Welcome to Mysteries of the Superstition Mountains today we have a superstition mountain
rescue story from Maricopa County sheriff Clint Bradshaw that first water trailhead
has become very popular in recent years and it's been very popular for many
years of course being a deputy out there I've responded to many emergencies and a lot of uh
you know situations unfortunately where people have lost their lives so I think just two I would
I would like to emphasize that it's important to uh you know to be prepared and be careful and
and to know what you're doing and know the area there's there is a an instance um you
know and this is this kind of a cautionary tale of several years ago um I was involved in a search
where there were three men that had gone missing their car was found in the first water trailhead
it was the middle of summer it was super hot and I remember we we took they asked us to bring the
horses out there to help with the search and we we we had some of our good horses but we didn't
even get very far down the trail because it was just so hot and so and so difficult and um
these three men um were eventually found and they had they'd obviously uh and they were looking for
the Lost Dutchman gold mine I believe and and but they had succumbed to the elements and they had
passed away so the investigation kind of showed that they were ill-prepared for for what they what
they were up against as far as the elements the superstitions can be very dangerous and um it's
very rough country and if you've studied anything about the history you'll know you'll know that
uh a lot of people have lost their lives up there in some instances very you know kind
of mysterious ways it was unfortunate um you know we put a lot of resources and effort into
into searching for these for these gentlemen um it was unfortunate that what what happened to them
um you know they're part of the story was that uh that their leader one of the guys had uh actually
been out there the the summer before and we had rescued him with our helicopter and then had come
back uh the very next year uh with two friends and and unfortunately they all they all succumbed
to the elements and so you know we want people to be able to come out and enjoy the wilderness
and enjoy the superstition mountains and have fun and and um but we also want people to be careful
uh you know be prepared bring plenty of water and and and just be careful and you know realize
that we are there to if if accidents are going to happen and you say we've rescued a lot of
people with sprained ankles and and you know and and other things that happen and that can happen
to the best of hikers you could be a world-class hiker and you could you could have something and
and we're more than happy to come and rescue you and and help you uh if when you're in need but
we just want to caution everyone please be careful and and take them out and seriously and and uh and
be careful and be safe thank you for watching this episode of Mysteries of the Superstition Mountains