Lake Isabella area

[Urban Prospector]

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[Mojave Jack]

Yes, the Kern River is dangerous. I go up there about once a week. the sign at the entrance currently reads 242 drownings. It would be a lot higher if they counted auto accidents. We've had 2 fatalities by auto in the past few months.

The GPAA has a claim on the north side of the river very close to the Live Oak Picnic area. I've tried several times to cross the river, but chickened out each time. As for working the Kern river, I've actually had decent luck with flour gold in Hart Park (East Bakersfield). I would love to get up to the Goler Gulch and Last Chance Canyon area, but sadly my pickup is pretty low to the ground. I'll figure it out this spring, even if I have to hike in.

As for Ballarat, this is an old gold mining area in Panamint Valley, about 25 miles north of Trona. A lot of history there. Do a search on Seldom Seen Slim to learn about some of the mining history here. One story I like is about a prospector named Shorty Harris. Apparently he found more gold and silver in the Ballarat area than anybody. One of his silver mines was developed commercially and produced so much silver that even Wells Fargo refused to move it, as the risk for outlaws in the area was extremely high. The miners decided to move the silver themselves, and mounted one unarmed man on a wagon to move their silver.

Sure enough, before he got out of Panamint Valley an outlaw gang held him up. To their dismay when they removed the tarps from the wagon they found 2 huge balls of silver, each weighing around 500 pounds. Kind of hard to run off on your horse with 1,000 pounbds of stolen goods. The silver made it to Frisco.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Goler gulch and Bonanza gulches are pretty neat, but, be very careful where you go in Last Chance Canyon - if you want to keep your stuff.

A big part of it is now Red Rock Canyon State park - almost nothing allowed, and on that lower end, the only area that is NOT Red Rock Canyon State Park is claimed. Stop at the RRC Park office - they have a map that will tell you which part won't get you arrested.

Also, watch for where they have closed "routes" because a large part of it is off-limits because of wilderness (my personal fight over S.21 closed this off for us).

But Goler and Bonanza is right outside the wilderness, and still (so far) untouched by Park and California Desert Protection Act hands.


Tom I'm not sure about - but old George (Buzzard) didn't have to salt. He knew his places, would put lots of time into prospecting, etc., to find the good spots where he didn't have to salt.

I know (knew) him on a personal basis - I miss him - he was a heck of a guy. He would get as excited by a little flake of gold as he did by his 850 ounce find. He was a true "lover" of all things treasure related, and extremely anti-scissor-bill.

Gee, I cannot believe it has been 15 years.

B

 

[Georgiy]

Just came back from Kern River south Lake Isabella. There is not much left in GPAA claims. If you dig all day long through quarts packed sands, (that looks and feels like concrete), you will get a few specs of gold and silver. Chinese worked those claims , so there is probably nothing left.

 

[Georgiy]

Hi Jack,
I just came back from Kern river. In the past, I crossed the river where you mentioned. But I took a rubber boat with me. Just in front of parking, there is nice and slow water. Hiking up is hard on the other side of the river. But location is really good - and I did a few tests in that area. I am sure on the top there will be a really good spot for drywasher. I wanted to take a jack hammer with me but it is too heavy. Let me know when you plan to go there - I will join you.