Oregon Lost Mines, Legends &
Fieldwork
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
Oregon lost mines, treasure legends, folklore, and historical mysteries, researched source by source.
Research & Evidence
Deep dives into historical records, documented sources, maps, and the evidence behind Oregon legends.
Ground Truth
Treasure-hunting trips, field observations, route stories, and outdoor misadventures from the places behind the legends.
Articles
Years spent living near and exploring Althouse Creek offered a close look at Southern Oregon gold country, old mining remains, surviving cabins, local stories, and the landscape that later shaped a search for the truth behind the Lost Cabin Mine.
Rich placer ground reportedly appeared above and below a puzzling section of Althouse Creek. Part II examines what that missing gold could have represented, why miners kept searching, and one historical interpretation of what may have happened.
For generations, miners searched the Althouse Creek country for a lost lead they believed could explain one of Southern Oregon’s richest placer districts. Part I follows William Mackey, his father Martin Mackey, and the extraordinary effort spent chasing that answer.
Legend Files
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
Every treasure hunter collects a few lessons the hard way. Around the Campfire, Jimmy shares one at a time in hopes that someone else can avoid making the same mistake.
A quiet morning hike became one of Jimmy's most unforgettable memories when a stranger carrying an enormous box crossed the trail and disappeared into the forest, leaving behind far more questions than answers.
A dragonfly pauses on a twig and delivers a brutally accurate review of treasure hunting expectations.
Field Humor
The Sketchy Raccoon turns a simple situation into snack-related chaos in this Lost Cabin Mine comic.
Jimmy checks into a quiet hotel in the woods, searches absolutely everywhere for the box, and discovers his soggy raccoon supervisor has followed him.
One more hill. One more bad decision. Jimmy pushes ahead while her exhausted partner questions everything, only for the soggy raccoon supervisor to claim the final victory.
Adventures
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.
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.
Mabel and her search partner find shelter in a strange hotel where the woods seem determined to follow them inside.
