7/12/10 - Yet another report of missing hikers in the Supes

hippiepunkpirate · Post by **hippiepunkpirate** » Jul 12 2010 4:30 pm

azcentral.com - 7/12/10 - 2:51PM:

Three hikers have been missing for nearly a week after setting out to find the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in the rugged Superstition Mountains east of Mesa, Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies said Monday.

Family members last heard from the three Utah residents Tuesday, when they left to search for the legendary treasure, Sheriff's spokesman Jeffrey Sprong said.

However, when family members had not heard from the three men, they contacted the sheriff's office, which began its search Sunday.

Family members told deputies that Kurtis Merworth, 49, Ardean Charles, 66, and Malcom Meeks, 41, planned on exploring the area during the day and spending the nights in a local motel. Sprong said that probably means the hikers did not have camping provisions.

Two of the men reportedly have medical conditions, and it is not known if they have their medications with them, Sprong said.

Their vehicle was located in the parking lot and according to Sprong, the car appeared to have been there for a few days.

Helicopters monitored the area Sunday, and a rescue team and volunteers were sent to search on horseback Monday. According to Sprong, the rescue teams, which were forced to take breaks in the excessive heat, had not found any clues.

Rescue teams were sent to find Merworth last year when he became lost on another hike to find the Lost Dutchman's gold, Sprong said. No other information regarding his rescue was available.

Sounds like they're done for.

Tough_Boots · Post by **Tough_Boots** » Jul 12 2010 4:57 pm

argh... people need to give up on this gold mine thing. Even if they found it, they couldn't mine the thing legally-- I'm pretty sure you can no longer lay claims in that area. And in July??? I love that area but I sure am not spending my days there this time of year. I am going to stop writing before I say something completely insensitive.

hippiepunkpirate · Post by **hippiepunkpirate** » Jul 12 2010 5:10 pm

Tough_Boots wrote:argh... people need to give up on this gold mine thing.

It's true. Being that the Superstition Wilderness is the most crowded in the nation, wouldn't somebody have found it by now if it was there? Geologically speaking, the Superstitions formed as a calderic eruption similar to that of Yellowstone, and finding gold in such volcanics is essentially laughable.

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jul 12 2010 7:04 pm

They were old enough to know better.

Sredfield · Post by **Sredfield** » Jul 12 2010 7:24 pm

Out there for a week in the heat, does not sound good. I wonder what the FS or anyone could do to stop this. Maybe salt some old workings with some ore and declare it "found?"

SuperstitionGuy · Post by **SuperstitionGuy** » Jul 12 2010 9:00 pm

According to a Salt Lake City news source, as of four hours ago, they said their vehicle was found in the Lost Dutchman State Park which means the Pinal Sheriff's office

should be in charge of the search.

However I suspect the report was incorrect and that the vehicle was along the road in to the First Water Trailhead or at the First Water Trailhead as the Maricopa County is apparently in charge of the search.

They probably tried to hike out to and back from Black Top Mesa to see the various markings on the rocks there and missed the trail back and ended up by returning via Black Mesa. Time will tell.

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jul 12 2010 9:19 pm

hippiepunkpirate wrote:Rescue teams were sent to find Merworth last year when he became lost on another hike to find the Lost Dutchman's gold, Sprong said.

Somehow I skipped over this the first time. It's very disappointing. I hope his buddies were sufficiently aware of it to make an informed decision, although it would take a remarkable explanation to kindle any faith in their judgment, regardless.

Vaporman · Post by **Vaporman** » Jul 12 2010 11:04 pm

Crazy people, what are you thinking?!?

azbackpackr · Post by **azbackpackr** » Jul 13 2010 4:42 am

You know they had to have been warned about the dangers of heat exhaustion, etc. How could they not have been, if they have been reading literature about the Superstitions?

I don't get it. That whole Lost Dutchman thing and the interest in gold has always somehow escaped my interest. I don't even like to WEAR gold. My uncle spent 13 winters back in there, but at least he had sense enough to go in winter.

paulhubbard · Post by **paulhubbard** » Jul 13 2010 8:14 am

SuperstitionGuy wrote:However I suspect the report was incorrect and that the vehicle was along the road in to the First Water Trailhead

I just heard on the news this morning that their car was indeed found at the First Water TH Parking area.

Jeffshadows · Post by **Jeffshadows** » Jul 13 2010 8:20 am

Yet another group that needs to pay the costs of the search and rescue efforts mounted in their honor...

joebartels · Post by **joebartels** » Jul 13 2010 10:33 am

Sorry for the families losses.

azbackpackr wrote:I don't get it. That whole Lost Dutchman thing and the interest in gold has always somehow escaped my interest.

You apparently haven't read Sims Ely or Glover's books. Regardless of promise they are quite intriguing in my opinion, especially if you live near.

jeffmacewen wrote:Yet another group that needs to pay the costs of the search and rescue efforts mounted in their honor...

This seems to apply to a lot of Superstition rescues. Few seem primarily injury related or at least the ones that make the news anyhow. Most seem to stem from navigation or readiness.

azbackpackr wrote:I don't even like to WEAR gold.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest most are interested in trading it for financial gain as opposed to wearing it.

Perhaps red "Heat Warning" signs need to be posted at the trailheads by the Hualapai

azbackpackr · Post by **azbackpackr** » Jul 13 2010 10:57 am

Oh, I have read some of those books, but they just don't grab me that much. I'm skeptical.

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jul 13 2010 11:02 am

joe bartels wrote:most are interested in trading it for financial gain

Yeah, but hardly anyone ever got rich mining gold. Quite a few have done well paying others to mine it, and some folks in the processing business make a steady living, but actually digging ore out of the ground is about as profitable as writing posts on the internet.

PaleoRob · Post by **PaleoRob** » Jul 13 2010 11:26 am

big_load wrote:
joe bartels wrote:most are interested in trading it for financial gain
but actually digging ore out of the ground is about as profitable as writing posts on the internet.

Wait, you mean I'm not going to make money by posting on HAZ?

SuperstitionGuy · Post by **SuperstitionGuy** » Jul 13 2010 11:31 am

PageRob wrote:
big_load wrote:
joe bartels wrote:most are interested in trading it for financial gain
but actually digging ore out of the ground is about as profitable as writing posts on the internet.
Wait, you mean I'm not going to make money by posting on HAZ?

I don't think Joe B. the webmaster does very well $$financially$$ either.

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jul 13 2010 11:33 am

PageRob wrote:Wait, you mean I'm not going to make money by posting on HAZ?

Maybe Joe will share royalties from the deluxe HAZ 50th anniversary coffee table book (will there be such a thing as a cofee table e-book?).

joebartels · Post by **joebartels** » Jul 13 2010 11:51 am

While the likelihood of a mine in the wilderness is null to void I enjoy the history. Personally I think it's a great way to get motivated. Some enjoy hiking for fitness, views, companionship or simply because they're living such a tragedy it's good to get away from the reality they've created. The Superstitions are rich in historical characters. Albeit a poor choice for a summer activity, in season it's fun to explore places they've been and views they've described in my opinion. Some are motivated by money some are motivated by experience.

Jeffshadows · Post by **Jeffshadows** » Jul 13 2010 12:34 pm

As much as I hate mankind destroying wilderness areas, many of my trips include a stop by, or a destination that is, some historic human site. This is an essential part of the southwestern experience, IHMO...

kevinweitzel75 · Post by **kevinweitzel75** » Jul 13 2010 12:42 pm

It seems that the ones that go off looking for gold are the ones that turn up missing. Umm. Kind of sad, but they should have known better than tromping around the Supes this time of year, heat and storms...Dam.

7/12/10 - Yet another report of missing hikers in the Supes

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