Highway 49 slucing

[mxer47]

I was thinking of coming over the hill to do some slucing . I'm interested in the Jackson-angles camp area. I don't want to step on any toes, and i don't mind a 4x4 trail and a hike. I don't want to wast any time to find a spot due to the drive. I have checked into public parks and have a list but it seems they only allow panning. There is not much info on them so any info would be appreciated.

 

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[ALewis]

Very interested in that area as well...
Only experience i've had was on the SF of the Stanislaus river, downriver from the LDMA site. I know there are Lot's of claims in that area, but found some spot's just off Italian Bar Rd.
Did not find much, but that was also the trip my 7 year old son decided to cannon ball just infront of our sluice Waves almost completely washed it clean
I would like to find something a little more "remote" as well.
A hunting friend keeps telling me Lake New Melones is lowest he has seen in a long time? Not sure if could sluice, but keep wondering if that would be worth a prospectin trip before we get some / any weather ?

 

[63bkpkr]

There are so many places to check out in CA that I do not think any one person would have enough time in one life time to do them all. The low water at Melones might make it worthwhile to check out the old creek beds coming into the lake like between the water line and the trees.

Look up the "Chile Bar" area out of San Andreas CA. I've driven through the area, the sign posted there, plaque actually, says something like 12 miles of rich placer deposits. Then as I was further out the road I was on, there was a hard uphill turn and the road cut came right through an old placer deposit leaving a solid wall of round river rock on both sides of he road. It was startling to drive through the cut.

Just pick a spot where gold has been found in the area and give it a try. After all, it has been a lot of years of Ma Nature washing soil away since the 1849 rush, who knows what has been exposed or nearly exposed if you have a detector...........................63bkpkr

Al Lewis in the east bay, ya don't say. How close to Fremont?

 

[ALewis]

Very close to Fremont, just over Sunol Grade...Live in Dublin. Used to go to fremont 3x a day when I worked for a currier service.
Gona send ya PM....

 

[mxer47]

I have stumbled upon an old thread regarding the auburn area 49 north of Placerville. I have an appreciation of the hard work that goes into prospecting and the time it takes to find good spots. I will travel a trail for an hour to dig and sluice all day just for 5 to10 specs. I have spent many dozens of days with nothing to show for it. You guys have it good in the gold country and I would like to see how my skills for finding pay streaks are. Learning from grounds that has very little gold has helped hone my skills I think, however it isn't helping my moral. I don't want to claim jump but like some threads have documented knowing exactly where claims are is difficult and with out GPS equipment can be iffy. I may just chuck the sleeping bag in the truck and look around for a couple of days.

 

[ALewis]

I really enjoy the Auburn area. Angels & jackson are a little closer to me, but I enjoy & actually find gold up in Auburn. Yankee Jim's Rd., iowa hill Rd, etc. is probably in the thread you found. I park at the switchback on Iowa Hill rd, just up from bridge & day use pay area. Head up river. great area

 

[Clay Diggins]

Lots of gold up there and a lot of mining history.

I guess folks all have a different sense of where their moral limits are. Most of that land up there is pretty much guaranteed to be private, patented or claimed.

If taking other peoples property when they aren't looking is within your moral code then I guess "Just pick a spot where gold has been found in the area and give it a try" is probably just the answer you were looking for.

Just saying...

 

[ALewis]

ummm

Not sure where that's comin from Clay...Am I missin something ? Seems like mxer specifically said he "does not want to claim jump" ? Mineral Bar & Yankee Jim's is Auburn Rec area ? One of the reason's I go there.

Not really sure what your "just sayin " ? I don't read any of the above and see where the conversation is about taking from others ?

 

[mxer47]

I meant morale. My bad. And by the way if go where it was found before was the answer I was looking for, I wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Not trying to cause trouble or calling anyone out. The statement I quoted was made on this thread.

Although Mineral Bar is in the SRA all the river from just upstream of the bridge for 1/4 mile is claimed - including part of the campground. That claim was made in 1960 and is still valid and filed, recorded and paid for every year for the last 53 years. It was there long before any SRA and is just the same as any other mineral claim - as in not yours and not open to public prospecting. Just because there is an SRA doesn't mean there are no claims.

Yankee Jim is not in the SRA. All the land around it is either private or BLM. The BLM land is mostly all claimed although there are a few small areas still open.

It's always important to know where you can and can not prospect. A Recreation Area or Wild and Scenic River or even a National Park do not take away the rights of mineral claims that were there first. The American River and most of the good gold ground in California still have a lot of valid claims that are still in effect long after the areas have been closed to new claims.

It's never wise to assume that an area is open to prospecting without checking beforehand. Making assumptions about prospecting areas is a disservice to your fellow miners.

 

[mxer47]

Exactly what quoted statement are you talking about? Apparently you have an ax to grind. I don't live in your state. I have never prospected in your state. I was clear about not clam jumping. I made a typo between moral and morale. You know what you can have your state and its gold. I'll stay here where people aren't so quick to assume the worst about people and are willing to offer a friendly hand of help or advice instead of always trying to protect what you assume I'm trying to take from you or anybody else.

 

[Clay Diggins]

No axe mxer47. Not sure which State you are referring to? California has very good gold.

Often "claim jumping" as you call it is unintended. Obviously that is the case here. Or at least I assumed it was unintended.

I thought my information on Mineral Bar and Yankee Jim was a "friendly hand of help or advice". I'm guessing you didn't like the answer? Even so my intent was to help keep you within your wish to to not "claim jump".

Don't worry I won't offer any more help with your search for prospectable ground. Good luck to you.

 

[mxer47]

Lots of gold up there and a lot of mining history.

I guess folks all have a different sense of where their moral limits are. Most of that land up there is pretty much guaranteed to be private, patented or claimed.

If taking other peoples property when they aren't looking is within your moral code then I guess "Just pick a spot where gold has been found in the area and give it a try" is probably just the answer you were looking for.

Just saying...

If this is what passes as friendly I'm confused. I have better things to do with my time. I'm out.

 

[adam h]

Clay wasnt being negative.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Thanks Adam, you are right, I wasn't trying to be negative.

I thought the next question was going to be something like "What about below the bridge?" or "What areas are still unclaimed around Yankee Jim?" or "How about the area around..."

Some folks are just naturally sensitive I guess?

The internet can be a funny place.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well for those of you that don't know Clay, I can attest to the fact that he only wants to help everyone get on the gold and to do it in a way that will keep them out of trouble. He has helped me as well as many others here to find gold in their area as he's pretty much a walking encyclopedia on the subject. He's taken his own time to educate and help us when he didn't have to do so. In other words, he is one of the good guys.

I know that forums can be a tricky place to say things because you can't hear the "Intended Tone" of the words when they're in printed form. Typos can really lead to some huge misunderstandings so try to look at the entire post to get the true meaning and intent of it before you start chewing on someone. Given the nature of the typo above, I can understand the confusion. Now that it has been straightened out, let's follow Rodney Kings advice here. "Can't we all just get along?"

 

[Goldwasher]

Asra has more incidents of mineral trespass than most places due to the confusion that clay is trying to clear up.....a few posters here do It all the time, and believe the mineral lease owners are actually in the wrong for holding on to that ground.... there should be another video of it posted on the forum pretty soon its been awhile since the last one.

 

[calisdad]

Have you thought about joining the GPAA or AMRA? They both have claims in the area.

63's suggestion about New Melones is a darn good one with the water levels so low.

good luck!

 

[mxer47]

I have looked into clubs. They don't seem like they are worth the money to me simply due to the distance I would have to travel to get to one of there claims. Money is tight and I would only be able to do a trip like this once or twice a year. It is frustrating to have the fever (for 7 years now) and have access to wilderness with very little placer gold or water. I have never seen a piece of gold I could pick from my sluice or pan without a snufter bottle. All the gold I have is -30 mesh and most is -50 mesh. I would to like to just once see a piece of gold on the mat in my sluice. I appreciate the info and maybe I am a little sensitive to being accused of poor morals and thievery. Typo or not my post clearly stated removing material from someone's claim was what I was trying to avoid. Claims here are sparse and typically hard rock. I know claims are abundant in that area and that is why I asked. I know I can pan at many places that are public but I want to sluice, get cons and process at home so my time spent there is maximized. I apologize for any confusion.

 

[707Dut]

With all do respect isn't it the duty of the claim owner to clearly mark and defend his claim if need be.Also shouldn't the claim be active.I ask because I hear that a lot people have claims so they can have a nice camping spot 2 weeks out of the year.Keep in mind that I am new to prospecting and trying to learn.