Fishing thread on George Osteens Ute Mountain gold cave

[UncleMatt]

Fishing thread on George Osteen's Ute Mountain gold cave

Hi All,
I have relatives living in Cortez, CO, and they asked me to find out anything I could on the tale of George Osteen finding a cave with many gold bars on Ute Mountain. I have this story in Glenn Carson's A Guide to Treasure in Colorado, but also know it was published in the May 1972 edition of Treasure World Magazine. If you have that story from Treasure World I would love to see it posted, or have it sent to me in a PM.

Basically the story goes that George was being attacked by Utes while prospecting on Ute Mountain. He fled above the cloud line, and broke into the clear on the mountain. He saw a cave big enough to take his mule, and he entered. Inside he found many very heavy gold bars. He had to spend more time fighting off Utes, and was knocked out by a ricochet. When he woke up, Utes were gone, so he took some bars and made his way to Farmington, NM to the south. He tried to return, but was unable to reach the cave due to Ute attacks. In 1935 he tried once again to access the mountain, but was refused access by tribal police.

Please post any alternate versions you have heard, or any other forms of evidence on this you may have.

Thanks!

 

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[UncleMatt]

Dang, fish aren't biting!

 

[UncleMatt]

my thanks to grantler for offering to send me a copy of the Treasure World article all the way from Germany! YOU ROCK!

 

[Crow]

Ah Matt my friend fishing can be a bit of a waiting game.... Do have more bait my friend? Old Crow needs a little more than a worm these days

Do ya have at date of when this alleged cave was discovered? As a guess the Utes was on the warpath around 1879-1880? I looked at the name George Osteen. I thought it was rather a rare name however there is many people by that name. But which one if any is connected to the story?

Sady need more to go on...Perhaps grantler will come to the rescue?

Crow

 

[UncleMatt]

1890 is the date in the book I have for the year he found the cave. I tried to track George down on Ancestry.com, but came up empty. And even though the Utes may not have been on the warpath at that time, that doesn't mean they didn't represent a threat to lone individuals they found on their lands.

 

[doc-d]

Most here are lost as to what bait to entice the resident Crow in posting more info……..now he is alcoholic supplement free on his training program, all seems lost…….well almost…..

 

[grantler]

@UncleMatt
Copies are made and will go out on Monday have one on me .
grantler

 

[UncleMatt]

Thanks, I am hoping there are more details than I have in my book version. But I'm betting they will be almost exactly the same.

 

[lastleg]

UM

Glen use to run in W&E every month. I had a hard time focusing as he was so repetitive, almost
like counting the word quota. Reading the whole article was grueling. I'm sure he included a few
windies in his book.

 

[UncleMatt]

The story says George was ascending the north-west flank of Ute Mountain when he saw a "ten foot tall cave".

Does anyone know what kind of access is possible to this mountain? I have contacts at the tribe I will try to get in touch with on that front.

 

[UncleMatt]

Supposedly when George Osteen was able to reach Farmington, Kit Carson himself saw to it that he was taken care of. I imagine something about George's arrival in town would have made it to the newspapers there, so I am going to check out that angle.

 

[Crow]

Hello Matt

The famous Kit Carson?



Crow

 

[Gold Maven]

Found this Ute Mountain pic. on line.

 

[UncleMatt]

Yes, Crow, THE Kit Carson. I'm hoping that his involvement might have made the Farmington Newspaper interested enough to print something about Osteen's arrival there.

 

[Crow]

Hello Matt

Thats a good start as Kit Carson died in 23 of May 1868. So the event with George Osteen if it happened must of happened before his death.

Crow

 

[UncleMatt]

Thanks for the heads up on the date of death of Carson! I was unaware! I guess this indicates the whole story might be a bunch of hooey, since 1890 was supposedly the year George found this cave! I am waiting to see the article from that treasure magazine that gantler is sending me, maybe Glen Carson got the dates wrong.

 

[UncleMatt]

Other than Glen Carsons book I already mentioned above, and the article from Treasure World May 1972, does anyone know of any other sources for this story?

 

[Crow]

Ah ha! I have some thing for ya Matt.



This is George w Osteen a poor farmer listed in 1860. what you might find interesting he had a young son same name. perhaps the son or grandson went to look for it in 1935

Crow

 

[UncleMatt]

The only thing is, his middle initial is supposedly H...

But thanks for trying on my behalf! Let me know if you come up with anything else on this. Also, a treasure is supposedly buried somewhere near McElmo Creek near Cortez there, so keep your eyes peeled for stuff on that tale too!

 

[Crow]

Hello Matt

Looking through various files there no one exactly by that name George H Osteen and none recorded living in Colorado or anywhere in united States prior to 1940. The only recorded ones that may have a connection is what was posted above. Whoever this alleged George H Osteen was. and if he was connected to kit Carson. The event would of happened before 1868.

I will keep a look out for ya but sadly tend see red flags with this legends. unless more substantial information comes along.

Crow