rime. So this part of the project was to create newer bigger better ones. Four are planned in all, but so far only one has been completed--close to the new rodwell which is at the far end of the main tunnel (original construction map and description).

gantry structure
A key piece of this project is this gantry structure which was constructed in 2016-17 (and I'm thinking that the structure to its left will eventually become the roof over the opening) (SH).
the shaft and snow cage
The excavation was another project involving chain saws and shovels. The finished rectangular opening was to be 10 x 7 feet (SH).
digging out the escape raise
Another view. The red cage is for removing and dumping the snow (SH)...
dumping the snow blocks
...thus (SH).
the nearly completed shaft
Looking down the nearly completed shaft (SS)...
looking up the shaft
...and looking up from the bottom (SH).
laying out the ladder supports
Laying out the ladder supports on the shaft wall...you get an idea how deep this is (SH).
 looking into the permanent shaft from the main tunnel






Looking into the bottom of the shaft from the main tunnel (SH).

Credits and thanks so far: Sayer Houseal (SH) and Sheryl Seagraves (SS).

But we're not done yet, keep going!.

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