i need a decent gold panning location in california

[Tkirbykidd]

hi everyone, im new to this site, i just thought i would check it out. I am newish to gold panning, which leaves me at a lack of experience. i live in cameron park california, and im looking for a relatively close location to get a decent amount of gold. i dont expect much, but it would be nice to get more than one tiny flake every trip lol. ive been up to lotus, and salmon falls to try my luck at panning. unfortunately the only way i could get a decent amount in those areas is with a sluice box, which i cannot afford. im hoping to get enough gold eventually to put towards a sluice box, so that getting a decent amount in those areas is a possibility. ive heard that coloma has some good spots, but im hoping to get a more specific location than just a city lol. i understand that people dont like giving away their prime locations, but im hoping someone could give up one of their like top 5 spots or something. i would really appreciate any help, as i have extreme gold fever and getting that tiny flake each time is not sufficient lol. Thank you in advance

 

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[vpnavy]

Until someone pipes in - you might consider browsing Sub-Forums: California for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state.

 

[AU Seeker]

You say you're relatively new to gold prospecting and that you do find a speck or two when you do go panning, I'm guessing it's your prospecting skills that are lacking not a place to find gold, if you're finding a speck or two then there's more specks to be found you just have to learn where gold likes to hide, I wouldn't be expecting to find nuggets, but a small picker shouldn't be out of the question.

Most new gold prospectors would love to find even a speck in their pan, many do not until they learn how to prospect, it's all about testing and testing in the places where gold will drop out of suspension, you need to study the stream or river you're finding these specks to discover where the flow of the water slows down during flood stage to find where the gold is dropping out of the flow and then test pan every few feet until you find the best color in your pan, digging only the upper few inches or a foot or two may not reveal the gold that was deposited, gold will be down near bedrock or a non-penetrable layer such as clay before it stops travel down through the strati during a flood stage.

You also should be cleaning out all cracks and crevices with small tools such as thin a screwdriver, spoons brushes, etc, to get material that has be not disturbed for a long time, these are the natural gold trap/sluice of a streambed.

That being said if you simply do a internet search of gold bearing areas close to you, you should find many places near you, if gold has been found in the past there's info out there on the internet of these locations.

 

[phishisgroovin]

You are right next to placerville? go find a small creek and dig a hole at the base of a hill.

 

[Frankn]

Well if you want the skill required and a place to get the gold, Join GPAA . Gold Prospectors Association of America. Frank...

 

[TerryC]

Hey Kidd (sorry), Just about any stream between Mariposa and Placerville should do. I hang out in Murphys, CA yet I have a claim in AZ. My brother and I hunt alot near Rich Hill, AZ. If you are going out that way, TimC or I can POINT to the ground where we will gaurantee you will find much more than a flake in every 5 gal bucket. As for CA, check with Kuger, 63bckpkr, and a few others. Difficult to go away with just a flake, in CA. Welcome to the Net. TTC

 

[Frankn]

Hey Kidd (sorry), Just about any stream between Mariposa and Placerville should do. I hang out in Murphys, CA yet I have a claim in AZ. My brother and I hunt alot near Rich Hill, AZ. If you are going out that way, TimC or I can POINT to the ground where we will gaurantee you will find much more than a flake in every 5 gal bucket. As for CA, check with Kuger, 63bckpkr, and a few others. Difficult to go away with just a flake, in CA. Welcome to the Net. TTC

Yep, TerryC put it right. Rich Hill is where they found those potato size nuggets. I have hunter right down the roar from there just past Stanton. That road ends at a ranch, and right there is a GPAA claim I have worked. Good gold area. Frank...

 

[TerryC]

Yes, sir! That Rich Hill (Stanton), AZ area is pretty good! But I think those potatoe nuggets are STILL GROWING after being picked! Old man Stanton did pick 300 ounces out from between rocks using just a knife one day.... so it is written. You may be talking of the Pick-Em-Up claim? LDMA has just recently added another claim nearby, this year. GOOD area! Tnx. TTC

 

[63bkpkr]

Tkirbykidd ,
It is true that Cameron Park CA is at what I will call the base of the Mother Lode Country of NorCal as the rivers and streams do come right down through that area. Find a prospecting club in your area, go to a couple of the meetings, should be free but be sure to ask as this will be the initial impression you will make on these new friends of yours! You should be able to pick up a lot of free information from these generally good natured folks. This info will include club outings (places to go), hints and tips on 'how to' (and places to go) and being 'younger' but eager, willing to learn and Work they could even take you under a wing, so to speak.

Then you can just go take a hike, I mean literally take a hike After you've located several small creeks in your area, or you could ride your bicycle to them. But Be Certain To Let Your Folks know exactly where you are going. If its on private property then first locate the owner and ask permission to be on their property, could save you a lot of trouble later on. Be prepared for rattle snakes and ticks (ticks start out about the size of a sesame seed but once they start sucking blood they grow and dig in). For the snakes you can just walk away from them or as you are carrying a hiking staff (a long round stick about one inch in diameter x 4' to 6' tall) you can move them out of your way IF you really need to go that way. Wear a hat for sun protection and bring plenty of fresh water with you, you never know what pollution will be in the water around your location.

From your general location you should be able to find gold by panning. There are several "Learn how to Properly Pan for Gold" videos on you tube, check them out and practice how to pan. Drop some small lead pellets into your pan and when you pan all the way to the bottom of your pan and all the pellets are still there then you have a good handle on how to do it.

Google Earth could be a helpful tool in locating streams in your area. There is a tremendous amount of information for the beginning prospector on the internet as well as any local club meeting. Best of luck to you and keep asking questions...................63bkpkr

Oh yes, tools of the trade: 14" - 16" gold pan or (check out Home Page), small Gerber folding shovel(the small one), some form of a classifier (I cut the top and bottom from a good sized Tuna Fish Can and then pop riveted 1/4" mesh hardware cloth into one end and made my own easy to carry classifier), a cheap 1" cheap paint brush, section of an old 'T' shirt about 12" x 16", a screw driver or thick (1/8" diameter piece of wire) for cleaning out cracks (the wire can be smashed on one end to make a flat 'spoon' while the other end of this 18" long piece of wire can be filed to a point and this makes a good rock crack cleaner). When you find a rock crack place the cloth at the bottom end (the end you move all the contents of the crack towards) and spread the cloth out good and flat, start scraping the 'stuff' out of the crack and as it builds up brush it onto/into the cloth. This crack will be in rock next to a creek, be great if the crack is at a 90 degree angle to the creek but if not clean it out anyway as this is where fine gold will tend to settle (depending on the angle of the crack to the creek) and it will be your first clue if there is any gold in this particular piece of water. This is Only One way to start.

Sometimes at yard sales one can find prospecting tools: small flat nail pullers(used for opening up cracks in bedrock to get the gold out), 18" crow bar, wire mesh drawer organizers to use as classifiers(also can buy new for 4x the cost at Bed Bath & Beyond/Wal Mart), screw drivers

 

[bigfoot1]

great advice by all......I recomend building your own sluice box as well.youtube a great place to get ideas.no matter where you prospect the more material you process the more gold you gonna get.good luck and let us know.

 

[TerryC]

Tkirbykidd ,
It is true that Cameron Park CA is at what I will call the base of the Mother Lode Country of NorCal as the rivers and streams do come right down through that area. Find a prospecting club in your area, go to a couple of the meetings, should be free but be sure to ask as this will be the initial impression you will make on these new friends of yours! You should be able to pick up a lot of free information from these generally good natured folks. This info will include club outings (places to go), hints and tips on 'how to' (and places to go) and being 'younger' but eager, willing to learn and Work they could even take you under a wing, so to speak.

Then you can just go take a hike, I mean literally take a hike After you've located several small creeks in your area, or you could ride your bicycle to them. But Be Certain To Let Your Folks know exactly where you are going. If its on private property then first locate the owner and ask permission to be on their property, could save you a lot of trouble later on. Be prepared for rattle snakes and ticks (ticks start out about the size of a sesame seed but once they start sucking blood they grow and dig in). For the snakes you can just walk away from them or as you are carrying a hiking staff (a long round stick about one inch in diameter x 4' to 6' tall) you can move them out of your way IF you really need to go that way. Wear a hat for sun protection and bring plenty of fresh water with you, you never know what pollution will be in the water around your location.

From your general location you should be able to find gold by panning. There are several "Learn how to Properly Pan for Gold" videos on you tube, check them out and practice how to pan. Drop some small lead pellets into your pan and when you pan all the way to the bottom of your pan and all the pellets are still there then you have a good handle on how to do it.

Google Earth could be a helpful tool in locating streams in your area. There is a tremendous amount of information for the beginning prospector on the internet as well as any local club meeting. Best of luck to you and keep asking questions...................63bkpkr

Oh yes, tools of the trade: 14" - 16" gold pan or (check out Home Page), small Gerber folding shovel(the small one), some form of a classifier (I cut the top and bottom from a good sized Tuna Fish Can and then pop riveted 1/4" mesh hardware cloth into one end and made my own easy to carry classifier), a cheap 1" cheap paint brush, section of an old 'T' shirt about 12" x 16", a screw driver or thick (1/8" diameter piece of wire) for cleaning out cracks (the wire can be smashed on one end to make a flat 'spoon' while the other end of this 18" long piece of wire can be filed to a point and this makes a good rock crack cleaner). When you find a rock crack place the cloth at the bottom end (the end you move all the contents of the crack towards) and spread the cloth out good and flat, start scraping the 'stuff' out of the crack and as it builds up brush it onto/into the cloth. This crack will be in rock next to a creek, be great if the crack is at a 90 degree angle to the creek but if not clean it out anyway as this is where fine gold will tend to settle (depending on the angle of the crack to the creek) and it will be your first clue if there is any gold in this particular piece of water. This is Only One way to start.

Sometimes at yard sales one can find prospecting tools: small flat nail pullers(used for opening up cracks in bedrock to get the gold out), 18" crow bar, wire mesh drawer organizers to use as classifiers(also can buy new for 4x the cost at Bed Bath & Beyond/Wal Mart), screw drivers

3 LIKES for the write-up, Herb. I like it! TTC

 

[63bkpkr]

Terry, what else could I do as you set me up for it. .......................63bkpkr/Herb

 

[TerryC]

Terry, what else could I do as you set me up for it. .......................63bkpkr/Herb

Just ONE thing I would change.... but just a personal thing. I don't like the folding shovels. If something nasty can happen, it will happen. I have a very sturdy short shovel with a 15 inch handle. It is called a Special Forces shovel, or something like that. Also works good on roots. Take care, my friend. Terry

 

[63bkpkr]

I say old chap, mind posting a picture of that shovel! Are they available to the general public? Is it military surplus? I can picture a person getting really involved in "using a folding shovel" and not noticing the mechanism is loosening up. A 15" handle and then with the head ~ 22-24" total length. Well heck I suppose if I've got the phone booth on my back I might just as well put the shovel in with it, ;-)....................63bkpkr/Herb

Gerber built a solid nice unit with a folding head(classic) with a collapsble handle, gets really small for going inside the pack even though it is heavy.

 

[TerryC]

Here is one of the two I have. Much of my equipment is duplicated so I have a set in CA and AZ. The handle is 10 inches to the steel. Less than 20 inches overall and STURDY. I bought them at www.coldsteel.com . Very packable. It is called a Special Forces shovel. Weighs in at 26.4 ozs. TTC

 

[AU Seeker]

Here is one of the two I have. Much of my equipment is duplicated so I have a set in CA and AZ. The handle is 10 inches to the steel. Less than 20 inches overall and STURDY. I bought them at www.coldsteel.com . Very packable. It is called a Special Forces shovel. Weighs in at 26.4 ozs. TTC
View attachment 783946

Terry ,thanks for posting about your shovel and a link to where you purchased it, it's modeled after the Soviet Special Forces shovel, after I read 63bkpkr question I was going to post about the Soviet Spetznaz shovel which I had seen in a video put out by the Soviets a few years ago, here's the video on the shovel from Cold Steel's website, impressive to say the least.

 

[AU Seeker]

Tkirbykidd,

I see from your profile that you haven't been on the forum since the evening of your original post, you'll have a lot of great info to checkout when you return to check on your topic!!

The one bit of very important advice that I didn't post or see anyone else post, which is too learn how to research current mineral claims in the areas you're working, there are many claims in your area and you don't want to be found on someone's claim and get cited for mineral trespass because you haven't done your due diligence which we all have to do before we go out to prospect new areas!!!

 

[TerryC]

Tkirbykidd,

I see from your profile that you haven't been on the forum since the evening of your original post, you'll have a lot of great info to checkout when you return to check on your topic!!

The one bit of very important advice that I didn't post or see anyone else post, which is too learn how to research current mineral claims in the areas you're working, there are many claims in your area and you don't want to be found on someone's claim and get cited for mineral trespass because you haven't done your due diligence which we all have to do before we go out to prospect new areas!!!

Maybe Kidd got scared off! A few of us highjacked his thread and GLORIFIED ourselves (I know I did). Sorry Kidd. TTC

 

[TerryC]

Terry ,thanks for posting about your shovel and a link to where you purchased it, it's modeled after the Soviet Special Forces shovel, after I read 63bkpkr question I was going to post about the Soviet Spetznaz shovel which I had seen in a video put out by the Soviets a few years ago, here's the video on the shovel from Cold Steel's website, impressive to say the least.

Impressive video, to be sure. I knew of the video. I have several Coldsteel products but some have accused me of an ultra aggressive attitude. I just want to say, I have NEVER picked on a tree stump that does not fight back (just for the record.... snicker). TTC