drill and pointer

It looks like a hole for blasting the rock face to get at something in the rock, possibly some kind of mineral or ore. Whoever drilled it may have changed his or her mind and left it as it was. There's no practical way to refill it anyway.

That little area below it was probably where this prospector put a ladder to get to the hole drilling spot. This may be better off in Prospecting Talk but I suggest we leave it here since your initial impression was that it might be a sign. It's evidence, for sure, but not necessarily a sign.

Before compressors and power jackhammers, holes like that were made with a tool called a jack, which was pounded into rock and rotated as it was pounded. A single jack was one used by one man with a hammer while a double jack was struck by two men and sometimes rotated by a third man. The double jack handler had a lot of faith in the hammer swingers for sure! A single jack took a lot of time to bore a hole but with one hand holding it and the other swinging a hammer, it was extremely demanding work. Today's modern equivalent is called a star drill.

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,16452.msg105797.html#msg105797

That would be an strange place to put a blasting hole. Have you tried getting pictures when shadows are showing on the rock face. Usually 12 to 2 PM ?  Jim

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,16452.msg105809.html#msg105809

I,m shure your on a trail, but what kind ? The shadow signs can show at different times of day for the differing portions of trail. Have seen some that only show in the 5:00 to 6:00 pm range. Have you been able to backtrack the trail ? There might be clues if you can find the beginning . Also, because the summer heat was so bad in some areas, they worked them in the cooler months and some signs will only show in the winter.

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,16452.msg105940.html#msg105940

 Thanks for your input. I'm learning all the time.
 When I do get back I will keep all thats said in
mind. I don't think that any rock climbers have been
in the area or anyone else since there aren't ever
any other footprints anywhere I go. There is a window
that has a gunsight that points to the dill hole rock
and the window is in a pack mules back. The pack mules
pack is quite large, so I've been told there's alot of what
ever stashed out there. I just need to follow the compass
heading and find the t-angle of rocks and follow the
mesurments to the spot to dig. There are 2 caches
here, one is shallow and the other deep. This one is
the shallow one. Mike

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,16452.msg105998.html#msg105998

Another idea to think about, leverage.   If this is Spanish/Mexican origin, their ancestors built
massive pyramids all over Central/South America, don't under-estimate what they could do.
Other areas of this rock face may have 'wear' marks(fresh break, like around the hole).    This
could be part of a 'device' to assist getting up this face, the marker stone below and 'shadow'
on the wall behind it form an arrow up.   It also could have been set up to 'lower' items from above,
or to 'move' a large stone below the wall face.   I am aware of a large 1 ton? stone placed atop
2 others, was not done by Mother Nature.   Above this stone is a rock wall and there are holes
like this in the wall face.


Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,16452.msg114356.html#msg114356