Newstory:Kokoweef Peak

Both of the links below are the same story - longer original is the bottom one.

KOKOWEEF PEAK - The earthen ridge rises 6,038 feet from scrub brush and sand, an unspectacular summit were it not for the legend: a river underneath, overflowing with gold. . . . .

On the floor of a half-mile-deep canyon, Dorr said, he came across a river, about 300 feet wide, that rose and fell as if it were breathing. The water receded to reveal black sand. Dorr said he panned it and found gold. Lots of it. . . . .

"I stuck as long as I could, until I was eating cooked watercress, chipmunk soup and sagebrush tea. I starved out and had a light stroke, which put me on my back for a whole year," he said.. . . . . .  The prospector died in the 1950s, his pan empty.

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Sun, Oct. 08, 2006

Treasure hunters seek bounty of Kokoweef gold
Prospector in 1930s says he discovered cavern with a river full of precious metal
By Ashley Powers
LOS ANGELES TIMES

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Gold or Just a Fever?

A 1930s prospector insisted that a Mojave peak hid an underground river flowing with the ore. Some are chasing that dream today.

By Ashley Powers, Times Staff Writer

September 11, 2006

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Thanks for posting the story.


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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,491.msg2745.html#msg2745

Stringfrenzy

Hi All, great story Sue.
I noted in the story that Dorr, states that he lived off Watercress and chipmunk soup, also that the river in the canyon rose and fell as if it were breathing.

This suggests to me that the river was formed by flash flood water run off from the surrounding mountains, which means it could be a seasonal rather than an all year round event.
 To this end I looked up a couple of sites, naming kokoweef mountain and flora and fauna.

I found the following site, which may be of interest as it has the various types of plants growing in that region, it also refers to Dorrs cave, in Mormon canyon, it also has photographs of the area from 1930.
 

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I hope this info will be of some use to someone!

Best wishes crowsnest.
  

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		Quote:			Posted by crowsnest1
	I found the following site, which may be of interest as it has the various types of plants growing in that region, it also refers to Dorrs cave, in Mormon canyon, it also has photographs of the area from 1930.   You are not allowed to view links. Please Register or Login

Hi Crowsnest,
You're a pretty good detective using the flora and fauna clues to gather more info on the area. Like the way you think <grin>. I really enjoyed that site about the plant collectors and especially all the old black and white photos. Sue

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,491.msg4407.html#msg4407

 Hi Sue, thanks for the comments and the (grin).
Also on that site is a topographical map of the kokoweef area, it shows a "Black Canyon", I wonder if this canyon could be the source of the black sand, which Dorr mentions, he states that the torrent subsides to reveal the black sand, therefore it is likely that the sand was deposited there rather than produced in situ.
You may like to check out my web page, which is based on supposition, rumour, myth, legend and fact.

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Best wishes crowsnest.


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