Weaver's Needle

Weaver's Needle is a thousand foot high column of rock that rises from the desert floor and dominates the land for thirty miles around. Located in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Arizona, Weaver's Needle was created when a thick layer of tuff (fused volcanic ash) was heavily eroded, creating the spire as an erosional remnant with a summit elevation of 4553 ft. It is set in a desert landscape of cactus and mesquite bush, with towering Saguaro cacti particularly prominent. The peak was named after mountain man Pauline Weaver.

Weaver's Needle has played a significant role in the stories of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. The Needle's shadow reportedly indicates the location of a rich vein of gold, and many treasure hunters have searched for it. The hunt for gold around Weaver's Needle has been pursued by hundreds (possibly thousands) of people and the area is packed with prospect holes and are littered with abandoned camp sites, spent cartridge shells, and possibly, missing persons — there have been 36 reported deaths and disappearances in the area.

Expert geologists believe that it is impossible that gold lies in the area because the hills of the Superstition Mountains mostly consist of igneous materials such as tuff and andesite, the dust and ashes of ancient volcanic convulsions. It is extremely rare to find gold in the presence of the latter.

References

* http://www.gemland.com/superstitions/needle.htm