Indian staircase - Silver mine trail

[-Ki-]

Indian Staircase ......could this be the one wrote about in swifts journal?
view also from stairway. Swift says in his journal that he and Mundy went west down the river 2-3 miles and found the indian trace. Is this where Mundy states he found the murtle thicket and he knew the way from there. They went down a flight of indian stair steps in the cliff, and crossed over to the other side. Here they followed the cliff line west 200 yards and found the opening of the mine, in the second ledge....

 

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[Goodyguy]

Re: Indian staircase

Hi Ki,
I am very familiar with the area of Indian stairway at RRG. Have camped there many times although not recently. Do you know bong hole and turtle head? also many fine arches and rock shelters in that area and nice waterfall during rainy season at the head of that gorge. A friend of mine's dog was killed from a fall off the cliff there in the early 70's right beside turtle head. Very dangerous area and is not on the public map for that reason.

Anyway I have explored that area extensively and no sign of the great cave Smith mine was ever discovered by me after years of exploration in that area covering all seasons.

Buddy~

Bong hole is in the rock house (shelter) across from turtle head. There is a semi secret path that leads to the entrance of the rock shelter and bong hole is located in the ceiling. A cool place to sit inside of and play music.

 

[-Ki-]

Re: Indian staircase

Hey buddy!
Great to hear you've been my way, the gorge is beautiful any time of year. I must say it's the perfect backyard to play in to say the least, as i have lived here all my life. Yes i've heard of those places and have been there many times. The rock you call the turtles head, we here call the "frog head". and the bong hole, we call "ohome dome". Ive got some great pics that you, and others may like........

I stongly dought that metal detecting would turn up anything in this area, Swift and crew never talk of cacheing anything around this place, this was a location of one of his mines. Swift talks of cacheing silver crowns, bars, and pigs on there return trips home from the mines. There was also more than one mine Swift talks about. There roughly in the same area but some distance between. The great cave, or the real name for the cave was just " the old cave of the shawnee". Would be located around the area of Swifts richest Mine. If you find a chestnut burr rock above a mine opening, you know your close to the cave of the Shawnee Swift tells about.

Happy~Hiking......

 

[Goodyguy]

Re: Indian staircase

Hey buddy!
Great to hear you've been my way, the gorge is beautiful any time of year. I must say it's the perfect backyard to play in to say the least, as i have lived here all my life. Yes i've heard of those places and have been there many times. The rock you call the turtles head, we here call the "frog head". and the bong hole, we call "ohome dome". Ive got some great pics that you, and others may like........

I stongly dought that metal detecting would turn up anything in this area, Swift and crew never talk of cacheing anything around this place, this was a location of one of his mines. Swift talks of cacheing silver crowns, bars, and pigs on there return trips home from the mines. There was also more than one mine Swift talks about. There roughly in the same area but some distance between. The great cave, or the real name for the cave was just " the old cave of the shawnee". Would be located around the area of Swifts richest Mine. If you find a chestnut burr rock above a mine hole, you know your close to the cave of the Shawnee Swift tells about.

Happy~Hiking......

I was mistaken when I called it turtle head I remember now it was called frog head and I used to have a picture of me standing on the top of his head! (Not for the faint of heart) I was younger and dumber 40 years ago.
Although we did call the gas bubble in the rock house Bong Hole Your pictures prove we are talking of the same place.
Do the rock houses in the gorge still contain the giant cave crickets? And the Wolf spiders in that area seemed like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Those things were huge. While I am no longer on the trail of the Swift mines I would like to hike there again. Thanks for the pictures they brought back some great memories of my time in that section of the gorge.

Buddy~

 

[-Ki-]

Your very welcome, yeah standing on the frog head takes guts thats for sure... I do search & rescue in the Gorge in my spare time, or when im needed. Just a few months back a person from Ohio had fell over the side right beside the indian staircase, although it didnt kill the person, he was tore up pretty bad. Now i have made it to some people that have died from their falls, if they would have only practiced more caution and safty they might still be living today. About a month ago someone was killed from a fall around chimney top. Never the less ive seen some bad falls.

Yes those spiders are huge, and seem to be everywhere. Some of those crickets glow in caves, and very dark spaces. Its very cool to observe them.
As with the Swift ledgend, i have found a place where theres a man made hole going through the cliff face, on a second ledge. There is a chestnutt burr rock directly above as well. I have pics but keep them to myself. Its what im researching at the moment, so i keep them secret for the time being. The wild thing is i found this mine opening by accident....hopefully i will have my questions answered for this place within the year...
-Ki-

 

[Goodyguy]

Well good luck to you and when you find it I hope you can retire

Buddy~

 

[-Ki-]

hope you got the pics i sent........no i dont have pics of the agates yet, i will soon...
Would be a nice though to retire, but i dought a massive amount of silver will be found, but you just never know. If someone does find the cave and all its richest it will be mearly by chance id say. Some people could have possably been in this cave already and never knew the riches that hid inside. But man!!! would'nt it be nice finding something like that.!

 

[Goodyguy]

hope you got the pics i sent........no i dont have pics of the agates yet, i will soon...
Would be a nice though to retire, but i dought a massive amount of silver will be found, but you just never know. If someone does find the cave and all its richest it will be mearly by chance id say. Some people could have possably been in this cave already and never knew the riches that hid inside. But man!!! would'nt it be nice finding something like that.!

Ki,

Thanks for the pics I think you are definitely on the right trail. Although it's hard to be there first on any publicized treasure, At least nowadays with all the sophisticated equipment and research tools available it should be easier to find than ever before. Of course there is still no substitute for old fashioned leg work. I am pulling for you to find the big one, especially after all the time and effort you have invested.

Keep up the good work,
Buddy~

 

[-Ki-]

Thanks again Buddy, Would really be nice if i did happen to stubble upon the big one. If i did happen to find something big, i don't think i would say much about it. Maybe just show a prize silver coin or so...but i think i would keep something like secret. I will be up in that area alot these next couple of months hunting those prized mushrooms, its in the same area that i found this mine. I have found something in the next ridge over from the site of the mine, not sure if its a rockhouse or a cave. But it opens up inside and runs back through the cliff, it looks like a halfmoon standing on its edge on the outside of the cliff when looking at it. I was rushed for time, but managed to get some pics of this place, even inside but never got the flashlight out. I could tell that it run back through the cliff. So until i can get back up there, im not sure to call it a rock house or a cave...just have to explore it more.
Now with the great cave of the Shawnee, really called (an old cave of the Shawnee). It is supposed to run all the way through the cliff or mountain. The indians used this cave to protect there women and children from other indian attacks, and raides, by making there escape through this cave to the other side. This cave or rockhouse could very well run through the cliff to the other side, as i have seen something like a hole on the other side.

In talking of the Swift lore....My mother always told me there was a big Swift rush in the Red River Gorge back in the 60's - 70's. My aunt and uncle both looked, as well as a lot of people.

 

[Goodyguy]

Ki,

This would be my advice to all treasure hunters.

Definitely do not speak a word publicly if you find any substantial treasure of any kind anywhere.
Too many have learned that lesson the hard way. I know it is hard to resist telling about finding a treasure especially after all the excitement you experience but that's the way is has to be.

A good cover story to use if you have to say something, is that you found the spot but someone beat you to the treasure. But even at that it's still best, just to keep it to yourself.

Personally I think the Swift treasure has all been recovered and has prudently been kept quiet about. Too many have looked for too long for any to remain, but there is always a chance you will find a different treasure while on the quest.

One thing for sure, Ya gotta look to find it.
Buddy~

 

[-Ki-]

I have to say i agree with you......i belive also that most of the cache or all, has been recovered at some time... id say mainly by the indians, the ones who helped with Swifts opperations, and their children in times past, as the mines was theirs to begin with. Ive even heard storys about indians showing up at peoples farms around here about 100 years ago. Telling of how they was a half a days journey to one of Swifts mines. Leaving and returning very late the same evening with buckskin bags full of rich silver ore. I belive these storys to be true! The man who owned the farm and some of his friends looked for the mine the indians went to, but never could find it.... This is why i belive the indians recovered most of the cache, i've heard a few storys about indians looking for Swifts mines, even the ones whom helped him Find, and mine during his opperation. ....... but then again this is just a theory.......

 

[Swifty]

A "quote" from Gg: ("But even at that it is still best just to keep it to yourself")
This is very good advice Gg, this is the exact reason the mines and the cave
are still a secret.

L37something/aka...Swifty