The Narrows, and the Malpais near Grants, NM

[Springfield]

I'm not finding anything else online about a train robbery in Lordsburg, NM. Please post about it if you come across anything on that.

I can't find anything online. I guess I'll try to run down some old paper copies somewhere.

 

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[UncleMatt]

Thanks Springfield, I have a list of newspapers to visit and research as long as my arm. I will never get to them until I retire I fear! You coming up to Albuquerque area any time soon?

 

[Crow]

Matt some times what we think the legend is its not.

Perhaps the train robbery was elsewhere and not particularly Lordsburg? Perhaps the legend was based around the Gates brothers and later confused the train robbery event actually being in Lordsburg?

Crow

 

[Ecominer]

Gus Raney, his wife, and two boys are buried out in the range land north and east of the house. It is close to half a mile or mile north of the highway. It is readily identifiable because it has a pipe fence around it to keep the cattle from trampling the graves.

 

[UncleMatt]

I see you are in Albuquerque Ecominer, I'm always up for a cold one and treasure talk. Thanks for this post!

 

[lesjcbs]

Hey All, I have recently been uncovering a lot of interesting information about the Narrows on the east side of the Maplais just south of Grants, NM. The Narrows is a narrow passage between sandstone bluffs to the east and malpais lava flow to the west. There are many tales of treasure and adventure associated with this area. I am encouraging people to post their stories they have heard on this thread.

I recently read on T-net about a possible explanation to the disappearance of a small plane over the malpais with a cargo of cash for a political campaign back east. That story pretty much closes the book on that plane treasure in the malpais as far as I am concerned. But there are many tales involving Spanish caches, Gus Raney, ambushed mule trains loaded with silver bars, and many more to keep a person interested in this region. And of course, it is a major landmark in the search for the Lost Adams Diggings. (Can't leave that one out)

So please post your malpais/narrows tales here. Especially if they are not already well known. Locals welcome! I travel to the area frequently, and love exploring it. If you are no longer able to get out in that rough stuff, I will be happy to be your legs if you will point me in a direction.

UncleMatt: Could you please PM me the GPS coordinates of where the narrows are exactly? I once called and no one knows anything about them. Strange.

Thanks,

Les.

 

[UncleMatt]

The Narrows are at GPS 34.870770, -107.903906

 

[lesjcbs]

UncleMatt: Thank you so much for your reply.

Now I am somewhat confused. I am aware of that Highway and that area but what I am hoping is to find a narrow path or passageway that supposedly goes into and through the lava beds themselves, and dead ends into a large open area. Are you aware of such a path and place?

From looking at that entire area from the air, there seems to be no such a place anywhere near by.

Thanks for your kind reply.

Les.

 

[lesjcbs]

UPDATE: Disregard. I just discovered this is not the area.

Thanks for your time.

 

[UncleMatt]

Actually, I know of just such a place in the Malpai. More than one. It depends on what you call a narrow passage though. The Hole In the Wall, and The Little Hole In the Wall, could both meet that description.

 

[UncleMatt]

I was intrigued by a treasure tale booklet my friend JH sent me, about a guy who found an air vent into a lava tube cave where burlap sacks of placer gold were stored. It sounds like an old western I once read, but who knows. The family who owns the land has been searching for decades without success. And we have been unable to locate the author or his wife, and we fear both are deceased.

 

[lesjcbs]

Actually, I know of just such a place in the Malpai. More than one. It depends on what you call a narrow passage though. The Hole In the Wall, and The Little Hole In the Wall, could both meet that description.

HMM, interesting. Could you please post the GPS coordinates of theses?Thanks again. Les.

 

[UncleMatt]

Certainly. The Hole In the Wall is at GPS 34.856887, -108.023173 , and the Little Hole In the Wall is at GPS 34.923807, -107.973986 .

 

[A2coins]

Great post love reading this.

 

[UncleMatt]

Here is the treasure booklet I referred to earlier. Authors had lived in Grants, NM for generations. Publisher gone. Author's family owns land on the edge of the Malpais, where they are rumored to have searched for the treasure for decades. Even with the help of very informed local history buffs, I haven't been able to find the authors. They might be passed away. Back in 2017 someone was selling a copy here on Tnet.

 

[UncleMatt]

Sorry for photo orientation, Its very early and I'm still half asleep. Oddly enough I just came across some new leads that indicates at least one of the authors is alive and well. I will get back to this when I have more.

 

[lesjcbs]

Certainly. The Hole In the Wall is at GPS 34.856887, -108.023173 , and the Little Hole In the Wall is at GPS 34.923807, -107.973986 .

Uncle Matt:

Looking at those two areas on Google maps, there are buildings and corrals just south and outside of the large area. There is also a road going into that open area that goes around the inside perimeter next to the lava flow. There is what looks like a barn and a corral just inside the large area and before the road forks also.


The smaller open area north has road#44 going into it that branches off of “Ice Caves Road” #53. Road #44 is also labeled as an “Ice Caves Road.” and goes all over the areas. I did not see buildings or corrals in the smaller area. SHEESH, that was a mouth full. LOL


Have you driven into these two areasand if so, what is the condition of those dirt roads?


Thanks for your kind reply

 

[UncleMatt]

No, there are no corrals and buildings just south of the Hole In The Wall, those exist miles away from it in areas where the ground was not covered by the lava flow. The Malpais is an ancient volcanic flow, and its next to impossible to put up fences or buildings on it unless you are employing an industrial grade drill rig, which most people cannot afford. The Malpais is also on Federal and Pueblo of Acoma land, so nothing can be built on it legally.

Now 8 miles to the south there is Gus Raney's old homestead, but that is not in or near the Hole In The Wall. And there is another ranch 3.5 miles south of it, but again, not in or near the geological feature itself.


Back in the early and mid 1900's there were sheep farmers who used the Little Hole in the Wall for grazing sheep, and they would access it with the road that leads into it. That is when the tale of the Elusive Malpais Treasure was first heard about.

 

[lesjcbs]

UncleMatt:


The GPS coordinates you posted in post #33: 34.856887,-108.023173, and 34.923807,-107.973986 comes up with nothing close to the Malps.


But if I change these coordinates to N 34.856887,W 108.023173 and N 34.923807,W 107.973986, now I see one large open area and one smaller open area in the Malps.


As you can see, the changes are adding an N and a W in front of the coordinates and dropping the — (minus sign) before the last numbers.


Could you clarify if these two areas are what you are referring to?


Thanks for your kind reply.


Les.

 

[UncleMatt]

lol, you are confusing two different types of GPS coordinates. I use the digital version of GPS, which requires no indication of north, south, east, or west. The coordinates I posted were 100% accurate.