need help

[lando]

Looking to do some panning in north Carolina. Planning a trip there in spring. Can anyone give me some tips where to go. I have 3 kids and wife that'll b joining me as well.

 

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[DizzyDigger]

Any area in particular, or are you planning to travel all over the
state?

Best suggestion would be to google the area you are planning to visit
for any history of gold prospecting. Make sure you either have landowner
permission or the area is not already under claim.

Considering that your family is coming along, you might also want to
look into a "pay to prospect" site. They usually have some facilities
(in case the Mrs. has to go), and you'll be working proven ground.

 

[brianc053]

Lando, adding to what DizzyDigger said, I've visited Lucky Strike Campground (and "Recreational gold and gem mine") and they have a nice pay-to-pan setup. You can find their website easily via google.
For a family like yours I like the setup because they have everything you need to do some panning, and I like the place because their Miner's Diner has a great Bonanza Burger!

I hope you and your family enjoy the trip, whether at Lucky Strike or elsewhere in the state.

- Brian

 

[enamel7]

Thermal City is just down the road from LS and also a good place. If you want to buy a bag of material to take home I prefer LS.

 

[lando]

Thanx. Very helpful. I was looking into the uwharrie. But can I use my sluice or my nugget bucket at the lucky strike ?

 

[brianc053]

Lando, I don't know the uwharrie - sorry.
At Lucky Strike you can pay a nominal fee ($5 I think) and you can use your hand equipment (sluice, nugget bucket, etc.) in their stream all-day. Some folks have done well doing that; I used this method one time for about 4 hours but only found one small speck of gold. In an attempt to understand my poor results I described where I dug to some of my GPAA chapter buddies and they said I dug where everyone else digs (near the Diner), so I'm not that surprised I basically struck out. If you go and use your own hand equipment, go upstream and think outside the box. KevinInColorado has a philosophy: pick the third best spot you see (or something to that effect - I won't detract from his idea by trying to interpret it here, but you get the gist). Also take anything that the "locals" or other prospectors there tell you with a grain of salt; I'm not saying they're dishonest or anything - it's just that I believe there are some...exaggerations and misdirections that occur.

Here's something I love about Lucky Strike: you can rent a high banker from them for around $60 for the day, and they bring you a load of material with it. I did this over the Summer and it was the first time I'd operated a high banker - which was a blast. The material they bring you (supposedly) comes straight from the area where they are currently digging material for their own purposes (they produce pay dirt bags you can buy, and pull out nuggets that they sell). For my GPAA chapter I posted a whole write-up of my experience; private message me if you're interested in reading that and I'll point you to the club website. To give you a sense of what that's like here's a "selfie" of me using that high banker; behind me is the settling pond (their stream is very different in that it's a clear, boulder-strewn stream, so don't get turned off by the settling pond).

Wherever you go in NC I wish you luck, and most importantly have fun!
- Brian

 

[KevinInColorado]

You got it right Brian...but now that you told everyone my big tip, I'll have to start hitting the fourth best! ;-)

 

[lando]

Thank you. And ill try out that philosophy lol. And I'm pretty new to prospecting so I appreciate every bit of advice I can get.

 

[lando]

Looked into LS and thermal city. LS seems like a good place to try. Thanx for all the help guys. Appreciate it.

 

[lando]

Looked into LS and thermal city. LS seems like a good place to try. Thanx for all the help guys. Appreciate it.