|
 The
Superstition Wilderness Area, like many other places
in Arizona, can capture your imagination with its
spectacular vistas and tales. There are stories
about lost gold mines, secluded cabins, unexplored
caverns, unknown archaeological sites and seldom
visited campsites.
Each week I try to bring to you another story of a
different, intriguing or haunting place. When I say
“different” I don’t mean necessarily unusual. When I
say “haunting” I don’t mean ghost or aliens. When I
say “intriguing” I don’t mean the unexplainable. I
am a realist, however I am also a romantic. I don’t
believe in the unexplained as explained by others.
National television has looked at the Superstition
Mountains with hope of finding stories about ghosts
or other unexplained phenomena. What they have found
is nothing more than just stories. Legend and myth
are healthy ingredients of American folklore. Each
American locale has its special stories and myths
about the unknown and the unexplained.
Since childhood I have heard many stories about the
unusual events occurring in the Superstition
Wilderness Area. These tales range from “blue
lights” to tremors in the ground. I was once told
about a place in the mountains where molten lava
could be seen through a small portal flowing deep
beneath the surface of the Earth.
 Several
years ago an old-time cowboy told me about a spot he
found in the mountains where the sand in the wash
had been turned to glass when it was superheated by
something (he suggested a flying saucer). I have
talked to men who claim to have seen UFO’s land;
little green men got out; sampled the vegetation and
soil.
I have been told about dinosaurs living in caves
deep in canyons located in the mountains. I was also
told about a tiger that lived in a cave behind a
waterfall. Another interesting story was told about
Bigfoot in the Superstition Wilderness Area near the
Reavis Ranch. A man named Biscardi from California
was convinced Bigfoot lived in the area around the
Reavis Ranch in the 1980’s. I could go on and on.
Are these stories just outright lies or is there
something more to them? Many of these stories are
the basis of legend and myth. I could never locate
any “blue lights” in Trap Canyon even though I spent
three nights there one time. The tremors I have felt
and even heard on several occasions can be
attributed to either seismographic activity or
blasting the Pinto Valley Mining area. I could never
find the site of the lava flow. The story is
feasible because the entire Superstition region is
of volcanic origin, and some volcanic activity
occurred as recently as three million years ago.
The story the cowboy told me about the glass ring in
a wash could have been caused by a lightning strike.
At least lightning is a logical explanation for such
phenomena.
Alcohol, prescription drugs or whacky tabacky are
known to bring on illusions about UFO and dinosaurs.
The tiger in the cave behind the waterfall is
another type of illusion that haunts the human mind.
Simply lying for attention could bring on many of
these stories.
The man from California searching for the American
Yeti was probably legit. He sincerely was miss-led
by somebody he respected as knowledgeable on the
topic of Bigfoot in the Superstitions. There are no
Yetis in the Reavis Valley. Biscardi would have been
hard pressed to even find an occasional Black bear
in the region.
Many of these stories I have on tape. I find them an
interesting experience with human nature and
imagination. Most phenomena within the boundaries of
the Superstition Wilderness can probably be
explained by reasonable logic. Of course these days,
who is reasonable? We have a tendency to believe the
way we want to believe regardless of the facts. If
the facts were believed then there would be no
legends or myths.
All these stories have been interesting whether
truthful or just misinterpreted. I have enjoyed
exploring the source of these stories and listening
to them be told. Any campfire surrounded by old
timers will produce a wide range of legends and
myths about the Superstition Mountains. The topics
will range from treasures, crystal skulls to lost
underground cities. There are such a wide variety of
topics to tell tales about. Many storytellers just
make up the stories as they go along.
There are stories about the Black Legion, a group of
militant Native Americans, who protect the sacred
burial grounds on Peter’s Mesa. The Black Legion is
supposedly well trained in traditional Apache
culture, and their purpose is to prevent looting and
robbing of their ancestor’s graves. These sacred
burial areas are within the confines of the
Superstition Wilderness.
Does the Black Legion actually exist? I don’t know,
but there are those who claim it does. They claim
its’ sole purpose is to make the thieves of time
responsible for their illegal actions. Some say they
leave rabbit fur and a raven feather to mark the
area they are protecting. Again, this is just
another story.
The Superstition Wilderness Area is a fascinating
locale. Its’ legacy is filled with myth and
folklore. All stories need to be taken with a grain
of salt until proven objectively.
The grand daddy question of all is, does the
Dutchman’s Lost Mine exist? I can honestly say I
don’t know. I have been on many pack trips,
expeditions, and hikes with known Dutch Hunters and
listened to their ideas and thoughts about the
mine’s existence. Nobody has been able to prove the
infamous Dutchman’s lost mine exists. It is for this
reason the mine is still a part of folklore and
myth. |
