Missing Dutchman Hunter - Jesse Capen

[SuperstitionGuy]

The following article is about a man missing since November 22, 2009 whose camp was found December 20, 2009 near the old Tortilla Ranch. Has he perhaps asked questions on HAZ prior to his trip and/or have any of you while hiking the Superstitions met a man that meets his description? The Maricopa County Shriff's office is in charge of the search if you have info.

Colo. man missing in search for Lost Dutchman gold mine

1 comment Jan. 17, 2010 02:15 PM
Associated Press

PHOENIX - Arizona
authorities are searching for a Colorado man whose mother says disappeared while searching for the storied Lost Dutchman gold mine.

The Marcicopa County Sheriff's Office has been organizing searches for 35-year-old Jesse Capen since hikers discovered his Jeep near Old Tortilla Ranch on Dec. 20 but have found no trace of him in the desert near the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.

"It's a pretty desolate area. It looks like you stepped on the moon," said Don Roughan, a sheriff's deputy.

The hikers who found Capen's Jeep said his wallet, backpack, cellphone, food and sleeping bag were also in a tent nearby. About 100 people, dogs and helicopters searched for Capen on Saturday and have covered a 10-mile radius near his tent.

Capen's mother, Cynthia Burnett, said her son was obsessed with the Lost Dutchman mine and had more than 100 books and maps about it. He arrived in Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, on Nov. 22 to begin looking for the mine, Burnett said.

"This is beyond obsessed," she said.

Burnett said she fears her son may have been bitten by a rattlesnake or injured in a fall and then attacked by a bear. She described her son as a "gentle giant" - about 6-foot-4 and more than 200 pounds - who went into the desert unarmed in search of the gold mine, which has been the subject of movies.

She said her son planned to return to Denver by Christmas.

Capen had been working as a bellhop at a hotel in downtown Denver for the past 11 years.

[BobP]

From Facebook two hours ago:

After two and a half years we finally found Jesse Capen who has been lost in the Superstition Mountain for that amount of time. Our Prayers are and have been for Jesse and His Family.

How is this any diferent?

All I was saying is Wally has been out there searching and first found out that Jesse signed the register. And he is an expert in the Supes.

[BobP]

Wally told be about this upcoming show on Discovery....
I believe those are ET
Dec 03, 10:00 pm
Dec 04, 1:00 am
Dec 09, 7:00 pm

Disappeared (Season 5)
The Dutchman's Curse
TV-PG (V)

35 year-old Jesse Capen vanishes on a camping trip in Arizona's Superstition Mountains. While law enforcement searches the vast wilderness, his family finds a huge secret on his computer. His disappearance may have to do with the legend he is chasing.

[BobP]

Here is a video I found on the SSAR site http://www.azcentral.com/video/1990789091001

[sam_hikes]

the reporter in the video mentions SSAR is working other cold cases too including a search for this weekend?

Sheep Mtn?

[chumley]

the reporter in the video mentions SSAR is working other cold cases too including a search for this weekend?

Sheep Mtn?

viewtopic.php?f=66&t=4740&start=120#p86716

[mazatzal]

If SSAR are going to Peeley / Sheep maybe getting the gate unlocked?

[joebartels]

Wally told be about this upcoming show on Discovery....
I believe those are ET
Dec 03, 10:00 pm
Dec 04, 1:00 am
Dec 09, 7:00 pm

It's on in 1 hour at 8pm!

[rwstorm]

It's on in 1 hour at 8pm!

Thanks for the heads up Joe!

[big_load]

Wally told be about this upcoming show on Discovery....
I believe those are ET
Dec 03, 10:00 pm
Dec 04, 1:00 am
Dec 09, 7:00 pm

It's on in 1 hour at 8pm!

On Discovery? It's all episodes of American Chopper and Fast N' Loud here.

[The_Eagle]

In Phoenix (Channel ID)
Cox Chl - 104

To find ID Channel on your provider
http://investigation.discovery.com/chan ... pgn=idtpnv

[big_load]

@coanbru Ah, not regular Discovery. Thanks!

[kingsnake]

:SB: 300 channels all showing the same : car/bike modification shows, (un)reality shows, poker shows. :yuck: Does not matter what unique identity and interesting programming the channel might have once had. Seriously, there was more variety when it was ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and -- if you were lucky -- some UHF channel. It's just like radio: Everybody competing for a smaller slice of the same pie (Top 40), rather doing something unique.

[cactuscat]

@coanbru
Thanks - I would have missed it without that!

[BobP]

Just watched the show....the clue at the end about Jesse summiting Tortilla Peak on 12/4/2009 was provided by Wally and Denny.

[Dave1]

Just watched the show....the clue at the end about Jesse summiting Tortilla Peak on 12/4/2009 was provided by Wally and Denny.

Awesome Were their names mentioned?

[The_Eagle]

@Dave1
Nope.....

[big_load]

Tom Kollenborn is the best part of it.

[MissWalkin]

Tom Kollenborn is the best part of it.

I love Tom Kollenborn. He's a dying breed.

[big_load]

Just watched the show....the clue at the end about Jesse summiting Tortilla Peak on 12/4/2009 was provided by Wally and Denny.

Was the summit log signature they showed the actual one or a recreation (maybe just a cropped photo of his signature on something else)? Or was it Wally and Denny's photo?

[BobP]

@big_load
Denny took the photo...it could have been that.... or the actual register log was taken from the jar...so they may have given the log or a copy to Jesse's mom.