The Lost Adams Diggings

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The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by oroblanco »

The Lost Adams Diggings - one of the most famous lost mines of the American southwest; somewhere in the rugged and remote country along the Arizona-New Mexico border, an incredibly rich gold mine is hidden. Hundreds have searched for this lost mine without success.

<from Wiki article, link below>
Canyon of Gold
In 1864, a teamster named Adams (no sources disclose his first name) and some prospectors in Gila Bend, Arizona were approached by a Mexican Indian named Gotch Ear, who offered to show them a canyon filled with gold only 10 days ride away. The miners accepted and together they rode to find the gold. They crossed a road on the way which Gotch Ear said would lead back to Fort Wingate, and that they should remember it so they could go back that way for supplies when needed. They soon arrived at a canyon with a blind entrance. At the bottom of a Z-shaped narrow canyon trail they found a creek rich with gold.

The men paid Gotch Ear and began panning for gold. However, a force of Apaches, led by a chief named Nana, confronted the miners. Nana allowed them to mine the creek, provided they did not venture up past the waterfall. The miners obeyed at first, but eventually several miners began mining near the waterfall and discovered two rich veins of gold. The diggings were very rich, with some gold nuggets described as being the size of hens’ eggs.
<A photo believed to be Apache chief Nana>
Image

The miners stored their gold under a stone in the hearth of the cabin they built near the creek. One miner, a German, kept his gold separate. He soon collected all the gold he wanted and left the camp.

Some of the miners were sent to Fort Wingate for more supplies. When this group did not return after eight days, Adams and a man named Davidson rode out to investigate. From the top of the Z-shaped trail, they found five dead men and three dead horses, all that was left of the party that had set out for the fort. Adams and Davidson then returned to their cabin by the creek and found that the Apaches had returned, set fire to their cabin and killed the remaining miners. Adams and Davidson narrowly escaped and walked twelve days through the desert until they stumbled on an army patrol, which took them to the nearest fort. Davidson died there. It was 10 years until Adams overcame his fear and returned to New Mexico to look for the diggings. Adams spent the rest of his life trying to relocate the hidden canyon.

Wikipedia article where this extract came from;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Adams_Diggings


The miners had buried a coffee pot full of gold under the hearth stone, the pot was so heavy that none of them could lift it. The description and landmarks are not specific enough to narrow down the search area much. There have been quite a few persons whom have claimed to have found the Lost Adams, often having found a zig-zag canyon, burnt ruins of maybe a cabin, twin peaks, etc but no gold. Adams kept one nugget which he showed to many people, a lump of gold the size of a hen's egg!

I am one of those who has gone looking for the zigzag canyon, and like all the rest failed to find the Lost Adams. I am convinced that it could be found however, by a lot of research, legwork, and a large portion of good luck. Some have claimed that treasure hunter John Mitchell found the Lost Adams, and removed the coffeepot full of gold; (a zigzag canyon and campsite was found, with a short section of RR rail, Mitchell was a railroad man) however as the canyon had NO gold left in it, I remain un-convinced.

Anyone have any pet theories? Thank you in advance,
Oroblanco

Very good article with geology, history etc
http://www.thegeozone.com/treasure/new_ ... nm002a.jsp

The Lost Adams
http://www.theoutlaws.com/gold2.htm
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by coazon de oro »

Hey Roy, I sure would like to have the time and money to go look for this one. What I think is that there wasn't that much gold laying around, since seven men only supposably managed to fill a coffee pot over the time they were there. That's even after claiming to find the veins. Maybe they got most of it? Sounds like it was a vein of lode gold that got cut by the stream somewhere uphill on the narrow part of the canyon. I don't know if there would still be tree stumps where they built the cabin after all this years. Probably all overgrown by now. The good thing about this is that if found, it can be claimed. Homar
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by oroblanco »

Hola amigo,

We don't know how long a time it took for those men, and remember they were working with hand tools only - no backhoes etc so to accumulate a coffeepot full that was guessed to be at least 200 pounds, suggests a pretty good placer. Also some of the men were not even mining but working on the cabin at least part of the time. That coffeepot of gold would be worth close to $3 million today, (gold at $1205 per oz today, 5-9-2010) to me that is a fortune. Of course with our inflation the way it has gone, that amount will buy a 'middlin' used car in a couple more years, or at least the down payment on one! ( :shock: :o :D haha)

They have made several "wildernesses" in the general area that could be where it is, but geologically the odds are against it being in the wilderness areas as they have been tested by USGS for minerals before they could be declared wilderness. It is against the wilderness act to include mineralized areas within the boundaries of a wilderness, though they have not followed that rule in some places.

There are some pretty wild theories in circulation about this one too, such as that there never was a Lost Adams at all, it was a cover story for a huge KGC operation. Based on the early newspaper accounts however I think the basic story is true, the problem was in Adams inability to find the place again. We might note that he often went to Silver City when he would go looking (which would be odd if it were all just a cover story) so I suspect that place he did recognize as a landmark on the road to the mine.

Good luck and good hunting amigo, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Roy
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by coazon de oro »

Hey Roy, I hadn't done the math on this one. Your estimates seem to be in the ball park. Any average man should be able to lift 100+ lbs. It would be around the 200 lbs. mark that the average man would have difficulties. 3 million by 7, even for a whole year of work is very lucrative. I'm feeling a fever coming down. Are you still searching for this gold? Homar
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by oroblanco »

Hola amigo!
No not actively searching for it, though there is still a place I plan to check out when we get back to AZ it is well south of the "accepted" area where everyone looks. A key problem for some guys has been the location of Fort Wingate - it was moved, and the "new" location is not where it was in the 1860's when Adams was there. So that has been a major handicap for some LAD hunters. <You know that clue about "four days from Ft Wingate" if you start from the wrong location of the fort, and figure four days from there you can be WAY off>

The amount of gold they accumulated might sound more impressive if we consider that they may have only been working at it a few days! They had started from the Colorado river and it was ten days travel from there, so how much food did they bring along? It must not have been much, certainly not enough for a whole season and they were not concerned because it was only four days to another fort where they could buy more. I would bet they had only worked a few days to a week. After all, Adams himself was hazy on how long it actually took to get there, anywhere from 8 to 20 days, longer than what Gotch-ear had said. Plus we know they had no equipment larger than a #2 shovel, working with a sluice maybe 10 cu.yds/day, or rockers maybe half that - if only pans were all they had for equipment, the pay gravel had to have been very rich!

The name of the canyon, that chief Nana gave Adams was "Sno-ta-hay" and that it was once Navajo land, which leads most LAD hunters to search well north and often into the Malpais which is very poor country for gold. They don't consider that Navajos country was much larger in early days than it was by the 1860's, which is how that canyon had a Navajo name even though the Indians they encountered were Apaches. This is what is giving me the notion that maybe everyone is looking just too far north. Plus that key landmark, the "twin peaks" which Gotch-ear called "Piloncillos" well there is a mountain range with that very name (means "sugar cones") and you know where it is - south of where everyone has been looking for the LAD.

I would be interested in hearing your ideas, theories etc and this goes for anyone reading our discussion. However one word of caution to our readers - if you are going to tell us that you have found the LAD by using Google Earth, I am going to want to see some GOLD. :mrgreen:

Good luck and good hunting amigo, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by silent hunter »

Hey Roy check out my Zuni thread> In my opinion I have located the area(Zig Zag canyon and the bald mountain) and have samples to prove there is gold in the lower part and more course gold in the upper part of that area
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

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I can find the canyon with google earth!!!! LOL And those twin peaks were just a land mark along the journey they made there way using them as a land mark. The acual water way doesn't even flow now it is dry. This canyon I found is acually a crack in the earth were a volcano had formed. Then as fast as the cone formed steam colasped the cone and left the fault fracture. We all no what is left behind when that happens. One problem1!!! The canyon is owned by someone who doesnt even know what it is. The lease is up next year and the goverment is not renewing the lease. It is being sold off as lots and im first on the list to purchase. I will be taking money partners to help fund the 100 acres at $700.00 per acre. It has other bennifits as well. There is history just below the surface and all items found on that property belongs to the owner and can be sold by the property owner, it is a no lose deal,
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by cubfan64 »

silent hunter wrote:I can find the canyon with google earth!!!! LOL And those twin peaks were just a land mark along the journey they made there way using them as a land mark. The acual water way doesn't even flow now it is dry. This canyon I found is acually a crack in the earth were a volcano had formed. Then as fast as the cone formed steam colasped the cone and left the fault fracture. We all no what is left behind when that happens. One problem1!!! The canyon is owned by someone who doesnt even know what it is. The lease is up next year and the goverment is not renewing the lease. It is being sold off as lots and im first on the list to purchase. I will be taking money partners to help fund the 100 acres at $700.00 per acre. It has other bennifits as well. There is history just below the surface and all items found on that property belongs to the owner and can be sold by the property owner, it is a no lose deal,
Interesting - sounds like I might have to see if you're willing to give me a "tour" of the area before the end of next year :)
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by silent hunter »

Paul. Yes I would.
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Re: The Lost Adams Diggings

Post by oroblanco »

silent hunter wrote:Hey Roy check out my Zuni thread> In my opinion I have located the area(Zig Zag canyon and the bald mountain) and have samples to prove there is gold in the lower part and more course gold in the upper part of that area
I have been following your Zuni thread, <fascinating stuff I might add> - did it never occur to you that you might be on the trail of the LAD? :shock: :D You mentioned there is gold in the canyon - do you think it is the LAD? Or that it could be? What about the burnt cabin, and coffeepot full of gold - anything that fits? Thank you in advance.


Silent Hunter also wrote
I can find the canyon with google earth!!!! LOL
Oooooookay, well then we all look forward to seeing photos of all that GOLD! :mrgreen:
Roy
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