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| Hiking | 3.60 Miles |
580 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.60 Miles | 3 Hrs 17 Mns | | 1.10 mph |
| 580 ft AEG | | 12 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Went on a short hike down Cave Creek Trail #4 starting at the trail head near Seven Springs. The plan was to do some off trail searching for ancient Indian ruins on the north side of the trail just past the old Ashdale Ranger Station. After crossing through the west end of the ranger station property I followed a ridge line that had several level benches that stair stepped up the ridge to peak 3695. On the third bench I spotted some small pottery sherds and then the tell tale rectangular row of rocks indicating the ruins of an ancient stone walled hut. About 30 feet away was another similar rectangle and along the east side a higher mound of rocks perhaps indicating the remains of a high perimeter wall. The two rectangular walled enclosures seemed large, about 15 ft x 18 ft, for a hut. It would have been difficult to build a roof spanning that large an area with the materials available. Perhaps there was a wall no longer visible that divided these enclosures into two rooms. Another possibility is that these were foundations of historical buildings/shacks although it seems doubtful that an historical era shack would have been built at this location about 0.3 miles up hill from the nearest water. The ancient Indians seemed to have no problems with building their habitations a considerable distance from water.
After pondering the mysteries of these ruins I continued on up to the top of Peak 3695 with no additional finds. There were the remains of short sections of rock wall between the boulders that circle the top of this peak. Perhaps the remains of an ancient Indian fortress but also quite possibly of more modern origins. I continued on a loop back towards the trail head searching the level tops of several hills. I found some modern artifacts including a golf ball that had somehow become egg shaped and nearby an odd looking empty rifle shell that turned out to be a military issue blank manufactured at the Army's Lake City, Missouri ordinance plant in 1968. These blanks are used for training or ceremonies. By now I was close to the trail head and decided to cut short my wandering and head for home an hour earlier than planned. |
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Route Editor
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