{openx:8}Hostile indians were never much of a threat in the Salt River Valley in the early days. The agressive tribes – Yavapai and Apache – kept to their mountian fortresses to the north and east of modern Phoenix.

In 1865, the Army established Fort McDowell on the Verde River to make sure that the Yavapai and Apache stayed in their mountain redoubts. A big fort, it had it’s own outpost, Camp Reno.

Camp Reno is located on the east slope of the Mazatal range and was garrisoned from 1867 to 1870 in the very strategic Reno Pass.

The Tonto Apaches, occasionally hostile, often came to Camp Reno to trade for sugar, coffee, whiskey, PX hats and workshirts. The Tonto Apaches had no money, but they had a yellow metal that made the early Spaniards and the more recent white man’s eyes go wide.

Where the Tonto’s found the gold was a secret. The soldiers of the Reno Camp garrison were smart enough not to ask and for the most part knew better than to follow.

Two soldiers who didn’t know better than to follow the Tonto Apaches set out from Camp Reno on an autumn morning to find the gold — and never returned.

Several years later, herders on the north slope of Mt. Ord discovered five skeletons. Remnants of blue uniforms, bleached almost white by the sun and buttons littered the area along with civilian clothes.

In the middle of this discovery was a piece of quartz glittering with gold.

An old timer from Chandler who was an expert on lost gold stories and had seen the quartz said “It was about three inches long. Two inches broad and at least one-third gold.”

The identity of the five skeletons, along with how they died remains a mystery. No weapons were found at the site nor any identifying letters or personal effects.

Were two of them the soldier’s that left Camp Reno?

Had they found the gold and then been killed in their escape by the Tonto Apaches guarding their cache?

Are you ready to go find this lost treasure?