Whitewater canyon gold by Cabazon

[TheSentinel]

Its a huge wash going all the way up into the National Forest. Get off I-10 at Sunset and go north into the hills to Bluff St, some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen up there with the recent snow. Once you take Bluff down into the wash, there are private property signs all over the place, so be careful. I didn't try Banning Canyon Road yet, but that goes up into the National Forest and becomes Forest Service Road 2S01. There is no shortage of interesting looking rocks there.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Banni...091249,0.209255&t=w&hnear=Banning+Canyon&z=15

 

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[pegleglooker]

I've been to this area before, the service road is closed. The local sheriffs have a training range further up the wash and there is a locked gate at the corner of Bluff and 2S01. I was told by one of the deputies that I could get permission to go in if I asked a week or two in advance. That canyon is very DEEP and has some stunning beauty to it, I would JUMP at the chance to go deeper. The Mias Canyon road is ALL private property and I was told to leave immediately when I drove over, cranky people.... But the canyon is a true calling card for the city of Banning, that's for sure.....

Thx for the info
PLL

 

[pegleglooker]

I took the day off and will be headed out to WW today, if you see a black Jeep with a Dezert Magazine tire cover, then stop by and say hello, I will be close by... Hope to see you there !!!! I should be there at about 11AM....

PLL

 

[TheSentinel]

How did it go? Did you hike past the preserve?

 

[gldfinder87]

I was just up there on Tuesday, I managed to get about two gallons of dirt to run, and found nothing but black sand, and a little bit of what looked to be flour gold. I would really like to find some good spots up there, I mean for as long as that runoff has been there I would assume there has to be gold somewhere, although it is probably at bedrock!

 

[TheSentinel]

How far up did you go? Like others have said, you may have to go a ways up or dig way down to find any real color. When I panned some black sands from 2.5 miles north of I-10, there was plenty of pyrite, maybe some mica too, but no gold that I could tell.

 

[gldfinder87]

Well I panned some dirt right at the bridge just below the preserve, which I know is still on the preserve but I wanted to get as high up as possible to see if I could get any color. If you actually walk around the hatchery you can see where the water comes out at and I am almost positive that there would be little to no gold in that area just because of everything that water runs through.

 

[TheSentinel]

One of these days, I'll hike up as far as feasible and pan some out.

 

[jasonsankl]

Just wondering if anyone has found anything in Whitewater canyon yet. Im new to the Prospecting thing and I live in the Beaumont area and am looking for some place near by to do some panning.

 

[TheSentinel]

Just wondering if anyone has found anything in Whitewater canyon yet. Im new to the Prospecting thing and I live in the Beaumont area and am looking for some place near by to do some panning.

Sorry for the slow reply, I've been on the GPAA forums a bit and forgot this password. No, nothing at Whitewater yet, I called and left a message with the BLM geologist about the area, he seems to be a busy guy. He left a message and mentioned that a majority of the canyon is part of an ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern), some info on that can be found here (from Utah BLM) BLM: Utah: ACEC FAQs . It seems that certain activity is prohibited, but until I get a call back, I'm not sure if digging a couple of feet down or sluicing/panning would violate BLM admin rules for an ACEC area.

Here is a map, shows the entire canyon to be a part of the ACEC.
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/media...ing06.Par.61715.File.dat/Whitewater-Map1A.pdf

Just based off of what I'm reading, though prospecting isn't explicitly named, surface disturbing is mentioned as prohibited in some ACECs, but gas/oil leasing is allowed in some spots. I'm really hoping he calls back and clarifies. He said he'll be out for the next two weeks otherwise.

 

[treasurechest]

While you are all out there, check this out. See if you see it and if you can photograph it. Christ-Angel-Dove in Palm Springs California

 

[treasurechest]

and the Witch on the mountain. Panoramio - Photo of San Jacinto Mountain Witch

 

[digdug44]

I know this thread is a bit old but I've been reading though it for the past few days. I'm a total newbie but the Whitewater area has peaked my interest and a google search led me to this thread. Has anyone been up to where the river canyon seems to start? I measured it to be about 10 miles from the ranger station so it seems to be a bit of a hike. From reading here I see that some of you have ventured a mile or two from the ranger station with negative results. From looking at google earth there seems to be some deep cuts up there and the water level should be pretty low right now.

 

[treasurechest]

You know what sucks about the hike up whitewater canyon? It's not the miles. It's the trail. It doesn't go straight. It weaves in and out like a snake trying to slither away. You constantly have to jump that river, and it gets old after a while.

 

[K-Mann]

Old thread-New Post....several years later:
So its September, 2017 Saturday and I am heading to Whitewater to MD and look around. Yes, it will be about 150 degrees today (insert sarcasm- should actually be 114) with a chance of thunderstorms but I'm a glutton for punishment, haha. I went by Whitewater 3 weeks ago on my way to Palm Springs and there is a ton of water coming down the "creek"...that water is a beautiful blue clear appearance. Looks very refreshing. I know we had quite a bit of rain this past winter in that area so maybe it washed down some new nuggets. I will also stop and make a deposit at Morongo Casino as well....good place for a early dinner. I will post pictures when I get back.

 

[K-Mann]

5 months later......Sorry, I didn't follow up. Took pictures but my camera/phone died so no photos...
So I went to Whitewater back in September, 2017 and it was beautiful and warm. HOWEVER...I was NOT "allowed" to look around due to fire restrictions. There were signs posted along the road, everywhere stating "No Trespassing" ...I asked a ranger that was passing by and he stated they remove these signs in the winter months when the threat of fire is reduced. I also wanted to run some sand/dirt through my sluice down by the freeway and the creek however again, no trespassing signs everywhere, these signs are permanent signs and I spoke with a couple that was looking at the river and they stated the cops will issue tickets to anyone going down to the river. I assume its more a safety thing, I can see idiots drinking and falling in the water, it was moving VERY fast and could easily drown an adult.
So, my day at Whitewater was a bust...I will be heading back later this month (Feb, 2018) and do some more in-depth exploring and hopefully MDing....

Also, as a side note, I was at the Morongo Casino/Hotel the other day (Feb 2018) and I was on the 19th floor of the hotel, looking out the window, to the north, at the base of the mountain, I can see mining and tailings....there is a dirt road the heads to this location, not sure if its active or not but I think I may have a look when I am done with Whitewater.

I will be heading to 29 Palms next month and do some more exploring and MDing...

 

[sevenduce]

Hey guys,
I was just wondering if anyone knows about gold in whitewater canyon off of the 10 freeway. I met a guy who said he pulled a 5 gram nugget out of there. Is it legal to go there? Is it BLM land? Where is the best spot?

Any info or comments welcome.

There is gold out there but it's not in Whitewater Canyon it's to the West I'll make you a little map the red X marks the spot let me know if you find anything there is gems out there too

 

[sevenduce]

Hey guys,
I was just wondering if anyone knows about gold in whitewater canyon off of the 10 freeway. I met a guy who said he pulled a 5 gram nugget out of there. Is it legal to go there? Is it BLM land? Where is the best spot?

Any info or comments welcome.

and to the south at windy point there is good stuff but you can't go any further west then mine shaft or blm will get you and there there every day last time I went there the flew around and checked me out in a helicopter but I wasn't past the boundary so they took off ...Xmarks the spot .and if your really into it keep going south up the mountain straight up from the shaft

 

[sevenduce]

Hey guys,
I was just wondering if anyone knows about gold in whitewater canyon off of the 10 freeway. I met a guy who said he pulled a 5 gram nugget out of there. Is it legal to go there? Is it BLM land? Where is the best spot?

Any info or comments welcome.

there is tailings you can go through too from prior mining

 

[sevenduce]

Yeah but it's not where everyone else is saying it is .that's just what the internet is telling them to go ... to find a nugget in the creek you would have to dig till you hit bedrock especially in the sand what you're looking for is a hydrothermal vein or something of that nature anything away from the alluvial fan being deposited from the river gold sinks faster than a paper boat ...you got to remember a gold mine a hole in the ground with a liar on the top. Lol I'd put my money on the hole