Goin up for the first time in years!

[wbudsanders]

Finally have a chance to go out this weekend! Tomorrow as a matter of fact. Roomate and I are planning on going up towards Colfax and seeing whats going on along Bear River. The area we are looking at allows everything but power equipment, which at the time being, I don't plan on using anyways.

Any tips or pointers for a newbie??

 

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[B H Prospector]

Hi,
Look on the inside bends of the creek in the gravel deposited there. Dig deep not just the top material. Dig around large boulders in and out of the creek on the flood plain. Get to bedrock if possible and look for exposed bedrock and clean out any cracks crevices and deprssions. Look for gravel deposits on the flood plane and work them.Gold will deposit in these places if it is present.

Good Luck!

B H Prospector

 

[wbudsanders]

Thanks for the tips! I definately didn't know about the the deposits being on the inside. Sthough our best spot for the day ended up being on the inside of a bend. We spent about 2 hours in the area. For anyone whose from around here we went to bear river campground. So considering it wasn't the most secluded area, and we were newbs, I'd say we did okay. Moved a 300 pound boulder and pulled most of our gold there. Few flakes the size of 0's on a typed piece of paper, all in all enough to cover the top of an eraser on a pencil. I am for sure hooked though. Can't wait till next weekend to go out again. Slowly gonna start looking into asluice box designs though.

 

[wbudsanders]

One more question I have had for some time. I live in elk grove, (suburb of sacramento) roughky an hour from placerville etc. The cosumnes river runs within 15 mins of where my house is, I was wondering if its worth doing some test panning and checkin it out being this far down from the hills. Or should I just go for it since I don't have anything to loose?

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi again,
sounds like you had some success. Great! Nice size flakes. First you did the right thing moving that boulder. Gold will work it's way under them. Being from South Dakota I'm not familiar with your area although I have heard of the creeks you mention. All I can say is that gold will travel along way especially during floods. However the further you get down the creek from the golds source the smaller it will be. The example I can offer is Rapid Creek which begins near the western side of the Black Hills. It runs through rich gold areas in the central Hills picking up gold along the way. By the time the creek passes through Rapid City on the prairie the gold is flour gold. Very few flakes and no nuggets. Gold will travel along way. There has been gold found on the Platte River at Omaha NE. To answer your question there likely will be small gold near you but go up if you want larger. Save the close by stuff for a short day out when time is tight.

Good hunting and good luck!

B H Prospector