shepcal
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- Mar 19, 2003
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Glad to see everyones still kick'n!
Shep
Shep
The Many Lost Treasures of Mariposa, CA (Photos Added)
- Thread starter EagleDown
- Start date
calisdad
Bronze Member
That looks like a nasty fire Eagle. Stay safe.
Oakview2
Silver Member
Cali
It is on a club claim, about 20 miles northeast of Coulterville in a place called Bonnell Gulch. Tons of hardrock mines around us. Jenkins is a cattlerancher down the road and his family owned and worked these mines back in the day. It is closest to Greeley Hill, probably the turnoff is couple of miles past then about 11-14 miles past that, on the old grade the comes down the mountain the hard way from Briceburg
Oakview2
Silver Member
Fires everywhere, hope everyone stays safe
GarretDiggingAz
Hero Member
- Dec 5, 2012
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- Garrett ATG and thinking about another nugget hunter
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Hey Charles. Congrats on your new boy. Another set if hands to help move material. Well maybe I could help ya move material till he's old enough. Lol. Mine love to help dig, but don't really care yet about the gold. Lol. They just like looking at the pretty rocks and items then give to me. Enjoy these days. They go fast and I always go back to those private moments of me and my newest. Hoping they'll do good and always remember to treat others with respect. So far so good though. People always compliment me on how good my kids are. Then I remember those mornings at 3 am changing their diapers and playing/feeding them till 4 or so. Then I'd get ready for my workday. Congrats again and enjoy. Maybe someday I could meet ya and Jake along with Eagle, MGB and all of the others.
I'm glad to have discovered this link of Eagle's.
I've been away for a bit and just catching up.
I need to plan a family trip to CA and more specifically Merced and surrounding areas. Just need to make sure malls are close by for the misses. Lol.
Probably have to wait till October though. That's when I do my pools everyother week.
I'm glad to have discovered this link of Eagle's.
I've been away for a bit and just catching up.
I need to plan a family trip to CA and more specifically Merced and surrounding areas. Just need to make sure malls are close by for the misses. Lol.
Probably have to wait till October though. That's when I do my pools everyother week.
GarretDiggingAz
Hero Member
- Dec 5, 2012
- 850
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- Garrett ATG and thinking about another nugget hunter
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You Guys stay safe. It seems that you are always having fires every couple years. We've already had a fire. Which was in hills north of my digging areas. I guess the good thing would be that if we have good monsoon season. Then maybe more gold could wash down.
When I get back home maybe I could remember to post my pic of what I got from top matting in my highbanker from running about 4 gallons of dirt. Got 4 pickers and 45+ fly poops. About 10 were bigger than poops. Lol. Definitely the best I've gotten on top matting with small amount of dirt. So be patient. I'll show what I got from previous 40 gals and this 15 gallon trip.
Hope all is well with all of you. Now that I finally am caught up.
When I get back home maybe I could remember to post my pic of what I got from top matting in my highbanker from running about 4 gallons of dirt. Got 4 pickers and 45+ fly poops. About 10 were bigger than poops. Lol. Definitely the best I've gotten on top matting with small amount of dirt. So be patient. I'll show what I got from previous 40 gals and this 15 gallon trip.
Hope all is well with all of you. Now that I finally am caught up.
OP
OP
EagleDown
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- May 13, 2010
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Hokay My Friend. How was your weed dinner?? I always felt that it was rather bland. When I use it, pretty much all of the flavor comes from the condiments. i.e.; Salt, Vinegar, etc.
OP
OP
EagleDown
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Abandoned, or just Dormant??
This little adventure occurred in the 1970s. I’m not sure of the exact year,
but one morning, I found myself in an exploring mood.
I had a theory that a lot of the gold found below McCabe Flats was coming
out of a gulch on the opposite side of the river from the campgrounds. So,
I waded across the river and started up the gulch. I hadn’t gone up the gulch
but a short distance, when I came upon the remains of an old road. The road
was pretty well covered by brush, but since it was headed in the same direction
as I was, I decided it would be easier to follow it, since the brush beside the
road was much thicker than on it.
I followed the road for a little over a quarter of a mile and was taken by surprise
when I rounded a bend and found that I had come upon an old mine, complete,
with a cabin and a large storage building.
The door to the storage building was just hanging by one hinge and was wide
open. So, I took a look inside. It was obvious to me that whomever was working
the mine intended to return, (some day), as one wall had tools hanging from it,
and leaning up against it. I’m not talking about one pick and one shovel, but I mean
many of every kind of hand tool you might expect to find in a hard rock mining
operation. Plus, there was a shelf up near the top of one wall that had several
old sleeping bags. None of them would have been much good, as the pack rats
had chewed holes in them and had been using the stuffing to line their nests.
Outside, there was an old caterpillar (perhaps to pull ore carts). I believe it only
had a two cylinder engine, so I imagine the heaviest work it had done was cutting
the road down to the river. Of course, when I saw it, there was no blade on it, so
I’m doing a little conjecture here. (lol)
Looking around a little more, I saw an old cast iron engine, I’m talking old here!
It was basically an iron cylinder, mounted horizontally, with a single spark plug
in one end, and a push rod projecting out the other end. There was other items
of interest, but I don’t recall all of them. I didn’t go into the cabin ‘proper’, but
the kitchen was open on two sides, probably for cool air flow. One interesting
aspect of the kitchen was; there was a box where one of the windows would have
been. The box was covered with (rotting) burlap. The reason for the box and burlap
was for cool storage of food. If a steady trickle of water was kept flowing onto the
burlap, it would have kept the inside of the box much cooler than the outside temperatures.
I didn’t consider going into the impressive tunnel behind the cabin, partially because
I didn’t have a lantern, but mostly because of the signs posted:
Warning…..This mine is booby trapped. Keep out!!
Then there was one someone had scrawled on an old gas refrigerator outside:
Your booby trap was pretty good…..Wait til you find mine.
As you might imagine, I wasn’t about to step in the middle of a private war. (lol)
So, interesting as it was, I headed on back down the gulch to the river and have never been back.
Unfortunately, I do find myself wishing that I had known enough to look for a tailings pile, as it was obvious that some serious tunneling had been going on here. Now, I’m of the age, I have no desire to climb that mountain again. But, I’m sure it’s still there for someone younger and more ambitious than I. (lol)
I hope you enjoyed this little memory.
Eagle
This little adventure occurred in the 1970s. I’m not sure of the exact year,
but one morning, I found myself in an exploring mood.
I had a theory that a lot of the gold found below McCabe Flats was coming
out of a gulch on the opposite side of the river from the campgrounds. So,
I waded across the river and started up the gulch. I hadn’t gone up the gulch
but a short distance, when I came upon the remains of an old road. The road
was pretty well covered by brush, but since it was headed in the same direction
as I was, I decided it would be easier to follow it, since the brush beside the
road was much thicker than on it.
I followed the road for a little over a quarter of a mile and was taken by surprise
when I rounded a bend and found that I had come upon an old mine, complete,
with a cabin and a large storage building.
The door to the storage building was just hanging by one hinge and was wide
open. So, I took a look inside. It was obvious to me that whomever was working
the mine intended to return, (some day), as one wall had tools hanging from it,
and leaning up against it. I’m not talking about one pick and one shovel, but I mean
many of every kind of hand tool you might expect to find in a hard rock mining
operation. Plus, there was a shelf up near the top of one wall that had several
old sleeping bags. None of them would have been much good, as the pack rats
had chewed holes in them and had been using the stuffing to line their nests.
Outside, there was an old caterpillar (perhaps to pull ore carts). I believe it only
had a two cylinder engine, so I imagine the heaviest work it had done was cutting
the road down to the river. Of course, when I saw it, there was no blade on it, so
I’m doing a little conjecture here. (lol)
Looking around a little more, I saw an old cast iron engine, I’m talking old here!
It was basically an iron cylinder, mounted horizontally, with a single spark plug
in one end, and a push rod projecting out the other end. There was other items
of interest, but I don’t recall all of them. I didn’t go into the cabin ‘proper’, but
the kitchen was open on two sides, probably for cool air flow. One interesting
aspect of the kitchen was; there was a box where one of the windows would have
been. The box was covered with (rotting) burlap. The reason for the box and burlap
was for cool storage of food. If a steady trickle of water was kept flowing onto the
burlap, it would have kept the inside of the box much cooler than the outside temperatures.
I didn’t consider going into the impressive tunnel behind the cabin, partially because
I didn’t have a lantern, but mostly because of the signs posted:
Warning…..This mine is booby trapped. Keep out!!
Then there was one someone had scrawled on an old gas refrigerator outside:
Your booby trap was pretty good…..Wait til you find mine.
As you might imagine, I wasn’t about to step in the middle of a private war. (lol)
So, interesting as it was, I headed on back down the gulch to the river and have never been back.
Unfortunately, I do find myself wishing that I had known enough to look for a tailings pile, as it was obvious that some serious tunneling had been going on here. Now, I’m of the age, I have no desire to climb that mountain again. But, I’m sure it’s still there for someone younger and more ambitious than I. (lol)
I hope you enjoyed this little memory.
Eagle
Rik
Jr. Member
I got access to some private land on the eastern gold belt. I worked the creek bed a little and it yielded $150 a yard @spot. The mine above the creek is listed as having “High grade ore” (which I rarely see). I’m thinking set up a rock crusher and a small wash plant to go though the tailings to see if I can work down to the mine (that was filled in to make an x-mass tree farm). Do I need a mining permit, E.I. report and all that, or just be quiet enough not to bother the neighbors?
OP
OP
EagleDown
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It will probably depend on how your neighbors feel about it. I believe that normally, a permit would not be needed on private property to do exploratory work.
But, from experience, if you're using a rock crusher, the word "quite" doesn't apply. (lol) I once had a rock crusher with 6 inch jaws. Man, I had to shut it down occasionally, just to give my ears a rest.
Last edited:
CharlesP
Sr. Member
- May 18, 2012
- 258
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- Primary Interest:
- Prospecting
Eagle hope all is well. I was wondering when you started prospecting, did you start with a pan? How did love for gold find you ?
OP
OP
EagleDown
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Well.....let me see; I started prospecting in the Spring of 1955. I had recently come from Florida with my Sister and Brother-in-law. I walked into a sporting goods store in Bishop, CA and on impulse, bought the biggest gold pan they had on display. I think it was a 16" pan. I learned to use it by panning along Buttermilk Creek and the Owens river. Actually, I was more inclined to come home with some frogs legs for dinner, than with a couple of specks of gold. (lol) Though I soon found that I was on the wrong side of the Sierra Mountains for any sizeable gold. Even so, I spent the better part of the Summer months looking, until August when I went into the Navy.
As far as a "love for gold", I wouldn't say I have a love FOR gold, but I do have a love for the chase of gold. (lol) There is just something about looking at an area, or river, and saying; there should be a deposit right over there. Unfortunately, I'm not always right. But, I've been right often enough, that I still enjoy the chase. (lol)
As far as I'm concerned, gold is just another form of money.
CharlesP
Sr. Member
- May 18, 2012
- 258
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- Still searching for the right one
- Primary Interest:
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Wow I can't believe you got hooked by a few specks, but that's how it started for me as well. I think my favorite thing about gold is the chase as well. It is sometimes right where it should be. It's not where it should be and then it's where it should never be. Lol pretty damn close to a woman I guess.
CharlesP
Sr. Member
- May 18, 2012
- 258
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Thanks dig for the congrats. I love my two boys so much. Everytime I load the truck up, my almost 3 year old boy hank starts pointing at himself saying hank go. I told him when he gets a little bigger will ride.
I would like to meet y'all as well. We should get together around one of these famous giant boulders and see what's under neath it. Lol.
The mall in Merced pretty much sucks but Fresno and Modesto will make her happy.
I been watching YouTube videos of prospecting in Arizona and I must say you guys got it going on in AZ.
CharlesP
Sr. Member
- May 18, 2012
- 258
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- Primary Interest:
- Prospecting
Good one eagle. That's the truth.
GarretDiggingAz
Hero Member
- Dec 5, 2012
- 850
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Eagle,
I got hooked first by watching "The Buzzard" on Gold Fever when I was a teen. Probably about 15-18. Was sooo long ago.
Then, and here's the story. I was archery hunting in the hills around Roosevelt Lake. No luck in that, but I was leaving late one night and had to go over a small waterfall in the creek I had to cross. I had a couple gold pans in the back of my truck and had them there for about a year or two. So I decided that, if I was gold I'd be right in that eddie area by the fall. So I finally pulled out the 10" pan, moved the bigger rocks, and scooped out what I could with the pan, then walked to the front of the truck with the headlights shining away. So I just shuffled the rocks around, went back to the creek and then kinda went by feel. Feeling the rocks till they got to the smaller pebbles and sand. Went back to the headlights and started washing off the lights. Then I noticed a flake about a quarter size of a pinkie nail on an average sized guy. I found a certs box in my truck and put it in there. Then I washed more. Out pops another. Then another. Then another. I couldn't believe it. First time panning in the wild, and I stumble on four nice flakes. I was stoked. So after I placed these flakes in the box, I put it on the hood so I could go back for more. Just as I started to go back to the fall. Oh, by the way, did I forget to mention, there was a small breeze and a couple gusts going on while doing this. Well you guessed it. Just as I moved, this gust came up and blew the box right off the hood and onto the ground. Well I didn't have a flashlight, but I could see the box. I picked it up and it had the same amount of stuff in the box when I got it out of the truck. Nothing!!!! I was soooo upset. I figured I'd go back next week to get them. I didn't make it back till a couple months ago, which made it about 15 years since I was there. The roads been bulldozed so many times now. My flakes are back with Mother Nature. I guess she didn't want me to have them yet. Hopefully I can make it back and detect/pan it before too long. Maybe that'll be a trip for my mom and me. Lol
I got hooked first by watching "The Buzzard" on Gold Fever when I was a teen. Probably about 15-18. Was sooo long ago.
Then, and here's the story. I was archery hunting in the hills around Roosevelt Lake. No luck in that, but I was leaving late one night and had to go over a small waterfall in the creek I had to cross. I had a couple gold pans in the back of my truck and had them there for about a year or two. So I decided that, if I was gold I'd be right in that eddie area by the fall. So I finally pulled out the 10" pan, moved the bigger rocks, and scooped out what I could with the pan, then walked to the front of the truck with the headlights shining away. So I just shuffled the rocks around, went back to the creek and then kinda went by feel. Feeling the rocks till they got to the smaller pebbles and sand. Went back to the headlights and started washing off the lights. Then I noticed a flake about a quarter size of a pinkie nail on an average sized guy. I found a certs box in my truck and put it in there. Then I washed more. Out pops another. Then another. Then another. I couldn't believe it. First time panning in the wild, and I stumble on four nice flakes. I was stoked. So after I placed these flakes in the box, I put it on the hood so I could go back for more. Just as I started to go back to the fall. Oh, by the way, did I forget to mention, there was a small breeze and a couple gusts going on while doing this. Well you guessed it. Just as I moved, this gust came up and blew the box right off the hood and onto the ground. Well I didn't have a flashlight, but I could see the box. I picked it up and it had the same amount of stuff in the box when I got it out of the truck. Nothing!!!! I was soooo upset. I figured I'd go back next week to get them. I didn't make it back till a couple months ago, which made it about 15 years since I was there. The roads been bulldozed so many times now. My flakes are back with Mother Nature. I guess she didn't want me to have them yet. Hopefully I can make it back and detect/pan it before too long. Maybe that'll be a trip for my mom and me. Lol
OP
OP
EagleDown
Bronze Member
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Thanks for the humorous story My Friend. I hope you keep a bottle with a secure cap in your glove box now.
The Brothers of the 4 winds do like to play pranks on occasion. (lol)
The Brothers of the 4 winds do like to play pranks on occasion. (lol)
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