Headed to the John Day Country

[Trapper John]

Later this month Mare and I are headed to Eastern Oregon for a scouting trip. We are combining rockhounding, fossil hunting, and gold prospecting along the way. Our primary purpose is to get the lay of the land as we've never been in the John Day country before. We'll be working out of Fossil, Prairie City, and Delintment Lake. I hope to try out my Gold Hog flowpan and do a little crevicing while there. I also hope to document the trip and will certainly share a "trip report" when we return.

The last time I was out that way I cold camped outside of Burns and explored the area just south of Glass Butte. I was looking for gemstones and found an old Cinnabar mine. There was no signage but after a quick look at tailing piles I left the premises, unsure of ownership and protocol. This trip will allow time to properly research claims, property ownership, local knowledge, and existing regulations. (I'd hate to be an accidental, if not well-intentioned claim jumper!) One can only accomplish so much on the Internet and then it's time to stir the stumps and get a first-hand view of the ground. That's the primary purpose of this trip, and if it yields a few specimens all the better.

The other thing I need to test is my own mobility. I'm not getting any younger - in fact I should have taken the time to learn about all of this when I was much younger. But as they say, it is what it is, and I'll simply do what my old bones and the terrain let me do. In the mean time let's hope that fire season doesn't disrupt everything!

 

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[Bejay]

Well Trapper John the challenge for you prospecting will be to ascertain where there is open ground. I might suggest you really utilize Land Matters and if you have time you could obtain the "claims advantage" offered there. John Day has some gold deposits and figuring out where it is open will be a challenge. For Your rock hounding adventure I might suggest the "Gem Trails Oregon" book.

PS: For your old bones you might want to check out Ritter Hot Springs…...not far from John Day (Just north about 25 miles) and east of Fossil....the lodge may be open now.

Bejay

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Be sure and take your fishing gear. The JD has terrific smallmouth fishing. If you flyfish, black wooly buggers, or leeches, fished jerky on the bottom will catch some BIG smallmouth.
Jim

 

[63bkpkr]

Hello Trapper John, I would suggest a pair of good walking sticks or at least a stout hiking staff, either adds a bit firmer contact with the ground and can reduce or eliminate falls.

Don't know when you start your trip but even a week doing old fashioned floor exercises and stretches will improve your body a little before you start the trail exertion.

Good luck and enjoy yourself..........63bkpkr

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Also, be aware that country has a lot of rattlesnakes, too.
Jim

 

[Trapper John]

My Trip to Eastern Oregon

thank you all for the words of advice. Fishing gear? Check. Snake loads for sidearm (if needed)? Check. Floor exercises and stretching? Check. Review of LR2000 active and closed sites? Check. Anti-missile defenses for travel trailer? Check!

I've been in this region before. About the only thing I haven't done is to search for colors. I don't plan at making this my . . . Oops. I almost wandered into the "miner" versus "hobbiest" discussion and I defer to those with far more experience than I to deal with that particular issue!

 

[Bejay]

Don't forget to check out Ritter Hot Springs. Just north of Long Creek which lies just north of John Day. Ritter is due east of Fossil......as the crow flies.

Bejay

 

[Goldwasher]

thank you all for the words of advice. Fishing gear? Check. Snake loads for sidearm (if needed)? Check. Floor exercises and stretching? Check. Review of LR2000 active and closed sites? Check. Anti-missile defenses for travel trailer? Check!

I've been in this region before. About the only thing I haven't done is to search for colors. I don't plan at making this my . . . Oops. I almost wandered into the "miner" versus "hobbiest" discussion and I defer to those with far more experience than I to deal with that particular issue!

Have fun. Your doing research good job. Hope you find color. Show us what you get even if its just sunset pictures.

Saw where you live. I used to work in St.Helens. Drove there first from East Portland everyday. Then from Beaverton. It was a commute from either spot. But, I was making good money for Oregon in 2003/4

I was on a crew building the rafts for the house boats. That are all along the rivers there. The Contracter used one of the docks and adjacent slip/floating docks for the build site. Near train tracks. several old buildings over there. You could tell there used to be a lot more going on.

Back off the slough not quite in town near the public boat ramp.

I can still smell the Pulp Mill

 

[Trapper John]

Goldwasher, the commute can be tedious but thisnis a good town to live in. The paper mill smell is gone these days. We considered buying a floating home but then reality set in and we stayed "shorebound."

have you done any searching out this way? PM if you prefer.

 

[arizau]

Goldwasher, the commute can be tedious but thisnis a good town to live in. The paper mill smell is gone these days. We considered buying a floating home but then reality set in and we stayed "shorebound."

have you done any searching out this way? PM if you prefer.

It is an easy day trip from St. Helens to Benson Beach/Cape Disappointment and with the right equipment you should be able to make gas money + on each trip or at least those I have talked to often do. The beach at the camp site usually has a few miners on it so go up and talk to them and see what they are using as a start. If I lived near my Daughter in Beaverton I would invest in the equipment and be up there as often as possible! Those black sands are loaded with gold but it is hard to capture since it is almost all less than 100 mesh with much of it less than 150 mesh. Check this link out. https://www.google.com/search?q=cap...ome..69i57.19615j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Good Luck

 

[Bejay]

Interesting...I grew up in Beaverton...Jr high and high school years. I know the area well...but never did any gold mining/prospecting. Just fishing and rock hounding...( a lot of the Vernonia area). Tks for the info about prospecting mining up there.

Bejay

 

[wildminer]

Hello Trapper John, I would suggest a pair of good walking sticks or at least a stout hiking staff, either adds a bit firmer contact with the ground and can reduce or eliminate falls.

Don't know when you start your trip but even a week doing old fashioned floor exercises and stretches will improve your body a little before you start the trail exertion.

Good luck and enjoy yourself..........63bkpkr

Yes! A walking staff is great for banging the ground to alert the rattlers you are there and it will give them time to git! I saw a four footer hanging from a barbed wire fence that someone had dispatched at the top of the grade east of Mitchell a couple years back.

 

[Trapper John]

Arizau, thanks for the input. I know the key fossil collecting spots but have never considered looking for fine gold at the beaches. I am familiar with techniques but not so much with actual practice. I will definitely give consideration to this option. I appreciate that you took the time to remind me about it!

 

[Trapper John]

Wildminer, walking sticks and waterproof socks - I can't say enough about 'em. You are right about using them as "snake bangers." I have been compelled to kill but one rattlesnake in my lifetime, and that was while fishing on the Klamath River with my son. He almost stepped on one while moving from rock to rock in the canyon and froze like a statue until I scrambled over and blasted it. It was coiled, rattling, and ready to rock 'n roll. I was given this advice many years ago: If given the choice between risking a few pellets of #7 birdshot in your buddy's leg or letting him get snakebit - shoot.

Snakes have a definite place in the ecosystem. They are not inherently evil despite our instinctual reaction to anything with the power to cause harm or discomfort. But I still stand by that advice! Still, walking sticks are now cheap, lightweight, and part of my gear - along with my "just in case" hogleg.

 

[wildminer]

Right on the money, Trapper! Good luck to you.

 

[CoinFetcher]

I floated it a couple years ago - SO MANY AGATES!!

 

[Trapper John]

I floated it a couple years ago - SO MANY AGATES!!

Rocks, coins, fossils, relics, gold - so much to look for, so little timel