Wilderness Trips

[charlie]

I am planning to visit three areas in Arizona in the fall of 2003. Two are in the Coronado National Forest and the third is in the Tonto National Forest-Superstition Wilderness.

I am relying my hunting talents on trail markers identified by Charles Kenworthy and the Peralta-Fish Map in Glover's book. In particular, I would love to find the "Caverna del Oro." However, how do I know I am using the trail markers properly and I have found the mine's location?

After reading reprints of Mitchell's books on lost mines in the southwest and on the frontier, originally written in 1936 and 1954, I focussed on two obvious mines. The Escalante (northeast of Tucson) and the "la Purisima concepcion" (south/southwest of Tubac) would show me if I can learn to use and follow trail markers. Both mines are reported to have metal doors.

The la Purisima Concepcion is reported to have been sealed with an old Spanish lock. The mine was abandoned because of Indians raiding the area. Several people operating the mine were killed, including some of the Jesuit Friars from the nearby Tumacacori Mission.

The Escalante is reported to be south of the Coranada del Oro. It was reported that a raiding party of Apachees killed people around the mine and ripped the doors off the mine and dragged them into the wilderness. No one reported burying the mine entrance.

If time allows, I will seek the "Caverna del Oro" based upon my estimates of where I think it should be and aerial photographs taken from publically available images that are sensitive to 1 meter per pixel.

Suggestions, ideas, warnings are welcomed.

I am also interested in: logs or journals of past trips; estimates of the number of trips into the Superstitions seeking the LDM; number of active seekers currently entering the Superstitions; and anything that should be known by any crazy person seeking the LDM.

Thank you.