Worth trying in Alma, CO in two weeks?

[smiked]

Staying near Alma, CO and mosquito creek area. Mosquito creek is only a 15 mins walk away. Would it be worth buying a pan and sifter for some fun? Never tried panning before and thought it might be a good way to pass the time as long as its not 2 ft snow or frozen ground. Anyone care to take a guess or offer any tips (even for equipment to get?). I was planning on just getting a pan and sifter and panning by the creek. Or should I look into shovels as well and try digging down. Not looking to hit it rich, but just find a flake or two.

 

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[Prospector70]

Count on the cold. But hell yes, get some gear!
If panning only get some long blue gloves from harbor freight store, 5 bucks or so, the water will be ice cold so you may want some other knit gloves under that. Also you will want a 1/4 or 1/2 inch classifier to go on top of that pan. A shovel, Waders if you can afford them, woolen socks for certain.

Take pics and let us know how it goes!
<3
P70

Edit:
Snuffer bottle
Gold Vial
Booze etc.

 

[smiked]

Fast reply! Thanks! Mosquito Creek known to be good? I read nearby were Orphan Boy and Brownlow mine (extremely close by) and thought I might check into those. Would it be better to stick near the creek or there? Full on shovel or hand shovel?

Count on the cold. But hell yes, get some gear!
If panning only get some long blue gloves from harbor freight store, 5 bucks or so, the water will be ice cold so you may want some other knit gloves under that. Also you will want a 1/4 or 1/2 inch classifier to go on top of that pan. A shovel, Waders if you can afford them, woolen socks for certain.

Take pics and let us know how it goes!
<3
P70

Edit:
Snuffer bottle
Gold Vial
Booze etc.

 

[russau]

make sure of the land status BEFORE you get into this! some people are VERY touchy about trespassing.

 

[smiked]

Where I'm staying advertises gold panning in the river. That's why I assumed it would be okay, but you're right, better safe than sorry... checking https://gis.co.gov/trustlands/ now


edit... Looks to be fine. It is close by a national forest however, so I suppose I best be mindful if I hike around and get into it.

make sure of the land status BEFORE you get into this! some people are VERY touchy about trespassing.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I've found good gold in Mosquito Creek near Alma, CO. Also Mercury so have a separate container to put any mercury in...keep it away from the gold! If you are on the private property of the place you are staying then you're good to go! The national forest land in that area is quite thoroughly claimed up although last I saw, one of the claims was for sale.

Also that web site you reference is NOT sufficient as it only shows state lands, not all the stuff you need to know about. Next time start with mylandmatters.org ...much more complete.

 

[smiked]

I'll check or mylandmatters today! Thank for the reassuring Mosquito Creek might be good. Should I stick right on the waters edge?

Just bought a Goldrush Nugget Bucket after watching Sharktank last night. I'm gonna give it a try up there vs buying all the individual items.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I'll check or mylandmatters today! Thank for the reassuring Mosquito Creek might be good. Should I stick right on the waters edge?

Just bought a Goldrush Nugget Bucket after watching Sharktank last night. I'm gonna give it a try up there vs buying all the individual items.

My best gold was the first foot of creek bed from an inside bend. Not in the actual bank but right against it. The creek is fairly small and mostly shallow. The gold is VERY spotty...from nonexistent to really great! I was just upstream of the B&B where I bet you are staying (I had permission to be on a mining claim in the National Forest) so there should be hot spots ere too!

 

[smiked]

My best gold was the first foot of creek bed from an inside bend. Not in the actual bank but right against it. The creek is fairly small and mostly shallow. The gold is VERY spotty...from nonexistent to really great! I was just upstream of the B&B where I bet you are staying (I had permission to be on a mining claim in the National Forest) so there should be hot spots ere too!

Thanks for the info Kevin. Greatly appreciate it! Can't wait to get out there and see what I can find!

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Staying near Alma, CO and mosquito creek area. Mosquito creek is only a 15 mins walk away. Would it be worth buying a pan and sifter for some fun? Never tried panning before and thought it might be a good way to pass the time as long as its not 2 ft snow or frozen ground. Anyone care to take a guess or offer any tips (even for equipment to get?). I was planning on just getting a pan and sifter and panning by the creek. Or should I look into shovels as well and try digging down. Not looking to hit it rich, but just find a flake or two.

Mosquito Gulch, Buckskin, etc., has gold. A lot of the area is claimed. Stay off Pennsylvania Mountain; times past folks got shot at there for trespassing. And don't forget Fairplay is close by. The "Beach" panning area is open April-October, so if you get there during that time, the application is here: http://fairplayco.us/docsforms/2015_Gold_Panning_permit_application.pdf and the cost for a week is $5 (used to be $5 a year; now $35). It is panning and sluicing only.

KevinInColorado gave good information. I might have to go back up there; turns out one of my cadets spent last weekend (Presidents' Weekend) with her grandmother on Mosquito Creek! I think I can get permission.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Get at it Dave! I didn't want to get anyone overexcited but my biggest picker is from that creek!

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Get at it Dave! I didn't want to get anyone overexcited but my biggest picker is from that creek!

I am seeing her tomorrow for extra chem help; I will ask about it then and see. Her grandmother also has rhodochrosite from the Sweet Home Mine in Alma. I wonder if she has contacts? Some of the very best in the world is from there.

[

 

[GoldpannerDave]

My cadet thinks there will be no problem with her grandmother letting me work in the creek in her back yard.

BTW, Smiked, did the weather give you a chance to dip a pan in Mosquito Creek?

 

[smiked]

My cadet thinks there will be no problem with her grandmother letting me work in the creek in her back yard.

BTW, Smiked, did the weather give you a chance to dip a pan in Mosquito Creek?

It did at least give me a chance to... but that chance came after hammering away the ice to get to the creek bottom haha. The ground was under too much snow to even try dirt from anywhere. I just had to get to the creek bottom and shovel some scoops out and try to pan. No luck though. Lots of fools gold, and black sand... but no color. But none the less it was a good time and beautiful there. I'll be back again.