panning in new england

[ctjonb]

hello all , I am looking to plan our first prospecting trip with the family and we are unsure about which has better odds of finding gold Vermont or New Hampshire ?? there both about the same distance from my house I just really want the kids to find a picker that would be real fun for them, we do pan in CT but seem to find very fine flour gold or a spec no pickers as of yet. we've been doing this a year now and love it so if anyone has any ideas or sugestions they are most welcome.
Thanks John

 

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[placertogo]

It's easy to find decent sized gold in the Baker River in Warren, NH. There is a nice public area on Route 118 just east of the village of Warren. It is outside the White Mountain National Forest so you don't have the 3 foot limit of sluice length. Also, the Wild Ammonoosuc River in Woodsville, NH along Route 112 has a good public area and decent sized gold. The water is both cold and fast running in both of these streams right now. By early May we should see the majority of meltwater gone and the stream velocity settling down for the summer.

 

[ctjonb]

that's great Thank You, I will have to check that out Im looking forward to a different type of vacation
Thank You
John

 

[stilllookin]

Ctjon
This may be a little late but. I live in VT. Whenever you find info about VT prospecting the two places that are always mentioned are Plymouth 5 Corners and the Boy Scout Camp in Plymouth or Tyson area. We live only 13 miles from either of these areas and I prefer going to the Wild Ammonoosuc River In Bath NH (we stayed at the Twin River Campground) or the Swift River in ME . There are many places to go where there is better gold, but most productive prospectors don't want to tell us. It always helps to talk to the local population especially if your on the river. I have found you may have to start the conversation or nothing will be said.
Wayne

 

[VT Forester]

Gold in VT? We ain't got gold. We do have plenty of flatland'ahs tho. Be sure to take some home with you!

Seriously, it's pretty scarce here. NH/ME border

 

[stilllookin]

Forester.,
I tried to take a picture to show everyone how much gold I have found in VT over the last 3 years. I tried several shots and the gold wouldn't show in the picture. Agreed! Very little to be found. Thats why I keep spending money, building better mouse traps, to find the stuff that eludes me.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

It's easy to find decent sized gold in the Baker River in Warren, NH. There is a nice public area on Route 118 just east of the village of Warren. It is outside the White Mountain National Forest so you don't have the 3 foot limit of sluice length. Also, the Wild Ammonoosuc River in Woodsville, NH along Route 112 has a good public area and decent sized gold. The water is both cold and fast running in both of these streams right now. By early May we should see the majority of meltwater gone and the stream velocity settling down for the summer.

placertogo
the public access area on the Baker River, is it marked or just a wide place on the side of the road? I was looking on google maps and just past Batchelder Brook Rd heading away from Warren I see a wide spot with a car in it. Is that the public access?
My wife has expressed interest in trying panning so I told her we would drive the 3 hours to the Baker River and try panning.

 

[placertogo]

There is about a 100 yard long gravel parking on the right side of Route 118 as you are heading west toward the village of Warren. There are a couple of signs there about no overnight camping and no littering. Plenty of bedrock in that area of the Baker River.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

There is about a 100 yard long gravel parking on the right side of Route 118 as you are heading west toward the village of Warren. There are a couple of signs there about no overnight camping and no littering. Plenty of bedrock in that area of the Baker River.

Thank you. I have never gone panning and figured to try it this Friday. May bring a couple buckets along to bring some dirt back.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

placertogo
I looked up the regs for NH. That area is part of the Benton State Forest, so while collecting minerals is allowed in the National Forest, the rules I found below seem to say you cannot collect any mineral using hand tools, I wonder would that include the pan, or are they talking shovels? inother words would the pan be a hand tool so you could only scoop dirt with your hands or can you use a trowel?

Have you ever worked that area along Rt 118?

Have you ever seen anyone checking on people panning there? I will wear my "Disabled American Veteran" hat and hope that helps.

Res 7301.21 Mineral Collecting.
(a) Mineral exploration and collecting using mechanized equipment or hand tools shall not be permitted on DRED properties, unless permission has been granted by special use permit pursuant to Res 7306.
(b) Mineral exploration and collecting shall not be permitted at geologic sites, natural preserves, historic sites, or at elevations above tree line.

 

[siroswald]

Hey Guys,
A new GPAA chapter just formed in Western Mass. It is in Greenfield. Started by Tim English.
Meetings are the 3rd sunday of the month at 3:30. We meet at the Masonic lodge on Munson Rd.
All are welcome. We are a newly formed group that likes to detect and prospect.

We have a small group going out on Labor day. We are headed up to Couch Brook. anyone interested- post here. or e-mail me. [email protected]

Big MIke

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I am interesting in joining your group, have been thinking about joining the GPAA and this may get me to do it.

The only downside is Greenfield is 2 1/2 hours from here each way a bit of a hike.

 

[placertogo]

The area I'm talking about is neither in Benton State Forest nor in the White Mountain National Forest. As you head southwest on Route 118 from Woodstock to Warren, the White Mountain National Forest ends about a mile before you get to the panning area on the Baker River.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Is it private property?

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I am planning to hit it tomorrow

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

placertogo
since we are only going with a couple pans and a shovel are there any spots in the National Forest on 118 or that side of the Kanc?

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

The area I'm talking about is neither in Benton State Forest nor in the White Mountain National Forest. As you head southwest on Route 118 from Woodstock to Warren, the White Mountain National Forest ends about a mile before you get to the panning area on the Baker River.

When to that parking spot today, it is fairly easy access to the river. The thing that concerned me is that on the parking lot side of the river is a "Private Property No Trespassing" sign, it lists hunting fishing and a couple other things, doesn't specifically say no gold panning, but it concerned me. I went down and took about 20 pounds of river gravel back home with us. Being a concealed carry permit holder in Massachusetts I have to be super careful since even a minor mistomeanor can get your licensed pulled and when that happens they force you to sell all your guns.

after the Baker we went over the Kanc and fouind a nice spot just over the mountain and before Passaconway which has a 20 yard parking area and really easy access to the river, panned for about an hour and then brought about 30 pounds of gravel from under some rocks back with us.

 

[placertogo]

The Swift River forms on the east side on Kancamagus Pass and flows along the Kanc (Route 112) toward Conway. Lots of fine gold in the gravels of the Swift along with some coarse and occasional nugget.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I have been going through 20 or 30 pounds of sand and gravel I brought back from the Swift, just above Passaconway, so far some garnets (small) and some black sand. Even with a 10x glass I cannot see any flour gold, but most likely I didn't dig down far enough to get good dirt.
I hope to get a weekend to camp in the next few weeks either at Covered Bridge or Passaconway or Jigger Johnson or over on the other side at Twin Rivers.
I also got some "gem" flyers from the Saco station about Moat Mountain, that could be fun as well

 

[placertogo]

If you are heading west of Lincoln, and want to stay on 112, check out Tunnel Brook (you will see a yellow sign pointing out the Tunnel Brook Road along 112). The Wild Ammonoosuc runs along 112 in this area and Tunnel Brook runs into the Wild a few hundred yards west of the intersection of 112 and the Tunnel Brook Road. If you follow the Tunnel Brook Road about a mile and a half off 112, you will come to a concrete bridge, Look below to the left and you will see some nice fractured bedrock and good flow to run a sluice. Also there is some parking room just beyond the bridge. This is in White Mtn. Nat. Forest which has a 3 foot length limit on sluices (no width limit) and hand tools. Nice coarse and some nuggets in this area.