October 2004 THE HIKES (page 3) Iron Springs continued "Iron Springs - on later maps the desigantion is Mescal Springs - was a fine water hole in the Whetstone Mountains about thirty-five miles west of Tombstone across the san Pedro Valey," ... "The fork to Iron Springs climbed a narrow, rocky canyon into the Whetstones, a veritable inferno beneath the desert sun," ... "About one hundred yards from the water hole, the trail rounded a rocky shoulder and cut across a half shelf of deep sand. Ahead Iron Springs was hidden by an erroded bank, possibly fifteen feet high. Beyond the hollow, where the mountain slope resumed, was a grove of cottonwoods." Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall, by Stuart Lake. |
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| Our first stop brought us to a well spring under the shade of trees, although none of the trees were identified as cottonwoods. |
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| Larry Knuth held everyone's attention as he described the events on March, 24, 1882, leading up to the ambush of the Earp party and subsequent alleged killing of the notorious Curly Bill. The embankment above the spring could have provided both an excellent vantage point to watch for the Earp party and good cover for an ambush. |
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| After a nice breather under the trees and much discussion over the likelihood of being the correct spot of the ambush, we headed off to the next potential location. |
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| "The fork to Iron Springs climbed a narrow, rocky canyon into the Whetstones," --Lake. Here, less than a mile from the previous location we walked up a very narrow and rocky wash toward another stand of trees. |
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| The trail up was rugged. While some liked this as the spot for an ambush, others preferred the first place due to the ease in which to travel. |
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| "About one hundred yards from the water hole, the trail rounded a rocky shoulder and cut across a half shelf of deep sand." -- Lake. And about 100 yards or so from the hole we came to a rocky shoulder. No half shelf of sand was found, but that could have been easily removed in 120 years. |
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| "Ahead Iron Springs was hidden by an erroded bank, possibly fifteen feet high. Beyond the hollow, where the mountain slope resumed, was a grove of cottonwoods."--Lake. Again, we came to a spring in a copse of trees. There, Larry read further accounts of the geographical details of the ambush along with the vivid accounts of Curly Bill's death... |
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| ... and yet, was the story given by Wyatt Earp true? Like the legend of Billy the Kid, stories of Curly Bill Brocious continued to pop up for a time: "It is said, by parties who claim their ability to sustain it, that the reward of $1,000, offered by the Stockraisers' Protective Association for Curly Bill, was claimed by Wyatt Earp, and the amount, in horses and money, paid to him by H.C.Hooker last Monday. Possibly this is true; but it's rough on the party who paid the reward, as the notorious and wily William is beyond question of doubt alive in New Mexico, keeping his weather eye open for a fresh saddle horse. Anyhow, it was a neat job". --Tombstone Nugget, March 31, 1882. |
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| After another long, but fun day of hiking, the group made their way back to the vehicles, debating all the way on why one spot was considered more favorable than the other. |
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