In the 1980s, I worked for a rancher and brought some of his strayed cattle out of the Ortiz Mountains. I believe there were still some old foundations from the town of Dolores. I also remember losing my canteen off my saddle on a hot day and drinking from a creek up there. At that time, the gold mine was in operation and I remember Dolores not being far from that mine. I was nervous about drinking from the creek because cyanide was used in the mining process and the local hippies were all aflutter about it. I didn't have any ill effects from drinking and it beat heat stroke. I became aware of Katie Lee's recording of Old Dolores and her book around that time, a funny coincidence.