My weekend adventure at Thermal City, NC

DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
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SW, VA - Bull Mountain
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I had posted a question on this forum asking for recommendations for North Carolina panning adventures!

Based on responses, I spent yesterday at Thermal City. I expected to find a little gold, and I did - not much but I'm new at this. I think my greatest disability was in vision! I think next time I'll take a pair of glasses! I had real difficulty seeing gold. It had to be very bright sunlight for me to see them. The first couple of hours I spent in the beginner's panning trough.

My girlfriend was with me, and it seemed every veteran panner who walked by wanted to show me how to pan!

I went there wanting to learn, and I did. Also wanted to pick up some supplies. Got some vials, absolutely got a 10x maginifier! Supplies were really inexpensive. Also bought a sluice - a little higher, but right there so didn't have to pay any shipping, and I liked the construction of it - better than what I'd have purchased on-line I think. I plan to use the sluice on my own streams. An excellent way to get concentrates for panning, will cut out a lot of work and time consuming panning bowls full.

I had the green Garrett pan set. I realized that I personally saw the gold easier in blue pans - maybe just a personal preference.

Met some people and exchanged contact numbers.

I helped these new contacts dredge, so I got a look at that too.

For the $10 fee, this was very well worth the adventure and the learning experience!

Management was very friendly and pretty loose. I could have easily snuck in and avoided any payment. But please don't do that just because I said it. For $10 it was well worth the adventure, and it keeps their doors open.

Wasn't really crowded, but there were a whole lot of people there, and families.

I did note there were a lot of campers there, some looked like they'd been there quite a while. West coast license plates in camper spots! What's with that? West coast run out of gold? Not likely!
 

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Goodyguy

Gold Member
Mar 10, 2007
6,489
6,895
Arizona
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Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I had posted a question on this forum asking for recommendations for North Carolina panning adventures!

Based on responses, I spent yesterday at Thermal City. I expected to find a little gold, and I did - not much but I'm new at this. I think my greatest disability was in vision! I think next time I'll take a pair of glasses! I had real difficulty seeing gold. It had to be very bright sunlight for me to see them. The first couple of hours I spent in the beginner's panning trough.

My girlfriend was with me, and it seemed every veteran panner who walked by wanted to show me how to pan!

I went there wanting to learn, and I did. Also wanted to pick up some supplies. Got some vials, absolutely got a 10x maginifier! Supplies were really inexpensive. Also bought a sluice - a little higher, but right there so didn't have to pay any shipping, and I liked the construction of it - better than what I'd have purchased on-line I think. I plan to use the sluice on my own streams. An excellent way to get concentrates for panning, will cut out a lot of work and time consuming panning bowls full.

I had the green Garrett pan set. I realized that I personally saw the gold easier in blue pans - maybe just a personal preference.

Met some people and exchanged contact numbers.

I helped these new contacts dredge, so I got a look at that too.

For the $10 fee, this was very well worth the adventure and the learning experience!

Management was very friendly and pretty loose. I could have easily snuck in and avoided any payment. But please don't do that just because I said it. For $10 it was well worth the adventure, and it keeps their doors open.

Wasn't really crowded, but there were a whole lot of people there, and families.

I did note there were a lot of campers there, some looked like they'd been there quite a while. West coast license plates in camper spots! What's with that? West coast run out of gold? Not likely!

I've been to Thermal City many times over the years during trips to NC and love to swap stories with the owner Lloyd Nanny, he's quite a charicter. Spent time at all the gold camps along that stretch of hwy 221, some no longer open to the public, enjoyed all of them but Thermal City was always my favorite.

Glad you enjoyed your visit there.
GG~
 

SierraMadre

Jr. Member
Mar 29, 2015
42
34
Tex
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Mine.lab
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Bit late but just up the road from Thermal city is the Lucky Strike. Pay to dig. The river still has some nice gold in it. Lucky Strike is affiliated with a local prospecting club. The club has access to Lucky Strikes property. Probably a mile of the river. I forget the dues amount for the prospecting club but as I recall they were reasonable. Lucky Strikes website has the info.
BTW I notified the 4th division patch. I was with the 4th in 67-68 Vietnam. 10th cav
 

BagLady

Bronze Member
Mar 13, 2015
1,011
619
Mississippi
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cheap
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All Treasure Hunting
Coker Creek in Tennessee is still a viable GPAA chapter. They also have a good forum with lots of valuable info on it. I've been a member of the forum for over a year, and have had several interactions with 5 or 6 members.
Good people. Very professional site.
 

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