Strange Tree Markings from old Colorado ghost town. Any ideas?

[Gimmie The Loot]

Hey guys - This summer I visited a site of an old logging town in Colorado from the late 1800's. This site, had a bank, school, saloon, mill, round house and up to 500 people at its peak. Its hard to believe because it is all gone now except for random planks of wood, foundations, shards of blue and green glass everywhere, and scraps of tin and sheet metal.
The town was in this valley along the narrow gauge train tracks and when I hiked up to the ridge above the site, I noticed some real big trees about 50 feet apart for about 500 feet. On the back sides of each of these trees, facing out into the woods, were strange carvings in them with a flat spot on the bottom and coming up to a point. Almost as if to be a place to stand something inside. I am wondering if they placed a figurine of a saint or something to "protect" the towns people from Indians, bears, or spirits. What do you think? I tried to detect everywhere within a 100ft radius of each tree in case it was a treasure marker but I didn't find anything besides a handsaw medallian that dates to the 1870s. Did Indians make these kind of carvings in trees?

Any ideas or appreciated. Thanks!

[RGINN]

I have never heard of anyone placing saints in a tree for protection. For one thing it doesn't work. I have seen that same type of decay in other old dead trees, but in your pic there appears some chopping took place inside the cavity. Do some research on the area and maybe you can come up with some good leads, and there should be some interesting finds in the area. I wonder if those folks were bummed out to be living in a 'logging' town in Colorado in the late 1800's instead of in the gold fields?

[Gimmie The Loot]

I have never heard of anyone placing saints in a tree for protection. For one thing it doesn't work. I have seen that same type of decay in other old dead trees, but in your pic there appears some chopping took place inside the cavity. Do some research on the area and maybe you can come up with some good leads, and there should be some interesting finds in the area. I wonder if those folks were bummed out to be living in a 'logging' town in Colorado in the late 1800's instead of in the gold fields?

Hey RGINN - thanks for the reply. From what I have read about the town, they were an upbeat bunch that had a nice community. I guess a lot of the problems gold camps had IE violence, theft, jealousy, were not as prevalent in logging towns.

[Old Dog]

I have seen trees hit by lightning that had the bottom of the trunk blown out like that.

[Shortstack]

I have seen trees hit by lightning that had the bottom of the trunk blown out like that.

And any experienced hikers / campers would chop out some of that exposed trunk material for campfire kindling.

[Mr.Jody]

Looks to me thats recent chopping....like SS says, someone needed some fire starter..

[CanadianTrout]

Maybe I'm wrong but.... why would one go through the work of all that chopping when there appears to be lots of fire starter laying around ready for pickup? Also I dont think that chopping is as recent as you indicate. Doesn't it look yellowed and aged?

[Shortstack]

CT,
Campers would naturally use loose tree limbs that are laying around, but pieces of that inner tree trunk would be used as the center mass / kindling to help get the fire started plus, it would last longer that the few limbs in the immediate area. A good, commen sense campfire is a SMALL, hot fire for cooking, not necessarily for keeping warm and that inner tree material would make a much better bed of coals. The Indians used to laugh their a---s off at the Euro-whites for the way they would waste fire material. But,that's another story. LOL

[desertmoons]

I noticed some real big trees about 50 feet apart for about 500 feet. On the back sides of each of these trees, facing out into the woods, were strange carvings in them with a flat spot on the bottom and coming up to a point.

A couple of things occur to me....Why were they not cut down in early years? They are big,,are they the biggest trees around? In a row and seem to be among the aspen.

So they were not cut down..like so many were in areas like that. You know the mountain sides were denuded. They did not leave trees standing as far as I know... So perhaps they were left on purpose if they are of the size that would indicate old growth.

Perhaps they indicated a boundary line, or perhaps somehow used as an endpoint for something..
Are there ligature marks on them? Could they have been used as a support for something laying on the ground?


Also up on that ridge might be a nice place for the homestead of the "rich guy".

What lovely pictures! I can smell that pine air...as I look at them. So much fun to tramp about places like that.

[Mr.Jody]

I could be wrong, but it appears recent chopping, "lighter" ,sap all in the center of that tree, just my opinion.Its looks recent to me compared to the rest of the tree...

[Klondikeike]

Hey Gimmie The Loot,

While everyone here has some valid points.... and each one has some merit....I have an acquaintance in a Mr. Stephen Shaffer, of Utah, near Salt Lake City... he is a well known authority on Spanish signs..... The Spanish used a lot of symmetrical symbols, like diamonds cut into a tree... a diamond in the Spanish sign language meant a distance or measurement...and was 1 league..or 2 1/5 miles... and elongated diamond, with one side larger than the rest was a directional sign..... with the larger side pointing the direction to go 1 or 2 or 3 leagues...depending on how many dianonds were carved into the trees...and so on... he has probably 3,000 or more different pictures of Spanish signs he has found carved in trees and rocks all over Nevada, Utah and Colorado....

You may want to look Mr. Shaffer up through a Goggle search... he has asked I not give his phone number out...

He has written 5 books on the subject of Spanish signs on trees and rocks and rock formations as part of the old Spanish Padre sign language... once you have contacted him, send him your pics...he'll know right away what you have...or don't have... He is a great guy ... When I visit his house, I feel like I am walking through a time capsule...or a museum... he has so many Spanish artifacts in his home.... and so many, many more in his vault... all located by knowing and understanding the Spanish Sign Language...

Hope that helps and good luck...

Klondike...

[Shortstack]

I binged him and got 1,440,000 hits....................which is he? The first 10 didn't mention any authorship.

[Old Dog]

Sorry,
I haven't heard of him either.
Can you please post links to any of his work??
Thanks in advance.

[rangler]

Its Steven B Shaffer,
author and treasure hunter from Utah, written a couple of books, I have read his "of men and gold" before, I always pick up a couple of nuggets from him.
While not a definitive code book or anything this is a man who writes from boots on the ground,.
Stephen B ...[/url]
from amazon.
Author Steve B Shaffer brings to light stories of lost gold and silver mines carved out of the earth by Spaniards and Mexicans. Other stories tell of modern miners and their quest for hidden wealth in the hundreds of mountains and valleys of the West. While some treasure seekers have been rewarded with fabulous wealth, others have known only grief and disappointment.

Explore the vast Uinta Mountains and their rich mining heritage. Learn of long-lost mines that few treasure hunters have even heard of. Discover the secret of the Lost Rhodes Mine and the real story of the Lost Josephine Mine. Find out where to look for treasure and buried mines in Utah’s desert country.
[img]http://[/img]
Utah’s Lost Mines and Treasures features many photos and sketches—published here for the first time—and reveals long-forgotten cryptic and decoded treasure signs. This book, a treasure trove itself, is an essential asset for every adventurer and treasure hunter.
About the Author

Stephen B. Shaffer was born in Salt Lake City in 1947. At age sixteen, he left home, looking for adventure. Eventually, he became friends with several members of the Ute Tribe in the Roosevelt, Utah, area. Stephen learned a great deal from his new friends and grew to love and appreciate their knowledge and wisdom.
http://<font color="blue">http://www...cad=rja</font>
Stephen has written several books about ancient civilizations in the West and about Spanish miners in early Utah, including La Mina del Yutas, Nachi, and Of Men and Gold,Treasures of the Ancients. Stephen can be seen in the documentaries Tops of the Mountains and The Golden Rhoades.

Stephan is a Vietnam Vet and an ex-Ranger in the 1st Infantry Div.
Anytime you go out on a limb and tell the truth, you get many who try to blow you out of the water and this is true for Stephan as well.
His books are worth buying for anyone, who wants to learn all they can from all sources they can.
hope this helps
rangler
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thanks Bill for the heads up on broken link think I got a good one there now..gots to his other Book "out of the dust" a good read also

[Shortstack]

rangler,
That link doesn't work, but I'll go to Amazon and search his name. Thanks for the information.

[tesoro dog]

Hey Guys! This is Steve Shaffer's website www.ancienttreasurehunter.com, he is a very nice guy and very helpful! td

[CanadianTrout]

Hey TD, what a great web site. I have never heard of this guy but I thoroughly enjoyed the whole site. Especially the artifacts etc with Olgam and Egyptian writting, the "ancient" pieces etc all found in North America.

Wicked!

[Shortstack]

You are welcomed, rangler. And, TDog, I now have that site bookmarked and will read it later. to both of you.