The Fear Complex Review (2018)

Hauntgoers’ first stop is with Haunted Mines’ resident voodoo gatekeeper, who beautifully weaves the yarn of the mine’s history (and rules) before sending them off to the next set of creeping creatures, culminating in a close encounter with an exuberant elevator operator who escorts them deep into the remains of the long-lost mining colony of Cold Falls. From there, the cadre of macabre miners maraude about, popping out from the mine’s many nooks and crannies.

The experience changes as the crew shifts through miners and denizens of the Cold Falls Colony, to clowns, but the level of quality actors did not. Each cast member adds something unique to each segment of the haunt, unifying the decor of each space, the lights and sounds, the props and scares. If anything, the clown cast kicked it up a bit, with their unique blend of eerie sweetness and subtle scariness, being both more present and less relenting. Not to mention, this area contains a couple of added physical effects, that require the characters to keep a watchful eye on guests while maintaining their scary effect, which the cast achieved effortlessly. Even the lobby’s creepers and coffin ride staff maintained an impressive level of commitment to their roles.

While there is a lot about the Haunted Mines that makes it one of the most impressive haunts in Colorado, those other efforts would fall flat without the support of the Haunted Mines stellar cast.

The non-haunt staff at the Haunted Mines left nothing to be desired, as they were all extremely friendly, helpful and excited to welcome guests into the event. Finding the entrance to the event, however, proved more difficult than anticipated. Even with the clear instructions available on its website and social media, the entrance door is less than apparent. Larger signage both in front and back of the haunt, more creepers outside directing guests toward the door, or even more lights, sounds or other similar efforts would liven up the exterior. On the other hand, the indoor ticket and queue lines and attractions are perfect for Colorado’s wintery fall weather, providing plenty of potential fun before the guests even reach the Mine’s gatekeeper. It was somewhat awkward for guests with VIP tickets, however, as the VIP line leads almost directly to the Mine entrance. Although there is access to the other lobby activities, including the coffin ride and axe throwing booth, it was not readily apparent from the VIP entrance.

Nevertheless, even with all of the moving, squeezing, slipping, shimmying and shaking bits of the Haunted Mines, there was no real concern with safety inside. In fact, according to Vince, one of the owners and operators of both Haunted Mines and Hellscream, the Haunted Mines is ADA compliant. We didn’t take the accessible routes so we can’t opine on the differences, but it appeared that the Haunted Mines did a good job of providing wider pathways throughout the haunt. To make things even safer, the Haunted Mines marked several of the potential tripping and falling hazards to highlight the potential for patrons.

For all of their mechanised mayhem, the devil is in the details at the Haunted Mines, in the best way possible. Their technological terrors thrive, combining with the cast and settings to result in a true triple threat. The sights, the sounds and the smells, filled our senses, as the ambiance was astoundingly effective. Haunted Mines was also home to many impressive animatronics and other sorts of mechanical mischief, which were treats unto themselves while making footing delightfully hard to find at times. Indeed, even the very structure of some parts of the mine might move underfoot, and there was often no guessing at what one might encounter around the next corner.

Whether patrons are bumping along in the mineshaft lift, briefly blinded by bright lights, enjoying clownvision, squeezing through crevices in the cave, or even just strolling through the strobes, there are plenty of extra effects to fully round out the haunt. Haunted Mines lobby is also home to a technological treasure: the coffin ride, which gives guests the opportunity to experience the cloying claustrophobia of a closed coffin being bumped about.

Haunted Mines boasts some of the most various scares around. The cast, as described above, was tremendous, and special effects were beautifully used, but the real magic came with how the haunt managed to marry the many elements into a smoothly scary experience. While briskly walking away from a pursuing ghoul in one section, for instance, you’re suddenly blasted with a sensory scare from out of nowhere, while, in another area, your attention is grabbed by a flailing animatronic allowing a cast member to emerge from the shadows behind you. In other areas, for example, the actors might isolate a part of the group, separating a screamer from the security of the crowd. Likewise, the journey down the ‘mineshaft’ would have been entertaining on its own, but the actors’ passionate performance paired with it to create a masterpiece.

There were a few things that lowered this score in the final analysis, however. For instance, there were times when it was readily apparent where a scare would originate, even to the extent that I would make eye contact with an actor before he or she rushed out. Though it was fairly minimal, it was noteworthy when it happened. Similarly, at times, either the front or back of the group received all of the love, while the other side was left to wander on almost unaccosted. The other matter that affected the Haunted Mines final score in this category was the finale, which was mediocre given how much attention and detail went into the rest of the event. Nevertheless, as this is the first season of the current iteration of the Haunted Mines, in a brand new location to boot, much of that strikes us more as mere growing pains; things that are likely to be worked out in future years’ scares.

It is difficult to believe that the Haunted Mines is able to pack so much entertainment into the space they occupy, but they have done an amazing job. The only area of the attraction that was a disappointment was the exterior of the building. Otherwise, the freaky fun is jam packed from wall to wall at the Haunted Mines, beginning with the rocking lobby. The use of space and amount of enjoyment inside the haunt itself is equally sky high. With the ability to buy combo tickets for access to both Haunted Mines and Hellscream for one low price, the only outstanding question that remains is, what are you waiting for?