Lost Treasure Hunters in AZ

[gollum]

If you REALLY want to know about all the pluses and minuses regarding the DLM (I call it the Dutchman's Lost Mine because the other way infers that Waltz was lost, and he wasn't), there are really only three books you should get:

1. "The Lost Dutchman Mine ~ The Fabulous Story of the Seven Decade Search for the Hidden Treasure in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona" by Sims Ely Its' no longer in publication, and copies can be pretty expensive, BUT it is required reading.

2. Thomas Glover's Book "The Golden Dream (The Lost Dutchman Mine of Jacob Waltz)"

3. Helen Corbin's (Yes Atty General Bob Corbin's late wife) Book "The Bible on the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine and Jacob Waltz: A Pioneer History of the Gold Rush"

If you can read them and still tell me you think the DLM is BS, then I might think you're nuts but I won't give you crap. HAHAHA

Best-Mike

 

[Shortstack]

Well, I'll have to pass on reading those books. I've too much on my plate now and in the foreseeable future.
BUT, if YOU won't laugh at the KGC or the Ancients, I won't laugh at the DLM. Deal

 

[airborne1092]

I hope they are found alive. I hope they learn a valuable lesson from this incident.


Are any of them here on Tnet? Anyone know for sure?

 

[gollum]

Well, I'll have to pass on reading those books. I've too much on my plate now and in the foreseeable future.
BUT, if YOU won't laugh at the KGC or the Ancients, I won't laugh at the DLM. Deal

I'm not sure about the Ancients, but the KGC is another matter. I am actually pretty good friends with Roy Roush. He doesn't live too far from me (he lives in Encino Hills). He's getting on, but his mind is still sharp as a tack. I haven't talked to him in a while. I should give him a call.

Mike

 

[WilliamBoyd]

July 15:

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/local/mesa/missing-hikers-families-7-15-2010

We contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office to find out if it is possible
the men left the mountains on their own, and also asked if they could have
personal or business reasons for wanting to disappear.

 

[lastleg]

Wow! This thread has everything, drama, gold, John Wayne, Dean Miller,
Howard Hughes and Shortstack!

 

[lastleg]

Oh my lordy, William Boyd aka Hoppalong Cassidy!

 

[WilliamBoyd]

Hopalong Cassidy would not get lost in the Superstitions!

 

[WilliamBoyd]

The sheriff is scaling back the search.

From The Arizona Republic:

3 hikers on treasure hunt in Superstition Mountains feared dead

The lure of the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine has likely claimed three more lives.

Curtis Merworth, Malcolm Meeks and Ardean Charles left Salt Lake City on July 6
in search of the fabled lode of gold hidden in the Superstition Mountains east
of Apache Junction. Their vehicle was found at a trailhead July 11, but an exhaustive
search for the men has, so far, turned up empty.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/artic...ikers-searching-for-treasure-feared-dead.html

 

[TerryC]

I predict::::: they will be found alive and well. A bunch of lawmen will get on tv to say how silly they were to be playing games and doing this just "to add" to the LDM legend..... I hope, anyways..... TTC

 

[gollum]

While we all hope that is the case, every day looks a little dimmer. Its been over a week now and not looking too good.

While one guy might have gotten stuck out there with a serious medical condition, three are MUCH less likely.

With all three missing, it looks more and more like either they got caught in a mine or were the victims of foul play.

Mike

 

[fishdaddy]

maybe they found it

 

[bigscoop]

Given the extreme conditions of the region and the continued threat of lost lives, it seems to me that at some point there is going to have to be required survival & navigation courses that must be passed before permits are issued. Or is this unreasonable?

 

[truckinbutch]

Given the extreme conditions of the region and the continued threat of lost lives, it seems to me that at some point there is going to have to be required survival & navigation courses that must be passed before permits are issued. Or is this unreasonable?

We need no further regulation ! Callous of me ,I know ; but , Darwin will weed out the foolish .
You cannot protect people from themselves .

 

[extractor]

I hope there all right, but it don't look to good at this time frame. In the last year I have seen a lot of people out in the desert who IMO have no business out there. A good % of them have lost there income due to the economy. It's tough enough to hunt the desert in the cool months , but when it comes to summer temperatures out in AZ it makes the survival 100x more difficult. We will keep them and their familys in our prayers.

 

[gollum]

Given the extreme conditions of the region and the continued threat of lost lives, it seems to me that at some point there is going to have to be required survival & navigation courses that must be passed before permits are issued. Or is this unreasonable?

Maybe we could also put a six foot fence all the way along both sides of the Grand Canyon? That way, the stupid people (myself included HAHAHA) who want to hang over the edge for a photo op will be safe.

When do you think that little thing called "Individual Responsibility" might be brought into the equation? If a person can't look at themselves in a mirror and say "WOW, maybe I shouldn't wander into rugged 100+ temp mountainous places because I am old/fat/inexperienced/have medical problems/etc/etc/etc." then whatever happens will happen.

Best-Mike

 

[bigscoop]

Given the extreme conditions of the region and the continued threat of lost lives, it seems to me that at some point there is going to have to be required survival & navigation courses that must be passed before permits are issued. Or is this unreasonable?

Maybe we could also put a six foot fence all the way along both sides of the Grand Canyon? That way, the stupid people (myself included HAHAHA) who want to hang over the edge for a photo op will be safe.

When do you think that little thing called "Individual Responsibility" might be brought into the equation? If a person can't look at themselves in a mirror and say "WOW, maybe I shouldn't wander into rugged 100+ temp mountainous places because I am old/fat/inexperienced/have medical problems/etc/etc/etc." then whatever happens will happen.

Best-Mike

Of the people you see out there, if you were to guess, how many of them do you think have the required skills? 10%, 20%? I

 

[gollum]

Depends on what you mean by "out there". People on day hikes along delineated trails are about 75-80% capable. If you are talking about deep in the mountains, there are very few people who venture too far into those places. They may stick their toes in the water (so to speak), but when they hit a canyon that is choked with house sized boulders and a ton of Cholla they mostly turn back pretty quickly.

In the more desolate and rugged places in the mountains, the greatest majority of the people who have the ability to make it in that far are also pretty likely to be able to make it back out. And usually, the smart ones carry a SPOT GPS Locator with them. Cheap insurance if things turn bad.

The problem with the Superstitions is that you may be on a marked tourist trail, but one wrong turn and some walking and you might be someplace you don't want to be.

Mike

 

[Shortstack]

Every spring and summer, there are some number of tourists campers washed away by flash floods in the Phoenix (Sun) Valley. They insist on setting up camp in low lying areas DISPITE there being very large signs warning people to NOT camp there. These signs will even explain that the floods come from rain far back in the mountains and NOT from local rainfall. But, every year there are slickers who refuse to follow the recommendations of the folks who know. And pay the price.

Also, there are dirt bike riders who sometimes drop into open mine shafts. But, that's another story.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

I don't know if this was mentioned - if it was and I missed or forgot it, please forgive me.

The gentleman that "got lost" last year did not get lost. He was out in the Supes, and he could not make it back to the trailhead by dark, so
he decided to make camp for the night, and he hiked out the next day - on his own. (into the waiting arms of the rescue folks).

Originally, the articles said he was lost, but more recent article, and the posts that his family has made, says these are the facts.

Because of that, they decided NOT to camp out, but to make day-trips and stay at a motel at night. Something happened, we do not know what.

I find it strange that 3 people disappear at the same time - it is baffling.

But, like some others have said, we have gone to the mountains and found folks in sneakers, a small little water bottle, shorts, tank tops, running, hiking - if they had an fall, they would not be prepared.

I like that advice - more that 75 yards from the car - prepare to spend the night. Good advice - for many areas.


Beth