My weekend adventure at Thermal City, NC

[DeepseekerADS]

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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[DeepseekerADS]

There was no model number on the sluice I picked up. But on the Keene site I identified it as the A52. I paid $150 for it. On the Keene website it's $120 + shipping, so I came out okay, and have it in hand versus never ordering it! I didn't realize dredges cost so much! The one the guys were using would have been $3200, but that thing sure dug out the dirt!

Maybe someday..... Retiring in a couple of months, so we'll see how time goes - and of course my local streams....

 

[allenkeeton]

yep. dredges are high dollar. with the ban in some spots though a few are making their way cross country, but shipping will up the price a good bit.

 

[huntsman53]

I am really glad to hear that you had a great time! Sometimes that is what it is all about. Meeting new people, making friends and getting some Gold. I was there around the end of April and met a nice couple (I think) from Massachussets, a family that now lives in New York but are from the Ukraine and were really, really nice and a somewhat local gentleman from across the mountains to the West that I may do some prospecting with on another river. I think the next time I go, I may stay a few days and take my' highbanker/dredge combo and a few of my' metal detectors with me. I want to try one of the loads they bring to your' panning spot (not the community/common panning area loads), do some highbanking and maybe dredging in the Second Broad River as well as see if I can find some deposits or nuggets with my' metal detectors. If I was a member of the LDMA/GPAA, I would try out the LDMA Claim that is close by. That is where I was getting lots and lot of nice flakes and even some small pickers once I got down real deep below the stream bed. I was with a member who will not go back due to the encounter with the Copperhead and Black Snake fighting a death fight. He has an extra membership and I think I can purchase it from him for a lot of my' coins. We will see.


Frank

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I am really glad to hear that you had a great time! Frank

Thanks Frank, it was mostly through your recommendation that I chose to go to Thermal City. I joined GPAA last week. From that I should have access to the LDMA claim? Let me know when you plan to go. I am on the verge of retiring, I figure the 2nd week in August and then work till Labor Day & wave goodbye!

 

[huntsman53]

You are more than welcome! It appears that you had some fun, made some new friends and learned a lot. I am not sure as to whether a GPAA Member has access to the LDMA Claim but others here on TNnet will know. The Orlando Florida Chapter's website states that they have regular GPAA outings at the LDMA Claim but I do not know the rules concerning the access to either (the LDMA or GPAA Claims).

Orlando Florida GPAA - LDMA Vein Moutain


Frank


Corrected last sentence from "but I do know the rules" to but I do not know the rules".

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I am not sure as to whether a GPAA Member has access to the LDMA Claim but others here on TNnet will know. Frank

I posted the question on the GPAA site, and should have formal response to this question!

 

[huntsman53]

I posted the question on the GPAA site, and should have formal response to this question!

Thanks! That is also information that I would like and need to know.


Frank

 

[Dain8404]

As a GPAA member you can attend the outings for LDMA. Other than that you need to be a member to use lands. Also, if you are a member of the LMDA you may bring along up to 2 guests(i think) but they may only help you with a dredge or highbanker. They can not bring their own. They may pan on their own but again need to be sponsored by a member.

I know this because my grandfather was a long time standing member of LDMA and since his passing, i am trying to xfer his membership to me. If it does not get accepted, i will still buy a membership. Well worth it in memories alone.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Doc, you are correct.

Here is the response I received from the GPAA staff:
-----------------------------------
LDMA properties and claims are for LDMA members only. LDMA member as a part of their membership have a GPAA membership through their LDMA membership so they can enjoy the use of GPAA claims. At times there may be special events where GPAA members can participate in events on the LDMA property.
-----------------------------------

I'd say for the $4000 membership fee for LDMA, they should get some benefit somewhere!

 

[enamel7]

That works well on the left coast but not back east. GPAA is in trouble. They just changed their bylaws from 10 to 30 pages. They also are requesting the clubs to tell them how much money they have in the bank. Me thinks they are planning to try a money grab when, if they file for bankruptcy.
How many years did you by a membership? Also there will be no gold shows on the east coast this year or next. They are done in the east!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

That works well on the left coast but not back east. GPAA is in trouble. They just changed their bylaws from 10 to 30 pages. They also are requesting the clubs to tell them how much money they have in the bank. Me thinks they are planning to try a money grab when, if they file for bankruptcy.
How many years did you by a membership? Also there will be no gold shows on the east coast this year or next. They are done in the east!

I only bought a one year membership. Your post may very well be true. Their new website and forums are pretty slim. I have a link to the old site, but that may not be available long. My major complaint thus far is that the new site makes you use your real name versus an alias. I wanted to use the same alias I use here naturally. The complaint section in the forum about that is 3 pages and growing - with no response from staff yet.

If they disappear, I'll have gotten my one year money's worth by the package of goodies and the knowledge I gain. And there's plenty other websites devoted to prospecting out there!

 

[russau]

I heard there are a lot of gpaa clubs all over the Country quiting gpaa and more are doing so!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I received my 2014 Mining Guide yesterday - disappointing. All West coast, maps for Virginia & North Carolina are blank. Wanting to join the Hillsville, Virginia GPAA chapter, no response, no link to join, sent personal e-mail - no response.

 

[Kruzman]

All the clubs in my area are at least considering separation from gpaa I heard.

 

[enamel7]

We certainly have something in the works. Don't want to get in over our heads so taking it slow. Definitely have a plan though. Will give more info when we have more planning board meetings.

 

[enamel7]

All the clubs in my area are at least considering separation from gpaa I heard.

What state are you in?

 

[huntsman53]

My friend Tom told me several years back that both organizations (the GPAA and LDMA) were under new management and he believed then, that they both would be run into the ground. I asked Tom if he would trade me his' extra LDMA Membership for some of my' coins and he seems keen on the idea as he sells coins and other items at Flea Markets, Gun Shows and other big events. However, I am wondering if it would be worth my while and my' coins to do so, if both organizations are in trouble!!?? If anyone has more information that they can post on here, it would be greatly appreciated and beneficial to many.


Frank

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I don't know Frank, too new to this area of treasure hunting. Right now my way of thinking is that by the end of my GPAA membership I'll be rationalizing whether I continue as a member or not. I did finally get a response from the Hillsville, VA GPAA Chapter. I'll be giving him a call pretty soon to discuss his chapter, and his take on things. I find it notable that his chapter is listed on the GPAA website, but there's no link to join, where the Greensboro, NC chapter had a link. And it took him almost a week to respond to my e-mail asking if his chapter was still active.

The mining guide I received is almost useless on the East Coast, there's no specifically GPAA claims to visit, and the doodads I received in the package I already had except for the bumper stickers, patch, and hat - hardly worth the $101 delivered cost. I learn more here than I can there.

 

[Goodyguy]

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, enjoyed all of them but Thermal City was always my favorite.

Glad you enjoyed your visit there.
GG~