Old Miner Don

Yee Haw! Thank you Ghost Miner!

You did a great job Ghost Miner 👍.

Are you referring to someone in the crew or a hooligan? I doubt that every bit of conversation about gold was recorded in the journal. We can safely assume that. We know the crew was concerned for Jed's safety. At the very end Jed may have told them not to worry about him and that he had his gold stashed miles away. He may even have said that the very next day after everyone leaves he is going to drive up and check on his gold. If he had a back stabbing crew member that was intent on robbing him then Jed may have let on too much about going to check on the gold. Then figure that Hudson and the other guy's eyes about pop out of their head when they are told how much gold the crew had total. For sure a few hundred ounces was Jed's. It may have been more than a honest crew member could handle. It seems odd how fast the robber moved in. Word must have traveled very fast after the crew left, if it was one of the hooligans. For sure Jed had made lots of enemies up there! But I can't understand Jed's thinking that he could make it alone all winter. Not even a good dog to bark and warn him about someone sneaking around. If Jed was woken up in his tent with a rifle stuck in his face then a dog would very likely have prevented that. But the loneliness and the snow and the hooligans how in the world did he think he could handle that in a camp tent? Kinda crazy IMO. Should have taken that gold and wintered out in the company of a good woman and stay away from the whiskey for awhile lol. Play it smarter. Of course I'm one to talk lol...

OR perhaps Jed was jumped by someone while he was alone at the camp and then was forced at gun point to drive to the gold. On the promise they wouldn't kill him, but they did anyway. Would Jed do that or would he rather die first and keep his gold a secret? Wish we could ask him!

Wow wonder how that happened? Seems like it would have been very difficult for someone to tail him for 20 miles to where the gold was hidden. Amazing that the killer never bragged about it and was found out. UNLESS Jed was double crossed by someone in the crew! Thank you very much Ghost Miner for telling this tale and are the same guys coming back next season to mine? Guys from the same crew?

Congratulations Mike!

Good 'ole Hudson!

Oh man Ghost Miner you really have the 'cliff hanger' thing down pat!

That IS good news!

Gold Seeker posted the link to the correct area. I would have responded sooner but I was taking a nap. Sorry.

I have a gold claim in the Middle Santiam area and you would be welcome to visit. But I will tell you straightaway that Jed's claim will have a bunch more gold on it lol. Visiting Paxton would be a fun thing to do down the road. Kinda depends on the price of gas etc.

Thank you for reassuring us Ghost Miner. You finding any color in that hole?

Thank you for planning to post the entire journal on here! Some of us on fixed income may not be able to afford the book, and that will likely include me. I thought awhile back if the book ends up being around $20 then I might buy one. I am sure it will be more than that and it's okay that I probably can't get one, BUT I really am glad that you are posting all of the journal! I would have been very disappointed to not know the end, and once again THANK YOU very much for putting it on Steve's website.

Lol good luck getting some sleep tonight Jed. Wonder how much gold Jed would have traded for some NV goggles?

Wow, things sure seem to have slowed down with whiskey Jack, Ben and Sarge gone. Kinda depressing 😢

You didn't make a mistake. You are doing great and I for one very much appreciate you telling the tale in your own way.

Of course there will be others. Now that you have mentioned it lol.

Something to do with "no trouble on the mountain"?

Do you know by chance where whiskey Jack is buried?

When the story started out I was liking every one of your posts. Then after giving you several likes I got a popup that said I have used up all my likes for one day...or something to that effect. I hadn't realized that we couldn't just like everything. After that I started using my 'likes' sparingly. I will try to max them out because you and Jed and the crew deserve it man!

Well that's possible. I would consider it. I am a day's drive from that area.

Well Ghost Miner I'm curious. Are you talking about meeting and do something together kind of adventure?

Stay tuned?? Okay lol. I hope nothing happens to you Ghost Miner before you get this journal posting completed!! Be careful and don't take any risks with your life man. I love this story and I want you to know that and also how very much I appreciate the time you are spending to tell the story. Thank you!