Where the Sage Keeps the Story - Part II: Where the Trail Begins to Wander
Beyond the North Fork Malheur, the 1845 Meek Cutoff becomes harder to trace. Part II follows the diaries toward the South Fork and another possible route west.
Oregon Lost Mines, Legends &
Fieldwork
Lost Cabin Mine
Explore Oregon's lost-mine legends through historical research, annotated maps, treasure-hunting adventures, field notes, and campfire humor.
Along the way, Jimmy and his sketchy raccoon companion turn fieldwork, folklore, and questionable decisions into stories worth telling.
Research
Legends
Oregon lost mines, treasure legends, folklore, and historical mysteries, researched source by source.
Research & Evidence
Articles
Deep dives into historical records, documented sources, maps, and the evidence behind Oregon legends.
Ground Truth
Adventures
Treasure-hunting trips, field observations, route stories, and outdoor misadventures from the places behind the legends.
Articles
Latest Articles
Where Oregon’s Rainbow Hides in Glass
At Glass Buttes in Oregon’s high desert, dark volcanic glass can suddenly reveal an extraordinary spectrum of color. A personal find, ancient obsidian history, modern science, and an old rainbow story come together in this edition of The Treasure Outside.
The Illinois Valley: Where Wild Never Quite Left
The Illinois Valley has always been a little wild. From the rough mining camps of Browntown and Waldo to remote roads, old legends and the Triskett Gang’s missing gold, Part I follows the history of a place that has never felt completely tamed.
Legend Files
Featured Legends
Where the Sage Keeps the Story
A continuing look at the 1845 Meek Cutoff, Oregon Trail history, surviving diaries, old roads, and another possible route through eastern Oregon.
Eight Dollar Mountain: The Mountain That Still Makes People Walk
Was Eight Dollar Mountain named for a gold nugget or a ruined pair of boots? History offers both stories. Jimmy eventually tested one of them the hard way.
Oregon’s Lost Cabin Mine: Following the Legend
L. W. Musick’s 1896 work preserves early accounts connected with Oregon’s Lost Cabin Mine, including Hall and Thompson, the first searches, and a legend that spread across the Pacific Coast.
Campfire
Campfire
How Treasure Hunting Found Jimmy - The Teeter-Totter Incident
At eight, Jimmy found one impossible tree branch, a nearby teeter-totter, and a friend willing to help. Naturally, an experiment followed.
How Treasure Hunting Found Jimmy - The BMX Incident
At seven, Jimmy turned a playground slide into a BMX ramp, launched into the air, and learned the jump worked far better than the landing.
How Treasure Hunting Found Jimmy - The Ant Farm Incident
At five years old, Jimmy set out to find the perfect ants for a new ant farm and instead discovered that not every hole in the ground appreciates being investigated.
Field Humor
Funnies
Year Two, BOTG #1: Jimmy Finds the Perfect Spot and Immediately Climbs a Tree
Everything led Jimmy to one spot. Then the trail disappeared, the bear mace was missing, something black moved, and Jimmy discovered trees have advantages.
Trip 6 - The Raccoon Who Got In Trouble
The Sketchy Raccoon turns a simple situation into snack-related chaos in this Lost Cabin Mine comic.
Trip 5 – The Hotel in the Woods
Jimmy takes the treasure hunt indoors at a strange hotel in the woods, searching halls, rooms, and vending machines while a soggy raccoon keeps watch.
Adventures
In the Field
Adventure #7: Jimmy’s Driving Lessons: Jump the Creek
Jimmy learned to drive a stick shift the sensible way: by pointing an old truck at a creek, saying “I got this,” and letting momentum handle the details.
Adventure #6: One Of Jimmy's Favorite Bad Ideas
Some treasures aren't found in the woods. Some are parked in your driveway... waiting for a bad idea and a full tank of denial.
Adventure #5: The Hotel In The Woods
Mabel and her search partner find shelter in a strange hotel where the woods seem determined to follow them inside.