Weaver’s Needle is one of the most beautiful and dramatic geological features in Arizona, but as a clue that can help you nail down the location of old Jacob Waltz’s lost mine, I feel it has been and continues to be more of distraction and less of a reliable tool when searching for the Lost Dutchman Goldmine.

For many years, many people have believed that what the earliest Mexican miners were referring to as their La Sombrero or El Sombrero was really Weaver’s Needle. I believe Weaver’s Needle and La sombrero to be totally different and apart?? land features. In my opinion this is one of the biggest misnomers of the assumed facts surrounding the lost Dutchman Goldmine, and that for 100+ years it has led hundreds and possibly thousands of Dutch Hunters on wild goose chases and is a classic example of mistaken identity. I will give you my reasoning a little later in the post, but first let’s take a short break.

Before explaining my reasons and sharing my thoughts on this red herring issue, I would first like to offer a brief historical overview on Weaver’s Needle. This should be helpful, especially to the newer readers who are trying to make some sense of the Lost Dutchman saga.

Weaver’s Needle tops out at 4,555 feet above sea level, with a prominence that rises to 993 feet. It is named after the frontiersman Pauline Weaver (Powel Weaver 1797-1867). Weaver led an amazing life and could be thought of in many ways as a kind of a western version of Danial Boone and would make an interesting research subject. It is believed he first laid eyes on Weavers Needle in 1831, and many geological features throughout Arizona are named in his honor. Even though it sits just at the edge of the Superstition Mountains proper, it can be viewed from many areas within the Supers and is surely the most identifiable land feature in the area. For that reason, it is the most used moniker when sources write or talk about this feature of the Superstition Mountains.

American Frontiersman Pauline Weaver (1797 – 1867)

Pauline Weaver was a mountain man, trapper, military scout, prospector and explorer. He was born to a white father and a Cherokee mother in White County, Tennessee. He is believed to be the first white American to lay eyes on the Superstition Mountains. (Prior to 1831, of course, indigenous Indians and the Spanish along with other groups were the very first). He is considered to have had a great influence on both the early Taos, New Mexico area and early Phoenix.


Clue 22: Weaver’s Needle, El Sombrero/La Sombrero.

There are two entities that I feel are valid clues and pertain to Weaver’s Needle: 1) From above the Dutchman’s mine you should be able to see a tall peak; 2) it should be to the south. Most people believe it to be Weaver’s Needle, and I agree with that. And yes, from above our site you can see Weaver’s Needle to the south.

But those two clues pale in worth when compared to the chaos and confusion created by believing that La Sombrero and Weavers Needle are basically the same thing.

Davey and Rodger, living the dream.

For many Dutch Hunters, Weaver’s Needle and La Sombrero are one and the same, but in my opinion, they are two totally different entities. One is named after Pauline Weaver, the frontiersman, and therefore historically—and correctly—labeled as Weavers Needle. The second entity, La Sombrero, is what the early Mexicans referred to as the mountain they had to pass under on their way to their mines; they also referred to it as their Sombrero Mines. Since they kept the location a secret, people have assumed that they must be describing Weaver’s Needle. Interesting to me is that the mines in the proximity of Weaver’s Needle have also been labeled—and mistakenly—as the Sombrero Mines. Since both La Sombrero and Weavers Needle are in the same general mountain range, it has dragged La Sombrero into a classic case of mistaken identity, perpetrated by a classic example of guilt by association.


KEEP THIS IN MIND! THIS IS MY INTERPRETATION. IMO, IT IS NOT A STATEMENT OF FACT BUT WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO. WE HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, BESIDES WHAT I AM SHARING IN THIS POST, THAT WILL REINFORCE MY CASE. I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT AND WILL NOT SHARE THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION UNTIL LATER. IT WOULD GIVE AWAY THE LOCATION.

For the new readers about the Lost Dutchman Mine story, keep in mind that there is very little first-person information when attempting to ascertain anything for certain. Therefore, one must take established facts along with new facts (which we have), apply deductive reasoning, present your case, and then let the facts make your case. It will either be accepted, or it will not.

Please keep in mind I am putting things out there for people to consider, and as we share more information, keep putting those into the memory file and in the end, you can come to your own conclusion about what we have presented. This sharing of information will continue until the end 2019. In 2020 we will reveal everything that we have.

Matt, Rodger and Davey.
The GoPro5 that Matt is wearing works well, but the GoPro3 and 4 that Rodger and Davey are wearing are not as good (sound and picture). We recently picked up 2 GoPro7s for the upcoming trip.

To the new Dutchman followers who ask, “So what is the big deal about La Sombrero and Weaver’s Needle not being the same thing?” Good question! There is a simple answer. Most Dutch Hunters believe that La Sombrero or El Sombrero (sometimes called), is the focal point, and that for many Dutch Hunters the clues start at Weaver’s Needle, because they believe incorrectly La Sombrero and Weavers needle are the same. I know I am reiterating this again, but this one of many key elements as to why the mine has not been found. So, for many Dutch Hunters this is where their search with both written material and boots on the ground first begins to take shape. And again, another classic example, this time the example is literally, Starting off on the wrong foot.

So, let’s review what we have so far. The ones who believe that Weaver’s Needle and La Sombrero are the same thing, therefore believe that the focal point is Weaver’s Needle. This would mean that hundreds of Dutch Hunters have been going on the greatest Wrong Way Charlie, Gong show, bass- awkward wild goose treasure hunt in history.

Boy, I bet old Jacob Waltz is laughing in his grave. Hell, maybe he’s the one that started the whole damned thing. Keep in mind they have been looking for a 135-150 years. Do you think there might be a problem? Do you think?


Photo shot by Arcana Exploration.

Take a good long hard look.

As far as what we at Arcana Exploration have so far accumulated to support my belief, that we are on target……I would like to quote what the 1999 Ryder Cup captain, Ben Crenshaw, said the night before an epic, record-breaking comeback on Sunday: I’m going to leave yawl with one thought. I’m a big believer in fate. I have a good feeling about this”. As do I.

So, if Weaver’s Needle is a Red Herring …. ok, but how could this have happened? Well, no one really knows, but let me give you a couple of examples of how things can sometimes go awry. The first example is just me having a little fun. The second example is more to the point and is about as good as an explanation as we may ever have. Without any substantiated facts as to when, where and how the whole Weaver’s Needle thing might have jumped a rail and gone off track is anybody’s guess, but the second example I will give you is about as good as it gets, and might be the closest to reality. These are only scenarios, not facts, although second possibility should be researched.

Think of when you were growing up and you were in the third grade and you were a shrimp; the other kids thought you might be a dwarf. Even your best friends called you shorty. As you got older you played on your high school football team and everybody still called you shorty. The thing is, by this time you were a lanky, six feet-four and one-half inches, and nobody had any idea that your proper name was really Edward Sombrero Wolinkowski II. Heck, your own cousins didn’t even know your real name; to them you were Shorty. Shorty Wolinkowski. And since you were the tallest kid on the football team everybody at school thought the team gave you the nickname Shorty. The only ones who knew your real name were your Mexican parents, who were just fine with letting everyone think you were Shorty the Needle Wolinkowski? Later in life, after your parents had both died, there is no one left who knows your one and only real name, which is really Edward Sombrero Wolinkowski.

Photo shot by Arcana Exploration

So, here is one way it could likely have gone wrong in the beginning. I have researched and I cannot find one statement of fact, where there is an example of any Mexican (first or second person) referring to Weavers Needle as La Sombrero.

A lot of folks have given hearsay third person and that means nothing, they do not understand, for something to be historical fact, there are specific parameters that must be met, and so far there are no known documented facts that establishes any Mexican individual, or group linking Weavers Needle to their La Sombrero.

In the mid -nineteenth since there were no known candidates, for La Sombrero most people felt it must surely be Weaver’s Needle. The Superstitions are vast and there are places, even today, where people have not been. Furthermore, in the Super’s if the sun is not just right you can miss things, or even see things that really are not, what they appear to be. Even today there are areas that no one has been in the last 100 years, so it is possible for some land features to be missed. And they have been.

The following is not fact but rather one example of how something could have occurred and in turn could have led to a case of mistaken Identity.

The closet I have come to a possible explanation might, have occurred when an early army surveyor first mapped the Superstitions for the United States government. Before he went into the Supers to map, he would have had a guide; the best guides back then were cowboys who were the mainstays as guides into the mountains. At that time there were only a few trails, and there was no way the engineer would have gone it alone.

After a couple of days, the Army surveyor and the cowboy guide, late one afternoon, came up and over a ridgetop, and the surveyor got his first full frontal view of the Needle. The cowboy was in front, leading the pack horse. He stopped, took off his hat, wiped his bandana across his brow and said, “Yep there she is. Weaver’s Needle. Ain’t she somethin’? The early Mexicans called her La Sombrero. Yeah, she’s a right pretty one.” Later that night the surveyor was in his tent finishing off his day’s handy work.

Nightfall comes early in the deep mountain canyons. The desert gets cold at night, so he had the kerosene lamp cranked up so he could see the delicate details good and proper. The extra heat felt good and warmed his hands; it was just enough to take off the high desert chill. He got to a place on his map, and he paused. He saw that he had heavily printed Weaver’s Needle, and just behind that he had lightly made a notation: “Weaver’s Needle “ain’t she somethen ”. He chuckled to himself while he carefully erased it. In dark bold lettering he penciled in Weaver’s Needle, (La Sombrero).


Matt, Davey and Roger flying Davey’s Phantom drone

Google Earth: a useful tool but not the final answer.

Even , many people claim they have found the LDGM. Dutch Hunters, who are intelligent and going about it the right way with their feet on the ground, sadly get lumped together with the low IQ folks from the Big Foot sites who travel over to Dutchman sites, and then proclaim they know where the lost Dutchman mine is. They show a view from Google Earth looking straight down from twenty miles above the earth. Hell, even the Dutchman couldn’t make sense of it He never saw his mine from 22, miles above the earth. Do not misunderstand me. There is a lot you can see with Google Earth, but you need to know how to tool up and go down on the ground and travel around in a two-dimensional mode, (almost).

I have spent hundreds of hours during the last five years, deinking and doinking???, on Google Earth and I have learned a lot of the tricks. Make no mistake; the most important stuff you cannot see with Google Earth. Even things you should be able to see do not show up, no matter the angle or how you tool it. One last comment: The thing I am emphasizing is that for some reason, in the same general area you can see something that is maybe 20 x 20 feet, and pretty clear, but directly across the valley you can have something that is eight hundred-feet tall yet invisible on Google Earth. I will talk about this in a later post.


The real, “La Sombrero”.

La Sombrero … The Hat on a Mountain.

“Before leaving the subject of mountains and their relationship to the gold of the Superstitions, it should be mentioned that in many stories pertaining to the original discoveries of gold in the Superstitions, a mountain called La Sombrero marks the vicinity of the gold deposits .Many maintain that this too is Weavers Needle, but it is doubtful. The name itself, La Sombrero, implies that the mountain was hat-, or sombrero -shaped and Weavers Needle simple does not fit this description when being truly objective. There are two mountains in this section of Arizona that do bear this name…The Mexican’s could be either of these two or a mountain that is presently nameless. (Estee Conatser)

The Sterling Legend, Estee Conatser, p.43, Chapter 2 7th revised printing, 2002. Gem Guidebooks Co.

There is a long list of reasons why this mountain surely must be La Sombrero. For one thing, it matches perfectly with our site. When the time is right, we will share multiple facts that will establish this as being what the Mexicans were referring to when they said they traveled by or under La Sombrero.


Photo shot by Arcana Exploration

Our next post will show one of the arrow trail markers we have discovered at the Alpha site.
This will open a lot of eyes, I am sure; please don’t miss it. There will be images that have never been seen publicly.

I would like to address a couple of things quickly before I go. First, I want to thank everyone for all the support and interest and input. This is what makes it worthwhile. Second, I would like to specifically thank Wayne R. Mickelson for his input. He has an interesting take on some things, and this makes it more fun for all of us. You never know when somebody may stumble across something. Thanks Wayne.

Jacob Waltz’s gravesite, Phoenix, Arizona.

On the other side of the stone there is a small headstone. When you look at the skyline in the distance, and you realize how much the Legend of this early pioneer has contributed to the economic development of the greater Phoenix area and yet here he lays all but forgotten and disrespected. It’s Just not right.

I have felt for a long time that Old Jacob, needs to be honored properly. Other than the head stone it is a pauper’s grave, and the head stone is not much.

I have spoken with the guys and they agree that if things come to bear fruit for us, Arcana Exploration will make sure that there is funding to move the Dutchman to a better resting place—maybe the Dutchman Museum on Rte. 88. He said no miner or cowboy would find his mine. If he was right, maybe he knew all along some bearded biker guys from Ohio would give him a more appropriate grave site. He is, after all, not just an Arizona legend but an American legend. It is called Tonto National Forest.

Comments (16)

  1. Wayne

    Reply

    Your story is a mixed jaw of stories with no new information being added. All the maps you claim to be facts were all created after Julia Thomas.

    Julia is a first hand account, friend of the Dutchman, lived in his time, interacted with the Dutchman. But your just writing her off.
    A very critical person in the story all of a sudden is irrelevant. I’m not following your thought process at all.

    Julia’s Actions Tell The Story. She travels to the Face of Superstition Mountain thee Mountain, The land Mark most likely told by the Dutchman himself. Then heads into the range to Weavers Needle, Same thing here told by the Dutchman.

    In the end she doesn’t find it, it doesn’t mean she never quit looking or her partners. They just never had another big news story. But they still were actively looking for the mine even after the Goldfield Strike.

    Wayne

  2. Reply

    I have not yet divulged, the two most important maps, so how would you know their, inception date? Also it is common knowledge, that “Jacobs Doodle and the info on the PSMs is pre –

    • Reply

      THE DUTCHMENS GOLD MINE IS NOT OR NEAR THE SUPERSTITIONS MOUNTAIN IF U DID SO MUCH EXPLORING U WOULD KNOW REAL FACTS.LET ME JUST TELL U THIS THRY WER TRYING TO VOME N STEAL HIS GOLD FROM HIM SO GUESS WAT WALTZ DID HE PLANTED ALL THE FOOLS GOLD SO THAT ALL IN CLUDING URSLEFS THAT WER TRYING TO STEAL HIS GOLD WOULD THINK THAT IT WAS REAL GOLD N WOULD NOT LOOK FOR HIS MIND N THATS EXACTLY WAT HAPPEN HUNTERS EXPLORERS WER SO STUCK ON THE FOOLS GOLD N THE DUTCHMENS WAS RELOCATING HIS REAL GOLD ELSE WER…KEEP TRYING ARCANA EXPLORTIONS U GUYS R NOT EVEN CLISE TO FINDING HIS MINE HAHAHAHA SORRY TRY AGAIN GOOD HUNTING THOU BUT NOT EVEN URSLFS KNOW WAT UR HUNTING FOR YUALL WAY OFF LATERS

  3. Reply

    – before Waltz’s death. I stand by what I wrote in the Red Herring Post. To be blunt Julia Thomas, took no notes, or keep records, of what Waltz had given her. Sorry to be so blunt but it common knowledge she did not know what she was doing.

  4. Reply

    THE DUTCHMENS GOLD MINE IS NOT OR NEAR THE SUPERSTITIONS MOUNTAIN IF U DID SO MUCH EXPLORING U WOULD KNOW REAL FACTS.LET ME JUST TELL U THIS THRY WER TRYING TO VOME N STEAL HIS GOLD FROM HIM SO GUESS WAT WALTZ DID HE PLANTED ALL THE FOOLS GOLD SO THAT ALL IN CLUDING URSLEFS THAT WER TRYING TO STEAL HIS GOLD WOULD THINK THAT IT WAS REAL GOLD N WOULD NOT LOOK FOR HIS MIND N THATS EXACTLY WAT HAPPEN HUNTERS EXPLORERS WER SO STUCK ON THE FOOLS GOLD N THE DUTCHMENS WAS RELOCATING HIS REAL GOLD ELSE WER…KEEP TRYING ARCANA EXPLORTIONS U GUYS R NOT EVEN CLISE TO FINDING HIS MINE HAHAHAHA SORRY TRY AGAIN GOOD HUNTING THOU BUT NOT EVEN URSLFS KNOW WAT UR HUNTING FOR YUALL WAY OFF LATERS

  5. Wayne

    Reply

    Jeff, Indeed! Julia was Lost on finding the mine but not what was in the Clues. Her story was publish in the paper. She did stay at the face of the Superstition Mountain headed on to El Sombrero which put her direction east to west. Not north to south as others would like you to believe. Besides your area isn’t even in the Supers technically. Your using the old story that all the range back then was the salt river mountains. That’s just not so.

    Wayne

    • Reply

      You know the truth Wayne. But refuse to tell it. All about self preservation. Cottage industry.
      How you gonna look in the mirror when the next man dies searching? Allan must have told you I am a real dumb ass. This site is more staged than your history channel docs. Why doesn’t Mr Tut tell the public that lost treasure magazine published the true story of how I found Minas Sombreros, the Lost Dutchman.
      Cover lead story June 2016. Mine (no pun intended),was the lead story on their 50th anniversary issue. What about that Wayne?
      Not a peep about the article Wayne….never ever.
      So full of it I just can’t believe it. Cottage industry.
      Robert Schoose and his little Western town, the museum, the state park…….NONE OF IT, NONE OF IT……WORTH ONE HUMAN LIFE. TOTALLY SKANKY BUD. WHEN THE DAY COMES WHEN THAT NEXT DUTHCH HUNTER DIES, I WILL TELL THE WORLD YOU KNEW, YOU KNEW THE MINE HAS BEEN FOUND. AND DID NOTHING TO TELL THE WORLD AND STOP THE NEEDLES DEATHS.
      YOU AND YOUR PALS SOMEHOW THINK YOU LITERALLY OWN THE LEGEND…..AS IF IT WERE YOURS. FRKN TWISTED MAN.
      GOOGLE THE LOST TREASURE ARTICLE FOLKS AND SEE THE STORY KING TUT WILL NOT, NO WAY TELL YOU ABOUT. BRIAN
      GRRRRRR

      • Wayne

        Reply

        Brian,
        What’s with all the hostility, Sure I know a few things of your area I’ve been there even passed your group once on the trail. But Bob made a nice little town out of nothing in Goldfield. You gotta give him credit for that.

        And yes I’ve read your story in the mag, But there’s holes in it and stretching of the story line to fit your narrative.
        I also was at your presentation at the Don’s Camp. There were lots of comments regarding your story that, well we’ll say not to savory. So to speak.

        Conclusion is you have not found the Dutchman’s Mine.

        Wayne

  6. Mike Mayer

    Reply

    I understand the map.
    I know the knife. The heart. The key hole rock . the witch on boxs. The cross and The up and over.

  7. Dan Bristol

    Reply

    I have no doubt you and your compadres are competent explorers/spelunkers/climbers, etc. However, I hope you’ll forgive me for being skeptical about your claim. I don’t think you’re a liar or a hoaxer. What I’m really saying is this: given the dangerous nature of that area, the taboos laid on it by Native Americans, and the Government’s feelings (if understated) on people prospecting out there, along with the large number of people that have simply disappeared out there, surely you must be aware how incredible your claim must seem to some? Let me be clear: I do not DISbelieve your claims. I just have a problem jumping from the great evidence you’ve already put up to accepting that you found IT. I just don’t think I have enough information, but what business is it of mine, really? I think it’s great you’ve got the moxie to go out there. However, I think I recognize as well that, even if you had that “smoking gun”….i.e., had found the Mother Lode, brought back a huge nugget, or whatever, and posted such a finding….you’d be in for a great deal of hassles. Having been at White Sands many years ago, which I think is a little milder than your neck of the woods, I tip my hat to you for what you’ve done. Like I said, I don’t DISbelieve, I’m just not sure I can make your evidence add up to the Big Discovery. However, I 100% believe in your sincerity and you know what? If you’ve got the cojones to go out there, you and your friends freaking DESERVE the pay-off! I just hope you stay on top of your safety protocols and such. The desert has no mercy. I hope you really do hit the big payoff. God bless.

  8. Reply

    Thanks Dan I do not think anyone should at this point believe or not believe, we have found anything, at least not yet. We have lots we have to hold back for now. We are still exploring the site and are not yet finished. When we are we will share everything. Jeff.

  9. Reply

    Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this website.

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  10. Scott

    Reply

    Is your work a continuation of the Robert and Lynda Kesselring research documented on the DesertUSA website?

    https://www.desertusa.com/lost-dutchman/peralta-stones5/peralta-gold5.html

    They concluded with an appeal for help to continue. One remaining task was to examine the site shown in the photo with the caption:

    A Possible Match to Jacob Waltz’s Story about his Mine
    33°28’54.53″N 111°22’0.46″W

    The coordinates are inside Deering Canyon (Malapais Mountain).

    The location resolves the Jacob Waltz clues.

    • Nathan

      Reply

      These coordinates are 5 miles from LDM, Ill place million dollars monopoly money if anyone can prove I am wrong.

  11. Nathan

    Reply

    Wayne, I have sent you message after message about the LDM without any response, talked to Bob Schoose for two years. Come get in a group I started and lets’ move forward and end this search, i guess i have to agree with the imposter discoverer above about that, so yes, let’s get the Hunters together and prove my discovery or call me an imposter as well. I really would like the Rendezvous Group to be part of the big day it is made public. I don’t deserve it alone. Come be a part. Ill even invite the imposer discoverer and all that love the LDM to come be a part. Ill reveal it once its time.

    pilotschoice@hotmail.com

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