Syfy channel’s Ghost Mine is an American paranormal television show that premiered on American TV January 16, 2013. The series features a group of gritty miners searching for gold in the foreboding bowels of Oregon’s Crescent Mine.
Two paranormal investigators, Kristen Luman and Patrick Doyle, bravely accompany them into all the dark precipices deep in the earth, attempting to determine if the location is in fact haunted. “Ghost Mine” is one of Syfy’s newest takes on Ghost Hunting.
The network has ingeniously created a hybrid show that capitalizes on the popularity of both gold mining and paranormal reality programing.
Ghost Mine not only provides cringe-worthy edge of your seat moments, but also captivates its audience by endearing them to a cast of loveable miners like, Stan “Papa Smurf” Griffith – Mine Foreman, Edward “Fast Eddie” Griffith – Job Supervisor, Keith “Dingus” Leingang – Drill Operator, Jared “Buckett” Anderson – Heavy Machinery Operator, Dick “Greybeard” Secord – Sample Specialist, Richard “Duck” Secord – Explosives Expert, Jay Verburg and Jamol Eli (“The Greenhorns”) – Handymen, Mikey Griffith – Miner.
Recently, I had the chance to interview the show’s alluring starlet, Kristen Luman, but before I did, I spoke briefly to her partner Patrick Doyle and asked him what he thinks about doing investigations with Kristen. Doyle said, “It’s a perfect partnership of respect with a balance of technology and psychology during an investigation. I can’t think of anyone else who I’d rather work with at the mine, and I don’t know many others (man or woman) that can do what she does there.”
Luman began her research into the paranormal while attending Portland State University; she graduated with a focus on paranormal psychology, proving she has brains as well as beauty. Kristen conducts field experiments regularly, and has a hypnotherapy practice kristenluman.com.
Russell Dickson: Hi Kristen, it’s a pleasure to finally talk to you. What got you interested in the paranormal?
Kristen Luman: I was just really fascinated as a child. I was the little girl at the slumber parties trying to convince the other girls to play with Ouija boards and hold seances. I constantly read books about the paranormal to the point of worrying my mom. I first started doing investigations in college while taking a parapsychology course.
RD: Would you say the Crescent mine is the most haunted location you ever investigated?
KL: Yes only because of the amount of time that I have been investigating there. I have spent two summers there now. If I only spent one night there I would probably have a different opinion.
RD: Have you ever become frightened during an investigation?
KL: Yes, even though I am a professional investigator and I prepare myself for this. I’m usually investigating old houses, and not the middle of the earth in a mine shaft. People don’t realize that when I get startled during an investigation it is not because I am seeing an apparition, but because I am thinking it could be a wild animal, or the shaft is about to cave in. Like last season when the guys went back to work and found the mine caved in. Patrick and I went into the Masonic Tunnel to investigate and we really thought it was caving in, but the guys went in and checked it out and said it was fine.
RD: What is the toughest part of filming in a mine?
KL: BEING IN THE MINE! It is just you are constantly hearing noises, the ground is moving and it moans. It is tough not letting the fear of a cave in, or losing Patrick, or getting lost overtake you. It is so hard to just do your job without the fear of ‘what if’ overtaking you.
RD: Ever worry about Patrick’s safety during investigations when you see him standing too close to cave-ins or scaling the cliff at Hells Canyon?
KL: Those episodes I was like, Patrick get back here, get back here. Don’t be so dangerous. I often feel like I am mothering him. We are both certified as miners. We had to get MSHA Training to go into the mine. Mining is a really dangerous job so we had to get extensive training to do what we do.
RD: If you could only take one piece of paranormal equipment with you on an investigation what would it be?
KL: A Flashlight, LOL … The one piece of equipment would be an EMF Detector (Electro Magnetic Field detector) because you shouldn’t be getting any type of EMF reading in the mine, any spike would mean something is happening.
RD: Does the introduction of the Octave Mine signal the possibility of a longer season for the show?
KL: We hope so, but we haven’t received any word yet. The Octave mine looks really interesting, especially the pictures of the demon we found down there. I would love to go back there and research it. Why was the drawing there? Sometimes people go down into these mines to worship and to be close to the devil.
RD: Does the introduction of the new location have anything to do with the Crescent Mine currently being listed on the market for 2.5 million dollars?
KL: I’m not sure Larry is in charge of the mine. I’ve heard rumors it is for sale. I don’t know what effect it will have on the show.
RD: What has the whole experience at the Crescent Mine taught you about yourself?
KL: I have surprised myself with how far I have been willing to go for my research. I never thought I would be given this opportunity. I am so grateful. There are some moments when I sit back and wonder how important it is to find answers when I am putting my life in danger every time I go in there. I have really realized how important my research and finding out the truth is to me and I am able to show people as I’m discovering it.
RD: This season you introduced some new equipment namely the Tesla Coil. What other equipment do you plan to use in future shows?
KL: The Tesla Coil wasn’t something we were for sure going to use. The opportunity presented itself and we used it. We don’t have set tools. It all depends on which way the investigation is going. I can’t say what we plan on using in the future, because it depends on the situation.
RD: Did you ever think of using a medium or doing a cleansing at the mine?
KL: Patrick and I have talked about using a Medium, you will just have to wait and see.
RD: Where do you hope to see Ghost Mine going in the future?
KL: I hope it continues. I love the guys I work with. They are the most wonderful men you could ever meet. I’m lucky to have them by my side. Patrick is a great Partner. What I love about the show is learning about the history of the town. Why these towns popped up around the mine, the show allows us the time to research the entire area.
RD: If you could stick around and haunt a place after you’re gone, where would you choose to haunt?
KL: I wouldn’t want to stick around. Let me tell you, I like my peace. That is such a good question. I don’t know. Someplace serene and tropical I guess.
