Strange but true...

Or... Where is it?

I was watching the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid over the weekend. Does anyone know where the canyon is where they jump off the cliff into the river to avoid the posse?

I've been trying to figure it out all weekend. I know the actual jump was filmed off an ocean cliff, but that beautiful gorge pictured has to be somewhere.

And to make things strange.... I have a page on my website documenting a little history on the Wild Bunch. And this morning a gentlemen sent me two pictures of the Wild Bunch that he has restored and given me to use. I was not expecting the pictures and they are excellent.

History of Robber's Roost
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/rrhistory.htm

The Wild Bunch
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/Files/rrh02.jpg

Sundance and Etta
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/Files/rrh03.jpg

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

Does anyone know where the canyon is where they jump off the cliff into the river to avoid the posse?

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According to IMDB, it was the Las Animas River Gorge, Durango, Colorado, USA.

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/locations

Great movie. One must see that before going to the Roost.

Hey Shane, speaking of historical stories, you posted one a couple of years ago about a cowboy and his Indian guide trying to descend a canyon in the grand canyon area. They got stuck and had to build a big pile of rocks to back out of the canyon. The guide apparently didn't tie a very good knot and were stuck in a pool and had left all their clothes above......Remember the story??? I read it to a group of older scouts around a camp fire a couple of years ago in Zion but I can't find my copy of it. Another guy was asking me about it a couple of days ago so I thought I would ask.

Dang... I forgot about that story until you just reminded me. I'll try and dig it up and post it here. I'm sure I have a copy somewhere.

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Originally Posted by Udink

According to IMDB, it was the Las Animas River Gorge, Durango, Colorado, USA.

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Sweet..... This summer I'm heading for Durango and taking my canyoneering gear :2thumbs:

Thanks

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Originally Posted by Scott Card

speaking of historical stories, you posted one a couple of years ago about a cowboy and his Indian guide

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AN ADVENTURE IN BEAVER CANYON 1899
http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=39912

My Great Uncle supplied them horses in Teasdale for years. He was the only Blacksmith and Ferrier in the area so I don't doubt this is true.

My grandfather said he would disappear for a week at a time. Just about long enough to ride to the roost and back from Teasdale. Always left with 4-5 horses, came home with none. Never would say who bought them.

His wife swore that Butch spent a week with him 5 years AFTER he was supposedly killed in Bolivia.
Butch's sister always claimed he did not die in Bolivia either.

I hear many of the old families in the area have a similar tale. From what I understand the Wild Bunch was very good for the local economy. They were apparently big spenders and many of them worked seasonally as extra hands for the local ranchers when needed.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

I've been trying to figure it out all weekend. I know the actual jump was filmed off an ocean cliff, but that beautiful gorge pictured has to be somewhere.

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Somebody told me it's the waterfall on the East Fork of the Bear River, on the way up to Lake Allsop. But I couldn't picture it being there.

Around nine years ago or so, was in Argentina, travelling from Mendoza to the Chilean border. Supposedly, back at the turn of the century or so, Butch Cassidy and Sundance robbed a train in that area, near the pass or thereabouts. About 8 miles or so up the Vacas river from the road/train track, is an old campsite, called Casa de Piedra (or the like). Its a shelter built into the side of a rock, with an overhang on one side and a stove for heat.

Anyhoo, according to our mule guy (we were doing the standard Polish Glacier approach to Aconcagua), the shelter had been there for many generations. There was a bit of refuse scattered around and I was kickin' at the dirt when up popped an old, spent cartridge case. I picked it up: .44-40 made by UMC. Union Metallic Cartridge had been out of business for a year or two to say the least. I hear tell Butch's side arm of choice was a .44-40. Now I ain't sayin'....

Anyhoo, kinda neat.

-Brian in SLC

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Originally Posted by Brian in SLC

I picked it up: .44-40 made by UMC. Union Metallic Cartridge had been out of business for a year or two to say the least. I hear tell Butch's side arm of choice was a .44-40.

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You'd better put that in a safe. That's pretty cool.

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Originally Posted by Brian in SLC

I picked it up: .44-40 made by UMC. Union Metallic Cartridge had been out of business for a year or two to say the least. I hear tell Butch's side arm of choice was a .44-40. Now I ain't sayin'....

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Sweet.... :2guns:

I was in a museum recently..... I think it was the Hatchings museum in Lehi, and they have a couple of Porter Rockwell's guns.

I find that type stuff really interesting.

:popcorn:

Yeah, I'm really interested in the old guns and those who used them too. I scanned thru a few good books I have on the subject but couldn't find any info on Butch's guns. The only thing I found was lots of references and pictures of Harvey Logan, alias Kid Curry's guns (two) which are well documented but were both 45 caliber. Back then, the sidearm of choice was almost always (if you could afford it, and they could) the Colt "Single Action Army" (SAA) six shooter and the vast majority of these were chambered for either the "45 Colt" or the "44-40". The 44-40 (44 caliber, 40 grains of black powder), officially named "44 WCF" (Winchester Center Fire) was very popular since, after being introduced by Winchester in 1873 for their new 1873 rifle, was soon adapted by Colt for their "Frontier Six Shooter" SAA. This meant that you could have a rifle and revolver that used the same amunition, a huge and sometimes life saving convenience.

That's really fun that you found that casing down there. No way to know for sure but there's also no way to prove it wasn't from Butch's (or one of his buddies) guns! :thumb: I'd love to see a high res close up of it.

Mike

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

?

I was watching the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid over the weekend. Does anyone know where the canyon is where they jump off the cliff into the river to avoid the posse?

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They jump off a cliff somewhere in utah and land in the Animas, I tell the story all the time on my raft in the summers as we're floatin' down the river. I'm pretty sure it's by baker's bridge, but i dunno, i've never seen the movie.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

Sweet..... This summer I'm heading for Durango and taking my canyoneering gear :2thumbs:

Thanks

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If your in durango let me know, the san juans are incredible.