A few years ago, I was fortunate to be invited on a horseback tour to the site of the “Christmas Camp” of Fremont’s 4th Expedition which occurred in 1854. Our tour guide, Ron Kessler, pointed out living evergreen trees which had formed new tops after having their top section cut off with axes — some 130 years ago.

The location of this campsite is on the southwest side of Mesa Mountain. The most direct route for us is to travel td Saguache Park, proceed up Wanamaker Creek and across Mesa Mountain.

In 1929 Elmer Keck was a freshman in Del Norte High School. During deer hunting season, he accompanied his father and several other hunters to the area I am writing about. Elmer well remembers seeing the many mule bones scattered around the hillside. Several books have been written about Fremont’s group being trapped in several feet of snow. Our local library has Pat Richmond’s “Trail to Disaster” which describes this terrible ordeal. Elmer remembers finding old tin cans and other litter left by members of Fremont’s expedition.

About 13 years after Elmer saw these mule bones; our country was engaged in a terrible struggle - which has gone down in the books as WWII. As a part of the “war effort” the Government  paid a premium price for bleached animal bones.   I know this to be a fact, ‘cause Jim Curtis, Dale Hazard and I used Jim’s Model A and a two wheeled trailer to retrieve lots of bones.  I am wondering who out there in “Crescentland” can tell me what part these bones played in our national defense?

I have talked to several people who are sure that the mule bones from the famous expedition were picked up and sold during WWII.  Viva la patriotic mules!