[Online]Available at: http://www.desertusa.com/lost-dutchman/lost-dutchman-1.html, Legends of America, 2016. the scenery was incredible but the trail isn't the most developed. That's not how it works. Here are some additional stories that may be of interest to you. Eric proposes that the symbols they've encountered were placed in the area by Jesuits in this collection of scenes from "Dead Man's Gold." Subscribe for more from Legend of the Superstition. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5). The doctor allegedly cured some Apaches of an eye disease, and they wanted to reward him. Huge boulders, brush and cacti covered the area. I also found that the side of the stone with the word "DON" on it and the reverse side of the heart stone had not been altered, and the images offered no apparent useful information. Too much information matched. Busier as you near siphon draw, but pretty empty along Jacobs crosscut. Nice and green right now. Reading about the cross on the back wall of the cave, I would have removed it or took a pick and sledge hammer to the back wall and see if it was a false room, but being there would be someone's estimated $200,000,000 in gold someone made up, I could care less and I would have gotten it out of there if it was in there if I found it! Nov 19, 2003 #8. Humm, Why is there even a ladder up there? Finally, I did discover a boulder that would serve as a bridge to the trail which would lead to the end of the point, just where I believed I wanted to be. The Golden Horns of Gallehus are a pair of richly decorated, 5th-century BC Germanic drinking horns that were discovered in Gallehus, a town in southern Denmark in 1639. Rocky beginning, great views of the Superstition Mountains, loved walking through a forest of saguaros. Tough. I had to make my way carefully down to where there was a passage around the point. by somehiker Thu Sep 02, 2010 1:11 am, Post For more than 120 years, the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine has haunted the minds and souls of treasure seekers throughout the world. The ladder is a wooden one nailed together and its hard to say how old it is. The images gave me all the detail I really needed to solve the mystery of the location of the Lost Dutchman. 2020 Southwest Legends | Designed & Hosted by SWD, Trk Cumhuriyetlreri President Mirasc Tv. Waltz left the mine to get more supplies, and when he returned, Weisner was found dead. by cubfan64 Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:49 pm, Post In part two of this article, we will present the information we have obtained about the location of the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine. Lost Dutchman Mine clues Their last is said to have occurred between 1847 and 1852. The legend includes details on how the Peraltas buried the rich mines with rocks to hide their discovery. It extended two miles in length and a mile in height. ( Public Domain ). No, not me. I went back to the stone map. Mountain View has an exit and light on US 60. New Evidence Surfaces About the Lost Dutchman Mine, 7 Smartphone Apps to Improve Your Camping Experience, GPS Navigation Systems Can Be a Misleading Travel Companion, Twenty Six Tips for Surviving in the Desert, Heat Acclimation (Combating the Desert Heat). There are many symbols in and around. Dating The Peralta stone maps Subscribe for only $12 per month. If you do venture down this gorgeous canyon, which is worth it all on its own, get ready to hold your nose and breathe! An earthquake in 1887 had altered the area a lot. Over the next few weeks, another friend studied the Peralta Stone map, and he wanted to go out to trails end. The first official recording of the Dutchman Mine is found in this story. Bring a flashlight, take Advil. Generally speaking, this mine is claimed to be situated in the Superstition Mountains, described by one source as a collection of rough terrain that has gained the name of a single mountain which lies to the east of Phoenix, the Arizonan capital. Aside from the rickety ladder there is the issue of two things, having the proper gear to enter this kind of environment, like a respirator, clothing, and then not disturbing the bats. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Hike up to the Wave Cave in the Superstition Wilderness, Arizona. It took us two hours to complete this hike. Theyve always looked at me kind of strangely, but its never bothered me. The pictures turned out better than we expected, but they did not show a way around the point or anything else I could use. First mile was very rocky loose rocks. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As a writer for DesertUSA, I've come across numerous references and stories associated with the Lost Dutchman Mine. Barry Storm's later investigations made the same connections with the addition of the Spanish Jesuits. The ledge was shaped like a backward comma with the round part about one hundred yards across, the tail was about 20 feet wide. Reading about the cross on the back wall of the cave, I would have removed it or took a pick and sledge hammer to the back wall and see if it was a false room, but being there would be someone's estimated $200,000,000 in gold someone made up, I could care less and I would have gotten it out of there if it was in there if I found it! It trumps muddy and blech. we love caves thanks for sharing the experience and beauty! In the 18th and 19th centuries, the search for gold was at an all-time high. I can see how Jacob's Crossing can be a great beginner's hike, but, for me, the climb to Broadway Cave was the highlight. One premise of the show was that the Jesuits also mined gold in the area. It would have been a difficult task getting it where it had been broken. There are white arrows spray painted on rocks to help guide you towards your destination. People discovered vast goldfields all across the world, attracting newcomers who wanted to try their luck. The rain followed us almost all the way to the Superstitions. Before the Lost Dutchman Mine was discovered by Jacob Waltz (the Dutchman) in the early 1870s, there was a legend of another rich mine which was discovered in the same area and mined by the Peralta family from Sonora, Mexico. With deadly force, he took the mine from them and lived off it until his death in 1891. I could see into the bottom of the large canyon 500 feet below. The Superstition Mountains at night. We called it quits and just sat around, discouraged. On the other side of the fence, the road goes away and you'll follow rocky but well worn trail for the remainder of the hike. There is, however, another version of the tale. That irritated me, but for some time, the map stayed in the back of my mind. A curved arrow on a mysterious map inscribed on stone surfaces pointed to the identical place, confirming the location. About dusk, I dragged myself into camp exhausted but otherwise no worse for wear. On display at the Superstition Mountain Museum. Such a thing would have saved me a lot of trouble. No gold and no treasure but intriguing. - who owns the land - Apache people ? high on a stony wall near where the stone map would appear to lead, but I suspected that this is typical of the kinds of possibilities your mind invents in a search for the Lost Dutchmans Mine. As far as any worthwile amounts of gold there it's highly questionable if there ever was any and since it's now a wilderness area we will probably never know. It would happen regularly for the next three years, a time during which my wife would continue to believe in me even if she couldnt really understand me. In the next century, the Peralta family extracted gold from this mine. Stay left here (JCT_1L on the map) to head towards the Wave Cave. Unless he climb it many times before. The rocks would have to be cleared before we could work safely in the area below. An Inspirational Courtesans Tale, Was Anne of Cleves Too Ugly for King Henry VIII? The only things I found were some prehistoric potsherds, including a part of a vessels rim. A few silver mines in the area were at one time were quite productive but very little gold. Before this expedition could return to Sonora with gold, they were attacked by a band of Apache Indians. I put the whole thing out of my mind. Over the next several months, I made four more trips, trying to find a way to get from one canyon to the other. Going down is pretty scary with the loose gravel. I just was not going on that wild goose chase. Yes, it's rocky, but it adds to the hike. A Visual Tour (Video), Behind the Scenes of Ancient Greece: Exploring the Daily Life of its People (Video), Trove of Ancient Artifacts Discovered in Paestum Include Dolphin Statuette of Eros, TheiaGreek Goddess of Light, the Sun, the Moon, and Wisdom, Greeces East Attica In Antiquity: Playground Of Gods, Heroes And Heroines, A Face to the Legend: The Quest to Reconstruct Cleopatra's Look (Video), Aspasia - The Real-Life Helen of Troy? In both instances, it gave cryptic instructions for how to follow the trail. Most books and stories label him as a Dutch Hunter. The pagan traditions associated with it have survived through the centuries, with many still A large Viking burial mound found on the island of Karmy off Norways western coast was long thought to be empty. It's not very deep but the front opening is large. It looked like a great puzzle, but in Fools Gold, there were stickers placed over some portions of the stones, obscuring details. Nevertheless, news of the mine spread far and wide, attracting treasure hunters to the region. It would take years for me to realize that the map indicated only an approximate location. The Spanish were adamant, and went up the mountains, despite being warned that they would be punished by the god if they were to do so. If they paid Sonny to pack them in, then he did okay. I had to move with great care. More searching would have to wait until the next trip. In one of these, the origin of the legend is traced back to the 16th century. How we found the Peralta Treasures in the Superstition Mountain, DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. There was little room to maneuver. No shade, no bathrooms, no water, loose rocky trail. Some spots bit technical. After that detour, I headed back out on Jacob's Crosscut and the surface was much kinder. The Jesuit Treasure of the Superstition Mountains. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sign up below or read more about the DesertUSA newsletter here. Each red stone block is carved with lines and one long line. Another variation of Waltzs story is told by John Handley , he ran across three Mexicans working a gold mine deep in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix. Jesuit Treasure in the Superstitions. Beautiful trail!! Lost Dutchman Mine: Part 3. His work had a more significant impact on prospectors and treasure seekers than any other writer. It was worth it. We had to hike through a lot of scrub brush and cacti, walking over pea-size pebbles which rolled like marbles when we stepped on them, making the going tough. It was the same place we had previously found. In the late 1860s, a German prospector by the name of Jacob Waltz settled in Arizona during the Gold Rush . Spending a night in the canyon wasnt appealing, but it would not have been disaster. There's a prospect shaft at the back of the cave. On the next trip, my wife and I planned to take pictures from a short way up the small canyon. Made it to Carlsbad Caverns last Christmas Bat Poop wooo heck of a place cheap and cheerful and absolutely draw dropping beauty good hike down made the mistake of challenging two teenagers back up didnt think it was possible to sweat in a cave but felt good stayed with them (not so good next morning) Could of waited for the elevator. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Since we were walking primarily on bedrock, there just wasnt much of anyplace for a hidden mineshaft or anything else. I knew that there had to be some way to reach the ledge. This time, we found a relatively easy route to the location. We got them back and I didnt see anything unusual about them except they were very good pictures. After leaving Apache Junction, continue about 8.5 miles, turning left onto signed Peralta Road (FR 77). The best times to visit this trail are October through April. Chris C Jones / CC BY-SA Snap that perfect picture and head back when you're ready. The entire show is scripted and staged. The Bat Cave Superstition Mountains Arizona. I learned that the mine was supposedly located on a ledge high on a canyon wall just a short distance up from where a small canyon runs into a large canyon. (Part 1) When the Spanish explorers discovered and began the exploration of the Americas the King of Spain required that a priest accompany the conquistadors. From the curve, I could tell the mouth of that jar had been about 12 inches in diameter. Giant boulders covered the ground, but there was not much brush or cacti, so it was a little easier walking on this side. Location. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. The major cross streets for the trailhead are Broadway and Mountain View (north of US 60). The next day I returned with my wife to the second site. On a recent visit to the Phoenix area, I toured historic Route 88, the Apache Trail. I returned, with my brother, to the site marked by the doughnut symbol in May of 1997. How To Get To The Wave Cave. The producers are trying to create the drama to get people to watch and it works. The trail is all the way rocky and the last half a mile up is so hard and you will scrabble. I just looked through it and found nothing that mentions anything in Arizona. shrsl_ShareASale_liveWid_Init(40280, 2496875, 'shrsl_ShareASale_liveWid_wideSkyScraper_populate'); Please remember to disable your adblocker to view content from our sponsors - Thank you. (It's Free. You'll take US 60 East until it turns into a 2 lane road. The Controversial Lapedo Child A Neanderthal / Human Hybrid? He called me over. I am sure somebody was stalking us. We've got hundreds of well documented Arizona hikes. Great family friendly trail. He told this story of one of his treasure seeking expeditions in the 1950s: I took my two boys on a hike into the Superstitions, hoping we could find the treasure. They did show a vague outline of a horse on the canyon wall, but the head was missing from just below the ears. Explore the most popular cave trails in Superstition Wilderness with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. His website tells how he did it: https://mollymarieprospect.com/ you may need to look up several geological terms, but the story of his search is fascinating. Myself i would have been found dead with eighty pounds of gold in my makeshift pack that I wove from cactus and sage brush!~ HAHAHA, History - Legends & Lore of the Superstitions. It's roughly 4 miles roundtrip to the cave and takes 2 to 3 hours. The hiking was very slow and after about four miles, I could see that I had no hope of reaching my destination within the day. PAYDAY. I figured that the chance of me finding anything was remote. In light of this discovery, I examined the images of the stones carefully with a magnifying glass and found very faint numbers all over the map, none of which seemed to be of any use as far as I could tell.