East fork Nov 13th.

[mellowyellow]

Sounds like there's a few people going hunting that week. I will be east fork by cattle creek bridge, or just up river from it. Just sluicing.. Hope to find a few flakes. Come say hi if anyone is there.

Be well,

Mellow...

 

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[NeoTokyo]

Where was that neo? How did they approach you?

It's weird, as i was driving up San Gabriel Canyon rd, I passed about 4 police officers driving out of the canyon. Makes me wonder where they were coming from.. Also saw a a couple of more ragged looking fellows walking through the canyon. Homeless I would guess by the looks of them. Fairly harmless i would think. I don't know if they have a camp out there but i didn't see them return when it got dark. hmm

This happened at Whiskeytown Rec Area on Clear Creek.
They were nice people, maybe a little bored and wanted to burn a couple hours in their day but either way it still left me feeling at a loss of how I feel about National Parks rangers now.
You cant sell a permit for something and then treat people as suspected criminals once they do what their permit allows.

There really needs to be some sort of board of prospectors that is operating under the National Parks services.

 

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[CT8620]

A prospector that I was talking to today at the East Fork was confronted by some division of law enforcement (the military looking ones with the M16s that you've probably heard and seen pictures of). He wasn't prospecting at the time, but they still confronted him, with m16s pointed at him, told him prospecting was illegal and they would write him a ticket if they caught him doing it. He told them he was going to go prospecting right now and that they should write him the ticket. Turned into a whole fiasco that sounded like it went on for hours. More law enforcement showed up, threatening him more. He finally pulls out the PLP orange card and wants all their names. No one seemed to want to give him their names and no one, apparently, wanted to sign the ticket that they were going to give him (probably because there was NO law he was breaking). Finally the supervisor/boss of everyone shows up, they talk some more, and like hours after this whole thing started, everyone left. No ticket issued. THAT was an efficient use of law enforcement and tax dollars. Ridiculous...

 

[NeoTokyo]

Oh, mellow, Sorry you took a fall but I am glad that you are ok.
I have only busted my butt and legs a couple times so far.

 

[NeoTokyo]

A prospector that I was talking to today at the East Fork was confronted by some division of law enforcement (the military looking ones with the M16s that you've probably heard and seen pictures of). He wasn't prospecting at the time, but they still confronted him, with m16s pointed at him, told him prospecting was illegal and they would write him a ticket if they caught him doing it. He told them he was going to go prospecting right now and that they should write him the ticket. Turned into a whole fiasco that sounded like it went on for hours. More law enforcement showed up, threatening him more. He finally pulls out the PLP orange card and wants all their names. No one seemed to want to give him their names and no one, apparently, wanted to sign the ticket that they were going to give him (probably because there was NO law he was breaking). Finally the supervisor/boss of everyone shows up, they talk some more, and like hours after this whole thing started, everyone left. No ticket issued. THAT was an efficient use of law enforcement and tax dollars. Ridiculous...

Like anyone or any group with power that is corrupt, they think that showing their teeth will keep you down and in your place.

 

[CT8620]

Mellow - Sorry about your fall, man. I've come close numerous times and my partner has gone down twice. A slip and fall injury is my biggest fear, far beyond bears, snakes, rogue law enforcement, tweakers, gang bangers etc. Get well and get back up there!

~CT

 

[mellowyellow]

Thanks for all words guys. It happens.. Glad my cranium stayed in one piece. The blurry vision is gone and feeling a lot better. I was bummed cuz I couldn't prospect anymore an found some real nice overburden... Well next time.

 

[GoldHunter24k]

MY next time i'll help you carry it out

Kind of getting worried about the FS on power trips but it seems so peaceful over there I can't imagine getting confronted. Only wildlife we saw was a fox that jumped up on the rock wall as we were driving down EF.

Dang another fire? So EF road is closed right now? Was thinking about going next week but I keep hearing horror stories about the SG canyon. I'm thinking more numbers are better no matter what the adversary so the next time I go or anyone here goes, I want to meet up with you guys and combine shovel/sluice power.

 

[CT8620]

It was actually the 39 (San Gabriel Road) that was closed, EF Road was open. But I read that the fire was out, so it's probably open now, or within a day or so I'd guess. Nothing like the Williams fire.

Personally, I've never had any issues with FS people. And many times we've walked passed FS trucks while carrying sluices/gear, waved and got waves back. It just seems like every so often ... and it seems like it happens more often on weekends. Another reason to skip the weekend there. Although now that it's getting cold, I'd expect the weekends are far more tame now. ~CT

 

[Aurabbit79er]

Just got back from EF today rolled out of the Camp Bonita parking lot about 11AM
Pictures and gold take to come. Tired now.
Be back on later.
They closed road at Morris Resevor just before we got there.
A welding crew started the fire and putting it out caused a rock slide to clean up.
The road crew said it would be open after 8PM.
Couldn't wait, so it made us go up Glendora Mountain Rd.
About 20 miles out of the way Wed.the 14th about 5PM.
Any body see us there?
The Truck Cab Coach, up on blocks.

 

[GoldHunter24k]

Wasn't able to stay the 14th but glad you had a good week! Thinking of going back on the 20th if possible. Did you stay near Heaton Flats?

 

[CT8620]

Aurabbit - Sounds like we were crossing paths on Wed, you were just getting there and we were just leaving. Didn't make it back the rest of the week. We've been averaging 1 or 2 outings a week, so it'll probably be only a matter of time before we run into each other.

GH - Here's a cleanout of the last 3 trips (all from upper Heaton areas) lumped together, with the larger pieces removed. If there's any question whether the Le Trap catches fines, this should answer that. I'm actually a little unsure if I like that fact or not, that super tiny stuff is such a pain to deal with and my OCD won't let me just let it go. A double edged sword indeed. This photo makes it look like there's a whole lot more there than there really is, I'd be surprised if this is even near .1g. There's still some stray lead in there too, also a pain to get out. I haven't had any cleanouts with my Bazooka that look quite like this as far as the fines go, so I have a feeling that one might push some of the superfines right on through. Never done an empirical test though, stacking sluice boxes, to be sure. ~CT

 

[Aurabbit79er]

Mellow, I feel for you.
We all risk that when we play on wet, uneven rocks.
I haven't hit my head yet, but there are many other ways to slip and hurt your pride.
Pulled muscles, twisted ankles,wrists, and the ever popular Strained Back.
And I still had to drag all my gear a mile or so back to the lot after falling off the tree trunk crossing the river in the dark.
We are a strange lot.
I am glad you are recovering well.
That could have been much worse.

I still call mining "fun".

Here's Me and My Easy Riding Mining Rig.
Just back from mining Heaton Flats.
View attachment 701494View attachment 701495

After getting there late on Wed, I had to do my hillside survey the next day, on Thurs.
I had some coach issues that delayed my planned noon departure.
The 39hwy road closure was the end of a perfect day.
My Survey.
Friday was better. Found gold here.

Sunday I'l clean the cons.

While I was mining Ann was challenged at the Coach.
I had the front wheels raise on blocks to level it.
The Forest Fed said we "looked" like we were "camping" in the lot, and he could cite us for that.
She challenged him and asked where are the signs that say "No Overnight Parking or Camping".
That she is a disabled Ex-Federal Agent and we have a Life time Federal Land Pass in our windshield, which says we have the RIGHT to be on Federal land. So how can we be in violation? And if we were, what about the other half dozen vehicles that are here, that people are sleeping in after enjoying this great land of ours today. Some who you know, who have been here a week or more. We came up here mid week to enjoy 3 days of peace and quite while my husband does some legal prospecting, without the weekend crowds. This is harassment, If we are in violation you have to cite me or you are in violation of not doing your duty. So what is it? You need to go back to law school and read the US Constitution son. I was camping here from before you were born. She didn't see a tail between his legs, but he left without another word, she said.

 

[Aurabbit79er]

Problem Uploading
Trying again.
Here's Me and My Easy Riding Mining Rig.
Just back from mining Heaton Flats.

 

[Aurabbit79er]

Aurabbit - Sounds like we were crossing paths on Wed, you were just getting there and we were just leaving. Didn't make it back the rest of the week. We've been averaging 1 or 2 outings a week, so it'll probably be only a matter of time before we run into each other.

GH - Here's a cleanout of the last 3 trips (all from upper Heaton areas) lumped together, with the larger pieces removed. If there's any question whether the Le Trap catches fines, this should answer that. I'm actually a little unsure if I like that fact or not, that super tiny stuff is such a pain to deal with and my OCD won't let me just let it go. A double edged sword indeed. This photo makes it look like there's a whole lot more there than there really is, I'd be surprised if this is even near .1g. There's still some stray lead in there too, also a pain to get out. I haven't had any cleanouts with my Bazooka that look quite like this as far as the fines go, so I have a feeling that one might push some of the superfines right on through. Never done an empirical test though, stacking sluice boxes, to be sure. ~CT

CT8620/MELLOW/ GOLDHUNTER
I want to go back as soon as I can. When I got back I found some new Coach problems I will have to fix before returning to the mountains.
I hate it. Thursday got my hopes up and Friday was a delicious taste. I will be back but I can't set a date yet.

 

[GoldHunter24k]

Hey Rich. Your wife is my hero haha. I bet that ranger left thinking twice about giving guff to honest, peaceful folk.

Nice bike trailer! Ahh bungies, the cradles of life I use them for just about everything, I love them. I'm interested in that area marked "3" on your map. Next time you get out there let me know and I'll help you carve a path and see what's up there. I consider myself an expert climber and I can get up steep inclines rather quickly, In fact, I love doing it! Have yet to find something I couldn't climb.

CT: That looks like some decent color! How many hours would you say you spent during those 3 trips? Which areas were bust?

I'm going to be heading up there tomorrow and hopefully staying until Tuesday. I want to spend some time in Heaton flats, but I just feel like that place has been mined clean because it's the easiest spot to get to. I want to find a flat spot that hasn't been dug and spend a couple hours moving rocks. It seems like every big rock has been dug out already so I want to find an unlikely spot and just dig really deep. I was thinking about trying to build a hand dredge but they had one at New cal gold for $50. It wasn't as big as the one that Rich built, but it pays for convenience I guess. Rich, how hard was it to build yours and is it possible to build in a day? How hard was it to locate the parts and how much did it end up costing?

Oh and do you know where I can get an adventure pass? Camp Williams is closed during the week and that's the only spot I know of.

 

[GoldHunter24k]

Ha! i just noticed that your trailer is a dolly! nice!!

 

[CT8620]

Spot "3" - We've been up there too. Hauled up 5 gallons of water, a trough and some pans and ran a bunch of dirt until the water got too fouled. Didn't find anything. We went to the right side of the bench area that was a little easier to get to. The higher and bigger left side needed some brush clearing to get to, like you've said. Hauling gear up there was just a little to dangerous for our comfort level, so our plan was to hit it with an MD at some point. Climbing it wasn't a problem .... climbing it with pounds and pounds of gear was. The $700 for an MD just isn't in the budget at the moment.

GH - I bought one of the hand dredges from NCG. It sucked ass and didn't work very well, then it broke. I fixed it and modded it with a "Y" connector and added a larger trap area with a quick release end plug (all from OSH). Now it only sucks half as much ass. It's too slow, hard to handle and weighs a ton. The only time I'd consider using it is if I was trying to pull material from between cracks or in between two rocks. I don't find that situation cropping up too much, so it stays in the car trunk usually. I saw one person using a version of one that has the hose an bucket attachment, so it pumps straight into a bucket with no cleanouts of the sucker necessary. That might work ok, but still under the same circumstances only.

Adventure Pass - Big 5. Get the year pass and be done with it.

Areas in Heaton - It's a big place. We've only sampled some areas above the parking lot, around the first bend and it was a bust. But you know how it works, digging 12 inches to one side of where we were could have yielded more favorable results. We also had the same no luck going beyond Heaton about a mile or so, sampling various spots. But there were GIANT holes along the way. No one digs holes that size unless they've found something. That's why your best game plan is sample, sample, sample. Drop your sluice down and sample like 10 different spots in that area. If nothing, move on. What's worth noting too, is that where there are fines (float gold) there won't always be pickers/nuggets and vice versa. So it is possible to dig in a spot that shows no float gold, but find a nugget. All the rules you've read about a just generalizations under ideal circumstances, not without exception (good rules to start by though). I've talked with several experienced locals that have found nice nuggets on the OUTSIDE bend of curves in the stream too, for example.

We might be there on Monday or Tuesday, haven't decided yet, and if we go I'm not sure where we're going to be. Quite often we don't decide that until we're there.

~CT

 

[GoldHunter24k]

Ah thanks for the heads up CT. I guess it's better to build one with a larger chamber then. I like the bucket attachment idea too. Probably going to be in the Heaton flats area this time just sampling until we find color then I want to spend a lot of time digging. Last time I was there I found that most of those giant holes have been cleaned out down to the bedrock and the only way to get down further is to start digging sideways or start from the top and make a new hole right next to it. I've also seen a lot of holes that have giant boulders pushed down into them. Is this to say stay out? Or that there's no gold there? Either way we stayed out of the big holes that people that spent time working on.

I found an area up above the flats that had some quartz sandwiched in between the sides of the river and next to it was a really dark grey colored rock that was sandwiched long ago. It looks like it might have fallen from above before the glacial shifts happened and it got trapped in between. I tried prying some of the quarts out to see if anything was in there. The quartz on the top was very hard but underneath was very soft and my pick "stuck" into it. Decaying maybe? I made a hole in the soft stuff underneath and gathered some of the dirt from underneath/ As I chipped away, I found pieces of quartz with black rock stuck to it. Like the black rock had been flattened on top of the quartz long ago. It broke apart pretty easily but found nothing but glitter after panning. LOTS of glitter actually. If you had a glitter factory it would be your lucky day but no gold found yet :P

 

[Aurabbit79er]

Hey Rich. Your wife is my hero haha. I bet that ranger left thinking twice about giving guff to honest, peaceful folk.

Nice bike trailer! Ahh bungies, the cradles of life I use them for just about everything, I love them. I'm interested in that area marked "3" on your map. Next time you get out there let me know and I'll help you carve a path and see what's up there. I consider myself an expert climber and I can get up steep inclines rather quickly, In fact, I love doing it! Have yet to find something I couldn't climb.

CT: That looks like some decent color! How many hours would you say you spent during those 3 trips? Which areas were bust?

I'm going to be heading up there tomorrow and hopefully staying until Tuesday. I want to spend some time in Heaton flats, but I just feel like that place has been mined clean because it's the easiest spot to get to. I want to find a flat spot that hasn't been dug and spend a couple hours moving rocks. It seems like every big rock has been dug out already so I want to find an unlikely spot and just dig really deep. I was thinking about trying to build a hand dredge but they had one at New cal gold for $50. It wasn't as big as the one that Rich built, but it pays for convenience I guess. Rich, how hard was it to build yours and is it possible to build in a day? How hard was it to locate the parts and how much did it end up costing?

Oh and do you know where I can get an adventure pass? Camp Williams is closed during the week and that's the only spot I know of.

A well informed Wife is better than a guard dog.
As you may have guessed I don't get away with much.
Shes not much on mining but she likes the getaway.
Here is an exploded view of the Hand Dredge.



Heaton Flats Bend always has good gold. The Guy before me, the day before, pulled out 2+ grams in 6 buckets in 1 day. I found a picker under the last 100lb rock I pulled out of the hole. You can dig a new hole, or work a pre dug hole, the gold is there. Wash gravel, find gold.

 

[GoldHunter24k]

Thanks for the pictures that helps a lot. What kind of glue did you use? So it sucks dirt up and dumps it into the hub trap?

What is the black thing below the handle on the plug pipe?