Utah gold prospecting and rockhounding

[Jeff95531]

I don't remember ever seeing such cool winter prospecting pics. Thanks for that. Who makes that pack? Are those ski poles you're using? And is that a snow board or what? Is that for buckets? lol Can you tell you got my interest?

 

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[KevinInColorado]

Them's snowshoes

 

[utah mason]

Here's a couple more pictures
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[utah mason]

Can you post some pics of your prospector and the extension?

Also how about your pack in setup. I'm trying to figure out my pack and how to get everything comfortable and attached so I can access better spots.

Goldfleks
Here are the pictures you asked for
First the extension and large pack
I only put in my small hand sucker just to show where I put equipment. I usually will also have my medium pry bar, geo pick and few other small things. On way back I put my small 10" pan on top of cons and equipment on top of it.
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[utah mason]

And the smaller pack I carry in the truck
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I strap on the sluice and pick, bar and what nots on the back.
In the truck besides the pack I carry
Bgt prospector and extension
A-51
Small and large hand suckers
Picks, bars and various shovels
And hip waders

 

[utah mason]

I don't remember ever seeing such cool winter prospecting pics. Thanks for that. Who makes that pack? Are those ski poles you're using? And is that a snow board or what? Is that for buckets? lol Can you tell you got my interest?

Jeff
I took a few pictures of brand of pack and model in above pictures. I bought it at sportsman's Warehouse here in the Salt lake area, but you can find it on their online store. They had a few similar packs, but I liked the pads and straps and the amount of adjustment this one had. The poles are collapsible hiking/snowshoeing poles.

 

[Jeff95531]

I've bought stuff from Gary for over 30 years! Great selection, quality, prices plus a lifetime warranty on everything you buy as long as you keep the receipt.

 

[Jeff95531]

And snow shoes have really come a long ways since I used em. lol

 

[utah mason]

And snow shoes have really come a long ways since I used em. lol

That's for sure. When I was younger we would rent them from the boy scouts. They were made of wood : )

 

[Goldfleks]

That's cool, and similar to the setup and frame I was considering. Good deal.

 

[fmrUSMC_0844]

I like the setup. I have a large pack that will fit my calsluice and some other stuff. Ill be breaking the snowshoes out here for this weeks walk up the canyon!

 

[utah mason]

Here's some pics and video from my trip up American fork canyon. I was planning on walking up to a nice gravel bar I saw on the previous trip. But ended up trying the area just above the construction they have been doing. I was planning on spending more time up there, but I let my business bookwork get in the way. I ran three 3/4 full buckets classified to 1/4 mesh thru my A-51 sluice with gold hog mats in it. I think maybe the river was running a tad fast for the mats I have in it. Anyone who runs g.h. let me know what you think. I'm running UR - razorback - downdraft - razorback - bedrock. I was hoping for a bit better of a clean out, but that's always true : ) but it was a beautiful day on the river and it's hard to ask for more than that.




https://youtu.be/1yfT133EEhA

 

[Utah Flour & Nugget]

Yesterday, I saw your youtube video and signed up for treasurenet.com today. I was in the same vicinity at the upstream end of the Tibble Fork construction several times back in the fall of 2016 (no luck panning). I met another prospector and he claimed the construction foreman gave him permission to search after construction hours. We took our detectors and followed the American Fork River downstream through the construction zone. The river cut a 5 to 8-foot groove in the sediment when it was drained last year. We took advantage of the construction lights on the main wall of the remodeled dam. We found a lot of junk and about 500 golf balls. Apparently, Tibble Fork Reservoir visitors used the lake/pond for a driving range. The new reservoir is supposed to be about 3-times the capacity in acre feet. The construction was supposed to be complete by 31 Dec 2016. It's not done yet.

 

[utah mason]

Yesterday, I saw your youtube video and signed up for treasurenet.com today. I was in the same vicinity at the upstream end of the Tibble Fork construction several times back in the fall of 2016 (no luck panning). I met another prospector and he claimed the construction foreman gave him permission to search after construction hours. We took our detectors and followed the American Fork River downstream through the construction zone. The river cut a 5 to 8-foot groove in the sediment when it was drained last year. We took advantage of the construction lights on the main wall of the remodeled dam. We found a lot of junk and about 500 golf balls. Apparently, Tibble Fork Reservoir visitors used the lake/pond for a driving range. The new reservoir is supposed to be about 3-times the capacity in acre feet. The construction was supposed to be complete by 31 Dec 2016. It's not done yet.

Welcome to treasure net! Good to have another Utah prospector on the site. You'll really like this site, tons of great people who are quick to share their knowledge.
They are way behind on their schedule to finish. They had a massive hill of classified material sitting there this summer. They hauled it up to the hill just north of the parking lot. I wish could have gotten a trailer load of it. Really itching to get up the canyon higher, wish it would quite snowing up there.

 

[fmrUSMC_0844]

Welcome to treasure net! Good to have another Utah prospector on the site. You'll really like this site, tons of great people who are quick to share their knowledge.
They are way behind on their schedule to finish. They had a massive hill of classified material sitting there this summer. They hauled it up to the hill just north of the parking lot. I wish could have gotten a trailer load of it. Really itching to get up the canyon higher, wish it would quite snowing up there.

I am hoping they finish that construction soon butthe reservoir takes its time to fill. That classified material had me drooling. Last time I was up there they were had loads of sand they were bringing in and I was told the dirt the classified is being taken out. To where I have no idea.

I was down in the same area you were a couple months ago and the foreman told me to pack it up and get out of the quarry. I can see where he was coming from but on the other hand there was no work being done where I was. The weather needs to clear up and the road needs to open up!! I need to get farther up the canyon!!

Thats the haul from my last trip up there 2 weeks ago.

 

[utah mason]

I am hoping they finish that construction soon butthe reservoir takes its time to fill. That classified material had me drooling. Last time I was up there they were had loads of sand they were bringing in and I was told the dirt the classified is being taken out. To where I have no idea.

I was down in the same area you were a couple months ago and the foreman told me to pack it up and get out of the quarry. I can see where he was coming from but on the other hand there was no work being done where I was. The weather needs to clear up and the road needs to open up!! I need to get farther up the canyon!!

Thats the haul from my last trip up there 2 weeks ago.

How was your trip? Did you find any Cali gold? I'm really anxious to get up higher as well, all these damn storms are driving me crazy. It may be raining in the valley but I'm sure it's snowing up higher. We'll have to get out when the weather breaks. Always up for going out with a fellow dead head.

 

[fmrUSMC_0844]

How was your trip? Did you find any Cali gold? I'm really anxious to get up higher as well, all these damn storms are driving me crazy. It may be raining in the valley but I'm sure it's snowing up higher. We'll have to get out when the weather breaks. Always up for going out with a fellow dead head.

We did find some gold. It was a good trip! I posted it in the prospecting forum. These storms need to go. My wife said its supposed to rain and snow this weekend. So sunday we are headed to Topaz Mountain. We will have to get out! We can throw on some Dead while digging!

 

[utah mason]

We did find some gold. It was a good trip! I posted it in the prospecting forum. These storms need to go. My wife said its supposed to rain and snow this weekend. So sunday we are headed to Topaz Mountain. We will have to get out! We can throw on some Dead while digging!

Nice glad you had a good trip. I haven't had time to look through all the new post, I'll check it out. Do you go to topaz very often? I've only been once and pulled some nice topaz and a couple of red beryl's. As your driving up the canyon the left side there's a big wall of rhyolite. good place for red Beryl as well as topaz. A little further left of that is a good amethyst area
I only know this because I went with people who go there a lot and know their stuff.(Utah rockhounding on Facebook) his buddy usually goes as well and is the head geologist for mammoth mines.

 

[fmrUSMC_0844]

Nice glad you had a good trip. I haven't had time to look through all the new post, I'll check it out. Do you go to topaz very often? I've only been once and pulled some nice topaz and a couple of red beryl's. As your driving up the canyon the left side there's a big wall of rhyolite. good place for red Beryl as well as topaz. A little further left of that is a good amethyst area
I only know this because I went with people who go there a lot and know their stuff.(Utah rockhounding on Facebook) his buddy usually goes as well and is the head geologist for mammoth mines.

We try to get out there twice a year at least. Its something the kids enjoy doing too and it gets them off their asses. Ill have to check that spot out. Last time I found a nice garnet but couldnt get into any beryl or amethyst.

 

[utah mason]

Head up past the pay to mine claim just about to the end of the road that spots on the west side you should be able to spot it from trail. The amethyst spots just south of the rhyolite wall there is a ton of it just laying around on ground. The rain this week should expose a bunch of the clear topaz that's broken free and been washing down hill. I'd walk the ravines on the way up.
Good luck!