infotraker
Full Member
This is a story I wrote about 4 years ago. I've made many a trip up the south fork of the American River near my house and every trip has its memories. Once I came upon a family of 5 river otters who chatted at me for hours while I watched them play. Of couse when I took my daughter upriver to see them they had moved on but the scene was replaced by a beautiful turantula spider. Now on to the art of finding gold where many a man and women have trod before. I've been up the north side of the river many times cause its a easier boulder hopping hike than the other side. As you all know from experience the other side of the river always looks like a better gold catch when you are finding little gold on your current side. The current gold stike started about three weeks ago whan Randy and I ventured up the south side about 3/4 mile. We first stopped at a inviting place in the rocks and found small stuff which kept us busy. A guy from El Dorado Hills passed by and said he thouhgt the gold was better further up about 1/4 mile so I followed him in the shadows leaving Randy behind. Lo and behold he was right. I immediatley found sizable gold with a few pickers in the first few pans. It was getting late so I found Randy down stream and the first day ended. Now I was on to something I think the oldtimers called a gold strike ! The next trip three days later composed of me, Peter and Larry (my first retired partner). We started moving boulders just at the waters edge working together in the hole as one team. Lo and behold many a flake was pouring out along with small pickable nuggets. We kept digging in a uncovered bedrock trough like area all day and the gold kept on coming for everyone. About three o'clock the river rises and that ended our day as the gold bearing area was covered with water. We made 5 trips to the same location in a three week period and have worked about a 40 foot area right at the waters edge and have all found our best panning gold ever. I had one pan from a perfect little uncovered bowl that had about 1 pennyweight of gold. I myself took out about 1/4 oounce total with everyone else taking out about the same (if a little less) The streak seemed to have run out the day we took Randy and Tom along. They say we seeded the place and now its gone ! As we look across the river from our worked out strike we think it looks mighty good over there, we think maybe there is another gold stike in our furture. One can only hope.
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