Finding gold in the San Juans Colorado where it was and ideas for finding new spots

Marmentman

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Finding gold in the San Juan's Colorado where it was and ideas for finding new spots

Wanted to start a new tread for the San Juan mountain range. The history is rich but I have yet to find that elusive gold streak. They have been there in the past and will be there in the future, I have found gold all along the animas and San Juan rivers, but nothing like what others find on TN. Maybe looking in wrong areas, maybe over worked my guess is it's still out there keep finding the little stuff but not a source yet. Hope this thread can become useful to those of us in the four corners area. Good luck and happy hunting.
Here are a few good places to look:
Animas along rivers high mark and public land most spots good with some showing of fine color50 mesh- all the way to where the animas starts to Navajo tribal lands in farmington nm
Same with San Juan river shed

Again good luck and hopefully others will have good leads.
Try them and get back. I will try to up date every so often
 

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ikesdad

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Just a thought about mudslides.
Those of us on the Western Slope surely remember the large slide up near Mesa/Collbran last year. They never did find those guys. Although one would have not thought it could/would happen as that ground did not appear to be so saturated or unstable.
Simply something to think about when out in the back country.
 

H-2 CHARLIE

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Local guys , a old time bud moved to silver cliff at the base of the monte Cristo mountains .not sure if spelled right.
He has a 90 acre place with a 100 yr old plus trappers cabin on it and he is not into gold but into law .
Is this a good area to hunt ?
 

KevinInColorado

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ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1423093869.754575.jpg
...yes! As you can see there were many mines north of town and in the Sangre de Christo mountains to the east.

Just be sure to ask permission of ranchers before going on private property, etc etc :)
 

Strebs

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Im up in silverton 4 or 5 times a year... Be careful on the Animas from arrastra creek all the way up is claimed up... the only real placer that made any real money was eureka canyon... now days mainly down stream of the mills for the flour stuff... I've found some good area around maggies canyon on the USFS side
 

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Marmentman

Marmentman

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Hey thanks for the tip! I don't wast my time on the animas above silverton, too many people especially in the summer. Lower animas has better gold anyways. Love to hit the " log shoot" on the animas but that looks like a death trap from google maps. I think it's mostly cliffs. I doubt any of that part has ever been prospected! The snow is melting and spring has sprung can't wait till April that's when they open the forest service gates!
 

Barton

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Hello Everyone,

I enjoy prospecting in the San Juan Mnts. I am looking for a prospecting partner.
I should add that I am in my 60's and move a little slow.

I have experience mining and prospecting from Arivaca, Arizona up through the Yukon Territory ( northern Canada)

While I can recognize many types of ore, and have used a suction gold dredge on the Yukon River;
mostly now I track the Spanish Trails and look for Spanish Cache sites.

I am looking for a partner I can work with who does not mind working with an old timer. Often times
I am slow and I can not carry a heavy pack--but I CAN ASSURE YOU I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING.

[email protected]
 

Strebs

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Hey thanks for the tip! I don't wast my time on the animas above silverton, too many people especially in the summer. Lower animas has better gold anyways. Love to hit the " log shoot" on the animas but that looks like a death trap from google maps. I think it's mostly cliffs. I doubt any of that part has ever been prospected! The snow is melting and spring has sprung can't wait till April that's when they open the forest service gates!

I've always wanted to try the lower animas but could never figure out how to get in near the water
 

Barton

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Uncle Matt,

How are the roads going up to Fall Creek? How do you drive there from Durango?
 

Barton

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Many years ago when my daughter was a young teenager she located a gold deposit in Colorado.

These men told us we were on their mining claim--they had staked the claim and recorded it--
yet could NOT find any gold there--they were using a meter from OKM-- measured resistance or conductance--
and had four wires coming out from their meter--their electronic package certainly did NOT impress me.

So my daughter and I went down to talk to these men from Nevada that evening as they ate dinner.
Now with six of us there--my daughter and I were the last off the mountain--we stopped at their camp.

They offered us no food or drinks.
As we stood there no one offered my daughter a chair
We asked about a partnership where we all worked together and everyone got an equal share.
Three times we proposed and equal share for everyone and three times they they counter
offered a five way split--my daughter was to get NOTHING.

My daughter was the only one who could walk right to the gold deposit, she was pissed as was I.
We left--to date I am willing to bet they never recovered an ounce of gold from that mining claim.

The reader can say this is just a story --a story of greed--and think it is a story--
or if you run this story by your Guardian Angel you may realize that is a story you can take to the bank.
 

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Marmentman

Marmentman

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Hey sorry haven't checked in in a while. Had a new son born 30 June so been very busy. I think I am going to do a little prospecting this winter. Yea I know burr, but at least I don't have to worry about crowds. Hey Barton I think you mentioned that story over on the lost baker seam thread. Still don't think those guys were in the right spot.
 

Jason in Enid

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Hey sorry haven't checked in in a while. Had a new son born 30 June so been very busy. I think I am going to do a little prospecting this winter. Yea I know burr, but at least I don't have to worry about crowds. Hey Barton I think you mentioned that story over on the lost baker seam thread. Still don't think those guys were in the right spot.

Congrats on your son and good luck on your next prospect! The first flake of gold I ever found was in the San Juans above Ouray. Set in a loooong addiction to hunt for the yellow.
 

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Marmentman

Marmentman

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Sweet it's up there but you have to know where to look. Thanks!
 

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Marmentman

Marmentman

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Well hopefully I will be headed up to my favorite spot. Hope I get something, it's been awhile since I have been there, kids and all. When they get old enough, free slave labor. But for now just a little peace, stream sluice classifier and bucket action tom.. I do miss the peace of just listening to the water as I shovel cons into my sluice. Wish me luck, I'll try to post pictures if I find much!
 

CO2

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Slightly off-topic, how is the silver in the San Juan's? The first place I ever panned was in the trough they had at the Old Hundred Mine at Howardsville several years ago. Almost no gold but the silver was the most beautiful placer I've ever seen. BB-sized pickers, so smooth and spheroidal, and without oxidization the color was like platinum. I'd love to have some more of that stuff.
 

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Marmentman

Marmentman

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Hey co2 have not seen silver in its natural form look like that. Drove old lime creek road today and tested a few spots along the way,what I could get to any ways. Anyone who has driven that road knows there is not too many places where you can get to the creek without a steep climb down then back up. Probably the best spots though. Maybe next year, sure was cold up there. Don't think the snow is far behind. Did bring back some classifieds from my favorite spot to test on the rec. sluice. image.jpg
 

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Marmentman

Marmentman

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Well be a crazy last couple years. Went to NY for a little while, not much fun, finally back to my home the San Juans. Headed out prospecting tomorrow with new Goldhog flow pan hope to have some pictures. Probably just going to hit the Animas River since we are in a bit of a drought and the river is low. Want to test out some spots to sluice while the river is low. Hopefully have some good gold to report tomorrow.
 

gold tramp

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Hello Everyone,

I enjoy prospecting in the San Juan Mnts. I am looking for a prospecting partner.
I should add that I am in my 60's and move a little slow.

I have experience mining and prospecting from Arivaca, Arizona up through the Yukon Territory ( northern Canada)

While I can recognize many types of ore, and have used a suction gold dredge on the Yukon River;
mostly now I track the Spanish Trails and look for Spanish Cache sites.

I am looking for a partner I can work with who does not mind working with an old timer. Often times
I am slow and I can not carry a heavy pack--but I CAN ASSURE YOU I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING.

[email protected]

Just realized i know you.

Been long time since jack wade. hope life and gold has treated you good.
Try get ya a pic of the shady rest.
Herb....
 

Crashcrew

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Marmentman I've offered this to several people ( Sorry Kevin, I dissaperad for awhile). I live in the La Plata Canyon just before you get to the mouth in the Sword of Truth Ranch on your right. Nobody has mined this area for over a hundred yrs and the La Plata river runs the length of the ranch. I've got a few flakes when breaking up clay but there is flour gold in every pan from one or two colors up to 30 colors -50 mesh probably. I've also discovered a mine that isn't registered now or in any of the historical records. Let me know if you wanna come out...PM me.
 

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