Your experience with LDMA

[SailorDan]

BLUF: Are you happy with your LDMA membership? Has it been worth the money? Would you join again?
Any big dissatisfiers/current concerns that should make me think twice?


I live in San Diego (~4hrs to Duisenburg, ~6hrs to Stanton), own a 5th wheel, have a wife and a youngin.
Joining LDMA and camping on the claims would seem to be a good fit, but I’m having a tough time
justifying the cost.

I can join GPAA and 1 or 2 local clubs for about the same annual amount as the LDMA maintenance fees
(currently $120/year). The two closest claims are not in tourist meccas, so an RV campground in the local area can
be found for under $30ish/night or I dry camp for free.

Is there some intangible benefit that I’m missing? I would imagine that other club claims (GPAA/non-GPAA) in the
same areas would have similar (possibly more?) opportunities to find gold.

Despite everything I’ve written above, I’m still leaning towards joining LDMA. The current offer of a transferable
membership, no maintenance fees for 2 yrs, and x-terra 705 for $3300 sounds good, but I‘m still hesitant to
pull the trigger.


Some of my biggest concerns are:

Long term viability - I know they own the properties (good), but in the contract I think they reserve the right to
sell. I’d hate to give them $3k, have them liquidate properties and I’m left with nothing

Continued growth - they state that they look to continue to buy/expand properties, but does this actually happen?

Excessive membership - prospecting in the desert is somewhat seasonally dependent, are the campsite/claims
jammed during the “season”? Do you need to reserve a spot? I’d hate to drive 5 hrs and end up with no where
to camp.

Played out claims - several forums have scuttlebutt about GPAA/LDMA claims being played out - any truth to
this? A big part of the enjoyment is being outside and digging in the dirt, but I’d like to know that I have a decent
chance of finding something. Like fishing there is some skill involved and some luck, but I’m not going to spend
a day fishing where there are no fish.

Thanks for taking the time to read, I’d love to hear your thoughts on LDMA.


Dan

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Here is a link to the archived GPAA forum. Gold Prospectors Association of America Forum It has an LDMA section. I would highly suggest taking an evening to read through the threads there. I never had an LDMA membership, and after reading what many said, I wouldn't either. I dropped my GPAA membership years ago, just found no value in the club or gold in the claims. I found more gold in one 4 hour trip with a private club claim than several years while on GPAA claims.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Having worked the Stanton area for several years, with memberships in 24K, Weaver, Y-not, and a few others including the LDMA, there is no reason to buy the membership if you are really after gold. If you like the fellowship of like minded miners and prospectors; If you like showing off your new equipment and lying about that nugget you actually bought on Ebay, then the LDMA is for you.

Years ago it was a GREAT deal. Not as many members, lots of gold on the claims. Since 2010, it's been downhill, with very little gold left to get your coil over. You can still get a few grams of flake and some pickers in your drywasher, but the easy gold is long gone.

 

[russau]

I once knew a couple that had the ldma membership and they went to Stanton Az. for the Winter every year while being layed off from their job. the last I heard of them they again went to Az for the Winter pulling their 5th wheel trailer and when they got there (early0 the ldma camp was FULL . they camped out in the desert until there was room for them. I think I remember they had to wait 3 weeks out in the desert..............

 

[Hoser John]

Many big changes in recent years..annual fees, daily fees, non transferable(used to be able to sell/inherit the rights) and on and on. Many other ways to go ...John

 

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

$3,300 for a club membership? geeeeze

 

[SailorDan]

Well, sounds like my money might be better spend upgrading my GMT to a MineLab.

I was hoping to hear more good stories, but I think you have all confirmed some of concerns. It would be nice to have a pleasant campground for
my wife and toddler to hang out at while I dig holes in the dirt, but it is not of much use if there aren't any spots available.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.