Lets talk about the Keswick area west of Redding

[NeoTokyo]

Heya everyone;

So I wanted to start a thread talking about the Keswick area west of Redding California and the immediate surrounding area's.
If you know this area or have heard stories then post them up!
You do not have to give exact locations but rough/general locations would be nice.

Ok, so I have heard stories about this area for about 3 years now, from the Ruggles Brothers Gold Stash in Middle Creek (Yet to be found) to stories from other prospectors finding little creeks packed with pickers. I think its time that we group a lot of these stories together and toss in a few facts too.


What I know about the area.

* Ruggles Brothers robbed a stagecoach and stashed the gold in Middle Creek before being caught and hung. Yet to be found.
* The portion of the Sacramento River downriver of Keswick Dam is rich in gold, but very deep, swift and dangerous, also no longer allowed to snipe.
* Rock Creek has mining claims on it.
* There is a lot of Public Land and Private Property, many times crossing with no fences or signs.
* Spring Creek is heavily contaminated because of Iron Mountain Mine BUT I have heard that there was a man that did VERY well sniping that creek but died from Cancer.
* There is a Creek north of the shooting ranges on Iron Mtn. Rd. that looks like its another part of Spring Creek. Claims there, was told overburden was 20'+ Deep.
* Flat Creek looks promising from Google Earth, I have not checked it out yet though.
* There is pocket gold in this area, much like Swasey Rec. Area (Also west of Redding).
* Old Miners homestead's can still be found, I found two on the Fishermen's trail before it ropes back into the Sacramento River Trail, Look for the Iris's .
* Core Samples were taken next to the Trailhead access for the Princess Ditch trail up Walker Mine Rd. That area has been worked extensively but some might be left.
* Churn Town is off of Flanagan Rd. which is off of Lake Blvd. and at the end is the Trailhead to take you down to the Sacramento Ditch Trail and Chamise Peak.
* Churn Hole (If it can be found!) just off of Flanagan Rd. would be worth working and detecting the surrounding area's for Gold and Relics.
* Mysterious Creek with good pickers is on the East side of the Keswick Res. and is on Private Property! Bang Bang! But the dude keeps going back.
* Large open expanse w/High Voltage Power Lines down Keswick Dam Blvd. before the Dam is a pocket gold area, Fed a lot of families during the Great Depression.
* Trail Head past that and on the North side of Keswick Dam Blvd. supposedly has a creek somewhere on it that is great for sluicing, borders Private Property, Bang Bang!
* Lots of Super Red/Orange pockets to be found, Gold is usually found around these area's as pocket gold.
* Quartz pockets and veins everywhere, EVERYWHERE! Even the Shooting range has quartz! I would not recommend Metal detecting the shooting Range. lol
* There is a small mine (Activity unknown) just past the shooting ranges on Iron Mountain Rd.

So that is about all the info that I have about the area, lets hear what you have to say.


Trails around this area and surrounding area's.
Hiking near Redding - Best Hikes, Guides, and Trail Maps | EveryTrail

 

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[Hoser John]

My biggest nugget outta there was over 1.67 ozs and hauled a pound and a half to SMPA meeting when I was prez. Next day 10 dredges,sluices crawling all over me on the creek. Extremely convaluted with guards from Iron Mtn. complex and claim owners getting po'd about high grading pics in ICMJ of gold taken from their property . Lots of private property and 1,200 pot plants,plus $1.43 million in cash and 1,200 gold/silver coins,automatic weapons galore from the drug dealers there by the creek this week. Good place to get in deep trouble. Homeless invade ,trash,rob,rape and pillage on private property as friends fight them constantly. Exercise "extreme" caution or pay the price on both sides of keswick. Head north above Lakehead as MUCH safer and productive without all the troubles.John

 

[NeoTokyo]

I was collecting range lead about 3 weeks ago when, oh, I dunno.... About 30 Sherriff's came down from the up the road a ways.
Several flat beds towing trucks and box trailers also went by.
It was a MASSIVE thug/Low Life bust, some *******s tried to raid a legal Marijuana Grow.
btw, neat little factoid, consuming Cannabis high in CBD's (Not smoking) is an effective means to survive Ebola because it prevents the body from going into Toxic Shock and killing itself.



John, are you talking about Spring Creek for your finds?

One of the claims that I was allowed on didn't offer any color, some neat copper ore, but no gold. This was the 2nd or 3rd claim north after Iron Mountain Road crosses the creek.
That was the area that I was told was 20'+ of overburden.


The Official Press Release:

DATE/TIME: 10-02-14 / 1539 hours
CONTACT OFFICER: Sergeant Michael Peery
CASE # 14-36978
CONTACT OFFICER PHONE NUMBER: (530) 245-6025
ALTERNATE (24 HR) PHONE NUMBER: (530) 245-6025
BY: Sergeant Michael Peery

CRIME/INCIDENT: 664/211 PC / 182 PC / 538 (d)(a) PC
LOCATION: Iron Mountain Road @ Matheson Road, Keswick Ca.
SUSPECTS:
Wert, Adam, 34 years old from Redding.
Wert, Angela, 33 years old from Lake Tahoe.
Hunter, Nora, 32 years old from Redding.
Vallodon, Sean, 43 years old from Redding.
Howard, George, 51 years old from Redding.

SYNOPSIS:

Thursday afternoon at approximately 1539 hours, Shasta County Sheriff’s Deputies received a call of shots fired in the area of Iron Mountain Road and Matheson Road just north of Keswick. Deputies arrived in the area and were informed of five subjects in three vehicles who were leaving the area. Deputies were able to stop and detain all three vehicles and all five subjects.

Contact was made with the victims who said the five subjects entered their property through a locked gate by attempting to shoot the lock off and when that failed, by cutting the lock. The five subjects were armed with rifles and approached the victims who were tending a marijuana grow. The suspects told the victims, they were DEA agents and they were under arrest for growing marijuana. The five subjects were wearing clothing with several different law enforcement insignia on them, including several toy badges and a DEA raid jacket. As the subjects approached the victims they were brandishing several weapons and trying to get the victims to turn over their marijuana. During the confrontation several rounds were fired toward the victims. When this occurred the victims retreated into their dwelling and returned with firearms of their own. The suspects retreated to their vehicles and left the area when the victims confronted them.

Inside the three vehicles seven (7) weapons were located. Four (4) rifles, one (1) shotgun, one (1) pistol and one (1) airsoft rifle. The shotgun was later found to have been stolen. Deputies also located methamphetamine in one of the vehicles and three two-way radios that were being used to communicate between the three vehicles. Two of the vehicles were pulling empty trailers. Inside the vehicles deputies located axe’s, machetes, tarps and tie downs. During the questioning of the suspects, deputies confirmed they had gone to the property to forcefully take the marijuana plants.

All five suspects were booked into the Shasta County Jail on the above listed charges, with further charges to be filed through the District Attorney.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Also, feel free to post up pictures and video's of the area and gold found to help keep this thread interesting.

Rock Creek as it enters into the Sacramento River just below the Keswick Dam. This deep hole in the bedrock was dredged clean in the past, does anyone know how much was found in there?

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

Keswick gives me the ebee jeebes for some reason. I have fished out there a lot and just never really feel comfortable. Hilarious story about the fake drug bust!!!! Man we have some serious dirt bags in this town!

 

[russau]

Not just there but ALL OVER! most are in Washington D.C.!

 

[Hoser John]

Hahahah spent years dredging that area as open 12 months a year. I move from my claims to claims and when they were closed I went there repeatedly. The creek at the boat ramp was my great friends claim for years Frank V(RIP) dredged from the road through the narrows repeatedly for over 10 years. All summer ,every summer just sittin' there smiling ear to ear over and over and over-I got him addicted 100%. When he got too old to haul he was free to use my claims and he did,in season or out as he was rich and did what he wanted. Below and along boat ramp is claimed by another for years. Everything east of Iron mtn road is closed to mineral entry and only a few claims left(grandfathered and not sellable)robbed,rapped and pilaged by all-EXCEPT ME EVER. The long vertical canyon was nailed by Lanny D and by me also for many years as a winter place. Next creek up is flat,adjacent to bust, and now closed to mining also.The tiny turnout with the dam is the other claim again robbed,raped and pillaged beyond imagination by highgraders. I got a 10 year lease through the Bureau of Rec at the dam in the late 80s for our local club. After that they let the BLM run and they moved in boulders and closed much. Everything west of IM road is a bloody shooting range and a great place to die. Flat creek-there are 3 in shasta county as I dredged them all and CDFG cops used to go apesquat trying to say only that one open but regs said just Flat Creek 12 months,so much fun. Now comes the ugly part-creek is dead as the outlet for treated waters from Iron mtn EPA superfund cleanup sight. No bugs,no invertabrates,no fish,no polly wogs as dead creek full of cadnium. Homeland security with their guard shacks,snipers,cameras are everywhere all along keswick,shasta dam and surrounding area which abuts up to the EPA Iron mtn mess with white trucks,cameras and guards running around. They are out looking more now as highgraders charging fees have invaded and play hideyhole with them-they have no patience anymore per watch commander. Loved that area for many years but since 911,EPA and pot farmers took over not so anymore. John my my my there's the bigboy all safe and warm

 

[NeoTokyo]

That is a badass nugget you got there, that thing came from Spring Creek?!

I was just going to ask about the swimming hole with the small dam above it. I know that area has claim markers and there is a little mine there somewhere. That is too bad that it has been raided so much. I have always wanted to find out who owned that and ask for a tour inside the mine, maybe get to MD the walls a little bit.
I also would like to detect that swimming hole for lost trinkets and whatnot.

Yeah, it is truly sad how the creek is dead, I noticed that when I visited the claim that I was allowed to work for the weekend.
Is all of Spring Creek private property now? I have wanted to go there for a couple years now but not knowing the state of the land and the nasty poison has kept me out.

Is the little creek north of the boat ramp the on that is to the left if you park in the upper section to walk north on the River Trail? The first one with the waterfall?
I saw what looked to be small tailings piles down there and have really wanted to try it. Is that area still claimed or has it fallen off? You said that it is off limits for mineral entry but can recreational prospectors still do a little hunting there?

Thanks again John, its always a pleasure to read your posts and see your pictures of gold.