Out of the Dust: Utah's Lost Mines and Treasures

Written for the adventurer in all of us, Out of the Dust: Utah's Lost Mines and Treasures is a unique guide that surpasses all other books of its kind.

Author Steve Shaffer brings to light stories of lost gold and silver mines carved out of the earth by Spaniards and Mexicans. Other stories tell of modern miners and their quest for hidden wealth in the hundreds of mountains and valleys of the West. While some treasure seekers have been rewarded with fabulous wealth, others have known only grief and disappointment.

Explore the vast Uinta Mountains and their rich mining heritage. Learn of long-lost mines that few treasure hunters have even heard of. Discover the secret of the Lost Rhoades Mine and the real story of the Lost Josephine Mine. Find out where to look for treasure and buried mines in Utah’s desert country.

Utah's Lost Mines and Treasures features many photos and sketches—published here for the first time and reveals long-forgotten cryptic and decoded treasure signs. This book, a treasure trove itself, is an essential asset for every adventurer and treasure hunter.

Stephen B. Shaffer was born in Salt Lake City in 1947. At age sixteen, he left home, looking for adventure. Eventually, he became friends with several members of the Ute Tribe in the Roosevelt, Utah, area. Stephen learned a great deal from his new friends and grew to love and appreciate their knowledge and wisdom.

When Stephen turned eighteen, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving as a Ranger in the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam. As an adult, Stephen's love for the Uinta Mountains grew, and he often hiked the mountains in search of Spanish mines and treasures. His relentless pursuits have paid off, and he has been rewarded with some exceptional finds.

Stephen graduated from the North American School of Conservation and from the first Division of Wildlife Resources Hunter Education Instructors Academy in 1981. He received his associate's degree in applied science in the pipe trades and his bachelor's degree in archaeology from Kennedy International University.

Stephen has written several books about ancient civilizations in the West and about Spanish miners in early Utah, including La Mina del Yutas, Of Men and Gold, Nachi, and Treasures of the Ancients. Stephen can be seen in the documentaries Tops of the Mountains and The Golden Rhoades.

Stephen and his wife, Bonnie, live in Lake Shore, Utah. They have ten children, twenty-nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.