The mysterious death of Adolph Ruth

[Shortfinger]

Hi JB,

Thanks for the reply. Been there, but it's been many years ago. Best I can remember.........That area is what you can see.

Doubt even a tough guy like Gollum would camp on that spot.

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo

Well, Gollum, maybe. The only reason I can think of for anyone else to camp there would be, there was some compelling reason why they needed to be in that exact location, or very near to it.....

JB

 

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[cactusjumper]

Much nicer site:



While I have just thrown a sleeping bag down on the ground, as I got older and a tad more successful, I opted for a more comfortable camp. Didn't feel there was any need prove how tough I was. My guess is that Ruth set up as comfortable a camp as his packers could pack in for him.

Sleeping bag only trip with Cousin, Tom Ribaudo. We were going in to check out Obie's Question Mark Mine:



Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo

 

[Shortfinger]

This is the roughest place I ever set up a tent in the Supe's:



The left and right edge of the picture drops off precipitously. Hard to find a spot to drive tent pegs into. We tied off to boulders instead. No water.

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo

Looks like a tough spot to pitch a tent. I'm surprised you found enough flat ground to do so. Most of the time, I don't/didn't use a tent in the desert. Carried a ground cloth big enough to wrap up in at night, if needed, and big enough to provide some shade in the day, if you could find a place to tie it off to....which wasn't always.

JB

 

[Shortfinger]

Much nicer site:



While I have just thrown a sleeping bag down on the ground, as I got older and a tad more successful, I opted for a more comfortable camp. Didn't feel there was any need prove how tough I was. My guess is that Ruth set up as comfortable a camp as his packers could pack in for him.

Sleeping bag only trip with Cousin, Tom Ribaudo. We were going in to check out Obie's Question Mark Mine:



Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo

I would have to agree with you there. However, were he a younger man, without the plate in his leg, that wouldn't negate the possibility that he set up a secondary camp somewhere else. Not likely in his case, though, IMHO.

JB

 

[cactusjumper]

"I would have to agree with you there. However, were he a younger man, without the plate in his leg, that wouldn't negate the possibility that he set up a secondary camp somewhere else. Not likely in his case, though, IMHO.

JB"

JB,

Knowing what I do know, I would say it was impossible........without someone helping him. What we do know, is that most, if not all of the "facts" were created after his death as a diversion from something else. One obvious possibility, is the fact that Ruth was camped directly below the Cal Morse's ridge. Was he stepping on someone's toes?

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo

 

[azdave35]

"I would have to agree with you there. However, were he a younger man, without the plate in his leg, that wouldn't negate the possibility that he set up a secondary camp somewhere else. Not likely in his case, though, IMHO.

JB"

JB,

Knowing what I do know, I would say it was impossible........without someone helping him. What we do know, is that most, if not all of the "facts" were created after his death as a diversion from something else. One obvious possibility, is the fact that Ruth was camped directly below the Cal Morse's ridge. Was he stepping on someone's toes?

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo

ruth definitely made some mistakes...whether he stepped on someones toes by intruding on their territory or he just talked too much to the wrong people...whatever it was it cost him his life...but he might have also saved a few lives...i bet the ldm hunters that came later learned to keep their mouth shut because of what happened to ruth

 

[motel6.5]

Ok,after reading all the comments,I, not B.Storm, have come back to my 1st hunch, I believe A.Ruth was shot in the head, then decapitated, and his body discarded. Who would do this, a person or persons who were skilled in Butchering animals for many years, and not feeling any remorse for doing so. I believe this practice still goes on today on many farms and ranches.The 2 cowboys who packed Ruth in were really the only persons who knew where his camp was, up to that point in time.Did they enlist others for a maybe possible evil deed,in order to get the maps Ruth bragged about having,but refused to show, maybe so.

 

[nobodie]

Erwin C. Ruth

 

[deducer]

deducer,

Deception!

Does that look like a good spot to set up a camp? Does it, in any way match Ruth's description that he wrote to his wife? Where is there a wall to hang some shelves from? Where is the water, front and back? I don't have a single doubt that he was camped at Willow Spring. There are a number of places around Willow Spring that would provide a level camp site, along with water on two sides. Here's a sample:

Deception from start to finish.

Take care,

Joe

I don't doubt that Ruth had camped at Willow Springs, and perhaps even had his main camp there because there was water, what I question is if that was the only camp he had.

We will probably never know for sure. It is interesting to speculate.

And as for the photo, I have been to West Boulder Canyon, and I have seen Peter's Mesa, and I would have to say that the geography in the photo is a better match for the latter.

I believe Matthew says he has taken a photo that is an exact match to this photo- let's see if he is okay with posting it.

And as for the deception angle- I'm not sure what motivation Lon Jordan had for participating in the deception. What would he have gained from doing so? Jeff Adams and Tex Barkley, yes- but Lon Jordan? Not sure.

 

[Gregory E. Davis]

Good morning all: As with Deducer, I too have hiked and explored Peter's Mesa and West Boulder Canyon many times over the years and agree with Deducer that the picture fits better with the terrain on Peter's Mesa. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

 

[Matthew Roberts]

deducer wrote :............ I don't doubt that Ruth had camped at Willow Springs, and perhaps even had his main camp there because there was water, what I question is if that was the only camp he had.

We will probably never know for sure. It is interesting to speculate.

And as for the photo, I have been to West Boulder Canyon, and I have seen Peter's Mesa, and I would have to say that the geography in the photo is a better match for the latter.

I believe Matthew says he has taken a photo that is an exact match to this photo- let's see if he is okay with posting it.

And as for the deception angle- I'm not sure what motivation Lon Jordan had for participating in the deception. What would he have gained from doing so? Jeff Adams and Tex Barkley, yes- but Lon Jordan? Not sure.

deducer,

You are correct, there is no doubt Adolph Ruth was taken to a camp in West Boulder Canyon known as Willow Spring. I don't know of anyone who disputes that fact.

The notation on the photo with Lon Jordan standing by the sheet draped over a rock, " Ruth's last camp." Is a notation written by the Maricopa County Sheriff's office on that photo, not me. The photo and notation have been around for 86 years so no one is all of a sudden in 2017 trying to say the photo is "Ruth's last camp".

You are also correct deducer, anyone who spent any serious time in the Superstitions and paid attention to the terrain knows the photo with Lon Jordan was not taken at Ruth's camp at Willow Spring. From Willow Spring you are down in a creek bed with high ridges on both sides. The Lon Jordan photo is taken high up with a view to the north of Malapais in the upper left corner.

I think a lot of information was purposefully misleading and withheld from the press and public concerning the specifics of Ruth's disappearance and death. The Sheriff doing so to preserve facts and details only someone intimately involved would know thereby allowing the Sheriff to zero in on the guilty party/parties.

I think a great deal of information was purposefully misleading and withheld from the press, public and Sheriff's investigators by a variety of individuals who had something they wanted to hide.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Roberts]

Photo of Adolph Ruth's campsite at Willow Spring in West Boulder Canyon.
There are very few actual places where an individual could have made camp near Willow Spring, the area is a creek bed with large rock and boulders as well as heavy brush that leaves only one or two actual places one could set up a small camp.

I believe this photo was taken by Cubfan64.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Roberts]

Good morning all: As with Deducer, I too have hiked and explored Peter's Mesa and West Boulder Canyon many times over the years and agree with Deducer that the picture fits better with the terrain on Peter's Mesa. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

Hello Gregory,

You are absolutely right, I know you have hiked both West Boulder Canyon and Peters Mesa on numerous occasions. Anyone who has been both those places quickly realizes the terrain is completely different and distinctive to the individual areas. That is true for a lot of areas of the Superstitions.

Matthew

 

[Gregory E. Davis]

Good morning all: Mathew is correct pertaining to the writing on the back of the photo. It is definitely not Mathews handwriting for I have an original print made in the 1930's from the Sheriff's file negatives and that print I acquired from an old collection which I purchased many years ago. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

 

[Cubfan64]

Matthew - I checked my photos and although I've been to Willow Springs a couple times, that photo isn't one of mine. In 2008 and again sometime 6-7 years later I hiked up to the saddle above Carney Springs overlooking West Boulder and made my way (mostly bushwhacked) down into West Boulder and through to Willow Spring, then around to Caballo Camp and finally back to Peralta Trailhead.

The first time I did it in 2008 it was tough, but doable and I took some photos I'll attach here. The second time I did it, I slept in the saddle and had a hell of a time following my way through West Boulder and eventually back to Peralta Trailhead. That time was the closest I've been to being in a dangerous position as it was hot as hell, I ran out of water way too soon and ended up having to strip down to my skibbies and sleep for a little bit when it got dark as I was starting to feel like I was in trouble. I woke up a couple hours later cooled off and while I still didn't have water I had a headlamp and hiked the rest of the way out getting back to the Don's camp sometime around 3-4am. I don't think I'll ever be doing that hike again.

Here are some of the photos I took of the West Boulder / Willow Spring area back in 2008.

 

[Cubfan64]

By the way, if you didn't notice all these photos from 2008 were taken in March and there was plenty of water. When I did it a second time and ran into some trouble, it was a hot October day and there wasn't any water anywhere along there.

 

[Gregory E. Davis]

Good evening Cubfan64: That is really doing it the hard way. It's much easier from First Water over Tims Saddle, a moderate hike that can be done in one day, especially during the cooler months. Great pictures and West Boulder Canyon is a really beautiful place around the spring area. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

 

[deducer]

The second time I did it, I slept in the saddle and had a hell of a time following my way through West Boulder and eventually back to Peralta Trailhead. That time was the closest I've been to being in a dangerous position as it was hot as hell, I ran out of water way too soon and ended up having to strip down to my skibbies and sleep for a little bit when it got dark as I was starting to feel like I was in trouble. I woke up a couple hours later cooled off and while I still didn't have water I had a headlamp and hiked the rest of the way out getting back to the Don's camp sometime around 3-4am. I don't think I'll ever be doing that hike again.

I keep reading about people on here getting in trouble on October hikes, and I know of one other person who very nearly didn't get back at all, and that got me to thinking: is it related to the timing of the Lost Dutchman's Rendezvous? October is the tail end of summer in Arizona, a bad time to hike because all the water in the mountains are gone by that point and the heat still flares up, unpredictably.

Might it then not be beneficial to push the Rendezvous forward into November? Even just two weeks would make a big difference, temperature-wise. I know it's risky to move too close to Thanksgiving, but- safety is paramount.

 

[Gregory E. Davis]

Good morning Deducer: You have a good point. We chose the last weekend of October to remember the passing of Jacob Waltz on October 25, 1891. It would be nice to move it to early November but like you say, it get close to Thanksgiving and then you have December and people getting ready for Christmas. This year we will monitor the temperature in late October and early November. Now, as for places where Ruth could have set up his camp at Willow Spring. To this day there are a few place that closely match his description however we must remember that in the ensuing years there have been many floods through West Boulder Canyon and much of the terrain around the spring and adjacent areas has most likely changed. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

 

[Cubfan64]

Good evening Cubfan64: That is really doing it the hard way. It's much easier from First Water over Tims Saddle, a moderate hike that can be done in one day, especially during the cooler months. Great pictures and West Boulder Canyon is a really beautiful place around the spring area. Cordially, Gregory E. Davis

Hi Greg - yes it's definitely doing it the hard way, but the first time I did it I really wanted to experience West Boulder all the way from the Carney Spring saddle - not really sure why I wanted to do it that way, but it was a conscious decision. The second time I did it I think I just wanted to see if i could do it again - that wasn't a wise choice.

I will say spending the night up in the saddle overlooking West Boulder was really nice - it got quite windy at times, but it cooled off nicely and I could start my assault on West Boulder fresh. Unfortunately I underestimated how hard it was going to be and how much my body had changed in 5-7 years so I didn't get going early in the morning like I should have .

Hope to see you in October.