Walter Gassler May 3, 1902 - May 4, 1984

Matthew Roberts

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Apr 27, 2013
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Thirty-two years ago today Walter Gassler, a noted Dutchman Mine hunter died while searching for the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. Walter had searched for the mine for half a century and was sure he had found it and was going into the mountains to prove his mine was indeed the Dutchman. Walter was found dead on May 4, 1984 along the Peters Mesa trail just above Charleboise spring.

Walter Gassler believed the mine was on the Peters Mesa/Pistol Canyon area. He established a camp in a Laurel grove of trees on the west side of the North Peters Mesa dome. Walter left a wonderful manuscript of his life and searches in the Superstitions and he is missed today by all who knew him and Dutch hunters everywhere.

Walter Gassler 1934.jpg

Walter Gassler search area.jpg

Walter Gassler's mine area.JPG

Cinnabar (Mercury) Peters Mesa.JPG

Gold sample Peters Mesa x.JPG

Gold sample Peters Mesa xx.JPG

Walter Gassler mine.jpg
 

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Hal Croves

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Sep 25, 2010
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Thirty-two years ago today Walter Gassler, a noted Dutchman Mine hunter died while searching for the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. Walter had searched for the mine for half a century and was sure he had found it and was going into the mountains to prove his mine was indeed the Dutchman. Walter was found dead on May 4, 1984 along the Peters Mesa trail just above Charleboise spring.

Walter Gassler believed the mine was on the Peters Mesa/Pistol Canyon area. He established a camp in a Laurel grove of trees on the west side of the North Peters Mesa dome. Walter left a wonderful manuscript of his life and searches in the Superstitions and he is missed today by all who knew him and Dutch hunters everywhere.

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A great post Matthew Roberts.
 

gollum

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Jan 2, 2006
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Great post Matthew. Glad to see you posting again!

Mike
 

cactusjumper

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Dec 10, 2005
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Arizona
Matthew,

Peter's Mesa has been a popular search area for many years now. I would say, it's been searched from "pillar to post". There is an old trail that zig-zags up the east side of the mesa. Believe it started out as a game trail and got some, more recent, use by Native Americans. I believe there are still some folks searching up there to this day.

Some believe that could be where John Chunning's 7-mile trail ended up. Believe there are still traces of that trail to be seen today.

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo
 

deducer

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Jan 7, 2014
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Matthew,

Peter's Mesa has been a popular search area for many years now. I would say, it's been searched from "pillar to post". There is an old trail that zig-zags up the east side of the mesa. Believe it started out as a game trail and got some, more recent, use by Native Americans. I believe there are still some folks searching up there to this day.

Some believe that could be where John Chunning's 7-mile trail ended up. Believe there are still traces of that trail to be seen today.

Good luck,

Joe Ribaudo


Have you been up there, Joe? Just wondering.
 

EarnieP

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Jul 20, 2015
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Wonder where Gollum is lately, haven't seen Mike post in a while?
Hope he's found the mother-lode and has been busy cashing in.
 

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