Jarbidge, Nevada monster?

[Gatofeo]

Jarbidge, Nevada is a tiny ghost town, population 20 to 50, in northwestern Nevada.

Anyone ever been there? Supposedly there's an ancient monster in the area! More on this later.

I'll be in Jackpot, Nevada this coming weekend (Oct. 5-7, 2007) staying at the Horseshu Casino (yes, that's how they spell it).

Anyway, I thought I might pop 60 miles over to Jarbidge, Nevada while I'm in Jackpot.

Why?

Well, I'm a history buff.

The last stagecoach robbery in the U.S. took place just outside Jarbidge, during a December 1916 blizzard. The killer of the driver was never caught and the stolen gold never recovered.

Yep, surprised me too that stagecoaches were still running that late, but in 1916 vehicles were not reliable enough to haul the gold bullion out of the mines. The gold mines played out by the 1920s and only a few people stayed on.

Anyway, in looking up Jarbidge on the internet I learned some intriguing things:

1. Jarbidge is within the Jarbidge Wilderness Area. This wilderness area contains a Class 1 Airshed, possessing one of the last few remnants of pristine air in America. The air quality is monitored daily with an air camera and particulate sampler.

2. The name Jarbidge is said to translate from the Shoshone Indian language to, "Monster that lurks in the canyon" or "weird beastly creature." According to legend, Shoshone braves chased the creature into a cave in the present Jarbidge Canyon and blocked its escape with rocks and boulders.

Another source says the Shoshone word, "Tsawhawbitts," meaning "man-eating giant" is the root of the name Jarbidge.

Yet another source say Jarbidge stems from the Nez Perce Indian word "Jahabich," which means "devil." It was their name for the nearby mountains, which they believed to be haunted by an evil giant.

Today, Jarbidge is still very remote. It takes planning to get there as most of the route is dirt.

Jarbidge still has a general store, saloon, post office and basic lodging of some type, according to the internet.

It is a popular area with deer hunters in the fall, and trout anglers in the spring and summer.

Sounds like my kind of place!

Anyway, I hope to visit Jarbidge this Saturday (Oct. 6) with a lady friend --- weather permitting. The forecast calls for rain and wet snow, with lows in the 30s and 40s (-1 to 9 C), so with weather like that we won't go.

But I wondered if anyone in Unexplained Mysteries had ever been there? I'd like to visit Jarbidge this spring, if not now.

Sounds like a beautiful remote place with a mystique to it.

[Fluffybunny]

I love Nevada; although I don't have much experience outside of the standard bigger cities and tourist trap areas.... I have never even heard of Jarbridge, but it sounds very cool though...I like old west towns.

Take lots of pictures!

[DarkSide]

Sounds very cool! Don't let -1 degree weather stop you, that is tanning weather where I come from

Regardless if you do go, make sure to try and find this 'beast' and take lots of pictures

-Joel.

[SolarPlexus]

sounds awesome man have fun lol. Much of Nevada is desolate wilderness, who knows.

[thevocalist]

Yeah take pictures anway, the history of those old towns are dwindling into dust pile or tourist traps. Hope you can share with us your trip in pics anyway.

[Jewels1958]

Hmmm I live about 60 miles east of Reno and though I have vaguely heard of Jarbidge, I don't remember hearing of any monster there. Now I am intrigued! Please do post back here and let us know how the trip went. I think I feel another road trip going on.

[Gatofeo]

Well, it doesn't look like I will visit Jarbidge this weekend. The forecast calls for wet snow and driving rain. Hardly decent weather to explore, or even take a photo.

But I'm playing it by ear.

If my "system" to win at the casino pans out, I may end up owning Jarbidge!

Perhaps we could have the First Annual Unexplained Mysteries Convention there! LOL

I'll let you know next week whether I went to Jarbidge. If not now, I'll definitely look at going there this spring.

[Archosaur]

A giant, man-eating creature, that made off with a stagecoach of gold, and was never seen again?

I officially get to be the first UM member to suggest that it might be a dragon. Yay! I beat DC to it!

[FTW]

could be a fun trip,might have to talk my wife and some friends into going there for a long weekend sometime.of course I will tell them were sightseeing until we get there then hunt for monsters

[The Unseen]

Jarbidge, Nevada is a tiny ghost town, population 20 to 50, in northwestern Nevada.

Anyone ever been there? Supposedly there's an ancient monster in the area! More on this later.

I'll be in Jackpot, Nevada this coming weekend (Oct. 5-7, 2007) staying at the Horseshu Casino (yes, that's how they spell it).

Anyway, I thought I might pop 60 miles over to Jarbidge, Nevada while I'm in Jackpot.

Why?

Well, I'm a history buff.

The last stagecoach robbery in the U.S. took place just outside Jarbidge, during a December 1916 blizzard. The killer of the driver was never caught and the stolen gold never recovered.

Yep, surprised me too that stagecoaches were still running that late, but in 1916 vehicles were not reliable enough to haul the gold bullion out of the mines. The gold mines played out by the 1920s and only a few people stayed on.

Anyway, in looking up Jarbidge on the internet I learned some intriguing things:

1. Jarbidge is within the Jarbidge Wilderness Area. This wilderness area contains a Class 1 Airshed, possessing one of the last few remnants of pristine air in America. The air quality is monitored daily with an air camera and particulate sampler.

2. The name Jarbidge is said to translate from the Shoshone Indian language to, "Monster that lurks in the canyon" or "weird beastly creature." According to legend, Shoshone braves chased the creature into a cave in the present Jarbidge Canyon and blocked its escape with rocks and boulders.

Another source says the Shoshone word, "Tsawhawbitts," meaning "man-eating giant" is the root of the name Jarbidge.

Yet another source say Jarbidge stems from the Nez Perce Indian word "Jahabich," which means "devil." It was their name for the nearby mountains, which they believed to be haunted by an evil giant.

Today, Jarbidge is still very remote. It takes planning to get there as most of the route is dirt.

Jarbidge still has a general store, saloon, post office and basic lodging of some type, according to the internet.

It is a popular area with deer hunters in the fall, and trout anglers in the spring and summer.

Sounds like my kind of place!

Anyway, I hope to visit Jarbidge this Saturday (Oct. 6) with a lady friend --- weather permitting. The forecast calls for rain and wet snow, with lows in the 30s and 40s (-1 to 9 C), so with weather like that we won't go.

But I wondered if anyone in Unexplained Mysteries had ever been there? I'd like to visit Jarbidge this spring, if not now.

Sounds like a beautiful remote place with a mystique to it.

Good luck gatofeo"ugly cat",hope to hear more of what you find there.

[Gatofeo]

Well, I'm told there's a saloon in Jarbidge. It's a scientific fact that monsters like saloons. Might have to search that there saloon thoroughly, just to be safe. When hunting ancient monsters, one can't be tooooo careful. Might take a while ... heh.

[Wreck7]

Jarbidge, Nevada is a tiny ghost town, population 20 to 50, in northwestern Nevada.

Anyone ever been there? Supposedly there's an ancient monster in the area! More on this later.

I'll be in Jackpot, Nevada this coming weekend (Oct. 5-7, 2007) staying at the Horseshu Casino (yes, that's how they spell it).

Anyway, I thought I might pop 60 miles over to Jarbidge, Nevada while I'm in Jackpot.

Why?

Well, I'm a history buff.

The last stagecoach robbery in the U.S. took place just outside Jarbidge, during a December 1916 blizzard. The killer of the driver was never caught and the stolen gold never recovered.

Yep, surprised me too that stagecoaches were still running that late, but in 1916 vehicles were not reliable enough to haul the gold bullion out of the mines. The gold mines played out by the 1920s and only a few people stayed on.

Anyway, in looking up Jarbidge on the internet I learned some intriguing things:

1. Jarbidge is within the Jarbidge Wilderness Area. This wilderness area contains a Class 1 Airshed, possessing one of the last few remnants of pristine air in America. The air quality is monitored daily with an air camera and particulate sampler.

2. The name Jarbidge is said to translate from the Shoshone Indian language to, "Monster that lurks in the canyon" or "weird beastly creature." According to legend, Shoshone braves chased the creature into a cave in the present Jarbidge Canyon and blocked its escape with rocks and boulders.

Another source says the Shoshone word, "Tsawhawbitts," meaning "man-eating giant" is the root of the name Jarbidge.

Yet another source say Jarbidge stems from the Nez Perce Indian word "Jahabich," which means "devil." It was their name for the nearby mountains, which they believed to be haunted by an evil giant.

Today, Jarbidge is still very remote. It takes planning to get there as most of the route is dirt.

Jarbidge still has a general store, saloon, post office and basic lodging of some type, according to the internet.

It is a popular area with deer hunters in the fall, and trout anglers in the spring and summer.

Sounds like my kind of place!

Anyway, I hope to visit Jarbidge this Saturday (Oct. 6) with a lady friend --- weather permitting. The forecast calls for rain and wet snow, with lows in the 30s and 40s (-1 to 9 C), so with weather like that we won't go.

But I wondered if anyone in Unexplained Mysteries had ever been there? I'd like to visit Jarbidge this spring, if not now.

Sounds like a beautiful remote place with a mystique to it.

While you're there check out my mine: N41° 49.883' W115° 24.694'

BTW Thats north east NV

[sixxx]

That's interesting. If you go, take lots of pictures and take a friend.

[Gatofeo]

Dang, I meant northeastern Nevada. Why did I type northwestern? I know better.

Well, didn't get to Jarbidge. The weather was lousy (rain and snow in higher elevations, lots of muddy trails and roads). Didn't want to take a chance on a breakdown in unfamiliar territory during bad weather.

But I plan to visit Jarbidge this spring or early summer.

I'll have to check out your mine, Wreck 7. What do you mine there?

I lost my shirt at the casinos at Jackpot, Nevada where I stayed. But it was fun. Rented a room with a jacuzzi. Nice to climb into late at night with a book and snifter of brandy.

I'll keep y'all posted.

[The_Spartan]

Well, I'm told there's a saloon in Jarbidge. It's a scientific fact that monsters like saloons. Might have to search that there saloon thoroughly, just to be safe. When hunting ancient monsters, one can't be tooooo careful. Might take a while ... heh.

Well, Well we got a vain monster in here , dont we? Perhaps the Monster does like an occasional facial, a new hair do and of course the customary filing of its sharp teeth..hehehe

[draconic chronicler]

A giant, man-eating creature, that made off with a stagecoach of gold, and was never seen again?

I officially get to be the first UM member to suggest that it might be a dragon. Yay! I beat DC to it!

I do recall a dragon-like lake monster in Nevada that goes back to ancient Indian legends, but don't know if it is close to this one.

[Gatofeo]

Well, Well we got a vain monster in here , dont we? Perhaps the Monster does like an occasional facial, a new hair do and of course the customary filing of its sharp teeth..hehehe

Um, Coredrill, I said saloon, not salon. In a saloon the monster would have a couple snorts of Ol' Stump Blower, play some billiards, flirt with the barmaid and play poker.

At least, that's typical of the saloons I've been in.

<Gatofeo pushes back the brim of his Stetson, chews on his cigar, squints at the others players with steely eyes, leans forward in an old wooden chair and proclaims, "Fish!">

[capoeiranger]

^"Right, partner. They ain't gonna be able to see what it is..." then spit on the bucket *klunk!*

[snuffypuffer]

Well, after a quick Google search for "Jarbidge, Nevada monster," this is what I done come up with.

A picture gallery.

A link to Nevada's traffic school.

Howard Hickson's histories of Nevada.

And, of course, the only thing with more than a cursory mention of our monster, this very thread!

You will also notice many quotes that the op directly copied and pasted onto his post! Of course he only did it to help explain his position, so I don't think we should take this as a detriment to his character.

Perhaps the monster got a speeding ticket...

[WraithGod]

While you're there check out my mine: N41° 49.883' W115° 24.694'

BTW Thats north east NV

I Google Earth'd your mine, looks like beautiful land. xD

[draconic chronicler]

A giant, man-eating creature, that made off with a stagecoach of gold, and was never seen again?

I officially get to be the first UM member to suggest that it might be a dragon. Yay! I beat DC to it!

Yep, I didn't look at this one at first, but yes, but I agree it sounds a lot like a dragon. As to natives chasing it into a cave, that is probably wishful thinking, but maybe after a raid, they plugged up a suspected cave it might have dwelled in, but it seems it escaped or wasn't in the cave at the time. And there are other reports of a dragon-like beast at a lake in Nevada, seen by both natives and anglos. Maybe it is the same dragon. I wonder if there are many missing persons and animals reported in that region? Of course, in a remote area like that there are probably plenty of mule deer.

[Matt121]

this sounds like a cool little place to spend a few days in I wouldn't mind going myself

[HollyDolly]

Hope you finally get to take your trip.

I have a couple of old Sears and Montgomery Wards catalogs from the 1920s.You could still buy wagons and other such stuff for them.Many farmers didn't have and couldn't afford tractors,so they relied on horses and mules still to plow the fields even into the 1920s and 30s,and perhasp even later.

[travelnjones]

My Aunt and Uncle live sort of in that area. In north east California by Goose lake and Alturas. Their property is backed up to the mountains which is either reservation land or national forest. Personally in my mind if you want to look for something odd, you would find it in those parts. Tons of mountain lions and eagles up there.

http://maps.google.com/?sll=41.98583,-120....p;spn=0.05,0.05

[PersonFromPorlock]

Jarbidge had a famous p***ing contest with the Interior Department about ten years ago. Not sure how it turned out, but anyone who goes there is advised not to look like a Fed or an environmentalist.