63bkpkr
Silver Member
- Aug 9, 2007
- 4,069
- 4,618
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- XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
[h=1]July 17, 2013[/h]
About 10:30 AM I started driving for the mountains, about a 4.5 hour drive. Made a few equipment stops and a friendly drive by at Hefty 1’s for some gabbing. By 5:05 PM I was assembled at the trail head and began hiking down the mountain. Hit the valley floor in 2 hours and hiked another 2 hours up river arriving at the creek side by 8:55 PM. For the most part I setup camp by headlamp. It took all I had to get here but I’m pleased to be here.
18 July
9:04 AM the first rays of sunlight creep into the camp, time to get up maybe. Simple breakfast, prepare the pack for today’s hike and get to it. I hiked up the side of the tributary staying above the creek itself as it is nothing but a jumble of boulders and can be a real ankle twister. I exit the forest next to the cliff above the creek walls, it’s now a canyon way, and take to the animal trail. It seems like I’ve hiked a long way and have seen nothing of the cut in the wall, same as last time. I reach the point where the animal trail is lost and use my safety line to drop down the steep embankment to the creek. This is Not the spot I’m looking for! I dig and pan a sample not a single flake of gold. I head back hot, tired and discouraged. I was going to stay another day but as this is the second time I’ve not found the spot I suspect an avalanche has filled it in. As the hike to return to the bottom of the main trail takes 2 hours I decide to hike back this evening. It would be good to have an entire day of relaxing panning before I take the big hike back out.
Doing the hike back up river was a tough 2 hour grind so I’m twice as glad I did it. Around 8:30 PM I’ve some serious leg cramps. The type where I thought I might pass out. After what seemed like forever they eased off. I suspect a medication mismatch and stop taking the two meds I have. No further cramping episodes.
19 July
I spend much of the day sample prospecting on the opposite side of the river, “its always greener on the other side of the road” and that is where I’ve found gold before. My first sample location yielded float gold and then stopped upon digging deeper. I went down river 150’ to my “old spot”. For grins and giggles I tested at almost the top of the bank, a historical flood plain, and found float gold like right on the surface. I then moved a few of the top most boulders from the spot I’d refilled with boulders and sampled the sands. Again, float gold. Without the proper equipment to work the site and without sound shoulders to work it with I backed away from trying to go deeper. The gold is there, how much ?? As always, the fickle finger of fate and lazy gold set the stage for “next time”.
20 July
I force myself to get up at 5:30 AM and begin stuffing things in the tent, it is cool outside and I’ve no real desire to pull my BDU’s from the bush and put them on. I dress, stop for my double portion of Oatmeal for breakfast and continue to pack. By ~ 8:20 AM the pack is on and I’m hiking up the first hill from camp. There always seems to be a first hill to start out the hiking day, never a level spot to walk for a half hour to warm up with and then go up hill, no, straight into it right off the bat! Six hours later I reach the Bonco and all is well with her. I’ve done the hike in half hour hikes and then a pack off rest break from 10 min to 30 min and once with sleep on the trail, the rocks were quite comfortable. The legs were being worked hard but they never once cramped. Found a fossil near the 6000’ level, imagine that an ocean fossil at 6000’ up in the mountains. Now the 4.5 hour drive back to “civilization”. It was HOT all the way back and air conditioning is lower the windows. A hot shower, a couple of burgers and some fresh veggie’s, pull the pack apart and go to bed. But Alas, sleep has evaded me hence, I’ve typed out this trip note.
Another successful trip: no permanent damage, no shots fired, gold found, beautiful country, bats just before nightfall, partial moon, no visitors in camp over 2” tall during the night and no breakdowns on the highway. And reached the point of using the safety line, always good to have it along! But UGH the weight. Hey but it is good for ya so tough it out……………………………63bkpkr
It will take me awhile to put the video up
About 10:30 AM I started driving for the mountains, about a 4.5 hour drive. Made a few equipment stops and a friendly drive by at Hefty 1’s for some gabbing. By 5:05 PM I was assembled at the trail head and began hiking down the mountain. Hit the valley floor in 2 hours and hiked another 2 hours up river arriving at the creek side by 8:55 PM. For the most part I setup camp by headlamp. It took all I had to get here but I’m pleased to be here.
18 July
9:04 AM the first rays of sunlight creep into the camp, time to get up maybe. Simple breakfast, prepare the pack for today’s hike and get to it. I hiked up the side of the tributary staying above the creek itself as it is nothing but a jumble of boulders and can be a real ankle twister. I exit the forest next to the cliff above the creek walls, it’s now a canyon way, and take to the animal trail. It seems like I’ve hiked a long way and have seen nothing of the cut in the wall, same as last time. I reach the point where the animal trail is lost and use my safety line to drop down the steep embankment to the creek. This is Not the spot I’m looking for! I dig and pan a sample not a single flake of gold. I head back hot, tired and discouraged. I was going to stay another day but as this is the second time I’ve not found the spot I suspect an avalanche has filled it in. As the hike to return to the bottom of the main trail takes 2 hours I decide to hike back this evening. It would be good to have an entire day of relaxing panning before I take the big hike back out.
Doing the hike back up river was a tough 2 hour grind so I’m twice as glad I did it. Around 8:30 PM I’ve some serious leg cramps. The type where I thought I might pass out. After what seemed like forever they eased off. I suspect a medication mismatch and stop taking the two meds I have. No further cramping episodes.
19 July
I spend much of the day sample prospecting on the opposite side of the river, “its always greener on the other side of the road” and that is where I’ve found gold before. My first sample location yielded float gold and then stopped upon digging deeper. I went down river 150’ to my “old spot”. For grins and giggles I tested at almost the top of the bank, a historical flood plain, and found float gold like right on the surface. I then moved a few of the top most boulders from the spot I’d refilled with boulders and sampled the sands. Again, float gold. Without the proper equipment to work the site and without sound shoulders to work it with I backed away from trying to go deeper. The gold is there, how much ?? As always, the fickle finger of fate and lazy gold set the stage for “next time”.
20 July
I force myself to get up at 5:30 AM and begin stuffing things in the tent, it is cool outside and I’ve no real desire to pull my BDU’s from the bush and put them on. I dress, stop for my double portion of Oatmeal for breakfast and continue to pack. By ~ 8:20 AM the pack is on and I’m hiking up the first hill from camp. There always seems to be a first hill to start out the hiking day, never a level spot to walk for a half hour to warm up with and then go up hill, no, straight into it right off the bat! Six hours later I reach the Bonco and all is well with her. I’ve done the hike in half hour hikes and then a pack off rest break from 10 min to 30 min and once with sleep on the trail, the rocks were quite comfortable. The legs were being worked hard but they never once cramped. Found a fossil near the 6000’ level, imagine that an ocean fossil at 6000’ up in the mountains. Now the 4.5 hour drive back to “civilization”. It was HOT all the way back and air conditioning is lower the windows. A hot shower, a couple of burgers and some fresh veggie’s, pull the pack apart and go to bed. But Alas, sleep has evaded me hence, I’ve typed out this trip note.
Another successful trip: no permanent damage, no shots fired, gold found, beautiful country, bats just before nightfall, partial moon, no visitors in camp over 2” tall during the night and no breakdowns on the highway. And reached the point of using the safety line, always good to have it along! But UGH the weight. Hey but it is good for ya so tough it out……………………………63bkpkr
It will take me awhile to put the video upAmazon Forum Fav đź‘Ť
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YAHOO HERB back in the saddle again--oops should be feets on the ground, but ,your gettn' it on again and THAT sir garners much respect after that op. Take care and tons a au 2 u 2-John 
