First gold 2016!

[Bronze]

My first time using the youtube editor so go easy on me. BITTER cold day on the river. We had left a hole open at the high water line on purpose to let the floods refill it. The first test holes we dug were REALLY disappointing but we decided to keep going. The first pan I show you is actually 1 bucket, not 2. It was 2 half buckets. Then I did another 8 buckets half buckets. So total dirt moved was about 5 FULL buckets. Considering that, there is a lot of gold in that hole, it was just to cold. Had to break the ground apart with a pick ax before we could get to movable dirt. We left the frozen stuff in the hole to come back to later.

So considering the amount we got out of just a small amount of dirt we will be headed back here again. Once I get some time, I'll get a pic of everything after Ive gone through all the cons.



Not bad for a real short day on the river.

 

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[Lanny in AB]

It's always great to get some nice color.

Congratulations!

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Asmbandits]

I'll hand it to you that is some frigid prospecting! Hats off to you for getting out there and coming home with some gold and not frostbite!

 

[Bronze]

Pic added. I'm going to try and do a video every time I go out.

 

[bobw53]

I want to know what the trick is to keeping frozen snot off your mustache in cold like that.

That video is proof that gold fever is a real thing. That's a nice little pile you got there.

 

[Bronze]

I want to know what the trick is to keeping frozen snot off your mustache in cold like that.

That video is proof that gold fever is a real thing. That's a nice little pile you got there.

Oh, its there.......just blended in and I made sure to wipe real good before filming.

The other guy in the video is mshanygin that posts here. We have the fever like you wouldnt believe. Every single monday we try to go out. Over the holidays we werent able to always make it but from July of 2015 all the way to Dec, we were out every single monday.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Oh, its there.......just blended in and I made sure to wipe real good before filming.

The other guy in the video is MikeinEverett that posts here. We have the fever like you wouldnt believe. Every single monday we try to go out. Over the holidays we werent able to always make it but from July of 2015 all the way to Dec, we were out every single monday.

So, it sounds like being "Monday People" is setting a great tradition for both of you! What a great thing to do, nothing better than time spent chasin' the gold.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[DizzyDigger]

Y'all got the fever....bad!...

Prospected a few areas on the Sky about 20 years ago, but
after a few hours sluicing all we brought home was a bucket full
of garnets. Never seen that many tiny garnets...the sluice was running
red with color...

Been itching to get back to one of my favorite spots on the Sauk.
With the floods this year, it should be "refilled" with flood gold.
I ain't going out in this cold though...I'll leave that for you young
guys, and the gold will still be there when it warms up.

Congrats on the color...any gold is always better than no gold!

 

[goldenmojo]

Thanks for video it looks really cold there. You guys are real gold troopers. I gotta say I don't think I would be spooning it out like that. I would dump half of that fiver on the plate let it burn off and then dump the other half. Then go warm my hands up.......Please keep the pics and videos coming.

 

[OwenT]

I'm assuming this was on Monday? I was thinking about heading over there but wasn't sure about how much snow there was. It's supposed to be warmer so I'm hoping there won't be any or much left by Friday.

 

[et1955]

Just want to say Thank you, we who mine the Skykomish have been perplexed, where did the gold go after the recent floods. I have been mining the place you were at since 1996, average 1/8 oz. in a 4 hr. period till about 2005. The Sky is very fickle, one day it is there and then a flood will come in and it is gone. We who have been mining up river from you can no longer find the gold the way we have been mining except for one place, I thought possibly that the gold may have traveled and deposited where you were but no, so again we thank you. Just another thing, yes the Sky flooded several times recently but they the worst type of floods for us gold miners, the river raised very fast and dropped very fast thus stripping the gravel bars, the gold we found before the floods are no longer there. Also don't advertise the equipment you are using for it is not legal to use this time of the year, the Bazooka is not a sluice by definition of the Fish and gold book of Washington State. You should call the WDFW and ask them about it, it may be as simple as getting an HPA to use it. Good luck

 

[Bronze]

Y'all got the fever....bad!...

Prospected a few areas on the Sky about 20 years ago, but
after a few hours sluicing all we brought home was a bucket full
of garnets. Never seen that many tiny garnets...the sluice was running
red with color...

Been itching to get back to one of my favorite spots on the Sauk.
With the floods this year, it should be "refilled" with flood gold.
I ain't going out in this cold though...I'll leave that for you young
guys, and the gold will still be there when it warms up.

Congrats on the color...any gold is always better than no gold!

The Skykomish is a tricky mistress. If you don't know how to read her, she will torment you with a sluice box of purple. I've spent the last 2 years stroking, caressing and talking sweet to her. She's a curvy girl, and if you pay attention to those curves, she will show you the gold.

To be honest with you, this was one days where she gave up the least amount of gold. But that had to do with start time, temp and the time where we just had to call it. On a good day where we can be in our spot(s), by 0600-0700 and dig until 1800, we will quadruple our take. That was only a 5 full bucket day. I was cold and didnt think to say that those 10 buckets were only half buckets. Trying to carry full buckets over all the snow and rocks was dangerous, so we had to drop bucket volume just to be safe moving to the Bazooka tubes.

Here is what a full 30 buckets look like on the Mistress Skykomish. Like I said, its knowing her curves. And just like a real woman.......what you think makes her happy, may not be what REALLY makes her happy.

My digging buddy mshanygin and I have dug countless holes, testing, testing, and more testing. In some areas, its literally a 10ft section of dirt that produces. Other spots have larger areas. And just when you think you have it down to a science....she changes her mind when the floods come. And what used to be there has moved and you have to start from scratch.

 

[DizzyDigger]

-Also don't advertise the equipment you are using for it is not legal to use this time of the year, the Bazooka is not a sluice by definition of the Fish and gold book of Washington State. You should call the WDFW and ask them about it, it may be as simple as getting an HPA to use it. Good luck

There's no reason at all why they can't use that sluice in the Sky this time of year,
or for that fact any time of year. Check page 10 of the Gold and Fish book..they
are mining without restrictions.

While a Bazooka might not be defined as a sluice per the current regs, it
is, by function, the equivalent. Yes, you could argue it in court and
possibly win, but the downside of that is the reason the regulations
get more and more complicated, as the "State" will tighten the definition
and re-write laws to cover any possible confusion.

 

[Bronze]

Also don't advertise the equipment you are using for it is not legal to use this time of the year, the Bazooka is not a sluice by definition of the Fish and gold book of Washington State. You should call the WDFW and ask them about it, it may be as simple as getting an HPA to use it. Good luck

Per the gold and fish regs, 3sq ft of "riffle area" is what is permitted. I have had numerous discussions with others about this. As the Bazooka has no "riffles", I am not worried about it. Even if you take the sq ft. of the "slick plate" of the Bazooka Tube is less than 3ft. It doesnt fall into a high banker, dredge or power sluice. Until the powers that be post regs on a "fluid trap", I am not concerned.

I do see what you are saying though. Hell hath no fury like a fish cop.

 

[et1955]

I know the fish cop that patrols the Sky and Sultan, he's a cool guy about mining unless he get a complaint, the problem about the bazooka is the scoop that drives the fluid bed, can salmon fry escape once they get sucked in, look at the rules we have to go by to run a pump for an electric highbanker, the screen we have to place around the pump to protect the small fish. If the fry can escape the scoop there is no problem but if they can't, there will be a problem as you know.

 

[Bronze]

The fry might get inside the scoop but they will not be facing any more pressure than what the water naturally puts on them. They could easily swim out. And if they didnt, they will fall out once you pick the BGT up and off they go on their merry little way. Worst case scenario would be to put a mesh screen covering the bottom inlet.

But like I said, I'm not concerned about it until I see something specific in the regs. Most of the Fish guys I have run into have always been good people and can tell the difference between malicious intent and some guy just running dirt, enjoying the outdoors.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I'm going to be up that way this summer for a short visit. Can someone pm me about the areas on the Sky that are open to casual use and not claimable (so I don't have to spend my limited time checking for claims in a county office)??

Oh, and scientifically speaking, the Bazooka is a sluice, with a single hydraulic drop riffle.

 

[Bronze]

I'm going to be up that way this summer for a short visit. Can someone pm me about the areas on the Sky that are open to casual use and not claimable (so I don't have to spend my limited time checking for claims in a county office)??

Oh, and scientifically speaking, the Bazooka is a sluice, with a single hydraulic drop riffle.

Why dont you just come out with us?

 

[OwenT]

et1955 is the one with all the info you need.

Can't a bazooka can be considered a "concentrator" as defined in the fish and gold pamphlet which is allowed under the non time restricted section?

 

[et1955]

Fun debate, but there is only one way to get an answer about the bazooka, call the WDFW and ask.