Kevin in Colorado...and elsewhere

[KevinInColorado]

My daughter out prospecting with me. We are gathering gold to make the wedding band she will give her fiancé at their wedding next September. Sooo fun!

 

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[wildminer]

What a wonderful way to unite a family! Congratulations to all! You have a great life, Kevin.

 

[ProspectorALEX]

Since my last post I’ve hit several spots and found pickers at the Felix Pedro Monument and at Chicken Creek. Pics to follow when I have better internet service

the felix pedro monument in Fairbanks? we went twice just because we were bored and only got a few specks both times. for us, it was more about just getting out I guess.

 

[KevinInColorado]

the felix pedro monument in Fairbanks? we went twice just because we were bored and only got a few specks both times. for us, it was more about just getting out I guess.

Yup the public claim across from the monument. Good gold there on top of the clay layer. Git sum!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Here’s a map of all the areas of Colorado where I’ve been with a pan in hand:
http://findinggoldincolorado.com/book-map/

 

[63bkpkr]

Mr. Kevin,
You and your daughter out gathering gold for the wedding band she will present to her Husband, what an awesome way for Father and Daughter to work together for such a special event! Congratulations to the both and all of you!.................63bkpkr

Some special moments just have a glow about them! Congratulations on this special moment that is coming to your family!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Helped a buddy dive and dredge on his claim today. A Keene triple stage only catches about half the gold so he worked with Keene to add a sump at the end of the sluice which feeds a beach box. THAT does the job!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Got out sampling on Thursday. Three new spots with gold at all three. One is claimable and close to home (sorta) so I may just file a new claim!
I grabbed a pic of the first spot:

But there’s also this:

And it’s a STEEP SLOPE up from the water. Yikes!

 

[CyHawkGold]

But there’s also this:
View attachment 1639579
And it’s a STEEP SLOPE up from the water. Yikes!

I think I'd work it with a couple of knotted ropes secured topside and hanging down the best slope and easy to grab.

Maybe another one(downstream) to hook the gear to and pull it up after safely back up above.

Good luck and stay safe.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I think I'd work it with a couple of knotted ropes secured topside and hanging down the best slope and easy to grab.

Maybe another one(downstream) to hook the gear to and pull it up after safely back up above.

Good luck and stay safe.

Funny you’d mention that. Here IS a rope running down the hill. A really nice fat one in fact. You can just barely see it in this pic.

 

[UncleMatt]

Hey Kevin,

I have been working on a theory about Colorado gold. From my own experiences and learning from others, it seems to me that areas of Colorado that experienced glacial activity tend not to produce large course placers. We know the glaciers scour valleys clean of such deposits, and re-mix the gold in sediments. Which may indicate that the best places to search for gold placers in CO are where glaciation never occurred.

In the San Juan Mountains it seems most of the gold is still locked up in hard rock as well. Unlike the mountains in California, which are far older than the Rockies, erosional processes and earthquakes have not yet had the time to erode gold out of its matrix, where it can collect in placer formations.

All of which tends to make course gold placers in CO the exception, not the rule. Especially when compared to places like California or Alaska. Do you agree with these conclusions? And do you think CO prospectors would be better served by limiting their prospect areas to non-glaciated areas?

 

[KevinInColorado]

Well, that’s a complicated question, it’s tough to make state wide generalities too. On top of that I’m no geologist so I only know bits and pieces myself.

I can say only 5% of the gold found in Colorado has been Placer. In several cases, glaciers exposed lode deposits and created righ Placer deposits (such as the upper Blue River and the upper Middle Fork of the South Platte and the upper San Miguel too).

I think the main reason for smaller average gold particle size has more to do with the nature of the rock itself although I’m unsure at a specific level.

I know this doesn’t help a ton. If you ask this in the FB group, we can get some real geologists to chime in.

 

[UncleMatt]

I've already spoken with several geologists about this, and they do not dispute my theory. I agree that most CO gold is locked up in hard rock. It simply hasn't had the time to erode out as it has in other areas where placers are more plentiful.

A friend tried to start a metal detecting club in Durango, but no one wanted to join. And it took awhile for us to figure out that is due to the fact historically very few nuggets are found in topsoil in CO where they can be detected. Those that have were found in mine tailing piles.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Got out digging today. The spot is claimable so I took a good friend to it to see if he would fall in love with it and file a claim on it. We found lots of tiny colors and a couple pieces of 3-D chunky gold. Yup, he’s going to file on it. Makes me happy since he has helped me with my website and is fun to dig with.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Congrats to you guys! Persistence pays off!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Catching up on posing my gold for pretty pics. This is Felix Pedro public site by the dime (love that 0.1 gram picker!) and Anchor Point on the Cook Inlet below.

 

[KevinInColorado]

A collection of placer gold from my trip through the Pacific Northwest, western Canada and Alaska. Almost 2 grams in total.

The row of chunky pickers is all from Chicken Creek right at the Town of Chicken Campground. Go there if you can!

 

[KevinInColorado]

I just got back from being off the grid for a few days in the boonies of nw Colorado for gold prospecting on the Yampa River. Good times with good friends, all met here on treasurenet! Gold pics to follow but here’s a few pics of the setting.

Here’s Utahmason and his brother-in-law Lance:

Paul Knowles is the Asst Director of the Museum of Northwest Colorado and a prospector (duh). A great guy and he was a real help in my book research in this part of CO.

And of course the owner of Grizzly Goldtrap Sluices, Dennis

 

[KevinInColorado]

The gold from that trip. The big pile up top is all -125 mesh.

 

[425jesse]

That’s some fine stuff Kevin!