Any leads in Southern California specifically Sespe mountains

[tapoutking]

Any leads for treasure in the Sespe's? I know aof a couple but i;m looking for more info that I may not have that may help me. Thanks!

 

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[Jeffro]

What county? Any names associated with these tales? I can probably help, have lots of stuff on Cali.-

 

[SGVALLEYMAN]

New to this site and very happy to have stumbled upon it..Lots of good stories and valuable info on these pages..thank you!

I have traveled many times into the sespe area of ventura california, and the surrounding kern county areas of gold hill, alamo mountain area, trying to track down leads to the infamous Los/lost padre gold mine...sadly I have yet to strike it rich..monetarily, but always come back from these trips much richer for just looking and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

extensive mining has taken place throughout the sespe/lockwood valley in ventura county, the small town of piru which borders the sespe area on it's south-western border had many mines near the upper parts of the piru creek that flow from the alamo mountain area in Kern county.
If you give me a specific location within the sespe area, I might be able to assist with my research information.

I know this thread was an oldie, but I was compelled to respond since I see very few local southern california treasure queries.

Thanks again for all the great posting on this site,

 

[BruceHuffington]

The Lockwood area all the way down to Piru has some interesting stories and is definitely a nice area to visit. The other direction down to Wind Wolves Preserve is nice too. I was looking into the lost padre mine story myself and eventually came to the conclusion that it had already been found. I would like to actually go out to where it is located and take a look one of these days. So far nobody I know is willing to actually go and hike in search of a lost mine and I really don't want to go alone.

 

[SGVALLEYMAN]

Hey I'll go with ya into what I think you refer to as the emigdio, of the wolf winds preserve...I am new, and I mean new to metal detecting..My wife bought me one (a tracker iv) and I have yet to receive it but soon... I have camped all through the upper piru, and would love to share what I have with someone willing to try and find the L P.. shoot me an email.. and we'll collabrate.

 

[tapoutking]

I'm concentrating on the western Topa Topas. A buddy and myself spent three days up there in June.

 

[SGVALLEYMAN]

I'm concentrating on the western Topa Topas. A buddy and myself spent three days up there in June.

Oh that's cool...It is a beautiful vast area out there..any luck?
Had someone send me an email a few days ago asking if Bruce huffington and I had gone out to the area, but when i tried to reply back..sadly the email would not go through.
Bruce and I went out to the frazier park/cuddy valley area a few back and had a blast searching and pinpointing our best educated guess.
It's nice to see others are still interested in this story of the Lost padre.

 

[tapoutking]

Great pics. I've spent many hours going over google earth of that area. There are a few very interesting spots that I wouldn;t mind checking out.

 

[Vin-Diesel]

I've been camping and hiking in that area for the last 20 years. Started when I went to Piru lake then later found out about blue point, I used to snipe in the swimming area at blue point and did pretty well. I've hiked all over that area. Now blue point is closed and you really cant (or aren't suppose) to go past the locked gate near the new piru swim area. The road to blue point was closed down about 10 years ago the reason that was given was the arroyo toad was found at the point and is on an indangered species list. For the first few years after the road was closed they used to let you walk or ride bicycles to the point and camp and such, and I did that quite a few times but now they wont even let you hike past the gate or bike ride.
If you look on a map of the small town of Fillmore just west of piru, there is a road called (goodenoughroad). That road is not recommended for cars or anything really with a low center, that road ends at Condor Point. This was an area where California was trying to reintroduce the condor, but still they were still flying into things and people shot a few of them... so now most of the condor research has moved to Arizona. But anyway, at condor point I found an area that produced very nice fossils and fauna pressed into shale... pretty neat. Note: if it was raining or going to rain when you go there, make sure you have true 4 wheel drive, it's a doozy of a road and there isn't anything or anyone back there to help out if you get stuck.
www.rei.com has alot of great topo maps of the whole area...
I would be very interested in talking to anyone that is planning a trip out that way, I only live 50 miles from the lake and would love to go hiking and exploring in that area.

 

[tapoutking]

I've been camping and hiking in that area for the last 20 years. Started when I went to Piru lake then later found out about blue point, I used to snipe in the swimming area at blue point and did pretty well. I've hiked all over that area. Now blue point is closed and you really cant (or aren't suppose) to go past the locked gate near the new piru swim area. The road to blue point was closed down about 10 years ago the reason that was given was the arroyo toad was found at the point and is on an indangered species list. For the first few years after the road was closed they used to let you walk or ride bicycles to the point and camp and such, and I did that quite a few times but now they wont even let you hike past the gate or bike ride.
If you look on a map of the small town of Fillmore just west of piru, there is a road called (goodenoughroad). That road is not recommended for cars or anything really with a low center, that road ends at Condor Point. This was an area where California was trying to reintroduce the condor, but still they were still flying into things and people shot a few of them... so now most of the condor research has moved to Arizona. But anyway, at condor point I found an area that produced very nice fossils and fauna pressed into shale... pretty neat. Note: if it was raining or going to rain when you go there, make sure you have true 4 wheel drive, it's a doozy of a road and there isn't anything or anyone back there to help out if you get stuck.
www.rei.com has alot of great topo maps of the whole area...
I would be very interested in talking to anyone that is planning a trip out that way, I only live 50 miles from the lake and would love to go hiking and exploring in that area.

Hey Vin,

That is our usual jump off point. We drive up goodenoughroad and hit the trailhead near tar creek. I've been hiking around up there since the 80's as well. We were up there in June and spent 3 days hiking and climbing near the pools and the waterfall. No fish to speak of because of the fires but lots of water snakes and frogs. I actually drove my Car up to the trailhead (not recommended lol). Its a beautiful drive up and a beautiful hike. I was just talking to my hiking partner over the weekend and we want to plan another 2 day hike in again. Not sure what area yet. Im thinking maybe we do the backside of Sespe near 33. Whats the deal with Blue point?

 

[minetres]

I found some nice Gold nuggets near Gold hill upper Piru Creek some years ago. The GPAA had a bunch of claims there at that time before it became a protected area. The area we found the nuggets is up from the creek at the base of the mountain in some small hills. Go to Gold hill, park in the camp area and go left down the creek. Look to the left for an area of small hills at the base of the mountain, and look in the bottom of the washes. The nuggets had some mercury on them and some black staining, all three were about the size of a pencil eraser.

Minetres

 

[SGVALLEYMAN]

Been Exactly in that area..I used to camp there and check out the river both upstream and downstream..lots of old mine shafts there especially going downstream from that camping area..Lots of interesting old mining claims..and some pretty pesky mosquitoes as well..
also..some native American mortar holes just north of the camp site on a large rock..evidently a very old site.

 

[tapoutking]

Maybe my next target... hmmmm

 

[SGVALLEYMAN]

Maybe my next target... hmmmm

If you do go,,get a map of the hungry valley off road area.It shows gold hill road that you access through hungry valley....when you get on the road. stay on it till you get to the river (Piru), there is a crossing there, and the campsite is located just north and west of the crossing ( just a few undeveloped spots.. and free too !! )

 

[motell6]

Would like to add a little more to this thread, a treasure hunter named Frank Fish found a outlaw stash near Lake Piru, he also states some Spanish armour was found a few miles away,and believes there were some very old Spanish mines worked in the area.He authored a lost and found type treasure book,with maps showing directions.Padres from the original San Fernando mission use to travel out that way to what is now another lost gold mine.

 

[SGVALLEYMAN]

Back in the early 1990's I had the great pleasure of meeting with a man named Harry Lechler, A lifelong resident of Piru and a 3rd generation resident of the area.
Harry's Parents and grandparents had lived and ranched in the area for many years, running a old hotel that seen many early motion picture stars as proved by the hotel register in the mini-museum harry made at his property in town.
Ever the showman, Harry would recount days of ranching in the area, finding Native American artifacts ( many of which he had in his museum), and of gold strikes in and around the piru area.

I remember the first time I contacted him and we set an appointment for me to come and see his museum, he only asked that I stay for the entire tour, which I promised to do.
At our first meeting Harry introduced me to his wife, took me on a tour of his home (Inside & Out) offered baked goods that his wife had just made, and then proceeded to start his very long tour...LOL, In total The tour lasted 4 hours...the museum was filled with thousands of artifacts,some historical and others comical, mining related and native American, tools, weapons, just a vast array of things found in or around there ranch.
I loved this guy ! he made sure i saw every single item, and heard every single story behind each item.. and at the time he had to have been in his late 70's early 80's, but had the enthusiasm of a teenager.
Just glad to share his knowledge with someone willing to listen.
Harry Lechler was one of those guys you just never forget.
I was sad to learn that harry passed a few years back... but boy those stories will live on forever.

 

[tapoutking]

Thanks for the info! I contacted my hiking buddy and it looks like it may be our next trip.... metal detector in hand.

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Planning a new trip back in there in a couple of weeks. I had a photograph of some Spanish Trail Markings carved into a boulder at the bottom of a ravine, but lost the pic., so I am going back to take some more. The boulder is about one mile from a significant site associated with the Lost Padres Mine. I will be hitting the boulder and the site in one day (I hope).

H_S

 

[tapoutking]

Nice! Keep us updated and thanks again for the info! My backpacking partner wants to get up there again soon as well.

 

[Havilah_Springs]

Thanks for the info! I contacted my hiking buddy and it looks like it may be our next trip.... metal detector in hand.

Well, at least you have a hiking partner, one treasure find (wrecked ship on Florida beach) and my crew all went different directions in different states. It's funny what a little money will do. Of course we did get in some legal trouble up in the Sespes that kept us out of there for a while. They don't take kindly to shovels on historic sites.

H_S