Dead Man's Cave Treasure

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Dead Man's Cave Treasure

Lost Treasure CO • Custer County County
Description
1880 legend of three prospectors who sheltered from a blizzard in a Wet Mountains cavern, found five skeletons and crude gold bars worth $900 each, but never relocated the cave despite repeated searches.
Historical Notes
In winter 1880, E.J. Oliver, S.J. Harkman, and H.A. Melton were prospecting two miles north of what became Dead Man Camp in the Wet Mountains. Seeking blizzard shelter, they crawled through a narrow opening into a 20-foot chamber with five scattered skeletons. A deeper tunnel led to a vault with shelves holding stone-like bars that assayed as gold worth $900 each at Silver Cliff in the Wet Mountain Valley. The men refused to reveal the location and planned a spring return. They could not find the cave again — many spots looked similar. The Fairplay Flume and Denver Post reported the story in 1880. The gold bars and cave remain unfound.
Status / Verification legend — Legendary or approximate

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