Kevin in Colorado...and elsewhere

[shofs]

Check out my new blog entry on digging in metro Denver:

Digging in the city means participating in recreational gold prospecting as a guest of a local government, parks & rec district or similar organization. While the tools of prospecting are the same (shovel, pan and sluice, maybe an electric highbanker like the Gold Cube), the process of finding a spot to dig is vastly different. No worries about the BLM, National Forest Service or checking on prior mining claims at the county clerk office. [ 664 more words. ]

http://findinggoldincolorado.com/2016/05/28/finding-spots-to-dig-in-town

...I'd love to hear your questions this brings up. What else do I need to add or explain here?

Great read! Good stuff that's good to know as a prospector in Denver.
I wanted to mention my findings on the South Platte from where is flows under C-470 down to Aspen Grove. No one talks about that area. Not only is it a nice outdoor park and place to hike, but I've found some really great gold along that part of the river. I believe it needs more attention. If you are ever in town and want my grand tour of the area I would love to show you! I've been spoiled by "straw" creek since I got my bazooka and haven't made a trip back to the river yet. This is a repost but this is what I got from only 4 gallons of dirt at the Platte.

 

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[KevinInColorado]

I'm glad you like the post and I'm sure to be in town over the next few weeks...ill let you know as I'd love the tour!

 

[RookmanGold]

Im wondering if you need to include some basics about what to take... mozzie spray etc. Just in case...

 

[shofs]

When it comes to mosquitoes I've tried everything I really get bit up when I go out. My favorite, by a long shot, is the Thermacell. No deet, no spray, no smell and best of all it works. It's worth the money. Just clip it to my pack and turn it on. It runs on butane and heats a pad which then puts a "invisible shield" around you basically.

 

[Au dave]

I use 'Rid' ...not sure if its available over your side of the world ...but it repels all insects and even makes leeches drop off with a quick squirt, also stops any bites itching.


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[KevinInColorado]

Never heard of Rid, sounds good. Happily hardly any mosquitos in Denver area or the mountains

 

[shofs]

Never heard of Rid, sounds good. Happily hardly any mosquitos in Denver area or the mountains

At the creek I seem to do ok with no mosquitos, I think due to the lack of any stagnant water. But OH MAN do I get lit up at the platte. Before I got my thermacell I could come back with about 15 bites per trip. Just everywhere. In the crack above my butt from bending over, my neck, my legs. It can get seriously bad for me down there at the river. One time I got so many bites by boss at work almost gave me the day off because she thought something was "scary wrong with me" lol . For some reason my wife avoids ALL bites maybe shes a robot or something. But not being a fan of anything you have to topically apply, the thermacell is a life saver.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Took my nephews and a friend out digging with me today We dug a spot they wanted to try on the Tolt River just east of Seattle (near Carnation). It's a spot they drive by all the time and it has an awesome cobble bar. Also it's downstream of a known hot spot for gold. You know how that can be - you just have to go sample it right?!!

Had a great time on a sunny day...what a way to start our summer! Teenagers digging, skipping rocks, splashing each other, exploring around...:-D

Found gold but just a little. Next time I'm in town we hope to go to another spot on the Tolt that I've researched for better gold

 

[KevinInColorado]

Got out today in the late afternoon. Really needed it after a hard day yesterday. In metro Denver so I hit "straw creek"... David you'll see I rebuilt my dam and dug a bit of that immediate area. Did ok on gold and great on mood enhancement [emoji106]🏻[emoji106]🏻[emoji106]🏻 Got rained on and just kept going, already wet anyway right?!

 

[brianc053]

I'm glad to see that you got out, Kevin. I was beginning to miss your posts. Sorry about the hard day - I thought retirement was supposed to make the days easy!

- Brian

 

[KevinInColorado]

Going out tomorrow morning to sample a site with Red Wilcox (gold cube inventor)...I'm excited to see what we find!

Edit: I just realized how name-droppy this post sounds. Yes, I AM proud to be his friend. He's a great guy, a great prospector, a great inventor, he works to improve access for prospectors and we have fun!

 

[Au dave]

Going out tomorrow morning to sample a site with Red Wilcox (gold cube inventor)...I'm excited to see what we find!

Heavy and shiney pans to you both..

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[shofs]

Got out today in the late afternoon. Really needed it after a hard day yesterday. In metro Denver so I hit "straw creek"... David you'll see I rebuilt my dam and dug a bit of that immediate area. Did ok on gold and great on mood enhancement [emoji106]��[emoji106]��[emoji106]�� Got rained on and just kept going, already wet anyway right?!

Straw creek gold always does oneself good! Its wonders have helped with the stress of moving into and fixing up the house my wife and I bought, I know the feeling.
About two weeks ago I was digging where you described and got that second picker I posted about in my journal! I was actually the one this time who removed the dam with the intention of letting the creek get rid of some of the overburden. That was days ago so hopefully it was some good digging by now .
I bet you saw the dam I've been currently digging with if you visited the creek. I was following the principle of "gold is found at the beginning and end of a bend" and since straw bench gold was so good at the end of the bend, the upstream side has been treating me well. Give it a sample next time you get out or better yet lets meet up next time you are in town!

 

[shofs]

Going out tomorrow morning to sample a site with Red Wilcox (gold cube inventor)...I'm excited to see what we find!

Edit: I just realized how name-droppy this post sounds. Yes, I AM proud to be his friend. He's a great guy, a great prospector, a great inventor, he works to improve access for prospectors and we have fun!

I'm jealous take me along! I've done so much self prospecting all I need now is tips from the pros in the field.
Also don't worry, whenever I say "Kevin" in my thread it sounds name-droppy. 22,000 people have read your forum and like it or not you are pretty much the local authority on gold.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I did see your dam. It's right where my first dam in that area was built. At the time I found ok gold upstream of the dam and really good gold in a couple spots downstream but didn't really clean it out the way I now like to. Did I see you had dug a bit of material off off the bench near the dam?

Your dam removal did the trick...sorry I was the one to benefit since you did the work of removal. I wouldn't have dug that spot if I realized. With the overburden gone I could see a couple interesting pockets to dig. One was mid stream, a few feet upstream of my dam. That pocket went down a couple feet deeper than the surrounding clay. I found typical gold and quite a bit of lead, which I always feel good about removing from the waterway

I do look forward to meeting up again soon and will reach out

 

[utah mason]

I'm jealous take me along! I've done so much self prospecting all I need now is tips from the pros in the field.
Also don't worry, whenever I say "Kevin" in my thread it sounds name-droppy. 22,000 people have read your forum and like it or not you are pretty much the local authority on gold.

Heck ya he's the local authority! Other wise there would be a picture of some other guy running his gold cube trommel on the Jefferson county website under prospecting!

 

[shofs]

I did see your dam. It's right where my first dam in that area was built. At the time I found ok gold upstream of the dam and really good gold in a couple spots downstream but didn't really clean it out the way I now like to. Did I see you had dug a bit of material off off the bench near the dam?

Your dam removal did the trick...sorry I was the one to benefit since you did the work of removal. I wouldn't have dug that spot if I realized. With the overburden gone I could see a couple interesting pockets to dig. One was mid stream, a few feet upstream of my dam. That pocket went down a couple feet deeper than the surrounding clay. I found typical gold and quite a bit of lead, which I always feel good about removing from the waterway

I do look forward to meeting up again soon and will reach out

The area you saw dug out from the creeks side wall was from the local kids playing. I've made friends with them and their parents from when they come to the creek. I help them identify all the cool rocks that they find. I have done some digging from the gold line larger cobble in the middle of the bench on that end though, good gold and I'm going to focus on that area next time I go out!

No worries at all digging were you did! I'm happy my plan worked and it revealed some spots, that's a success in my book

I have a plan to clear out the creek right below the furthest most downstream dam that you showed me to clear the overburden in a similar fashion. Think there will be some good gold there? Or should I head upstream. About 70' up from straw bench there's a large deposit of large rounded basketball sized rocks. Hmmm choices, choices.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Good questions David, that why they call it prospecting not mining

 

[KevinInColorado]

Heck ya he's the local authority! Other wise there would be a picture of some other guy running his gold cube trommel on the Jefferson county website under prospecting!

I didn't even know they used that pic...how cool! Here it is:

 

[KevinInColorado]

I did get out today with Red and his daughter Maia. We went up near Black Hawk and Rollinsville to look at three miner's shacks as Red is looking to buy one. The first had no water, the third had good water but no gold...and the second was the winner. An 1886 log cabin, somewhat updated and cool as heck. A little creek in the front lot with fine gold in it. I noticed the wall of the creek showed about 4-6 inches of clay, then a gravelly layer of 4-6 inches then a slick clay under layer. That gravel layer was the gold bearing stuff. So I dug a hole about 6 feet away from the water and found that same gravely pay layer about 8 inches down. Sweet! Time to dig a swimming hole in front of the house!!

Red put in an offer to buy the place tonight!


The gold was pretty fine so the reading glasses came out

Red digging a hole:

And Maia dancing thru the flowers: