Bit Of History's LOST RIVER OF GOLD AT KOKOWEEF (Sometimes referred to as KOKOWEEP)

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This is the story of the lost river of gold located near the California and Nevada state line just off of the 15 Interstate Highway. The mountains of this area are honeycombed with caves and it is one of these caves that three Indian brothers supposedly found the lost river of gold and one brother was killed while exploring them. They were friends of a local prospector named Earl Dorr and told him the location of one of the entrances. Dorr located the entrance and explored the cave deep within the Kokoweef peak.

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In 1934, Dorr tried to interest investors in the possibility of mining the caverns he said he had found. He described a cavern 3000 feet deep and of an unknown length. There was an underground river running throughout the cave. Dorr said he followed the river for approximately 8 miles walking along a shelf next to the underground river. At some point, he said he saw a shaft of light but otherwise the cavern was dark (the light that Dorr saw and the distance of approximately 8 miles are significant). On one of the shelves Dorr filled a leather pouch with black sand to have analyzed for possible minerals.

When Dorr made his way back to the top, he noticed 2 prospectors watching him. Worrying about claim jumpers, he returned to the entrance and dynamited the entrance closed. Dorr spent most of his remaining years trying to locate the "shaft of light" he had seen when he was following the underground river. He was never able to find the second entrance. The remains of the original entrance, Dorr’s cabin, and smaller caverns can still be located in the area. Dorr had the pouch of black sand assayed and it ran $2000/ton of gold at the then price of $20/ounce. At today’s prices of approximately $280/ounce this would come to $28,000/ton. Not bad for a days work!

Here is where a little known prospecting trip by some desert explorers in later years just might provide the clues to relocating this lost treasure.

First off, Dorr said he descended about 2000 feet to the bottom of the main cavern (the cavern he estimated as deeper but he did not enter from the top). He then walked a distance of about 8 miles along the river bed. This distance along with the depth would mean that the "shaft of light" that Dorr said he saw while exploring would be located somewhere out on the lower reaches or badlands below the peak and to the west. According to a local prospector, Dorr spent much of his time in these lower areas searching for his "shaft of light." He was apparently searching for a fault that would explain the opening into the cave. Now it gets much more interesting. From information provided by a geologist working in the area, there is a fault that runs east-west from Kokoweef peak out across the lowlands to the west. There is also a fault that connects to this one running south from Clark mountain located north of the 15 Interstate Highway. Where these two faults join may be the location of the "shaft of light" entrance. Here is a story that I came across while researching the tale.

Several years ago, a group of guys got together to explore the area and look for the second entrance to the cavern. After making several errors on interpreting the available information they thought that they located the opening Dorr had spent so many years looking for. Here is the directions that they provide:

1. Start at the coral or windmill located just south of the Cima road exit just east of Cima road itself. Here you will see the remains of a road the meanders southeast towards the mountains.
2. Follow the road to the base of some small mountains. The road is not very clear and you may lose it among the brush but continue in the general direction and you will pick it up along the way.
3. The trail disappears at the base of the mountains. Continue south along the base of the mountains for approximately 300 yards to a large wash. Walk north up the wash for about 1 mile. Behind some gray boulders on the side of the wash is a cave entrance. It is very deep but with the right kind of equipment you might be able to reach the bottom and the lost river of gold. The people who wrote of finding this entrance stated that there were pitons driven into the wall of the shaft. It is obvious that someone else has tried to enter from here before.

Below is a map sketch that approximates the faults discussed and the distances involved.

Kokoweef Fault and Relief Map VERY INTERESTING!

FOR YOU INFORMATION:

I recently received an email from a person who is documenting the story of the Lost River of Gold. They pointed out that several people have been killed searching for this treasure. Remember, entering any cave or old mine shaft is dangerous at best and stupid for the inexperienced. DO NOT ENTER ANY SHAFT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO DO SO! Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!

This area is now part of the Eastern Mojave National Scenic Area. This area that has been mined for years and has hundreds of roads is now considered roadless. Offroad travel is probably prohibited. What constitutes "offroad" needs to be determined.

Reference: Treasure Travels, Vol. 1 No. 1 by Roy Anglin Jr. This is a small, paperback book that has no publishing information but an illustration on the front cover shows a Volkswagon carrying a treasure chest on the roof. I purchased this copy in Sacramento, CA in the early eighties from a used bookstore.