Accessing a quartz ledge or boulders covered in poison oak.

[Ed144]

There is a small canyon or gulch on/near my property that appears to have exposed either some large quartz boulders or a ledge or vein of white quartz. I can't get to what appears to be a ledge of quartz about 4' x 5' due to a tremendous overgrowth of poison oak bushes. The exposed quartz has been in the weather a long time because most of it is covered with a layer of green moss. Would it be worth the work to take a close look at the quartz? It will be a great deal of risky (poison oak) brush clearing to get access to the material. I'm located in El Dorado county, Ca, near the south fork of the American river. I could try to get some telephoto pictures through the brush if that would help. Any opinions will be appreciated.

 

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[bug]

How about those sweet little smelling flowers in the late spring. I actually enjoy the smell of blooming poison oak from a distance, but you get to close and you will notice there is something off, or should I say evil about that scent. The stuff is from the devils laboratories.

 

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[Ed144]

I cleared a path to a small part of the quartz outcropping; photos are attached. The largest boulder or outcropping I can see is further up the side of the gulch and would take another 3 hours or so of brush work. I found a few .22 bullets and fragments of bullets with my Garrett AT Gold. Also found one small hob nail at the base of one quartz rock. It is likely off of some prospector's boot. I did not get any metal detector hits on the few rocks I could access. I'm going to wait a couple of days to see if I have any poison oak exposure. If not I may do some more brush work.

 

[beekbuster]

I used to remove a little Poision Oak on fire trails and fire breaks. It is tricky but can be done safely. One must be very careful and it may take a couple seasons. It's best to do it when there's no leaves. Use gloves and throw away each time. Cut using loppers and stack branches in a neat pile. Be EXTREMELY cautious of the juice that forms after cutting the end. If it presses into your clothes you'll have a burn mark like someone used a cigar! Cut once. Then back away. That liquid can splash off the end. After you're done you can go straight to the washing machine (dont touch anything just in case.) Have someone help you open doors and operate the wash machine. Use DAWN 3x concentrate dish soap along with the detergent. Make sure you took your special poision oak boots off and keep them from touching anything. Do not bring them into the house. Now after putting your cloths into the washing machine, take a shower with DAWN as well. Be sure to wash hands first then RINSE. Then arms and rinse. Now, wash from head to toe with DAWN 3 times. You wont get poision oak this way.
How I used to clear poision oak was with a large weed wacker with a 3 point blade. I wore a huskvarna helmet with the regular screen and safety glasses. I wore leather gauntlet gloves and long slieve canvas shirts and jeans. The blade wouldn't make the juice splash but walking on it it would be on the bottom of my shoes. In 2 years doing this I only got one little dot. I used cortezone cream after washing with dawn the same day and it went away in 3 days.
So, I suppose by now you're thinking maybe this is not such an easy thing? It's kinda spooky. I would really get creeped out at first. My father was imune from doing it for years. But could keep it contained and my mom rarely got it. After a while I just went for it and mowed it down and used DAWN as per instructions above and never got it. I know of a patch that is really thick. The home owners worked every year to cut it back. They got it done by cutting and letting it dry for a year then picking it up. DO NOT BURN IT. You will get it in your eyes and lungs. Not good. I would be careful and take the time to cut only as far as your loppers can reach. Let the branches and stumps dry. Spray the cuts with poision oak killer. It can be done!

only thing i would add is when washing up in the shower use cool water so your pores dont open. certainly do not use hot water. my coils, my pick, my steering wheel are where i get the secondary exposure

 

[beekbuster]

I cleared a path to a small part of the quartz outcropping; photos are attached. The largest boulder or outcropping I can see is further up the side of the gulch and would take another 3 hours or so of brush work. I found a few .22 bullets and fragments of bullets with my Garrett AT Gold. Also found one small hob nail at the base of one quartz rock. It is likely off of some prospector's boot. I did not get any metal detector hits on the few rocks I could access. I'm going to wait a couple of days to see if I have any poison oak exposure. If not I may do some more brush work.

follow the clues from the original miners. are there rock stacks nearby, or cuts, depressions, screened piles? then youll know there was gold there and likely some is left. if there are no indicators then sample sample sample.

 

[Tahoegold]

only thing i would add is when washing up in the shower use cool water so your pores dont open. certainly do not use hot water. my coils, my pick, my steering wheel are where i get the secondary exposure

Yes, I missed that point. I dont shower with hot water. Luke warm works.. Just warm so the pores dont open is what I've determined as well. Thanks for adding that in.

 

[Goldwasher]

I have a bottle of dawn in the shower.

When I get in. its boots off. Dawn and scrub finger tips to elbows at the sink.

Then shower and repeat. I always wash my hands after I put my boots on.

It's getting to be tick season to. So. I make sure to get changed as soon as I get home.

Quick twenty minutes. To clean and delouse.

I got a new dog who does a real good job of patrolling my perimeter even as I move around.

I noticed he's got some rashes on his belly.The shoots are just now getting leaves. There's a lot of oak at dog level.

I'm gonna have to start washing him too.

 

[Tahoegold]

I have a bottle of dawn in the shower.

When I get in. its boots off. Dawn and scrub finger tips to elbows at the sink.

Then shower and repeat. I always wash my hands after I put my boots on.

It's getting to be tick season to. So. I make sure to get changed as soon as I get home.

Quick twenty minutes. To clean and delouse.

I got a new dog who does a real good job of patrolling my perimeter even as I move around.

I noticed he's got some rashes on his belly.The shoots are just now getting leaves. There's a lot of oak at dog level.

I'm gonna have to start washing him too.

Goldwasher,
Not to derail this discussion on poision oak, but, good point. I'm going to start a discussion about tick safety/ tick bite med. treatment. And how people have successfully dealt with this issue. I think tick bites preventable but concerning health issue.

 

[Bejay]

There are a number of products that work very well for poison oak. What really works good to avoid the outbreak of poison oak on your person is Tech Nu. You rub it on your body and it keeps the oils in the oak from contaminating your skin. When you use it you smell like spearmint gum tho. Most effective is the Tech Nu wash (using cold water) that removes and neutralizes the oils if you get into it. It also works well if you notice yourself beginning to itch....you simply wash the exposed area well and it will rid your skin/neutralize the effects. I have used the Tech Nu products often and they are miraculous. ALSO.... There is a pill that is obtainable via the pharmacy/Dr that loggers use that you take 2 weeks prior to exposure. I have not used it but I here it is often used.


I have some placer claims that had become overrun with poison oak. I began spraying it with Cross Bow....it works very well. It may not be an approved herbicide by the land management agencies (?) so I tend to simply not notify them of my spraying the bushes. However it is Impossible to get all the plants and if you have a dog; the oils can get on your dog and thus be transferred to you.


Tech Nu Products and some plant removal/killing will keep you "pretty much itch free". I am one that gets the poison oak rash BAD!