U.S. West's abandoned mines alluring, dangerous for those who seek them out

Underneath the mountains and deserts of the U.S. West lie hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines, an underground world that can hold serious danger and unexpected wonder.

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U.S. West's abandoned mines alluring, dangerous for those who seek them out

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U.S. West's abandoned mines alluring, dangerous for those who seek them out

Dangerous abandoned gold mines like this dot the foothills west of Boulder, Colorado, relics of Colorado's gold mining history Stock Photo - Alamy