Got to go surface huntin out on the Powder River in north Wyoming, I found a few broken bases (didnt post those), but the rancher/owner showed me a broken blade and two shell ornamental beads, I have posted em here. Both the blade and the beads were found on a VERY steep uphill slope which eventually ends at a nice high flat peak overlooking a finger off of the Powder river, I have posted pics from this peak also. I found no signs of camp, flakes, etc anywhere on the slope or up at the top, there is a slight overhang near the top thats pretty shallow, I dug through and found no ash, bone or other sign it was used as a shelter. Im wondering if the blade and beads may be part of a burial (tripod style with platform) that ive often read about in the region. It seems way too coincidental given the location of the blade and the beads, not to mention the blade seems far too wide for typical working use on atlatl, im thinkin a ceremonial spear point??..Of course this is all speculation, just wanted to share it and see what yall thought......

ALSO, the rancher took me to a cave he found years ago, this cave sloped up hill in a tight chamber (I had to crawl on my belly) back nearly 50 feet and opened up into a room you could easily stand in and fit a small group of people. As it was nearing dark I didnt get the chance to dig much, only enough to see that it goes down several feet at least. This is where it gets interesting, I started on my way out and took out my phone to take a picture and get a good look at the walls, right in front of me is an inscription that reads: CAPT. J.H. 1801. I asked if the rancher knew about it, he didnt, came and looked and was extremely excited. This sparked a big debate over it, I took some pics, but none turned out at all due to the flash, one of which i posted here and you can very faintly read the letters CA....Next time i go back I'll post better ones...anyhow I wanted to hear yalls opinion on the matter. Ive researched a bit on it and cant find any indication that the US Army was doing any expedition in the area as early as 1801, the numbers are VERY clear reading 1801, but the lewis and clark expedition didnt start up until 1804. Knowing this we debated over whether or not the inscription was fake or not, heres what we came to: This property is completely land locked from public access. It is a huge ranch, and youd have to hike for days from the closed road to access this cave. All modern cave graffiti Ive ever seen was done in plain view for any and all to see, this was done so far in the back of this cave only someone who had a need to reach the back could ever have the opportunity to view it, it took me ten minutes to crawl through to the back, not to mention the cave itself is so hidden from view, you cant see it until you approach. Its an exciting idea to think who may have stayed here at that time, I just cant locate any info. on campaigns/expeditions through this country at that time., the indian wars werent even hardly underway at that point in the region. Maybe its from some french captian down from canada, i know the mountain indians were trading with them much earlier than the 1700's... All Ideas and comments are much appreciated. I thought yall would get a kick out of that, sorry its such a long post guys.

















CAVE PIC...WILL POST BETTER ONE NEXT TIME

FANTASTIC post cgb. I looked at it under magnification, and are you sure it is not 1901? You had a better look at it than we do, so i am sure you would know.
did you get a chance to look down on that flat just above the river shown in your 4th pic?
Please keep us update on any info you find.
Thanks for sharing

gman

Thats a great adventure story especially to see real estate that the Griswald vacationer would never see.
That is some really wintertime BLEAK looking country


Caves are good. Think about a metal detector if your allowed back for some more inspection. If the rancher had not discovered that inscription he could not have done a very thorough inspection of the entire area.
Nother thought.....besides better lighting your next visit...A strong handheld U/V light could be very revealing.
Interesting project, we would indeed like to hear if you make additional findings.

That is a big blade, you need to find him a few arrowheads from the area to identify what tribe /
time period it might be from.

If you have trouble locating a U/V light, I have one I would be happy to bring up to you.

What a view!! Nice finds.

cgb, please keep us updated. This is a really cool post and I'm really interested. Good luck!

thanks yall for the replys, much appreciated...Im glad i finally found a place to go lookin up here, it took nearly two months but paid off for sure, its a killer place and the rancher invited back as much as i want and thats just about as good as it can get...Gman, i did see what your talkin bout with the date, if i tilt my screen it looks almost like 1901, but right up next to it its very clear as 1801, i read it a 100 times over b4 i crawled outa there just to make sure...since i caught that area with just about an hour of light left, next time i go back in 2 weeks i will definitely have a good light on me (i shoulda known better), left the ol metal detector back in boerne till we make it back to tx for a bit....That whole area alongside the horseshoe bend in the creek otta produce somethin for sure, the grass was so tall and much of it layin down from the deer and antelope bedding down in it you couldnt see dirt, i mentioned to the rancher that if he was to disc that area hed probably be rakin up points, he said hes been planning on discing and planting alfalfa in the next few months for the mule deer...I said ill come help....yall be good down there in texas

A few more pics from up here, a few weeks ago in the Wind River Reservation and out near Jackson Hole



on the trail


off the trail (big horn sheep)




last man standing


over and out.......

Thats pretty country also in the second series of pics but looking at it from an ancients point of view, it also looks like some tough country to survive in year round ( different harsh season variables )
I think I would rather live near the river on Farmer Brown's cave property ( and he's so kind as to cultivate a crop for the wildlife )

i would too....almost got frostbite drivin through there with the heater blasting....ive heard of a number of bands that would stay out and winter in some of the harshest country up here, i dont know how they did it...Clinton D. Smith co- author of his autobiography "The Boy Captives" recalls waking high in the mountains wrapped in a buffalo robe with a couple feet of snow covering him up as a regular occurrence and him not the slightest bit disturbed...tough stock

"tough stock " is a good description of anyone that could survive a lifetime in that area...I'm thinking it was "easier" on the second generation...If you were born right there, you would assume thats a 'normal' way of growing up,,,the whole world is the same...

Just like some youngsters take it for granted that the whole world is covered in pink colored coral beaches with palm trees