More "Natural or Not" As Seen With Google Earth

[skyhawk1251]

When looking at the terrain between Needle Canyon and Black Top Mesa, Google Earth showed some surface features that caught my eye. One feature is a mound that is shaped somewhat like a mine dump. Above the mound, slightly higher on the slope are two, parallel stacks of stones. Down the slope of the mountain are two more features. One looks like an oval-shaped stone-walled structure. The other feature has two, parallel lines of stones extending downward from a v-shape of rocks, looking like a small, water-diversion dam.

I'd say that these features are completely natural, but I'm presenting them here just in case someone comes down Bull Pass Trail someday and wants to wander a short way off trail to see what these things look like up-close. They could be very different from what Google Earth shows them to be.

In the image above, Needle Canyon winds its way to the left, while Black Top Mesa is to the right.

 

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[markmar]

Skyhawk, IMO it'a a temporary early Mexican camp. They used to build small camps near a gold outcrop, with few miners who would work the vein while the others would be at another mines in different small camps, sparred around the main camp. There also would stay the cartographer who would make a map for future use.
They made a map for three gold outcroppings in that region ( little bigger area ), outcroppings which remained almost in their prime aspect.
I see you have the Superstitions in your heart and you are spending a lot of time looking at its places. For your effort, I'm willing to give you the spot of the gold outcrop which it's close to the place you have mentioned in your pics. Send me a PM if you are really interested.

Have a nice weekend

 

[Idahodutch]

Good afternoon Skyhawk,
In images 2, 3, & 4 … it looks like a mound with a hole in the middle.
And the parallel rock formation behind it is puzzling.

Perhaps some sort of drill was used there, at the mound with a hole. Before the wilderness area was in place. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Images 5 & 6 …. I don’t know, but looks unnatural… man made.

 

[skyhawk1251]

Skyhawk, IMO it'a a temporary early Mexican camp. They used to build small camps near a gold outcrop, with few miners who would work the vein while the others would be at another mines in different small camps, sparred around the main camp. There also would stay the cartographer who would make a map for future use.
They made a map for three gold outcroppings in that region ( little bigger area ), outcroppings which remained almost in their prime aspect.
I see you have the Superstitions in your heart and you are spending a lot of time looking at its places. For your effort, I'm willing to give you the spot of the gold outcrop which it's close to the place you have mentioned in your pics. Send me a PM if you are really interested.

Have a nice weekend

Thank you, markmar. Anything that you might want to share can be conveyed to me by PM and will be kept completely confidential. I never try to give the impression that my motive is to pry information from anyone by devious means. I'm completely comfortable corresponding with anyone who might want to keep "secrets" to themselves. Your offer is greatly appreciated, and I wish you success in your personal explorations.

 

[skyhawk1251]

Good afternoon Skyhawk,
In images 2, 3, & 4 … it looks like a mound with a hole in the middle.
And the parallel rock formation behind it is puzzling.

Perhaps some sort of drill was used there, at the mound with a hole. Before the wilderness area was in place. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Images 5 & 6 …. I don’t know, but looks unnatural… man made.

Yes, Russell, there does seem to be a depression in the center of the mound, but I'd say that the small tree and the shadow that it casts make the depression look deeper than it probably is. The parallel stacks of rocks are probably just some broken, basaltic columns. The straight lines of stones have the highest probability of being man-made, although the probability is very low, based on how I've seen Google Earth skew reality. I'd definitely wander over to this location, however, to verify or discredit what Google Earth is showing, and I'd bring my camera with me.

 

[skyhawk1251]

The site placemarked as "A" was posted by me months ago in another thread. I still see it as being a possible mine dump, because Google Earth indicates that there is an abrupt drop-off along its eastern edge, with an elevation change of 3-4 feet. There could be a mine adit west of the dump, going into the mountain.

Farther up the same canyon is another possible mine dump, shown inside the red box. A rectangular feature is visible inside the red box, bottom-center. A faint trail seems to lead to the dump, then beyond it. Placemarks "1" and "2" show the faint trail above and below the dump.

These sites might be of interest to someone who wants to do some exploring to see what is really there. It's very likely that what Google Earth is showing bears no resemblance to what is actually on the ground.

 

[skyhawk1251]

The yellow placemark in the first image shows the location of this anomaly. I want to say "natural", but the unnatural arrangement of stones (third image, zoomed view) has me puzzled. This anomaly is on a slope, and I don't think anyone would want to build stacked-stone walls on a slope when more level ground is nearby, so that's why I'm inclined to guess "natural."

The GPS coordinates are: 33.46950, -111.32574

 

[skyhawk1251]

A "not natural" is shown below, but it is not an arrastra. The clearing measures about 24 feet across, and I'd say that it's a camping area with a fire pit in the center. The GPS coordinates are: 33.42155, -111.33127

 

[skyhawk1251]

What is shown below could be just a slab of black basalt that has slid and lodged down the slope, or it could be something else. I won't say what that something else could be. Diagonally, the dark object measures between 13 and 14 feet.

The GPS coordinates of the object are: 33.50486, -111.35068

 

[skyhawk1251]

Here are more GE images of the area reported in #9. The wide-angle views show the canyon to be followed to get to the area of interest, and the view from the high-point above the ridge looking north toward Browns Peak. Objects of interest are indicated in the other images. There is a faint trail visible leading up the canyon and over the "hump" headed toward the placemarked object. The trail disappears on the ridge beyond the "hump" where the ground becomes very rocky.

This looks like an interesting area to explore up-close and personal.

 

[DizzyDigger]

This one is interesting, as Ma Nature isn't big on making straight lines.

 

[Clay Diggins]

This one is interesting, as Ma Nature isn't big on making straight lines.

View attachment 2118030

Sagauro cactus shadows. Very common in the area.

You can rarely see the Saguaro itself since the they aren't very wide from the top.

With a 3D terrain resolution of 40 feet at best most of the terrain features on Google earth are severely distorted. Try looking at the same area with the terrain feature turned off to determine the visual appearance of objects.

 

[skyhawk1251]

Object in #7 with terrain feature turned OFF.

And here's another object located elsewhere that looks like stone walls used to funnel cattle into a loading gate. Terrain feature is ON for this GE image.

The V-shape of the stone walls narrows to the east end.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Much clearer with the terrain off. You can see the tops of the Saguaros and count their arms in the shadows.

 

[DizzyDigger]

You'll find me test panning at the red arrow:

 

[skyhawk1251]

Here's an addition to #1. This anomaly is located in the same ravine as those noted in that first post. The GPS coordinates of the anomaly are:

33.461783, -111.388297

Google Earth seems to show stacked-stone walls there. Vegetation is growing inside and outside the "walls." I call this anomaly "The Old Spanish House", just for my own amusement. What is actually there is left to those who like to explore. GE could be showing what is reality, or it could be just an optical illusion.

The second image shows where this anomaly is located relative to two more anomalies that are shown in #1. Bull Pass Trail is located nearby, but I doubt if these anomalies can be seen by hikers on that trail.

 

[skyhawk1251]

Google Earth could be showing some timbers laying on the ground with some roofing material at this location. Go to the GPS coordinates at the bottom of the first image. The location of interest is inside the right-hand, red box in the wide-angle view. I give GE no more than 10% reliability for these images.