The Horizontal Tunnel
 

When the drill tools were lost in the early stage of the drilling of the south rim hole it was decided that they could be recovered by digging a tunnel into the south wall of the crater. Barringer considered this a very dangerous operation because of the broken condition of the rocks but it was successful. The tools were recovered and the drilling continued.

The photo was taken with a telephoto lens from the observation deck on the north rim. The large tailing pile is a prominent feature of the south wall today.

Note the timbers scattered down the crater wall. At many locations on the walls there are timbers, they are the only remaining testimonies to the great amount of work done at the crater.