Need advice on my creek

[northern_sierras]

Ive been working many small deposits of gold at the waters edge (about 1-2ft from the waters edge) of my creek for over a month and have gotten around 1/5 of an ounce. Im a newb so I know ive lost lots of gold learning how to use my equipment. I have never found gold inside the creek only on the banks and its all smaller than 30 mesh with about 1/4th of my gold containing pieces bigger than 30 mesh, and one small nugget. There are several deep pools in my creek and Im wondering if there is gold on the banks if that means there is more gold in the creek especially in the deep pools. Again, i have not found gold in the creek only on the banks so far.

 

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[Goldwasher]

sounds like it runs a little steep and fast where you are at. and don't be to convinced you are losing a lot....its pretty difficult to lose significantly more than you find.

 

[Fullpan]

You are beyond newb now. You've asked the right questions, you have worked hard, what, 2 or 3 days a week at this? You've got the basic equipment now
and learned how to use it. Don't worry too much about losing gold and focus more on where there might be better concentrations of gold. You ask if there's
more gold in the pools, rather than on the banks - probably. But how can you get it without going outlaw with a dredge? There's the GoldnSand type hand
suction devices, but I suspect the creek doesn't have bedrock exposed in enough places - you have never mentioned working br cracks.

Maybe its time to step back, take a breather, and try some new terrain for the bigger picture. How about driving over to Nelson creek (next bridge beyond
the Feather bridge) or try hiking down the feather to snipe some bedrock. You can always return - just a suggestion.

P.s. ck out n8longly's posts yesterday. he made the call to throw away the gravel until he got to the last six inches to bedrock, and was well rewarded. ("Picture
day #2")

 

[huntsman53]

If you are finding Gold in the shallows of the creek, there is definitely Gold in the deeper pools! Also, there is probably Gold all across the creek but you just aren't getting deep enough to find it. Keep in mind that the creek has probably been around for millions of years and in that time period, a lot of Gold came down from it's sources and was deposited in the creek. If the creek is too fast and deep to work far out into it, then you will have to wait for a drier period when the creek is low and running slower. You want to try to find the aluvial gravels and rocks (ancient streambed) as this is where a lot of the Gold will be found but you will also want to get down to the bedrock, if possible, as a lot of Gold should be sitting right on top of the bedrock.


Frank

 

[northern_sierras]

Thanks fullpan, ive been going out 4-5 days a week for about 5 hrs each time. Very addicting when your finding gold and new deposits every day. You are right about new terrain. I packed into the nelson about 2 weeks ago and its an entirely different animal than the creek ive been working. TONs of bedrock on the nelson. I was happy to find a couple small flakes at least. I like your advice on new terrain and looking at the bigger picture. Im only a couple miles from the middle fork of the feather, so Im going to plan on checking it out below sloat for a few days.

As for bedrock, are you a lot better off digging to bedrock where you are finding gold deposits on top? Or does it matter? My creek only has a few areas where bedrock is exposed, but it seems smoothed over. Would it be a good idea to 'follow' this bedrock as it goes back down in the creek? For dredging, do dredgers target these deep pools in small creeks? Do they always dredge down to bedrock in these pools?

Sorry about all the questions. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Gravelwasher]

Yes always go to bed rock when ever possible.

 

[Fullpan]

Gotta interject one of my stupid stories here. You mentioned middle fork near sloat. Back in the late 70's, a college girl got a claim in that area, bought a dredge, and paid her way through the Masters program at Sierra College? (in Quincy) with gold. Then she sold the claim at a good profit (timing is everything)
and spent the next 30 years or so as an administrator in the Carson City school district. She retired a few years ago and is a good friend of my wife.

Yes, try to "follow the bedrock". Yes they did target the pools, not necessarily your pools. They always tried to reach br, as that's where the good gold is.

 

[Hoser John]

Good gold miners always make the bedrock----or perish-John

 

[goldenIrishman]

Also remember that "The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask!" Like anything else there is a learning curve to this thing we all love to do. Knowledge is power in all things and hunting gold is no exception.

 

[Armchair prospector]

Try to find an area where it looks impossible. There is bedrock underneath, and you just don't want to try just because of the work it will take because no one else would do it, then do it. The easy stuff that is exposed is most likely already taken. I'm not talking from experience, as I won't do it either. But that is where you may hit a really good deposit, or not. Mining is the only activity that you have to work hard and smart. What's up G.W.?

 

[Fullpan]

This is a pic of the swimming hole. I dredged all around the edges getting fines, pickers, and small nuggets. The max depth I could reach was 12-15 feet, even
with a jerry-rigged extender hose. The gut of the hole is probably 30 ft to bedrock. I'm convinced there is around 100 ozs laying deep in the hole, and if by
some miracle big, powerful dredges are allowed again, i'll find a way to get to the bottom. Then its off to Aruba!



The hole is about 40 yards long by 25 yds wide, and 15 ft to top of gravel at deepest part. There are three hydraulic mines
upstream and an ancient river channel crossed 2 miles upriver. At least 4 hard rock mines are farther up too.

Just to the right of blue barrels, at five feet down, is the top of a man made pole verticle in the gravel, which says to me its the
end of a long tom emptying into the pool in the old days. The gravel bar on the right carries nice flakes and fines flood gold,
but when sampling the bedrock at about 3-4 feet, not much gold. That also is a clue that a long tom was used to get the original
gold deposit. At the next bend upstream, a very large pile of boulders is evidence that the old-timers worked the slack water
there, but no boulder stacking can be seen around the swimming hole.

Maybe in the 1970's, a 10 or 12 inch dredge got down and got the gold, but otherwise its there still. imo

P.s. - click on pics for better view

 

[okbasspro]

This is a pic of the swimming hole. I dredged all around the edges getting fines, pickers, and small nuggets. The max depth I could reach was 12-15 feet, even
with a jerry-rigged extender hose. The gut of the hole is probably 30 ft to bedrock. I'm convinced there is around 100 ozs laying deep in the hole, and if by
some miracle big, powerful dredges are allowed again, i'll find a way to get to the bottom. Then its off to Aruba!

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=834838"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=834839"/>

The hole is about 40 yards long by 25 yds wide, and 15 ft to top of gravel at deepest part. There are three hydraulic mines
upstream and an ancient river channel crossed 2 miles upriver. At least 4 hard rock mines are farther up too.

Just to the right of blue barrels, at five feet down, is the top of a man made pole verticle in the gravel, which says to me its the
end of a long tom emptying into the pool in the old days. The gravel bar on the right carries nice flakes and fines flood gold,
but when sampling the bedrock at about 3-4 feet, not much gold. That also is a clue that a long tom was used to get the original
gold deposit. At the next bend upstream, a very large pile of boulders is evidence that the old-timers worked the slack water
there, but no boulder stacking can be seen around the swimming hole.

Maybe in the 1970's, a 10 or 12 inch dredge got down and got the gold, but otherwise its there still. imo

Man that sounds like a job for the Midnight Miners. I have a float setup with twin 1000 watt halogen lights with generator on board just to dang far from you.

 

[Hoser John]

Lets go FP-nice'n hot and drought too-perfect conditions-working at night is fun.......just need a gast for that 30' though...John

 

[Fullpan]

Forgot to mention that I was there during the big flood of 1986. The swimming hole water level was at least ten ft higher with boulders rolling, huge trees
and logs coming down. The hole acted like a giant blue bowl. It would spin the logs, sometimes twice before spitting them out downstream.

 

[Fullpan]

Sorry, northern sierras - I get going and don't know when to shut up. my apologies.

 

[63bkpkr]

Long Drawn Out is OK

Fullpan, at times when one is sharing information it seems like we've just carried on for to long but I don't think anyone minds. You've seen some of my posts so you know what I'm talking about.

Nice pictures of the river both on site and from Google! I jumped into a deep hole that was part of a water fall with my diving goggles and it was amazing to look around at the bottom of that thing. The old timers Had been to the bottom, lots of holes in the side walls and they even cut a bypass tunnel through solid rock to they could drain the pool. Just keep the sharing coming.............................63bkpkr

 

[northern_sierras]

Sorry, northern sierras - I get going and don't know when to shut up. my apologies.

No worries, its all good interesting info!