1st time panning in 2 years, working old bought pay

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

got the bug again, been busy for a couple years and haven't though of panning. Being handicapped I can't go to the streams and there is no one local to bring me paydirt so I had been buying it.
I realize that it is salted but it is still fun, although some of the thrill of a single flake in a 5 gallon bucket that you dug yourself is gone.

I asked a friend who goes to Rangley near Coos Canyon if he would go to a stream near the state park in Rangely and get me a couple 5 gallon buckets of dirt, since he doesn't pan or anything it will just be dug dirt, the last time I found 3 flakes in 5 gallons or raw dirt.

Anyhow I set up a tub and did some panning of some old paydirt and as expected found some gold. I forget what it cost me back then. I also have two 5 pound bags of cons that two people sent me, one from West Virginia and the other I am not sure from where.

Anyhow, it was really fun today, although it took me an hour to find my pans, they were in a junk pile from my old camper in the backyard, my son when he emptied the camper before I junked it just piled it all in the back yard.

 

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[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I could be wrong but at least in New England you actually get more gold per hour and at lesser cost by buying paydirt, if you consider the hourly rate/cost of driving 4-5 hours each way to a gold baring stream and then a hotel or campgrouind and the 2-3 days of working for a few flakes.
But the quest itself is an adventure and fun. the same could be said for people that buy flakes in a vial getting the gold with no work. If you figure you could make $15 an hour flipping burgers and buy gold with it.

To relate it to something I actually tracked. One year, about 15 years ago I kept track of every hour I spent metal detecting, I did NOT track the cost of gas and batteries, however if I did I am sure I would have lost a lot of money. Anyhow spending about 400 hours I found that I made about 39 cents an hour, that including finding silver coins and a few gold rings. If I added gas and batteries it would have cost me 39 cents an hour or more.

I have talked to others who spend 3 days getting 3 or 4 flakes of flour gold, I know in my case in 6 trips up north I got 3 flakes. But it is adventure in that case but it is not a money maker

 

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[KevinInColorado]

I remember mailing you some sluice cons years ago.

Nowadays I have a mining claim on the Blue River in Summit County CO and occasionally send unsearched paydirt to folks that want real wild panning.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I remember mailing you some sluice cons years ago.

Nowadays I have a mining claim on the Blue River in Summit County CO and occasionally send unsearched paydirt to folks that want real wild panning.

If you do send some if you could put me on the list and let me know how much to cover the costs! Dirt from a real claim would be great as it would feel and be real and any flake found not salted!

Jeff

 

[KevinInColorado]

If you do send some if you could put me on the list and let me know how much to cover the costs! Dirt from a real claim would be great as it would feel and be real and any flake found not salted!

Jeff

Will do sir!