1942 Dons' Trek

1942 Dons' Trek.... INTO THE FABLED SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN

CAREFULLY JACOB WALZ patted down the last shovel of earth over the chain-bound body in the new grave. The mine and its priceless hoard of gold was all his, now, and no one would ever share it.

That was a scant forty years ago, but already the story of the "Lost Dutchman" has become a famous legend. People from the four corners of the earth scour the vastness of Superstition Mountain, hoping that they may find the clues that will lead them to the Dutchman's gold. Some come armed with maps, purportedly given by friends who got them from people who were with Walz at his deathbed. Others have old Spanish charts from Mexico, handed down by descendants of the Peraltas, the original discoverers of the mine. Still others come equipped with only an almost childlike belief that they "know where the mine is." But the answer is always the same. The mine has never been found.

Many men have given their lives in search of it. Some say they were murdered. Others that they got lost and perished in the waterless labyrinth. Who knows? So far, Superstition has kept the Dutchman's secret well.

Superstition is a mountain of many moods. She is not always a brooding wilderness of parched stone. In early spring, after the winter's rains, she is covered with a brilliant blanket of wildflowers and sweet, green grass. The cacti bloom, and little rivulets from a thousand springs trickle down her canyon walls. Bright colored birds flit through the undergrowth, while delicate clouds play hide and seek among her towering pinnacles. And the soft spring air gives no hint of the blazing summer ahead.

On Sunday, March 1, the Dons' Club of Phoenix will hold its ninth annual trek into this desert wonderland, as its contribution toward the perpetuation of Southwestern historical lore. At a base camp in Peralta Canyon, on the eastern slope of the mountain, will be staged a program dedicated to early Arizona. An Indian colony will ply its native arts of basket weaving, silversmithing, pottery making, painting and rug weaving. There will be authentic Indian dances, primitive and exotic, as only the native tribesmen can do them. Mexicans, with brilliant costumes will whirl through the intricate steps of the tango, the Hat Dance and many others. Strolling troubadours will furnish music on soft guitars, castanets and violins. A marksman, one of Buffalo Bill's original men will show how old timers handled a gun, while modern cowboys do things with a trained rope that bewilder the uniniated. These and many other exhibitions will furnish a full day's entertainment for those who wish to stay in base camp. For the more adventurous, several hikes of varying length take place. The longest of these, about four and one half miles, follows a trail up Peralta Canyon to a saddle from which an excellent view of Weaver's Needle, one of the supposed clues to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, may be seen. The shorter hikes cover the nearby giant cactus forest and prehistoric Indian caves. All these activities are led by the Dons, a group of about forty young business and professional men whose colorful costumes as well as those of their wives and sweethearts, the Doñas, help to recreate thedays of chivalry of Old Mexico and Spain. Well versed in southwestern history, their stories both real and fictitious are always interesting. Many of them have specialized in different phases of desert lore such as plant and animal life, legends and the thousand and one other

things that go to make up Arizona's background. Accordingly they have a ready answer for everyone's questions even for “What makes a jumping cactus jump?” The smooth presentation of the Trek is a real tribute to hard work and careful planning. To preserve the informality that has contributed so much to its success in the past, ticket sales will again be limited in number. As a nonprofit activity, everything that one may need for the day is covered in the original cost of his ticket. There are none of the little “extras” that can be so aggravating, such as parking charges, concessions and the like. Everyprecaution is taken for safety, including medical service and careful grading from the paved highway some four and one half miles in to base camp. Lunch is furnished both at the base camp and on the long hike. Supper is served after all hikers have returned, and hotcoffee is available at all times.

Two Dons gaze down Peralta Canyon.

The legend of the Dutchman's lost mine is part of the evening's entertainment around the campfire under the stars. Tribal dancers weave and whirl through the flickering light, and when the shadows from the mountain above have stolen to the very edge of the flames, a cascade of embers pitched from its summit makes another entry to be tucked away in one's file of unforgettables.

The Dons extend a most cordial invitation to join them in the Trek for 1942.

Like human ants, members of the long hike pause for lunch and their first glimpse of Weaver's Needle Can you see why the Mexicans call it "El Sombrero" The Hat?