Going on a 3 wk Motorcycle Trip - Id love to try panning

[Sjohnsone]

Going on a 3 wk Motorcycle Trip - I'd love to try panning

Hey there everyone,

I'm living in Long Beach, Calif., and will be going on a 3 week motorcycle trip starting next sunday. I'll be riding up the west coast, then either across Idaho into Montana, or up into British Columbia and then down into Montana, then on to wyoming, colorado, and back home again.

I'd really love to do some gold panning for a day or two at some point. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to go in Washington, B.C., Montana or Wyoming or Colorado?

I'm a complete novice so something easy where I can possibly get a few flecks just to say I did it would be pretty awesome and give my back a rest from riding every day. Something near a campground would be preferable for me as I'll be camping the whole time.

Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

V/R,
Seth

 

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[okla. prospector]

That sounds like a lot of fun! Good luck and be safe on the roads, I wish I could tell you some good sites, but I don't know the areas.

 

[63bkpkr]

Revenge of the Mosquito

You have chosen some of the most beautiful landscapes on the Northern Continent to visit! Montana = BEARS, grizzly as well as black. NO Food in your tent. No scented chapstick either! I would carry a 35 mm film can or four of powdered Cayenne Pepper with you and hopefully the wind will always be at your back and it works on 4 legged as well as two legged animals. Also in Montana & Wyoming the Elk, the Moose, the Bison and Bears can all run faster than you so give all of them plenty of room so their comfort space is not violated. If an animal is grunting or snorting you are too close. Baby animals are cute to look at from a distance but Double Make Certain you do not get too close to them or feed them as Mama Will Stomp You! Other than these few "be careful's" you should enjoy yourself!

What bike ya riddin? You used to camping? Had lotsa fires in the west so far this year with likely more to come so be careful with your smokes and any open fires. I would think most bike riders would stop for the night as deer are prone to run out in front of vehicles and hitting one while ridding a bike does not sound cool to me.

Have an absolutely wonderful time!................................63bkpkr

Get yourself a gold pan, a small digging tool (a Gerber 'Gorge' model folds and collapses and is strong $19 to $27) and have a small 'Classifier' with you. From Wal Mart, Bed Bath and Beyond as well as other stores they carry expanded metal "Drawer Organizers" that make wonderful little classifiers. Classifying will simplify the job of panning as it removes the larger stuff. Take samples from the down river side of boulders or other obstructions to the flow of water, also work up and around the backside of small car sized boulders as well as directly in back of them. Gold is lazy and falls out of suspension as soon as it can. Look for roads crossing streams and pull over and check them out. Panning for any length of time will put a hitch in your walk (pain your back) so do not stay knelt over for long periods of time. Wear a hat to keep the sun off your head and drink plenty of water.

check out batpan.com, I have one and love it, or the Garret or Power Line pans are also good.

This is they type of stuff that can be found (dime for size only)

Same trip with all of it in one pile, ~ < 1/4 oz.

 

[KevinInColorado]

There are quite a few places you can pan in Colorado starting in the rivers right in metro Denver. What part of CO do you think you'll get to?

 

[425jesse]

Washington has a nice place just minutes off of I-90 just 23 miles outside of Seattle. Called the Raging river, really pretty place super easy to get to. Not too hard to find some tiny little colors. Just make sure you have a Washington gold and fish pamphlet on your bike as required by the state.

 

[calisdad]

63bkpkr has some good advice. Remember those critters cross roads too! Watch out for them, especially the 2nd deer.

I'd google panning adventures in the areas you plan to ride.

Enjoy!

 

[DizzyDigger]

If you have internet access, drop me a PM when you get near Mount Vernon, WA.

I'd be glad to show you a couple spots where you'll get some color in the pan
not far from I-5. It's flood gold, so pretty light stuff, but it's there and not
hard to find.

If you need my Phone # just shoot me a PM and I'll send it on to ya.

Ride safe!

*********************

Jesse

Just make sure you have a Washington gold and fish pamphlet on your bike as required by the state

He won't need to have it in possession if just panning, but the rules do have to be followed
just the same. (page 10 of the Rules and Regs)

 

[AimSmMissSm]

A down loaded copy of the gold and fish pamphlet to your smart phone would be handy. Go to dfw.wa.gov to get the pdf down load. Waddell Creek near Littlerock Wa I-5 Exit 95 has a lot of small flake in it and two good campgrounds on it would need a $30 Wa state Discover Pass tho. Washington state has seasons on when you can pull material from the "wetted" area its all in the pamphlet not all water ways have the same season. Its safe to pull material from the bank / gravel bar and pan that. Any questions on Wa laws send me a PM I will do my best to answer them. Have fun

 

[Sjohnsone]

Thanks for your replies everyone! I actually left earlier than planned and wasn't on the internet, but the trip was awesome. I was on a 2008 Triumph Bonneville. To be honest the scenery I saw blew any gold I could have found out of the water. Montana was amazing - Idaho was as well....heck, it was all amazing.

Now that I'm back though I'm going to start working on getting started here in Southern California. I just posted a bit this evening asking for some help and advice. Sorry I wasn't able to use any of your advice and offers, but I assure you - I greatly appreciate your taking the time to respond to me.

-Seth