filmmakers lost in superstition mountains

Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, at the base of the Superstition Mountains, only 40 miles east of Phoenix. Their bodies were never found but their camera was. Intrigue Journal. each. When they immigrated to Pennsylvania from Deutschland (Germany), the locals mistook Deutsch for Dutch. In this case the body was found first, with the rest of the body following a full 6 months later. To begin with, there was never any real Dutchman involved with the lost gold mine. Subscribe Today! 27.07 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Flames of Prophecy, 29.07 - MU Podcast - Contract with the Goddess, 27.06 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Secret Vaults of Time, 29.06 - MU Podcast - Italian Disco Abductions, The Mystery of New York's Renegade Subway Psychic, Forget About What We Know About Roswell: It's What's Missing About the Case That We Need to Look For, Archeologists Discover Another Secret Corridor Inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, A Boat-Swallowing Sea Monster of Norse Legends Still Lives Today, Ghosts, Fairies, and a Spectral Hag on Canada's Most Haunted Island, More on the Matter of the Most Dangerous Creature of the Mind: The Slenderman, Unmarked Black Helicopter Above Chicago Sparks Conspiracy Theories, "What's the Creepiest Thing You've Ever Seen or Heard?" There is a $7 day use fee to enter the park, which is waived if you're camping ($15/night). Erwin gave the data to his father Adolph. As to why his head had been carried off no one knows. [28], One fact against the existence of "Lost Dutchman Mine" is that Waltz was a "placer miner"; while the gold pieces he had were in quartz, the Superstition Mountains are in fact volcanic. The mountain is also frequented with mysterious sounds that many people have claimed to have heard. Blair had little doubt that Waltz related to Thomas the location of an alleged gold mine. In his 1945 book about the Lost Dutchman's mine. Blair insisted that the Peralta portion of the story is unreliable, writing: "The operation of a gold mine in the Superstitions by a Peralta family is a contrivance of 20th century writers". But Blair suggested that this core story was distorted in subsequent retellings, comparing the many variants of the Lost Dutchman's story to the game of Chinese whispers, where the original account is distorted in multiple retellings of the tale.[15]. If you find the above article inaccurate or biased, please let us know at[emailprotected]. 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According to the Apaches (North American Indians), the entryway to hell is in the Superstition Mountains. Ruth ended his note with the phrase "Veni, vidi, vici. After moving to the area, Ruth lingered numerous days at the ranch of Tex Barkely to outfit his expedition. While this theory did not ignore the two holes in the skull, it did fail to explain how Ruth had managed to remove and bury the empty shell, then reload his gun, after shooting himself through the head". The Peralta Massacre is a legend that Apaches supposedly ambushed a mining expedition the Peralta family sent into the mountains. According to Blair, the story may have its roots in the efforts of three U.S. soldiers to locate gold in an area of New Mexico, based on an allegedly true story related to them by Dr. Thorne of New Mexico; see above. Mysterious bodies turned up in the Superstition Mountains all through the 1960s and 70s, with at least five people found dead with bullet holes to the skulls, and with other bodies found minus the heads, which were never found. Wednesday Sunday The men must deal with a lack of water and the fact that the map leads him into lands held sacred by the Apaches. Everyplace had a lost mine. Barkely urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine: The headless remains of prospector James A. Cravey were discovered in the mid-1940s. James Reavis tried to assert that the Peralta family had a Spanish land grant and a barony granted by the King of Spain, which included a huge swath of Arizona and New Mexico, including the Superstition Mountains. A month later the rest of the body was found about three-quarters of a mile away, with severely broken legs, and it was supposed that he had fallen and then after his grievous injuries died of starvation and the elements. Museum Members are FREE. The main thing is that they supposedly accidentally found this ancient Apache treasure somewhere in the mountains, but it was to spell their doom. The chieftain, overtaken by the act, blindfolds the doctor and takes him on a trip to the mines. The Lost Dutchman's Mine has gone on to become a pop cultural legend, written of in countless books and appearing on numerous TV shows. The Superstitions are one of four mountains which mark the ancestral territory of the Apache People. OH, I almost forgot there is no cell phone service absolutely none. Early on during the Spanish Conquest, Conquistadors such as Francisco Vazquez de Coronado (1535) came to the American southwest (New Spain) in search of gold trying to locate, Montezumas Seven Cities of Cibola. He was remembered as having been obsessed with finding the mine for several years. They trek into the mountains. Their bodies were never found, but their camera was." Superstition Mountain (Yavapai: Wi:kchsawa, O'odham: Gakok) is a prominent mountain and regional landmark located in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona, immediately east of Apache Junction and north of Gold Canyon.It anchors the west end of the federally designated Superstition Wilderness Area and is a popular outdoor recreation destination, home to numerous trails for hiking and . This is trails end; this is the domain of the Dutch Hunters. Want to reenact that James Franco film with the rusted and dull pocket knife? The average high temperature in June, July and August, is 104 degrees. Don Miguel Peralta was the head of a powerful and wealthy Mexican family from Sonora, and they were either ranchers or operated mines or did both. When is the documentary goimg to start back up? Walking along tyre tracks saying they are in the middle of nowhere at a treasure location. Fake AF. DARK MOUNTAIN is the chilling reconstruction from their footage of their last days. Thorne sold the ore for $6000 and became a wealthy man. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Everyone else? Hiking and camping are popular activities. Another detail which casts doubt on the story is the fact that, according to Blair, there was never any Dr. Thorne in the employ of the Army or indeed of the Federal Government in the 1860s. Arcana Exploration. Much of the truth has laid obscured in old Spanish, Jesuit and Catholic Church documentation, including maps, expedition journals, and diaries and in many cases with those buried in long ago lost and forgotten graves. TheSuperstition Mountains, furthermore, are the abode of the Thunder God, and he causes the frequent regional thunderstorms. They didnt find it because its not in the superstitions Too bad i cant post pictures, because i know exactly where it is, Did you ever think the Dutchman might have used another mine location to through He is blindfolded and taken there by a circuitous route, and is allowed to take as much gold ore as he can carry before again being escorted blindfolded from the site by the Apaches. October through April No sign of the filmmakers themselves has been found to date. Starring Sage Howard, Andrew Simpson, and Shelby. In a story that echoes some of the earlier tales, Ruth's son Erwin C. Ruth was said to have learned of the Peralta mine from a man called Pedro Gonzales (or Gonzalez). The multi-acre museum site soon saw the addition of a historic Cossack 20-Stamp . Bands of roaming cannibals are said to hunt the area and the curse of the Lost Mine to many isnt a tall tale but a stark reality. And importantly I have hard facts that the Stones are linked to other historical information. Barkely repeatedly urged Ruth to abandon his search for the mine, because the terrain of the Superstition Mountains was treacherous even for experienced outdoorsmen, let alone for the 66-year-old Ruth in the heat of the Arizona summer. Children 10 and under You came here for the nasty bits that are constantly swept under the rug. Dr. George M. Willing Jr. paid Peralta $20,000 for the mining rights for an enormous swath of land about 3,000,000 acres (12,000km2) in southern Arizona and New Mexico based on a deed originally granted by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century. And, where praytell do most folks believe said El Dorado is safely hidden Why, in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction. Want to climb a perilous cliff? Admission Blair suggested that this Waltz could be the same Waltz who later came to be regarded as the legendary Dutchman, and that he Americanized the spelling of his family name. For the first time ever, Arcana Exploration has undeniable physical proof that the mine exists, proof that is to say, photographic physical documentation that many of the generally excepted clues, are in fact real and do exist and are physically present in one location. The Supers are east northeast of Phoenix. [7] A man named Miguel Peralta and his family did operate a successful mine in the 1860s but near Valencia, California, not in Arizona. Waltz relocated to Arizona in the 1860s, and stayed in the territory for most of the rest of his life. 9 May 2022. Some searchers for the mine have disappeared in likely wilderness accidents. [42] The park was expanded to 320 acres (130ha) in 1983. A corpse is later found and IDed as Weiser; coroners unable to state whether the wounds were caused by Apache weapons or American-made knives. FREE with paid Adult Some carved stones in the area are referred to as "Peralta Stones" and Spanish text and crude maps on them are considered by some to be clues to the location of a Peralta family gold mine in the Superstition Mountains, although others believe the stones to be modern fakes. A group of modern day treasure hunters search for the Lost Dutchman mine in the Superstition mountain range of Arizona. One of these was a veterinarian and treasure hunter named Adolf Ruth, who in 1931 made his way to these wind-swept wilds, armed with what he at the time claimed to be the actual original map to it. [8] The mine was quite profitable, earning about $35,000 in less than one year; Blair described this as "an unusually good return" for such a small gold mine to earn in such a relatively brief period. https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/superstition-mountains/index.html, They were once known in Spanish as Sierra de la Espuma . Also in that year was the disappearance of two young boys, Ross Bley and Charles Harshbarger, whose bodies were never found. In late November or early December 2009, Denver, Colorado citizen Jesse Capen disappeared in the Tonto National Forest. On 8 June 2019, a fire broke out in the Superstitions Wilderness area and soon spread across 26,000 acres. We have imaging taken, with Go-pros, Sony 7000s; Osmo stabilized film cameras and Dji Phantom and Bee-bop drones. Waltz is attacked and wounded by marauding Apaches, but survives at least long enough to tell a man called Dr. Walker about the mine. Supposedly one of their 18 mines was very rich and they considered it their alfa mine. To this end he lived for years among their ranks, learning their ways and tending to their sick and wounded. Months pass, years some say, until one day Jacob comes back battered and bloody atop a lame mule. His skull with two bullet holes was recovered about six months after he disappeared. Afterwards, Waltz fell ill (he was rumored to have contracted pneumonia during the flooding). In December of 1949 a man named James Kidd vanished without a trace in the area as well. The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. As a sort of reward for this generosity, he was apparently one day asked to put on a blindfold, after which he was told he would be led to the mythical lost cavern of gold. The gift shop also has an indoor museum. Yep, more footage has been found, kids. The Superstition Mountains Superstition Mountain has an elevation of 5,024 feet. These steep, jagged volcanic mountains were formed over 29 million years ago and they cover an area of 160,000 acres. There is a Superstition Mountain Museum at 4087 N. Apache Trail, Highway 88 in Apache Junction. [3] Former Arizona Attorney General Robert K. Corbin is among those who have looked for the mine. He had acquired maps that he was sure would lead him straight to the gold. Erwin passed the information to his father Adolph, who had a long-standing interest in lost mines and amateur exploration. For a small fee you can see items owned by locals and learn all about the local history. He further stated, after examining the two holes [in the skull], that it appeared that a shotgun or high-powered rifle had been fired through the head at almost point-blank range, making the small hole when the bullet entered and the large hole when it exited".[23]. [27], Throughout the 20th century, various expeditions and individuals continued to search the Superstitions for the Lost Dutchman Mine. His body would later be found with a bullet hole to the head. Back in those days, the American term for German was , Members of the Apache tribe were said to have a truly valuable gold mine located in the Superstition Mountains. Furthermore, Wilburn stated that geology indicates that there is no gold in the Superstition Mountains, which are igneous in origin. Willing died in 1874 before there had been a thorough investigation of the documents or opportunity to cross examine him on the stand as was later done with Reavis. [volume], October 11, 1933, Page NINE, Image 9, "Arizona desert searched for missing Denver man seeking gold mine", "Mother of missing treasure hunter holds onto hope", "Body of man who hunted legendary 'Lost Dutchman's' gold mine believed found in Arizona mountains", "3 Utah men still missing on Arizona treasure hunt", "3 Search for men looking for Lost Dutchman's gold suspended", "More remains found in Superstitions; may be hiker's", "Escape - When The Man Comes, Follow Him", "The Lost Dutchman's Mine History and Bibliography", Arizona Mining Scams and Unassayable Ore Projects of the Late 20th Century, "Skeptoid #347: The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lost_Dutchman%27s_Gold_Mine&oldid=1137505190. , Barry Storm declared to have nearly escaped from a mysterious sniper he later called Mr. After he had spent many years in their midst, the Apache Elders decided to reward his selfless service with gold. [4], Robert Blair wrote "[t]here have been at least four legendary Lost Dutchman's gold mines in the American West, including the famed Superstition mine of Jacob Waltz". Some certain that the natives killed the party. Capens corpse was found three years later in November 2012 by a local search and rescue organization, stuffed into a crevice. Around 1860 a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz moved into the Wickenburg Arizona area about 80 miles from Phoenix. On July 11, 2010, Utah hikers Curtis Merworth, Ardean Charles, and Malcolm Meeks went missing in the Superstition Mountains while looking for the mine. Others that it was the ghost of the Peraltas. is, according to folktales, a magnificent, rich, Scrooge McDuck like repository of gold hidden somewhere in southwestern United States. It is here were you will reach areas that are barely penetrable, this is where most trails stop abruptly for safety reasons. Over the next few weeks I will share some images that are safe for us to show. It is rumoured that if the stones are put together in the right way, they are a map to the Peralta Familys gold deposits. In yet another version of the tale, two (or more) U.S. Army soldiers are said to have discovered a vein of almost pure gold in or near the Superstition Mountains. Yet it is also a place of fabled mysteries, talk of dark curses, strange disappearances and deaths, high strangeness, and a secret treasure that it allegedly holds close to it, reluctant to ever give it up. There are several paths that go through the brush and cacti. [16] A man called Jacob Walz was born in September 1810 in Wrttemberg. An alternate view which better fits the lost mine legend is that he periodically appeared with large amounts of gold, The Sterling Legend by Estee Conatser reports that a Jacob Walzer sold $250,000 in gold to the U.S. Mint during the 1880s and had $1500 when he died in 1891. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. All Rights Reserved. Pingback: Legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine Parts 2 & 3: Finally Found! X while searching for the mines. The Superstition Mountains, with a name like that you might as well give away fancy proton-backs, of the Ghostbuster variety, at the visitors center, is a series of jagger tooth mountains in Arizona just the east of Phoenix. There have been other mysterious and ominous disappearances as well, including an abandoned campsite found in the mountains in 1958 complete with blood-soaked blankets, but no bodies and no suspect. "[24], Authorities in Arizona did not convene a criminal inquest regarding Ruth's death. [17] Note that tombstone pictured shows birth year as 1808. Eric "the real deal" Deleel is original from a little town in northern New York called Massena. January 7, 2023 12:00 pm - April 29, 2023 3:00 pm, Desert Safety and Survival (March Sold Out), Weaving Class with Nanabah Aragon (March Sold Out). However, the Peralta Mine eventually became unprofitable and after the money was gone Miguel Peralta turned to fraud. Adults $7.00 Here he worked at the Vulture Mine as a paid miner. The soldiers are alleged to have presented some of the gold, but to have been killed or to have vanished soon after. I will make a statement in the near future that will surprise a lot of Dutch Hunters it surprised me. Blair contended that this story can be divided into "hawk" and "dove" versions, depending on whether the German(s) are said to behave violently or peacefully. It does not matter if Tomlinson engraved them or someone else did, exactly when they were made is not important, what matters is what is on them. July 3, 1947 James A Cravey, age 62, a retired photographer, was reported missing after he had chartered a helicopter June 19, 1947 to drop him off in the Superstition Mountains to look for the Lost Dutchmans Mine.