Last week end my brother & I went to the desert to check out the bloom. On Saturday we camped at Vallecito and went on a hike north into the Ghost Mtns. We were in a wash to the east of Smuggler canyon and came upon a hole about 8 feet deep. There were buckets, dust masks, a pick axe, and trash around from a camp. We continued up the wash and we turned around when we heard some people yell up ahead. I didn't have a map with park lines but I am pretty sure this was on state park property. Any one know if this is on park land for this would be an illegal site.
Illegal Site in Anza Borrego Park?
- Thread starter jdchain
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Tom_in_CA
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Well, if it was on state park land, then technically, the answer to your question is, they probably can't metal detect there. Or I suppose if they split hairs enough, they could say they were only "casually" detecting for "modern" coins. (or were looking for meteorites, or their lost boyscout ring, etc...).
I've detected state parks and beaches before, and not had a problem. But if you're snooping around obvious historical landmarks, or making a nuisance of yourself (like big holes, as in the scene you saw), that may incite some ranger to pull rules out of a hat, that he would otherwise have never have paid attention to you.
You mention a deep hole, dust masks, and the name "smugglers canyon". I'm betting you stumbled upon some hispanic men chasing some superstition, story, etc.... Where I'm at in CA is a lot of immigrants from Mexico (d/t the agriculture/labor jobs here). So I'm well familiar with their culture, when it comes to treasures, superstition, etc... They are all convinced that you need a gas or dust mask, lest fumes from freshly excavated gold choke you to death. Kind of comical. They're all convinced there's treasures in every cave and back yard in Mexico (and I suppose any ghost story they hear here too).
I've detected state parks and beaches before, and not had a problem. But if you're snooping around obvious historical landmarks, or making a nuisance of yourself (like big holes, as in the scene you saw), that may incite some ranger to pull rules out of a hat, that he would otherwise have never have paid attention to you.
You mention a deep hole, dust masks, and the name "smugglers canyon". I'm betting you stumbled upon some hispanic men chasing some superstition, story, etc.... Where I'm at in CA is a lot of immigrants from Mexico (d/t the agriculture/labor jobs here). So I'm well familiar with their culture, when it comes to treasures, superstition, etc... They are all convinced that you need a gas or dust mask, lest fumes from freshly excavated gold choke you to death. Kind of comical. They're all convinced there's treasures in every cave and back yard in Mexico (and I suppose any ghost story they hear here too).
pegleglooker
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hey guys,
I go to Anza quite a bit and have a good friend of mine who is a park ranger and lives within 2-3 miles from Vallecito. He has told me on several occasions that many people try to dig up whatever, back in that area. The place you describe is park land and it is VERY illegal to dig or even metal detect. You may be able to detect beaches or " some " state parks, however I can promise you that Anza is OFF LIMITS....... In saying this, there are people who know that there are just a few rangers, and will go out and try not to get caught. If you are caught, it is a MAJOR deal, they can take your detector, go to your house and take ALL reference material, then press charges.... Then jail time.If you know the exact area, you should contact the ranger office and let them know. It helps hold some THR's in better light..
There is a story about a old bank robber who lived at the stage station after Butterfield closed the route. It was said that he buried 2 " olla's " full of coins not far from the station. This could be what they were looking for... Please post anything else you hear on this... I'm interested...
PLL
I go to Anza quite a bit and have a good friend of mine who is a park ranger and lives within 2-3 miles from Vallecito. He has told me on several occasions that many people try to dig up whatever, back in that area. The place you describe is park land and it is VERY illegal to dig or even metal detect. You may be able to detect beaches or " some " state parks, however I can promise you that Anza is OFF LIMITS....... In saying this, there are people who know that there are just a few rangers, and will go out and try not to get caught. If you are caught, it is a MAJOR deal, they can take your detector, go to your house and take ALL reference material, then press charges.... Then jail time.If you know the exact area, you should contact the ranger office and let them know. It helps hold some THR's in better light..
There is a story about a old bank robber who lived at the stage station after Butterfield closed the route. It was said that he buried 2 " olla's " full of coins not far from the station. This could be what they were looking for... Please post anything else you hear on this... I'm interested...
PLL
golddigger14s
Sr. Member
All of the Borrego area is a State park. Large hole and dust masks, I would say drywasher. I don't think tere is any gold in that area though?
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Hey PPL, I did hear about what you mentioned about the gold ollas from the Vallecito site. From what I have found the only witness of the guy leaving Vallecito with the gold was an Indian lady who said he rode off to the southwest into what was Potrero canyon that is now Treasure canyon. When we went hiking last week end we went to the north of the campground. We crossed the road from Vallecito, headed to the left a bit, followed an old road up a little, and then headed up a wash to the hills. We just wanted to get some exercise and hike up to the top of Ghost mountain. On the way up there were stacked stones as markers placed by someone. I know that who ever was up there was not Mexican for I can speak a little Spanish and what was yelled out was English with not a hint of an accent. After hearing what sounded like some one yelling to some one else that some one was coming we just turned around. From reading around this site meeting up with strangers out in the desert is not a good idea at all. I know that the hole in the wash was to the west of Smuggler canyon for we had a GPS unit. We either did not have the settings right or just did not know how to use it correctly for the state park lines did not show up.
pegleglooker
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Hey jdchain,
Good call on letting everyone know... I thought about for awhile and then I thought it's best to call my friend ( state ranger ) and let him know. He said he would take a look at it today or tomorrow. He was also quick to say thank you. It seems that this happens more than you know. He said he would apprecite any info from people that see anything suspicious.
The Vallecito story has been written in a number books and magazine's. You're right about the witness being a lady- it was his girlfriend- and she stayed in the stage station while he buried it. In Desert mag there was a story about a THR in the 60's that went out took look for the treasure and found a lot pottery shards but no gold. The guy was a bandit that was looking to quit and return back to Mexico. So he buried all his holdings, but died in the station without letting his girlfriend know where it was. I have heard from several people, that there are cairns making a path... but where does it lead ?? That might be a good little hike.....
Please keep me posted if you go out ... OH don't forget some pixs
PLL
Good call on letting everyone know... I thought about for awhile and then I thought it's best to call my friend ( state ranger ) and let him know. He said he would take a look at it today or tomorrow. He was also quick to say thank you. It seems that this happens more than you know. He said he would apprecite any info from people that see anything suspicious.
The Vallecito story has been written in a number books and magazine's. You're right about the witness being a lady- it was his girlfriend- and she stayed in the stage station while he buried it. In Desert mag there was a story about a THR in the 60's that went out took look for the treasure and found a lot pottery shards but no gold. The guy was a bandit that was looking to quit and return back to Mexico. So he buried all his holdings, but died in the station without letting his girlfriend know where it was. I have heard from several people, that there are cairns making a path... but where does it lead ?? That might be a good little hike.....
Please keep me posted if you go out ... OH don't forget some pixs
PLL
ziphius
Hero Member
My coworker was camping three weeks ago in Anza Borrego, near Borrego Mountain. He said that an SUV pulled up in full daylight, four guys got out, grabbed detectors out of the back, then proceeded to scour a rocky hillside for 45 minutes before getting back in their car. Maybe $1000 an ounce gold has got every kook in creation coming out of the woodwork?
pegleglooker
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Hello ziphuis,
I hear ya, the problem the park runs into is nobody knows for sure where the park ends up the hills...Is it all the way to the top? Halfway? Just past the bottom ?? So if you are up the hill I guess they can't say too much. There was a thread here of a guy who found nearly a 4 oz spiral nugget NW of Borrego Springs using a detector and no one said anything....Just be REAL careful, some of the rangers will warn you ONCE. Others will not....
PLL
I hear ya, the problem the park runs into is nobody knows for sure where the park ends up the hills...Is it all the way to the top? Halfway? Just past the bottom ?? So if you are up the hill I guess they can't say too much. There was a thread here of a guy who found nearly a 4 oz spiral nugget NW of Borrego Springs using a detector and no one said anything....Just be REAL careful, some of the rangers will warn you ONCE. Others will not....
PLL
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