The cursed treasure of Arizona

The enigmatic allure of Arizona’s treasure

For treasure hunters around the world, Arizona in the United States is nothing short of paradise.Located in the south-western part of the United States with Phoenix as its capital, Arizona is known for its desert climate and intense heat.However, the mountains and forests there can experience biting cold.This unique climate keeps the weather cooler compared to many other states in America.Although English is the official language, a significant number of people here speak Spanish.

• Legends of lost treasures

Stories of lost treasures are more prevalent here than in any other state.These tales seem to drift through the air.If you have an interest in history and archaeology, a visit here is a must.From the daring treasure hunts of the 16th-century Spanish conquistador Francisco Coronado to the heavy lootings of the Old West days in the 19th century, the vivid accounts of mysterious treasures will leave you spellbound.

• Pylin weber's fateful day

However, stories are just stories.Relying on these tales, Pylin Weber took the biggest gamble of his life.That day was the most thrilling of Pylin Weber’s life when he saw a metal glinting like gold emerging from the mountain in front of him.His camp was not far from the mountain where Weber’s other companions were deeply asleep.Weber thought he was dreaming, but soon the boundaries between reality and illusion became clear.He ventured up alone, collected pieces of the ‘mysterious’ yet seemingly valuable metal, and stood ready to head back to his camp.Suddenly, he felt the ground beneath his feet begin to give way.

• A deadly encounter

He immediately realized that the mountain was about to engulf him.The area where his camp had been was now a heap of burnt ashes.The pile of gold he had gathered was scattered all around.Trembling in fear, his body soon began to sweat.Hearing a rising roar behind him, he turned around, and a jolt of electricity surged through him.Thousands of shadowy figures descended from the mountain's peak with a thunderous noise, rushing towards him like an army of soldiers.

• The horrors of the cursed mountain

Weber, having lost all rational thought, let out a single scream… a terrifying scream! He collapsed unconscious.When he regained consciousness, there was nothing there.The sun had risen high in the sky.With the events replaying in his mind, he fled from the area.Weber never dared to return to that place again in his life.

• Donald Paleta’s ordeal

Exactly six years after this incident, a similar event occurred at the same place with a Mexican youth, Donald Paleta.All his companions in the expedition were killed, but he survived, perhaps due to luck, escaping the clutches of the spirits.After recovering from their traumas, both Pylin Weber and Donald Paleta published their memoirs.It was then that people learned of the mysterious mountain that rains gold.This place, located forty miles east of Phoenix, is infamously known as The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine.

• The legend of the lost Dutchman’s gold mine

It is said that no one who has gone there in search of gold has ever returned alive.Those who did return were unable to bring back even a piece of gold but instead came back with a chest full of fear, despair, and trauma that took years to overcome.This area of Arizona is as enigmatic as Siberia in Russia.

• The eerie mysteries of Arizona

Just as Siberia is known for its mysterious radiations, otherworldly sounds, and lights that make it a region of bizarre wonders, Arizona is renowned worldwide for its unsolved and terrifying mysteries.In Winslow, Arizona, there is a massive crater, approximately 1.186 kilometres long and 560 feet deep, believed to have been formed by a meteorite impact.The only larger crater, about 6 miles long and 700 feet deep, is located in Canada.

• The deadly allure of the mountain

Years after Donald Paleta’s expedition, countless people from around the world, including many from the United States, ventured to Arizona driven by the allure of the endless gold.Even Dr.Lauren Ravalli, a famous American doctor, made his way there.After much map study, Dr.Lauren managed to get close to the mountain.As he described, upon reaching there, he began to sense impending doom.He then heard a terrifying noise of something heavy moving around him, and in the blink of an eye, hundreds of mysterious shapes surrounded him.

• The fate of Dr.Lauren Ravalli

Later, a search party found his lifeless body.His bag contained some food and documents.The newspapers reported his death prominently, causing a sensation in the area.Medical examination revealed that Dr.Lauren’s blood had been completely drained, but how this happened remains unknown.Since then, this mountain has been dubbed the “Bloody Peak.”

• The patterns of death and mystery

The mountain exhibits some peculiar patterns.For instance, it is said to release gold only at specific times of the year.Similarly, all the deaths that have occurred there have happened precisely at 4 PM.At 4 PM, the shadow of the peak touches the Earth.Detailed investigations revealed that anyone who was murdered there died due to the complete draining of their blood, while post-mortem reports found no signs of wounds or injuries.

• Unexplained deaths and legends

The murders of an Australian youth named Franz and some Honolulu merchants were also attributed to the unknown ‘mysterious forces’ of the mountain, with no documents available on them.The most thrilling tale is of a German engineer named Walz, who, though he never uncovered the mountain’s secrets, found the greatest joy in his adventurous struggle and quest for gold.

• Walz’s adventurous quest

German engineer Walz was working in the Arizona mines at the time.Having heard of the legendary gold-raining mountain, its tales constantly stirred him and motivated him to uncover its mystery.Walz believed that the secret of the Bloody Peak might be hidden in the history of the Apache shamans living from south-western America to Mexico, as they were the ones who inhabited the region.The local Apaches, inherently fierce, harboured a deep hatred for white settlers.

• The apache conflict and walz's efforts

Many times, Americans had systematically exterminated them, intensifying their hatred for whites.The Apache Leap of 1872, where John Baker massacred the Apaches, and the subsequent guerrilla attacks by Apache leader Geronimo against the white settlers are famous.Fourteen years later, in 1886, General Nelson fought the final battle, pushing them back.It is believed that some influential Apache figures and shamans took refuge on the mysterious mountain, where no one who has gone there has returned alive.

• Walz's tragic end

Bored with his daily life, Walz meticulously planned his quest.He fell in love with a beautiful Apache girl named Ken T, whom he married.This was a significant achievement, as gaining the tribe’s goodwill opened the path to the mysterious mountain.Walz first tried to learn the secret of the gold-raining mountain from his wife Ken T but soon realized that not only Ken T but almost the entire tribe was unaware of the mountain’s secret—only a few shamans knew.

• The final attempt and the tragic loss

Before proceeding with his plan, Walz, with Ken T's help, gathered a considerable amount of gold.He then befriended a young man named Jacob Visner and included him in his team.With all preparations complete, he began exploring the mountain’s inner mysteries.He repeatedly attempted to approach the mountain directly, as many had before him, but each time he was met by terrifying spirits and had to flee for his life.His attempts were noticed by the influential Apache figures and shamans, who disapproved of his audacity.

• Ken t's kidnapping and Walz’s final journey

During these efforts, Walz's wife Ken T was kidnapped by the Apaches, who tortured her and cut out her tongue, leading to her death.Desperate and disheartened, Walz had nothing left in the tribe.However, he did not give up and changed his approach.Crossing a vast desert, he managed to reach the mountain from behind.Setting up camp in the plains beyond the desert, Walz and Jacob ventured out and soon saw small flames of fire advancing toward them.Although it was night, the light grew to a day-like brightness, with a sense of impending doom.They fled, swearing never to look back as burning stones rained down on them.

• The final discovery

While fleeing, Walz touched a stone and found it to be completely cold.As the flames ceased, he turned back and saw that the inferno had calmed down.Remembering that his wife had told him about a tunnel leading inside the mountain, he recalled those details.With some effort, Walz found the tunnel’s entrance and entered with Jacob.Inside, they found several rooms with thousands of human skeletons, some of which were unusually large, seemingly dating back thousands of years.

• The mystery remains unsolved

They also discovered a massive pit from which gold lava flowed but were unable to find the actual source of the gold or a way to proceed further.The intense heat of the place made every passing moment feel heavy.During their return, they were spotted by the tribe near a forest swamp.Jacob was brutally killed on the spot, but Walz somehow escaped.He died a few years later, in 1961.All that remained was his diary.Using that diary, others like Bareni attempted journeys but could not uncover the mystery of the gold-raining