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

[GarretDiggingAz]

Boy they sure blow around me. Lol. Yeah as it is now. The bottle stays in two spots. My room and next to me in my pocket when I'm running at home. Unfortunately my dogs got gold fever too. Lol.

 

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[GarretDiggingAz]

Have you ever heard of gold being found on Navajo reservation around monument valley? Story of Adams Cave? Its cursed gold. Neat story though. I've got an invite to go prospect some spots from a friend in monument valley. If nothing else, this could be a fun adventure. Some beautiful land around there.

 

[EagleDown]

Have you ever heard of gold being found on Navajo reservation around monument valley? Story of Adams Cave? Its cursed gold. Neat story though. I've got an invite to go prospect some spots from a friend in monument valley. If nothing else, this could be a fun adventure. Some beautiful land around there.

I've read of it many years ago. (Probably in Long John Lathams "Treasure Search" magazine). Here's a link to the story.
Wierd back-ground color, you'll have to high-lite it to read.
NIGHT RIDE TO NAVAJO GOLD

 

[calisdad]

Eagle,

I got hooked first by watching "The Buzzard" on Gold Fever when I was a teen. Probably about 15-18. Was sooo long ago.
Then, and here's the story. I was archery hunting in the hills around Roosevelt Lake. No luck in that, but I was leaving late one night and had to go over a small waterfall in the creek I had to cross. I had a couple gold pans in the back of my truck and had them there for about a year or two. So I decided that, if I was gold I'd be right in that eddie area by the fall. So I finally pulled out the 10" pan, moved the bigger rocks, and scooped out what I could with the pan, then walked to the front of the truck with the headlights shining away. So I just shuffled the rocks around, went back to the creek and then kinda went by feel. Feeling the rocks till they got to the smaller pebbles and sand. Went back to the headlights and started washing off the lights. Then I noticed a flake about a quarter size of a pinkie nail on an average sized guy. I found a certs box in my truck and put it in there. Then I washed more. Out pops another. Then another. Then another. I couldn't believe it. First time panning in the wild, and I stumble on four nice flakes. I was stoked. So after I placed these flakes in the box, I put it on the hood so I could go back for more. Just as I started to go back to the fall. Oh, by the way, did I forget to mention, there was a small breeze and a couple gusts going on while doing this. Well you guessed it. Just as I moved, this gust came up and blew the box right off the hood and onto the ground. Well I didn't have a flashlight, but I could see the box. I picked it up and it had the same amount of stuff in the box when I got it out of the truck. Nothing!!!! I was soooo upset. I figured I'd go back next week to get them. I didn't make it back till a couple months ago, which made it about 15 years since I was there. The roads been bulldozed so many times now. My flakes are back with Mother Nature. I guess she didn't want me to have them yet. Hopefully I can make it back and detect/pan it before too long. Maybe that'll be a trip for my mom and me. Lol

I find it quite amusing that if man doesn't lose his gold by burying it right back in the ground Mother Nature can reclaim it with a gust of her breath. You reminded me of the very first time I went prospecting. We were sucking gold out of the rivulets of tide in the sand of a beach south of Big Sur. When we finished we went up the hill to camp for the night and process our concentrates. My friend set his pan on the roof of his truck and went searching for a vial to put it in. Well a gust of wind blew that pan almost 30 feet. Needless to say it came up empty. I still have mine.

 

[EagleDown]

I find it quite amusing that if man doesn't lose his gold by burying it right back in the ground Mother Nature can reclaim it with a gust of her breath. You reminded me of the very first time I went prospecting. We were sucking gold out of the rivulets of tide in the sand of a beach south of Big Sur. When we finished we went up the hill to camp for the night and process our concentrates. My friend set his pan on the roof of his truck and went searching for a vial to put it in. Well a gust of wind blew that pan almost 30 feet. Needless to say it came up empty. I still have mine.

I think most prospectors have a similar story. Just last year, I was doing some panning on the Merced. I had several nice "pickers" in the pan. As I was getting tired of bending over panning, I found a spot under some bunch grass to hide my pan, with the gold still in it, while I was doing a little exploring. When I returned, the gold pan was MIA. (lol) I couldn't find it anywhere in the vicinity, so Randyman and I went up to the road and started back towards our camp. Of course, even though we were headed up-river, I was still looking.

Well, low and behold, I spotted the pan floating against the far bank, approx. 50 to 75 yards from where I had hidden it. Randyman was kind enough to climb down the embankment and wade across the river to retrieve it for me. Of the gold that was originally in the pan, only a couple of the smaller pieces was still there.

Incidentally, I had spent a couple of hours prying bunch grass off of the exposed bed-rock and washing the roots in a bucket. I did get enough gold to keep the work interesting.

Oh well........The river giveth and the river (wind) taketh away. (lol)

 

[angelus2k5]

Abandoned, or just Dormant??

This little adventure occurred in the 1970s. I’m not sure of the exact year,
but one morning, I found myself in an exploring mood.

I had a theory that a lot of the gold found below McCabe Flats was coming
out of a gulch on the opposite side of the river from the campgrounds. So,
I waded across the river and started up the gulch. I hadn’t gone up the gulch
but a short distance, when I came upon the remains of an old road. The road
was pretty well covered by brush, but since it was headed in the same direction
as I was, I decided it would be easier to follow it, since the brush beside the
road was much thicker than on it.

I followed the road for a little over a quarter of a mile and was taken by surprise
when I rounded a bend and found that I had come upon an old mine, complete,
with a cabin and a large storage building.

The door to the storage building was just hanging by one hinge and was wide
open. So, I took a look inside. It was obvious to me that whomever was working
the mine intended to return, (some day), as one wall had tools hanging from it,
and leaning up against it. I’m not talking about one pick and one shovel, but I mean
many of every kind of hand tool you might expect to find in a hard rock mining
operation. Plus, there was a shelf up near the top of one wall that had several
old sleeping bags. None of them would have been much good, as the pack rats
had chewed holes in them and had been using the stuffing to line their nests.

Outside, there was an old caterpillar (perhaps to pull ore carts). I believe it only
had a two cylinder engine, so I imagine the heaviest work it had done was cutting
the road down to the river. Of course, when I saw it, there was no blade on it, so
I’m doing a little conjecture here. (lol)

Looking around a little more, I saw an old cast iron engine, I’m talking old here!
It was basically an iron cylinder, mounted horizontally, with a single spark plug
in one end, and a push rod projecting out the other end. There was other items
of interest, but I don’t recall all of them. I didn’t go into the cabin ‘proper’, but
the kitchen was open on two sides, probably for cool air flow. One interesting
aspect of the kitchen was; there was a box where one of the windows would have
been. The box was covered with (rotting) burlap. The reason for the box and burlap
was for cool storage of food. If a steady trickle of water was kept flowing onto the
burlap, it would have kept the inside of the box much cooler than the outside temperatures.

I didn’t consider going into the impressive tunnel behind the cabin, partially because
I didn’t have a lantern, but mostly because of the signs posted:

Warning…..This mine is booby trapped. Keep out!!

Then there was one someone had scrawled on an old gas refrigerator outside:

Your booby trap was pretty good…..Wait til you find mine.

As you might imagine, I wasn’t about to step in the middle of a private war. (lol)
So, interesting as it was, I headed on back down the gulch to the river and have never been back.

Unfortunately, I do find myself wishing that I had known enough to look for a tailings pile, as it was obvious that some serious tunneling had been going on here. Now, I’m of the age, I have no desire to climb that mountain again. But, I’m sure it’s still there for someone younger and more ambitious than I. (lol)

I hope you enjoyed this little memory.

Eagle

Now this is just the enticing story I have been waiting for! The only down side of the story is that i am way to far south to be able to explore the site and fulfill 'ol Eagles curiosity. maybe next time i go with my in-laws to visit yosemite ill have them ditch me around there lol.

 

[EagleDown]

Now this is just the enticing story I have been waiting for! The only down side of the story is that i am way to far south to be able to explore the site and fulfill 'ol Eagles curiosity. maybe next time i go with my in-laws to visit yosemite ill have them ditch me around there lol.

Hmmm, this younger generation isn't as adventerous as mine was I guess. When I lived in Berdoo, I just considered it a short jaunt to Briceburg. And that was before Interstate #5. (lol)

Actually, it's a little over 300 miles. But still, not too bad for a week-end camping trip.

If anyone does show up and want to check it out, just let me know a couple of days before and I'd be happy to meet you at McCabe Flats and point out the gulch for you. Just keep in mind, with the price of gold going from $35 an oz, to where it is now, there's no guarantee that someone isn't working the old mine now. Of course, if they are, it's being kept very quite, as I've heard no mention of it.

Good prospecting!!!

 

[Tree!]

Hmmm, this younger generation isn't as adventerous as mine was I guess. When I lived in Berdoo, I just considered it a short jaunt to Briceburg. And that was before Interstate #5. (lol)

Actually, it's a little over 300 miles. But still, not too bad for a week-end camping trip.

If anyone does show up and want to check it out, just let me know a couple of days before and I'd be happy to meet you at McCabe Flats and point out the gulch for you. Just keep in mind, with the price of gold going from $35 an oz, to where it is now, there's no guarantee that someone isn't working the old mine now. Of course, if they are, it's being kept very quite, as I've heard no mention of it.

Good prospecting!!!

Oh I'm adventurous! I'm just waiting for these next five months to zip by so I can leave the marine corps an fulfill all my golden dreams! I'm pretty restricted, but I see a lot of hope in your stories. And I hope you won't mind me coming up and learning some things from you! I'm from the Perris area. Stationed in 29 Palms.

 

[EagleDown]

Oh I'm adventurous! I'm just waiting for these next five months to zip by so I can leave the marine corps an fulfill all my golden dreams! I'm pretty restricted, but I see a lot of hope in your stories. And I hope you won't mind me coming up and learning some things from you! I'm from the Perris area. Stationed in 29 Palms.

You would be very welcome to all that I know. By the way, thank you for your service!! As a Veteran myself, I do appreciate your service to our country.

As far as being less adventurous, that was just my weird sense of humor. (lol) I know that times have changed and it's not lack of Spirit, but rather, the pace of modern life. In these times, a person has to be more focused on essentials than was necessary in my younger years.

 

[Oakview2]

A special thanks to all our veterans and current active duty. Without their sacrifices, we would not live in a free socieity.

Eagle, how fast is the Merced dropping?

 

[EagleDown]

A special thanks to all our veterans and current active duty. Without their sacrifices, we would not live in a free socieity.

Eagle, how fast is the Merced dropping?

Sorry Brother, the first of this month, I spent all of my travel/prospecting money rebuilding my brake system on the Explorer. I haven't been to the river in the last 5 weeks or so.

 

[Tree!]

Thank you very much Eagle and Oak! I've been proud to serve and am grateful for all those who have served before me.

Hopefully you'll still be around this forum for the next five months so that we can plan a meeting somewhere up by you. I'd love to learn about and learn that area. And I don't take any offense to the less adventurous comment, I believe it's true ha ha but it sure isn't true for me! Thanks again!!

 

[Army of 1]

Hi EagleDown , Just started reading this thread from the beginning , Wow what an interesting , adventurous life full of discoveries you have experienced , surely the stuff of dreams . Congrats on all your unique finds and thanks for the Awesome stories . cheers Mick

 

[EagleDown]

Hi EagleDown , Just started reading this thread from the beginning , Wow what an interesting , adventurous life full of discoveries you have experienced , surely the stuff of dreams . Congrats on all your unique finds and thanks for the Awesome stories . cheers Mick

You're most welcome Mick. Yes, it's been a great ride. The best part is; It's not over yet.
When it cools off a little, I'll be posting some more stories. So, hang around, there's always room for one more. (lol)

 

[CharlesP]

How are you Eagle? You staying cool? It's a hot ******* out there. The earth seems almost mad it's so hot. Hope all is well. Btw someone dug our hole out a bit more for us.

 

[EagleDown]

How are you Eagle? You staying cool? It's a hot ******* out there. The earth seems almost mad it's so hot. Hope all is well. Btw someone dug our hole out a bit more for us.

Sorry to say, nope, not cool at all. I don't have a working ac yet, so it got up to 102 inside yesterday. Today, it was 104 inside. But, I'm drinking lots of ice water. (lol) Heck, I've drank more water in the last 2 days, than I have in the last 2 years before this. (lol) But, it'll be hokay. All I need is to get my ac charged with freon, and I'm good to go.

They can have that hole. They probably thought no one would do that much work unless they were getting a lot of gold. (lol)

 

[CharlesP]

104! Your one tough son of gun. I would hate to even think how hot my delivery truck gets. Can you say solar oven. I have been on the lookout for a window AC. It's safe to say price wise no ones giving them away just yet. Keep drinking that ice water.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Eagle. You got a store you could visit while the heats up? I told my wife I'm taking kids to the movies to have some free a/c. Lol
I'm sure you know this, but if you put up a damp cloth in front of a fan it could help cool your place better than just the warm air flowing.
If I was close enough. I'd come and get you guys and we could soak our feet in one of the rivers.
Right now I'm waiting for the all clear to get to Yarnell. I'm hoping to assist in cleanup from the fire for some of the people who got hit by it.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Well ok. It wasn't free a/c. Cost me about 80 to have that coolness. Lol. Plus took out kids for dinner. Another 65. So after spending the 150. Hanging with the kids. Priceless. Lol

 

[EagleDown]

104! Your one tough son of gun. I would hate to even think how hot my delivery truck gets. Can you say solar oven. I have been on the lookout for a window AC. It's safe to say price wise no ones giving them away just yet. Keep drinking that ice water.

You have to realise that I was born during an era that ac hadn't been invented yet. (Or even swamp coolers for that matter) In 1937, we did without, but didn't know we were doing without. (lol)
So, my rationalization is; ac is a matter of preference, not necessity. I'm drinking about a gallon a day of that ice water. (lol)