Odd Artifact

[Beardilocks]

Maybe it's Scotty's beer can opener ... 

In that case I’m going to go back for it and put it on eBay for a hundred grand.  Lol

[DAW89446]

Maybe it's Scotty's beer can opener ... 

In that case I’m going to go back for it and put it on eBay for a hundred grand.  Lol

Ha! 

You've found some really neat stuff in the past few years. I perceive that you've documented your finds and left them in place and maybe shared your info with those in charge of curation. That's been my practice. A lot has disappeared in my lifetime; in some cases due to lack of knowledge of the Antiquities Act, others due to exploitation. I'm irritated and disappointed when revisiting old sites I've been to before and find deliberate destruction and theft.

[Beardilocks]

I leave everything in place. Unless there’s extremely extenuating circumstances. Which hasn’t happened yet. I always mark GPS in case someone thinks it’s more important later.

I’ve had terrible luck getting anyone from NPS archeology to respond or work with me the last few years. Had better luck 4/5yrs ago. Dunno what happened.

The last time I was up at Lost Burro Mine there were some shady characters up there who hauled ass when we got there. No clue what they were up to. But it was hours before I could have called it in. But with so few LEOs…. Prob nothing anyway. It’s sad.

[DAW89446]

Eyebrow raising behavior, for sure. At least they hauled ass instead of using you for target practice. That’s my biggest worry when I encounter others out there and the hairs on the back of my neck tingle; what nefarious mischief might they be up to and how will I be impacted.

[DeathValleyDazed]

That’s my biggest worry when I encounter others out there and the hairs on the back of my neck tingle; what nefarious mischief might they be up to and how will I be impacted.

These concerns have prevented me from off road exploring the Hunter Mountain area due to pot farmers. A few years ago I s/w a park ranger about my concern and he said that it was mostly under control. Sorry, can't pinpoint the date of ranger consult.

[MojaveGeek]

Sigh. My first trip, I was solo parenting, carrying my 3 1/2 year old daughter on my back, along with food, water, spare clothes, etc. She said she was scared. I showed the map and said that when we came around a bend in the canyon it would fork, and indeed it did. I was never able to say to her that the only thing to be scared of out here walks on two legs, and the most dangerous part of the hike is the 50 yards closest to the road.

[DAW89446]

My most concerning encounter was November 11, 1998. I was riding with DVNP ranger Dave Brenner and BLM ranger Phil Butler in Brenner's Park Service Ford Bronco. Somehow they got word that I was hired by a Chicago company to find a couple pieces of mine equipment of theirs, which disappeared along with the leasers. So Brenner contacted me, we set a date, and I went for a ride.

Anyway, back to the event. We stopped by Barker Ranch, where there was a truck and tent parked up by the porch of the house. We saw nobody at first. Dave got out and approached when a man came out of the ranch house door. Dave's hand suddenly dropped and covered his service pistol. Phil instructed me to get out of the Bronco (I was in the passenger front seat, Phil in the back seat) and stay on the far side of it by the back tire crouched down. Phil drew his gun and stayed next to me and watched intently. After a few tense minutes, Dave returned, walking more or less backward. He said that the man gave off some really bad vibes. The door was open and he could see a woman and children inside the cabin, quiet and watching. We drove over to the nearby Meyers Ranch, not long before it had burned down. Upon driving by the Barker Ranch, the truck, tent and people were gone.