Gold in the Great Northwest

[improvmechanic]

I've done some prospecting in Arizona, but I'm currently located in Washington State. I joined a prospecting club, but all their claims are under snow at the moment. Does anyone know of some good ground out here who might be interested in an outing? I've got my father and 12 year old brother smitten with the fever and we have the prospectors choice 1200 mini high banker and one of their clean up sluices.

 

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[Doug Watson]

Where in WA are you located? What club do you belong to? If you're close enough check out the beach at Cape Dissapointment. Free HPA for the beach off the dept. of fish & wildlife website. If you can, stop by the Prospectors Plus booth at one of the gold shows and visit.

 

[Fermion]

What is the gold averaging per yard at Long Beach (cape Dissapointment)

 

[improvmechanic]

Island county, significantly north haha. I just joined WPA, but most of their claims are snowed in at the moment.

 

[Doug Watson]

If my memory is right (we'll just leave that subject alone) about 800 to a 1,000 5gal buckets gives you an ounce. It's been a while since I did all the figuring so I might be wrong. Cape Dissapointment was one of the better areas. This is from testing done years ago (not by me). There were areas up north farther (by me) that also had good values but as of now I can't locate any real good black sand deposits here. I've also seen the sand come and go over the years by like 10 feet so when most of the eariler mining on the beaches was done things might have been real different. I don't have the $ per yard figures handy. Oh, by the way Fermion, forget your dredging idea in Wa as you'll be in the razor clam beds and they'll hang you for that here! Improvmechanic if you can, come to one of the gold shows and visit. I'll be there with Prospectors Plus.

 

[Fermion]

So there are 40 five gallon buckets in a yard of dirt. You are saying the beach sand there is yielding over a gram per yard That works out to about $60/yard dirt...better probably than any claim I know of in WA.

 

[Doug Watson]

Beach Prospecting Weekend [Flash in the Pan Blog]

 

[improvmechanic]

I'm going to have to look those shows up. Have you heard anything about the fresh waters around the sound Doug? I know there's gold on the beaches here but I hear you need an HPA and by the states admission they won't give you one for a beach inside the sound.

 

[Doug Watson]

I've not heard or read of any gold being found on the sound. The gold we're getting off the beaches is mostly from glacial outwash from what I understand, although there are a couple of spots that had a small lode nearby. From what I've read the sound was covered with ice and the outwash was from the cascades through the chehalis basin area and also some is comming down the columbia river. I don't think you'd have any chance at all of getting a permit or permission to dig around the sound. I might be wrong but I do think they've found some fine gold on the beaches of Vancouver Island so there might be something on the ocean side beaches up in the Islands.

 

[improvmechanic]

There is lode in the San Juan chain. On fidalgo island there were three mines producing mainly copper and silver with gold as a by product. So it's here, it's very scarce, very small, and hard as heck to find. And I checked in about the HPA for inside the sound. A very nice lady told me I was welcome to try, but they're generally not being issued.

 

[improvmechanic]

Hate to bring up an ancient thread, but as the topic is the same...

Does anyone know if the sultan is accessible upstream of diversion dam?
First river outing up here today. Had 20 minutes of sluice time before dark when we finally reached the river due to road conditions. The back woods were messy with the slippery white stuff.

 

[Doug Watson]

You might get a hold of Washington Prospectors as they have several claims on the Sultan, although they do require a key to access.

 

[improvmechanic]

Yes, I sent an email off to badjack from wpma. I guess the roads in are still pretty bad. I set up for a key weekend after next. Hopefully we'll get some color in the pans then.
Thanks Doug!

 

[curtisgreenstein]

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[AlwaysBusyJ]

I was testing out the sand not far from the mouth of the columbia river just last weekend, couldnt believe how heavy the sand was! Proved near impossible to pan out, took just a tiny scoop from a nice looking spot and found a few colors right away. Makes me really consider getting some gear so I can process the sand on the beach, problem is I live in an apartment and barely have room for my sluice box as is! I'll definately go back when I get the right gear!

 

[improvmechanic]

@ J Great news!
I found a little bit of color on the north fork of the stillaguamish last weekend. Can't wait to get out there again

 

[calvin goldmin]

I got a permit for the areas off the coast..there is gold on those beaches and easy digging..my kids love the beach i ran a homaide beach box out bye tokeland and did alright..cape dissapointment is your best bet the gold is coming out of the columbia river..the sands in the columbia are filled with fine gold also..lots of fun happy hunting.if anyone want to go out let me know i got a permit.