deducer
Bronze Member
- Jan 7, 2014
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Jim,
Great information there for sure. It is difficult to find the real truth in any of this. Over 100 years of innuendo and subterfuge by most parties have rendered the truth as it were as dead. There should be headstone over by J.W's grave for the truth as well. I really appreciate the provenance you provided. The cave faces north so it's impossible for the view from the cave to have Weaver's Needle in the field of view as it were. In order to see Weaver's or appreciate that view from a north facing cave then that would put the search area to the south of the Needle. (I think). It's much more likely that whatever meaning was attributed to this sketch that it likely occurred the view that Mr. Waltz had and tried to relay is of Weaver's to the south from a high enough vantage point to capture the sketch on Malapais where his initials were found and photographed but now seem to be lost. There once was a rock on the face of Malapais that had Jacob Waltz's initials in it, simply a J.W 1869 of which I have read. Mathew Roberts said that there were pictures of the initials but that the signature and date on Malapais have been destroyed. I have never seen said picture of his name and date other than his supposed initials over on Black Top Mesa which most people consider a fake. The Supes are a huge haystack and whatever it is we are all searching for is very small, 18 inch wide needle or perhaps even a cache or two.
Considering that one could see soldiers or a pack train on the Military Trail where it turns south it puts it in my mind that the mine faced north and the cave faced north (Per Waltz) and that it was high enough to have a pretty good view of three miles or so to the Military Trail. It is my opinion wherever that site is that it is looking down over the Military Trail right around where it turns south and goes down over the bridge at Fish Creek. I too don't put much stock in old maps or new ones even. If this thing were easy to find or even really existed it would have been found long ago and may have. Whatever was there and wherever it is likely long gone, but it will be fun to look and I appreciate the well wishes. We are getting a little nervous. I am going to bring some sage and some white and blue stones and treat the hike with total respect and honor in the expectation we will be allowed safe passage by the weather and Thunder Gods. I used to guide a lot on whitewater and learned that respect for the river is the only way to remain safe and it's no different for the mountains.
Thanks again Jim, heck the fun is in the search anyway!
You ought to take some serious time and read up on the other, much older forum. There's a tremendous wealth of information left there by the giants of LDM researchers that have since passed on or left. Well worth your time.