"Of the many romantic legends which abound throughout the West, few match the Lost Mine story from which Lost Mine Peak takes its name. Is it true? Did the mine exist? Or was it a campfire fabrication handed down from generation to generation?
Early Spanish explorers of the Southwest discovered and developed many mines, some yielding silver and gold. According to legend, a rich ore body was discovered near the summit of Lost Mine Peak. Prisoners were forced to work the mine. These men were blindfolded on several occasions, in their march from Presidio San Vicente, to prevent them from learning its location. The ruins of this presidio are about 20 miles southeast of this peak across the Rio Grande in Mexico.
The story relates how Indians who resented the Spaniards' invasion of their homelands, attacked and killed them to the last man. The final act, according to the story, was to seal the mine entrance to prevent further exploration.
The legend states that if a man stood in the door of the chapel at Presidio San Vicente on Easter morning, he could see the sun's first rays strike Lost Mine Peak on the exact mine entrance.
