The Many Lost Treasures of Mariposa, CA (Photos Added)

I just discovered this thread today, and you are telling tales from my childhood. We were in the gold country long before metal detectors, but even without detectors it was great great times in the foothills. The things we could do then compared to now were incredible. The ranch was on the Raymond Road, just past the Knowles junction. We would go to the places in the foothills that you mentioned, have a picnic and pan for gold and look for rocks. There was an old dredge on the Fresno River, right by the bridge on the way to Coarse Gold. A kid that lived there at the time got a pint jar of gold panning out the cracks and crevasses in that dredge. A neighbor would trail drive his cattle to the high country every summer. The drive took one day on the Raymond Road to Coarse Gold, overnight there, then one day on hiway 41 to the Bass Lake Junction, over night in corrals there, then drive them up the stock trail to the high country on the third day. Great times, gone forever. I panned gold, in fact created a minor gold rush for a few hours, on the Merced River, at Wawona, in Yosemite National Park. Inside the park, and we were getting color, panning gold in the camp ground. If you tried that today, the swat team would probably kill you. This would have been in '49 or '50. And the Ranger stopped by to see how we were doing. With the help of my Dad, we were moving rocks and dirt, and the Ranger just told us good luck and went on his way. I still have that gold in a tiny little vial. Yes sir Eagle, I want your book, add me to the list please. Having blown 2 disc's in my back, I needed an operation. That was a success, I have no pain now, but the operation weakened my legs, and now at age 77 there is just no way I could hike anyplace, let alone walk on the cobbles of a stream bed. But like you, I still have memories of some real good times and interesting people over the years. There is a place that I have wanted to metal detect for years, but I live in Oregon, and I never made it back down there. It's on the very headwaters of the Mokelumne River. I found out about the place back in the early '60's. The forest service had made the headwaters a wilderness area and they needed to get a huge culvert into a trail they were building, without using any motorized vehicles. I was hired to do the job, and we built a sled, and used a mule to skid it into location in the wilderness. In the process I learned about the ghost town of Summit City from the ranger in charge of the project. There are no standing buildings. Here is a link, tells a story and gives directions. Being in a wilderness it's probably illegal to metal detect in there now. The information I got from the ranger doesn't jibe with what the link says. The story I heard says that they were mining year around, but the mines weren't exactly spectacular. Typhoid hit the population, and a bunch of them died, and the rest left, never to return. My thoughts are there could be some cache of gold to be found if it's true that typhus took a lot of the population out. There wasn't a bank in town. This is also supposed to be the area of the "lost wagon train." It's a second Donner story, only with a happy ending. The wagon train was traveling over Carson Pass and got caught by snow. The people left the wagons, packed what they could on oxen and walked out. The Ranger said he thought he found the site, he found button shoes and wagon parts. He pointed west of Summit City when he told the story, and said it was off any beaten path, brushed in. The way he talked it sounded like it was south of the present road and a few miles west from Summit City.

Here's the link I forgot along with another I found that tells of Summit City. http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/summitcity.html

[url]http://tahoetowhitney.org/content/historical-history-summit-city-creek


[/URL]
 

Last edited:
Eagle you must be finding lots of gold, or working on your book, cause I ain't heard nearly a peep out of you.
 

Was turned onto your posts, by a friend.
Great read. You're going to have to live another 50 years, just to get caught up on the "finds" you've left behind. :)
I'll be in your area in the near future, but have to do some looking in a special place first, I'll let you know what we find.
When you spoke of the Mouth of the north fork, of the Merced river, and you said that you looked across and saw an old trail,
Which side of the river were you on? and did the trail head down the Merced River? or up river? (or up the North Fork?)
Too bad about your friend Hermit Pete. Sounds like he had a great life!
It seems that the BLM has done more to Miss-Manage the lands, than to protect them.
 

Last edited:
Hi Eagledown,

Forgive me, I haven't been reading in awhile, I just jumped back in the thread today to see how things are going and see I have MUCH reading and catching up to do and YES I would definately be interested in an autographed copy of your book so I hope you do finish it! Your whole story is such a great read! It would be a book one simply couldn't put down. I will send you a pm with my contact information if you have a list, please add me to it! Thanks and Happy Trails!

Don

EagleDown said:
Well, this post sure didn't recieve much of a response. Now, I'm starting to wonder if I should finish up the last of "The Book", or just forget about it.

Is anyone out there still interested in recieving a personally autographed copy of an over 200 page book of my exploits??
Click to expand...
 

Hello EagleDown
I just came across your sight here about a week ago and you've got me hooked. Every chance I get, I read about your interesting life experiences. I find myself spending a fair bit of time just trying to piece everything together to figure out the missing parts to where the gold might be. Using Google Earth etc.

I'm a complete new person to prospecting and admit that I know nothing about how to go about it but have been learning things from just about every page that I read here from you. I'm only on page 31 out of 165 so I have a ways to go to catch up to this point and I didn't want to be asking questions back on the earlier pages that may have been answered further on here on the later pages.

I got a notification that there was a new message and just saw on this page that McClod said something about a signed copy of your book. I don't know as I haven't read that far if you have a book out yet or not but if and when you do, please put me on your list of people that want one.
I'm currently overseas possibly until just about the first of the new year then will be trying my luck prospecting with a friend back in the US.
So remember, add me to your list of interested people who would like a copy of your book. I enjoy your life stores immensely!
Cheers,
Richard
 

Where is McCabe flats? and when you drive to the north Fork of the Merced, do you start from Briceberg, and drive down river?
 

It is along the river past the bridge, can't remember if it is the the second or third. If you stop the BLM guy in the white truck, he has maps or stop at the bulletin board at the bridge by the bathrooms.
 

EagleDown said:
~~~\/~~~

A Lost Gold Shipment


During one of my trips to the area of El Portal, I was visiting my old prospector friend (page #4, picture #9,) when he told me about an armored truck that was lost in the river. He said it was loaded with an unspecified number of gold ingots that were being transported to Mariposa, where they were to be shipped to the San Francisco Mint.

If you look at the picture mentioned above, in the lower right hand corner of the picture, you can see a stone wall bordering the highway. This stone way goes all the way around the curve of the highway, to where, a short distance up-river, it stops. Then, a little further up-river, another stone wall begins. I know it doesn’t do much for keeping a car or truck from going into the river, but I guess you could consider it a sort of curbing to keep your wheels from drifting off of the pavement.

Anyway, on this particular day, he told me that back in the late 20s or early 30s, an armored truck was transporting gold bullion from the Clearing House mine. Evidently, there was absolutely no foul play involved as the owner of the mine was following the armored vehicle into town, since he would have to be present to sign the necessary papers for shipping the gold.

Nobody was quite sure about what occurred that day, perhaps the driver fell asleep at the wheel, or maybe the brakes failed at an inopportune moment, but whatever, the outcome was deadly for the driver and the guard.

In the stone wall up-river from the one in the picture, I use to be able to see signs of it having been repaired from where the armored truck hit it on its way into the Merced River. The river was near the peak of its “run-off” period, and neither the armored truck, gold, or its passengers stood a snowballs chance.

When the run-off was over for the summer, the river was checked as well as possible and a few parts of the truck were found. A fender, the spare tire, etc. but, the spot where the truck “dumped its load” of bullion has never been found. Of course, back in those days, they didn’t have the help of our modern technology. So, somewhere (probably just a short way) down-river from picture #9, (or perhaps even within the picture,) there’s a small fortune waiting on a lucky treasure hunter.

I hope you found this one interesting.

Eagle
Click to expand...
Hello Eagle, I love your posts. This one has me curious, as it mentions two photos, and I can't find the photos.
I 'd sure like to pinpoint the rock wall you mention.
I'd sure be happy to split any "finds" with you, and hope to meet you someday soon.
 

Oakview2 said:
It is along the river past the bridge, can't remember if it is the the second or third. If you stop the BLM guy in the white truck, he has maps or stop at the bulletin board at the bridge by the bathrooms.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I think I have it narrowed down. do you know the whereabouts of the Clearing House mine?
 

EagleDown said:
Halito Rob,

While browsing back thru this thread, I thought I'd take the time to answer a question of yours. i.e.; Well, the bit about the truck just being ripped apart is more of a correct assessment than a question. I've thought about how far the gold might have traveled and frankly, I've found too many variables. Such as; did it hit the river "nose first"? Or, due to the weight of the gold, did it land with the rear down? If it landed rear first, the gold might have slid/been tossed to the rear of the truck, thereby managing to remain in the truck for a few minutes. And, if the truck landed nose first, the gold might have been tossed to the front where it "could" have traveled even longer. Then, there's the possibility that the roof could have been immediately ripped off, allowing the gold to be dumped out near the point of impact. In that scenario, I believe we could all agree that the gold would probably be within a few feet of where it disembarked from the truck.

I do know, from my exploring, that about 200 yards down-river from the initial accident, the bedrock drops about 8 feet straight down that I could see. I have no idea how much more it might drop under the boulders and gravel that's deposited there. In my thinking, that would be the first place I would want to try.

Hope everyone is having a nice Easter!!

Eagle
Click to expand...

Hello again Eagle Down, I must have missed this post somehow, but I think I've found the old Clearing House Mine location. (according to Wikipedia, and google earth search, but it shows only a clearing, and no (what I would expect ) footprint of a sizeable mining operation.
If the armored truck was leaving the mine, I'm guessing it would have traveled down river to turn at Briceburg as it would have headed towards Mariposa.
Not being familiar with the roadway, or the "grade" along the river, It's hard to give a guess where failed brakes or a sleepy driver would have headed off the road, and into the river.
any Ideas as to any other wreckage found? or could the whole truck be at the bottom (what's left of it) ? axels...engine..Etc.
Hope all is well, and you can add me to the waiting list on those who want to be sure and get a copy of your book!!
 

I hope you are doing well Brother Eagle. I haven't seen you online in a while. -Luke
 

I dont know if anyone has any info on Eagle but I have called his cell a couple times and emailed with no response for a couple weeks.I will drive up to his house this weekend if noone has any info?
 

I sent him a e-mail a couple of days ago, and no response yet. I pray is all well.
 

I called him also and have not heard anything back. If I hear anything I will let everyone know.
 

Just to let you all know Eagle has passed away I am sure he would like everyone to continue posting here as they discover new treasures in and around Mariposa as he loved hearing everyones stories I am being told their will be a service for
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

DONNER TREASURE Part UNEARTHED BY A PROSPECTOR May 17, 1891

⬅️ Previous Thread

Will bein Redding week of 9/1/2010 w/new device

Next Thread ➡️

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 5 (members: 0, guests: 5)
Simplex Metal Detector

Latest Discussions

Back
Top