Close Menu
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Celebrity Kids
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
  • Disclaimer
  • About us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contribute & Advertise with Us
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest Vimeo
GistFestGistFest
  • Entertainment

    Cause of Death Revealed for Kylie Jenner’s Hairstylist Jesús Guerrero

    June 5, 2025

    Taylor Swift Celebrates Masters Victory with Selena Gomez During NYC Dinner Night Out

    June 4, 2025

    JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Are Officially a Couple

    June 4, 2025

    Inside the Wedding Drama: Victoria Beckham’s Surprise Action Upset Nicola Peltz on Her Big Day

    June 3, 2025

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Timeline

    June 2, 2025
  • Lifestyle

    Cause of Death Revealed for Kylie Jenner’s Hairstylist Jesús Guerrero

    June 5, 2025

    Taylor Swift Celebrates Masters Victory with Selena Gomez During NYC Dinner Night Out

    June 4, 2025

    JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Are Officially a Couple

    June 4, 2025

    Inside the Wedding Drama: Victoria Beckham’s Surprise Action Upset Nicola Peltz on Her Big Day

    June 3, 2025

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Timeline

    June 2, 2025
  • Relationships

    Cause of Death Revealed for Kylie Jenner’s Hairstylist Jesús Guerrero

    June 5, 2025

    Taylor Swift Celebrates Masters Victory with Selena Gomez During NYC Dinner Night Out

    June 4, 2025

    JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Are Officially a Couple

    June 4, 2025

    Inside the Wedding Drama: Victoria Beckham’s Surprise Action Upset Nicola Peltz on Her Big Day

    June 3, 2025

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Timeline

    June 2, 2025
  • Tips & Tricks

    Cause of Death Revealed for Kylie Jenner’s Hairstylist Jesús Guerrero

    June 5, 2025

    Taylor Swift Celebrates Masters Victory with Selena Gomez During NYC Dinner Night Out

    June 4, 2025

    JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Are Officially a Couple

    June 4, 2025

    Inside the Wedding Drama: Victoria Beckham’s Surprise Action Upset Nicola Peltz on Her Big Day

    June 3, 2025

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Timeline

    June 2, 2025
  • Celebrity Kids

    Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Timeline

    June 2, 2025

    Meryl Streep’s Daughter Louisa Jacobson Shares Her and Partner, Anna Blundell’s Plans for Valentine’s Day

    February 14, 2025

    Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin’s Son’s Name Revealed

    January 12, 2025

    Travis Barker Daughter, Alabama Barker Hospitalized for Nicotine Withdrawal After Quitting Vaping

    January 2, 2025

    Who Are Madonna’s Children? Everything You Need To Know About Them

    December 10, 2024
Subscribe
GistFestGistFest
Home » Family Uncovers Mysterious Bottomless Pit in Driveway
General

Family Uncovers Mysterious Bottomless Pit in Driveway

OmowunmiBy OmowunmiFebruary 9, 20246 Mins Read
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
Road path
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Every homeowner’s worst fear materializes: you’ve recently acquired a new house in the suburbs. Suddenly, a colossal sinkhole, akin in magnitude to the Great Pacific garbage patch, emerges directly beneath it, consuming your new home entirely.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Trouble Underfoot
  • That Sinking Feeling
  • Hideaway Holes
  • The Crisis Deepens
  • The Explorers Arrive
  • We Need To Go Deeper
  • Delving into the Gypsum Maze
  • The Hidden Waterway 
  • A Large Artifact Uncovered
  • The Astonishing Negligence
  • A Bitter Blow
Road path
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

Keep reading to find out about their amazing exploration into forgotten depths and uncover the fascinating story of the pothole that turned into a giant.

Trouble Underfoot

On a typical morning in South Dakota, the sun is shining, birds are singing, and one street is blocked off with orange cones, sparking curiosity as you drive closer.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

Two men stand in the yard, gesturing towards the sidewalk, indicating something amiss. As you exit your car, you sense an unsettling feeling underfoot, as if the ground has become unsteady since you first left for work.

That Sinking Feeling

Approaching cautiously, the men on the grass warn you to watch your step. As you begin to comprehend what you’re seeing, you realize their apprehension. Before you lie a hole about 25 feet by 25 feet in size. It’s no ordinary sinkhole.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

Gravel, exposed pipes, and darkness meet your gaze. Suddenly, you feel uneasy, as if the ground beneath you could shake and collapse at any moment. The men inform you that authorities are on the way. Feeling unsettled, you depart for work.

Hideaway Holes

On your way to work, you notice Black Hawk County’s emergency management service vehicles passing you, en route to investigate the crack in the earth beneath Hideaway Hills.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

But how did this hole come to be? One of the two men in the yard, Albert Reitz, was mowing the lawn above when the hole suddenly ripped open. He recounted feeling a vacuum of wind pulling him back as the earth opened up behind him.

ALSO READ: Georgia Woman Jumps From Second Floor to Escape Apartment Building Fire

The Crisis Deepens

If he had been standing a few feet closer, he would have been dropped right in. The Black Hawk resident expressed gratitude, counting his blessings. Throughout the day, he witnessed his once-pristine home crumbling from the foundations up.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

The hole, which nearly claimed Mr. Reitz’s life, had devastated his property. As authorities closed off the roads, his neighbors were likely left wondering what fate the hole held for them.

The Explorers Arrive

The monstrous hole continued to expand. Shortly after, a group of explorers known as the “Paha Sapa Grotto” arrived. They were determined to uncover the root of the problem.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

These climbers are members of the National Speleological Society. They are experts in cave exploration, science, and conservation. They recognized the local authorities’ limitations and they offered their expertise to help. What they uncovered left them astounded.

We Need To Go Deeper

Adam Weaver, the vice-chairman of the group, seen here assessing the drop, was the first to descend. He discovered an opening approximately 80 feet deep. Prior to advancing further, he instructed one of the diggers to remove the dangling concrete sidewalk overhead.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

He secured his rope to a sturdy picket fence and began to rappel down. However, as he descended, he quickly realized that he wasn’t entering a cave. With his years of experience and expertise, he assessed the walls and tell-tale signs, discovering that he had descended into an old mine.

POLL—Should Public Schools Include Critical Race Theory and Sex Education in Their Curriculum?

Delving into the Gypsum Maze

During their second attempt to explore the gypsum maze, they uncovered some astonishing details about what lay below. The area they entered surpassed their expectations, towering at an impressive 15 feet and stretching 60 feet wide.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

But they didn’t stop there; further explorations revealed that the dimensions of the gypsum mine spanned over 2,000 feet in length, and its width extended beyond an astonishing 150 feet.

The Hidden Waterway 

From the images captured by Adam and his team, it’s evident that a river runs directly through the mines. It’s truly remarkable. Just imagine waking up one day to realize that for years, you’ve been living directly above a concealed waterway.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

Imagine the residents’ expressions of disbelief upon seeing the images. The implications of what could have transpired are profound to contemplate.

A Large Artifact Uncovered

Amidst the underground river and old mining debris, the most intriguing discovery wasn’t an old car. How it ended up there remains a mystery.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

The residents of Black Hawk are now pursuing compensation totaling over $75,000,000 from previous owners, developers, and real estate agents connected to their devastated properties.

ALSO READ: Former ESPN Sportscaster Survives Moving RV Crash on Southern California Freeway

The Astonishing Negligence

The revelation of what lay beneath those homes takes negligence to a whole new level, exposing the families living there to a range of risks and hazards.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

Although old gypsum mines are less prone to explosions than coal or metal mines, these families still encountered the serious risks of structural instability, subsidence, and environmental contamination.

A Bitter Blow

Despite expectations for government assistance, these residents are unlikely to receive grants, adding to the disheartening nature of the situation.

Sinkhole
Source: Dan Austin/Paha Sapa Grotto

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shared that the circumstances surrounding it, whether it is a natural event or an outcome of negligence. Additionally, the potential duplication of federal benefits leaves the residents not eligible for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

You Might Also Like:

Biden Slams Republicans, Says they’re Afraid of Trump’s Border Threat

FCC Links AI-Generated Biden Robocall to Texas Companies

These Are Ways to Use Tennis Balls Around the House Beyond Just Playing Tennis

Trump’s Fraud Trial Judge Fumes After Discovering a Key Witness in His Trial May Admit to Perjury

Federal Appeals Court Rules Trump Does Not Have Presidential Immunity in January 6 Case

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleSouth Carolina Senator Responds to Trump Considering Him for Vice President
Next Article Beautiful Pictures of Native Americans in Traditional Masks and Dresses

Related Posts

Entertainment

Justin Bieber Tweaks Instagram Post After Revealing Argument Amid Hailey’s Vogue Moment

May 26, 2025
Entertainment

Singer Chris Brown Arrested in the UK for an Alleged Assault Incident From 2023

May 20, 2025
General

Pastor TD Jakes Steps Down Months After Having a Heart Attack During Sermon

April 29, 2025
Latest Posts

Cause of Death Revealed for Kylie Jenner’s Hairstylist Jesús Guerrero

June 5, 2025

Taylor Swift Celebrates Masters Victory with Selena Gomez During NYC Dinner Night Out

June 4, 2025

JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Are Officially a Couple

June 4, 2025

Inside the Wedding Drama: Victoria Beckham’s Surprise Action Upset Nicola Peltz on Her Big Day

June 3, 2025

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce Timeline

June 2, 2025

Heidi Montag’s Wig at AMAs 2025 Sparks Online Criticism: Called ‘World’s Worst’ by Fans

May 30, 2025

JoJo Siwa, Chris Hughes Romance Gossip Debunked with Single-Word Comment

May 29, 2025

All You Need To Know About Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s Mega Summer Wedding

May 28, 2025
About
About

We’re a news, entertainment and lifestyle hub that is dedicated to giving you quality insight on the latest lifestyle news, movie and TV news, celebrity news and lots more.

Contact us: [email protected]

MOST POPULAR

Jennifer Rauchet: Inside the Life of Pete Hegseth’s Wife

August 30, 2023

Alina Nikitina: Everything We Know About the Russian Model

October 4, 2023

Amanda Kate Lambert: Meet Nancy Sinatra’s Daughter

August 30, 2023

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox!

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
  • Disclaimer
  • About us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contribute & Advertise with Us
© 2025 GistFest. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.