Walt Gassler II

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Walt Gassler II

Post by count »

Hi ES, <br> <br>There's 23 posts in the Walt Gassler thread, so I figured I'd start a new thread...the subject must have struck a chord! <br> <br>The subject of Waltz's caches is a fascinating one. He is alleged to have left 3 caches near or at the mine. Did he? Who knows for sure, but he seemed anxious in his later years to get back one last time into the mountains to bring something out. <br> <br>Walt Gassler speculated that Waltz (or the Mexicans)kept a cache on Peters Mesa, specifically in a rock house on the Mesa proper down in Gasslers Wash just west of Lost Ridge (Peters Dome) near the old "fire beds". Did Gassler find a cache here on his last trip out, run into trouble with Crazy Jake's cohorts and die from exertion on the way out? <br>Who knows, but its fun to think about the possiblities. <br> <br>Walt also spent a good part of 50 years off and on searching the area for a mine <br>(so did many others) and found NOTHING...food for thought.
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Post by count »

Well here's something funny: According to Tom Glovers' book, which I feel is the best to date, the "real" Roland Gassler didn't think there was much mystery about Walt's missing backpack. He thought it probably just was overlooked and buried with Walt. Excuse me?? Did they just chuck the body as-is into the grave without looking? Also, if I recall correctly, he said the pack was on the Sheriff's list of things found with the body, but was missing from the actual property returned to the family. So: It was there when the Sheriff collected the body, and it disappeared before the family claimed the posessions. Was the alleged chunk of gold that the faux Gassler Jr. had still in the pack when the Sheriff arrived, or had it been lifted by whoever had messed with Walt prior to his discovery? And why would the backpack disappear at all, rather than just its contents? <br>Which then brings us back to the question: why was Walt wearing a small day pack if he was still on his way up to the mesa? And why was it reported that way when Walts camp was later found set up and ransacked? There are a lot of very disturbing questions about Gassler's death that remain unanswered. <br> <br>At this late date it's easy and convenient to point the finger at Crazy Jake, but someone knows the truth. <br>Maybe they will come forth as yet another "anonymous" and reveal something.
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Post by count »

I also believe Dr Glovers book the most cogent work done yet on the LDM. His chapter on the ore analysis is worth the price of the book itself. <br> <br>That said, if you read the book carefully, there is a glaring omission throughout the work and I believe the chapter on Gassler is part of it. This is best illustrated on pages 302-303 <br>"Clues to the Mine". Whats wrong with that map? Could it be that the NORTHERN half of the Superstition Mountains is missing??? (Where there at at least as many "clues" referenced in LDM literature as the southern half..if not more). <br> <br> Now I wonder why.... <grin>
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Post by count »

Good question.
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Post by count »

My impression from reading Gassler's manuscript is that he was heavily influenced by Tex Barkley's findings and theories. He describes his first trip into the mountains, and Barkley's surprise that he made it to Peters Mesa. My conclusion was that he headed there based on talking with Tex, and of course his own research. <br> <br>Didn't he decide to go on his last trips into the mountains based on a book that he read? If I remember correctly, he happened to read someone's book, something clicked in his mind and he thought he finally had the solution. (sorry if I'm getting some details wrong; its been a while since I've read his manuscript). The interesting thing is that the new clues led him back up to Peters Mesa. So if you wanted to be skeptical, you might conclude that he was just making the new clues fit into a conclusion that he'd drawn decades earlier. Of course the other way of looking at it is that the new clues allowed him to narrow his search to a specific area. <br> <br>In his manuscript, Gassler describes several sites that he thought were significant. I'm sure people have tried to track them down, I just haven't heard that this has led to any new discoveries. I hiked up to Peters Mesa years ago after reading the manuscript, thinking it would be interesting to see the sites he describes. Unfortunately, it takes so long to get there, I didn't have much time left and didn't have much luck. Maybe you need a copy of the "Barkley Notes" (as opposed to the Bark Notes) to fill in the details? <br> <br>By the way Peter, from your posting it sounds like there are names for some of the sites on Peters Mesa. Are these your names, or are they commonly used by those in the know?
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Post by count »

I think I could teach a class entitled <br>The Gassler Manuscript 101...lol <br> <br>You are correct, Walt asked Tex about certain landmarks: an "Indian" circle of rock, a tree grove, three boulders shaped like gowahs (wickiups), a rock house, fire beds etc... Tex told him <br>that that sounded like Peters Mesa and off Walt went. Walt was apparently a strong hiker because he made it up to the Mesa and actually found some of those landmarks, much to Tex's surprise. <br>What is not commonly known is that Walt didn't learn of these clues on the sports page of his local newspaper...he spent a couple of years at the Bancroft Library at the Univ of California researching everything he could get his hands on about the LDM and the Superstitions (sounds like someone else I know..). It was only after he pieced together the jumble of clues and half facts that he tackled the mountain himself. <br> <br>So the answer is yes, Tex Barkley influenced him some, but Walt knew what he was looking for even before he met Tex. <br> <br>His last trips in were influenced by the Waltz "deathbed confession"; directions in a book called THE LOST DUTCHMAN MINE written by Bob Lee. This "confession" was the directions to the mine found in the Holmes Manuscript...apparently Lee had found a copy and included it in his book. <br> <br>Walt worked the directions until he thought they fit the area he was always <br>interested in : Peters Mesa. This sent him back into the mountains on two trips: <br>in May of '83 and the fateful trip in May of "84. <br> <br>As to names of landmarks on the Mesa, some I have taken from Walt Gassler, some from friends, some are homemade (forgive me if this offends some folks, buts its a hell of a lot easier to refer to something by name rather than saying "that long ridge heading northwest on the east end of the Mesa") <br> <br>Gassler himself called the long ridge up there Lost Ridge (it is also called Peters Dome), and I have always refered to it by that name. I have called the wash that runs west, south and then west again before emptying into Labarge Canyon(the one Walt thought the cache lay) Gasslers Wash in Walt's honor. <br>Theres other names I use refering to different landmarks - Havalina Canyon, <br>Trei Hugelchen, Soldiers Canyon etc... <br> <br>Someday I may get all the nicknames down on paper for folks to see, if anyone cares about stuff like that.
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Post by count »

Gassler's death in the mountains is indeed interesting. I have wondered myself about the logistics of the "day pack" and when gold - if any - would have been "lifted" out of it. If it was before the authorities showed up - then why did it "disappear" later if the gold was already gone? I too have heard rumors of Gassler having made a camp in the mountains on that trip in - thus indicating it was unlikely he died going in - but did exploring or going out. I had not heard that his camp was ransacked, though. I am interested in any details of that event if anyone knows... Also, I agree it is all too easy to point the finger at Crazy Jake. In this case, I really believe - despite being the low life that he was - that he had nothing to do with Gassler's death or any gold ore taken from his body. I tend to think (IMHO) that the "fake" Roland Gassler was operating on his own. Now, let us not forget that Glover also related that Don Shade (who is no longer with us) "saw" someone acting suspiciously near the site where Gassler's body was found. Shade kept his mouth shut because Glover perceived Shade was "afraid" of who it was that he saw. Crazy Jake? That's probably way too easy of an answer. Unfortunately we will never know. Was there gold? I believe a fake Roland Gassler showed gold to Tom Kollenborn. But whether it actually came out of Gassler's pack is unknown. It could have. But, then again, maybe not. I would like to think it did and that Gassler found a cache or a "rotting saddle bag" somewhere. With all the "evidence" in that area that Gassler and Tex Barkely discovered, it is compelling to think something had to be going on there in the past. However, as Peter pointed out, Gassler looked for almost 50 years on and off and found nothing. Others, as well, have combed that same area and found nothing. The list is extensive - the Petraschs, Brownie Holmes, Crazy Jake - you name it. They all looked there. All had the same result: nothing. Despite all that, for a variety of reasons, I firmly believe there was indeed a mine. Then where is it? I do not know. But, there was a source of gold somewhere in the mountains - and more than likely it was a mine.
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Post by count »

Thanks for the background on the names. <br> <br>When I commented that Walt seemed like he was influenced by Tex, the incident I had in mind was the one Walt described where he decided that he had had enough and was ready to stop searching in the mountains. Tex apparently made a comment along the lines of "you can't quit now, I'll show you some proof that the mine is up on Peters Mesa". But Tex didn't show it to him, because at that moment someone walked by. (anyone want to jump in and tell us what his proof was?) <br> <br>So if you wanted to be cynical, you might conclude that Tex was using Walt to follow up on leads, but not telling him all that he knew. He seemed to be only willing to show him this specific piece of information or finding in order to encourage him not to quit. Of course, this interpretation is unfair on my part since I obviously have never met either person. Just thinking out loud...
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Post by count »

In reference to Don Shade. Don lived at my place for many years and I spent alot of time talking Dutchman to him. He was a unique individual. I really do miss him. Don thought someone was watching him when he came upon Gassler,the someone he conjured up was a man that I packed into the mountains the same time Don was out there. This is the person he thought was there. While it is true that this man was dropped right across from where Gassler was found, I must say that Don was very paranoid about everything. I doubt anyone was watching or spying on him. The man was not seen ; however again. His name was Matt, That is what I remember. I would like to mention Don Shade was one of the most honest men I have ever met, paranoid ,yes, but honest.
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Post by count »

Apologies to everyone.The guys name was Mitch not Matt.
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Post by count »

Thats a relief...For a minute I thought it was the Matt posting on the forum, but his posts didnt seem to tag him as that type. lol <br> <br>Funny you should mention Don Shade, I was leafing through his book "Esperanza" <br>last night. Interesting, and it seems that Don did indeed march to a different drummer than the rest of us. <br>I'd recommend the book for those who want to see a different take on all things LDM
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Post by count »

In the "Unsolved Mysteries" TV program that was about Gassler's death, Don Shade was interviewed. This aired 10 or so years ago. From what Ron has said perhaps the whole thing is nothing more than Shade being paranoid. However, on the "Unsolved Mysteries" episode, Shade said that the description Tom Kollenborn gave of the fake Roland Gassler jibed with what the "mystery man" out in the mountains looked like. Ron, what are your thought on that? Any credence in his statement or was that just "color" Shade was throwing out there for the benefit of the TV crew to make the situation sound more interesting?
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Post by count »

Speaking more about Don Shade... He was indeed an interesting individual. I also have read his book and recommend it to anyone interested in the LDM and the mountains. However, when I read his book it reminded me of an ink blot test. There were all these pictures of things and obviously Shade saw something in them, but I'll be darned if I could. He'd have a picture of a rock formation and no caption to the picture. To him it was obvious that there was something there. That the formation looked like a horse's head or something. But, I couldn't make out anything. There were many pictures like that. I am also reminded of a book Charles Kenworthy wrote called "Spanish Treasure Signs and Monuments" or something to that effect. Most of the photos look like they were from the Superstitions. Kenworthy shows pictures of all these pointing rocks and balanced stones and implied they were markers and signs. Well, maybe... But, that kind of stuff is all over the mountains and I doubt that they were intentially set up that way. So, I think there is a lot of "reading too much" into things on his part. The Superstitions are so diverse in texture that you can find something that looks like anything. Meaning, are you looking for a rock formation that looks like a face or a head? Give me 15 minutes in the mountains in any canyon and I can find one. Regardless of the validity of Mr. Shade's or Mr. Kenworthy's theories, those books are entertaing and make for good reading.
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Post by count »

I agree with everything you said. Kenworthy's books in particular: if you look closely at many of the photos you'll see he touched them up with magic marker to make them look more like what he was describing. Lots of them ARE in the Superstitions, actually right along the main trails. For instance, the cave in the shape of a cross with a "pointer" rock wedged in it is on Bull Pass trail, heading up from the west. One rock that looked like a cartoon Indian with a huge nose is on the Dutchmans trail between Parker Pass and First Water. They all look much more natural (and less artificial) in person than they do in his books.
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