La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold, Colorado
Nestled high within the rugged peaks of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, shrouded in whispers of ancient lore and tantalizing tales of untold riches, lies a geological enigma known as La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold. This legendary cavern, perched at an imposing 13,000 feet on Marble Mountain, near the town of Westcliffe, has captivated imaginations for centuries, beckoning adventurers, treasure hunters, and historians alike into its shadowy depths. Its story is woven from threads of Native American tradition, Spanish exploration, and the relentless pursuit of fortune, a narrative that continues to fuel speculation and inspire expeditions even today.
The allure of La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold is deeply rooted in the oral histories of the indigenous peoples who inhabited the region long before the arrival of European settlers. Passed down through generations, these accounts spoke of a sacred place, a cavern teeming with gold but guarded by malevolent spirits. The cave was seen as a place of both immense potential and perilous danger, a dichotomy that undoubtedly contributed to its mystique and the enduring fascination it holds.
The narrative took a significant turn with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Driven by the insatiable thirst for gold and the expansion of their empire, these explorers were quick to seize upon the Native American legends. In the year 1541, historical records suggest that members of the Coronado expedition, driven by tales of La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold, ventured into the region. These accounts detail how Spanish monks, accompanying the expedition, translated the indigenous stories and, fueled by the promise of wealth, coerced the local Native Americans into forced labor.
Under the brutal control of the Spanish monks, the indigenous people were forced to mine the cave, extracting significant quantities of gold from its depths. The exploitation and mistreatment endured by the Native Americans eventually led to a revolt. According to the legends, two of the monks were killed in the uprising. However, one monk, identified as De la Cruz, managed to quell the rebellion, convincing the natives that he possessed the power to control the "evil spirits" within the mine.
With the rebellion subdued, the mining operations resumed, yielding even greater quantities of gold. Once the indigenous people had served their purpose, the remaining Spanish, led by De la Cruz, are said to have brutally massacred them. The surviving Spaniards then loaded their plundered treasure onto pack mules and fled south toward Mexico, leaving La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold abandoned and shrouded in secrecy once more.
For centuries, the cave remained largely undisturbed, its location gradually fading from common knowledge. It wasn’t until approximately 100 years ago that the legend resurfaced with the discovery of a skeletal remains of a conquistador. Elisha Horn, while exploring Marble Mountain, stumbled upon the skeletal remains clad in Spanish armor, an arrow protruding from its back. Above the skeleton, etched into the rock face, was an ancient red cross, a symbol that, though faded with time, is said to be still faintly visible today. Nearby, Horn discovered the entrance to what was believed to be La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold.
The discovery reignited the fervor surrounding the cave, prompting further exploration and speculation. In the 1920s, a U.S. Forest Ranger led an expedition organized by the Colorado Mountain Club to further investigate the mysteries of the cave. The ranger was spurred by a 105-year-old Mexican woman, who claimed to remember, as a child, witnessing miners emerging from the cave laden with gold.
The elderly woman provided a tantalizing detail: she claimed that within 500 to 700 feet of the cave entrance lay an oaken door, the entrance to a particularly rich section of the mine known as the "Three Steps Mine." She described the treasure as being hidden behind a series of padlocked wooden doors. The ranger and the Colorado Mountain Club members meticulously explored the cave’s intricate network of chambers and passages, venturing as far as 500 feet into the earth. However, they failed to discover the fabled wooden doors or any significant deposits of gold.
Despite the absence of gold, the 1920s expedition uncovered a number of artifacts that offered further clues to the cave’s history. These included a 200-year-old ladder and a hammer believed to date back to the 1600s, suggesting a long history of mining activity. Furthermore, the expedition discovered the ruins of an old fort nestled among the aspen trees lower down the mountain, along with a scattering of arrowheads, hinting at past conflicts in the area. The location of La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold, is difficult to reach.
In the years that followed, numerous other individuals and groups have ventured into La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold, each hoping to unlock its secrets and perhaps strike it rich. These explorations have yielded additional artifacts, including a windlass (a rope and bucket system), a clay jug, and a shovel, all remnants of previous expeditions. One particularly unsettling discovery was the skeleton of a human, chained by the neck to a wall deep within the cave.
Despite the countless expeditions and the discovery of various artifacts, the elusive gold of La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold has remained stubbornly out of reach. No significant gold deposits have ever been officially documented, although rumors of clandestine finds persist. Some believe that the entrance near the red cross may have been an escape route rather than the main entrance, suggesting that the "true" entry to the cave lies hidden lower down on the mountainside. Others theorize that a rockslide may have concealed the wooden door leading to the Three Steps Mine, effectively sealing off the legendary treasure.
Today, La Caverna del Oro – The Cave of Gold continues to beckon adventurers and treasure seekers. Its location, high on Marble Mountain, just northeast of the Great Sand Dunes near Music Pass, presents a challenging but rewarding trek for those who dare to seek its secrets. Whether it holds untold riches or merely the echoes of a bygone era, the cave remains a potent symbol of human ambition, the allure of the unknown, and the enduring power of legend. The cave stands as a reminder that some mysteries are best left unsolved, their value residing not in the treasure they may hold, but in the stories they inspire.
