A year after a deadly accident at the Mollie Kathleen Mine in Cripple Creek that left a dozen people stranded 1,000 feet underground for several hours, resulting in the death of a mine operator, state officials have proposed new regulations for tourist mines.
The incident put Teller County on the national map, as the tragedy commanded the air waves of major news outlets across the country.
Earlier this month, officials with Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposed stricter rules for the state’s tourism-related mining industry. This could have major impacts on Teller County.
For one, the new rules would require that elevators inside tourist mines hold a certification of operation. Also, it would up the number of elevator inspections required annually.
DNR officials also said that the new rules would create stricter requirements for mine operators to maintain documents and records. The new rules would also change the requirements for the communications systems used inside tourist mines.
In an incident that occurred on Oct. 10, 2024, authorities say an “operational error” caused a tour guide to fall out of the mine’s elevator car and get caught between the car and the mine’s wall. An investigation stated that the guide failed to fully latch an elevator door, which caused him to fall out. The guide, Patrick Weier of Victor, was pronounced dead on the scene.
But his memory lived on. A huge ceremony, which attracted hundreds of people, occurred in downtown Cripple Creek in honor of Weier, who was a member of the local fire department and was highly regarded in the community, shortly after the incident.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, which forced first responders to rescue 12 people stuck underground, the state issued Mollie Kathleen Mine a cease and desist order. But after a full investigation was completed in early 2025, state officials gave the Mollie Kathleen owners permission to reopen for business for the 2025 season.
However, the popular tourist mine, which has operated for decades, has yet to reopen its doors since the tragedy.
