I’m a week late to the challenge, but have thought about this picture since Nancy Merrill issued her photo a week challenge: Abandoned. These buildings mark the Smith Coal Mine, “the site of the worst underground coal mine disaster in Montana history.”

My parents and I had taken a drive, in part, to check out this site near Bearcreek, Montana. As much as we would have liked to get closer to look around and take pictures, we heeded the “no trespassing” signs. Besides that, the wind was cold and it was a steep walk down to the fence.