The Grizzly Tales- A First Year Dredger Diary

[GrizzlyGremlin]

3:00am is a nice time of day. No people, no cars, no problems... We were throwing rocks by 6:15 and moved more large rocks today than my brother and I ever have before. We removed a large rock jam and dredged the entire hardpan floor of that bad sally knowing that no one had been under these potatoes and grandaddy fatty was definitely there.
What we found was silty, sticky, stuff. There was decent material mixed in but not like what an 80 ton boulder pile should have.
I believe that this particular boulder strew is too large and becomes too turbid to hold on to gold.
Next trip we are going to look for flatter ground.
Not a bad day and every bit is fat chunkys. Thats all she wrote on that spot Chef. We leveled it.

 

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[chef440rt]

Wow, real nice chunky stuff there. Good job. I can't believe you guys moved that huge pile of rocks. Keep on searching for the big one. A few of the seasonals at the campground showed me there big pieces and there are plenty of 1+ gram nuggets in there. I must have seen 6 of them from the locals. Plus the one I just found. Keep at it! I think I will be back up there the week of the 24th or maybe I'll try Maine, not sure yet.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Yeah we are going to keep at it. I like how easy it is there! Im doing 4 days from aug 30 on. For now we are just going to keep making big holes!

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Terrific tuesday has come and gone once again and the dredge moved some serious dirt! We first tried under a very very large potato. We knew it had been hit but they left a little bit of decent material. We moved at noon and went for hardpan... No love. The water level was low and still 6' down with no false bedrock. We hit very nice material at about 4'. Super compacted and silty grey clayish concrete like stuff with smaller brown clayish intrusions.
Met 2 other prospectors one of which hosts a gold talk show! Cool guys and both had gold in their pans when we left.
We scaled up the nugglette on our new prospecting friends digital and it teetered from .3-.4g our heaviest piece yet, but not by much. We need a big chunk to stop the madness of constantly finding our biggest piece, its getting old. I WANT GRANDPAPPY!!!

 

[KevinInColorado]

GG you're killin' it! Are you sure it's a good idea to move away from what you've got going on there?

 

[huntsman53]

Congrats! It looks like the grey clay paid off.


Frank

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

We have a 5 day trip booked for labor day weekend and there is only about 1/2 a mile where we can dredge. We moved down passed where chef hit that fatty before where the river gets steep. We have been steadily moving downstream but we made a bigger move this trip. We definitely should not have leap frogged so far down but i was dying to know if clay is reachable in a day and i think its too deep to bank on. I do feel like the farther around the bend you go the more the gold is in the middle of the stream and less in the high bank. We have a 7 gram goal for the 5 day trip and if we can land on pieces like this every day it is definitely possible!

 

[KiddoTheMiner]

We have a 5 day trip booked for labor day weekend and there is only about 1/2 a mile where we can dredge. We moved down passed where chef hit that fatty before where the river gets steep. We have been steadily moving downstream but we made a bigger move this trip. We definitely should not have leap frogged so far down but i was dying to know if clay is reachable in a day and i think its too deep to bank on. I do feel like the farther around the bend you go the more the gold is in the middle of the stream and less in the high bank. We have a 7 gram goal for the 5 day trip and if we can land on pieces like this every day it is definitely possible!

right before the river gets steep where water is fast moving but not at an angle are there any cobbles, those drop zones are always good for me

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

I cant wait until we find where the clay layer is about 5 to 6' down. I think thats our best happy medium. Its possible to reach in a day and requires air. Perfect. There has got to be giant nuggets somewhere in the stretch.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

GG you're killin' it! Are you sure it's a good idea to move away from what you've got going on there?

Yep! Its a great idea, especially because i just landed an assistant meat manager position! Best case scenario for me. Now i just need to get a little condo or townhouse rental and im Waltzing into colorado STYLIN'!!
How much gold are the Colorado dredgers making a day? I bet its not as coarse but i also bet its more!
Next trip tmw am.
Please let a big nugget find its way up our hose!!!

 

[TheGoldProspector]

Yep! Its a great idea, especially because i just landed an assistant meat manager position! Best case scenario for me. Now i just need to get a little condo or townhouse rental and im Waltzing into colorado STYLIN'!! How much gold are the Colorado dredgers making a day? I bet its not as coarse but i also bet its more! Next trip tmw am. Please let a big nugget find its way up our hose!!!

Congrats on the position, and i also wish for a large piece to find your pan. . Be well

 

[KevinInColorado]

Congrats on finding a good role!

In public areas I get the impression a gram a day is very realistic. I think it gets better on some federal claims...either accessed by getting your own or joining the right club.

 

[chef440rt]

Hey Grizz, I just had to get out of the river because it is starting to overflow the banks. As of right now the river is to wild to dredge. Not sure if you still want to come here in the morning. Also you cant see anything underwater it is solid brown. I'm probably going to sleep in till 9 and then go check the river. If you still come down in the morning, I'm at site #4 if if it looks good to dredge earlier.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Thanks chef! God is the only one who can stop me though. I have been DYING for the rivers to flood.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

We needed 2 extra feet of water not 5! Another tuesday down and nothing to jump up and down about. Really high water too high to hit what we wanted but chef and us had nice little dirt play day. First spot was too full of wood and second spot was too tight between big potatoes.
Chef had a day tho!
Chef bumped up and hit some nice pieces. Next tues is too far away.

 

[triple d]

Grizz nothing wrong with that. Id take that anyday. When you off to Colorado. Or you still waiting for fall. Was the water high and fast enought to move things around in the WAM.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

I have the moving truck booked for september 12. I think im going to be there sept 5th to start my new job though. The dredge will be arriving when i fly back and drive it out from the 12th to the 14th.
I did book 5 days at twin river where we will have 6 players and are dredging 12 hour days. I really want to leave here with a few cornflake sized chunks.
Howd you end up doing Chef? Those 3 pieces i saw were very nice for sure.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Grizz nothing wrong with that. Id take that anyday. When you off to Colorado. Or you still waiting for fall. Was the water high and fast enought to move things around in the WAM.

Hey Trip, yeah it moved some stuff for sure but on the far bank. The river washed out a nice 20' bank of clay across where we cant dredge. Bright blue newly exposed clay! Looked delicious. Oh well. I should have swam across and checked it for nuggets.
I have 9 dredging days left here in NH and my 1/4lb season is most likely not happening but ounce may be in contention.

 

[triple d]

Hefty goal Grizz but if any body can do it you or Chef could. You going to be in a good gold area in Colorado. Its a big move. But you have to follow the gold. Its the fever. Best of luck with the move.

 

[chef440rt]

I have the moving truck booked for september 12. I think im going to be there sept 5th to start my new job though. The dredge will be arriving when i fly back and drive it out from the 12th to the 14th.
I did book 5 days at twin river where we will have 6 players and are dredging 12 hour days. I really want to leave here with a few cornflake sized chunks.
Howd you end up doing Chef? Those 3 pieces i saw were very nice for sure.

The day I was with you I got .8 grams. After that, I started getting into huge boulders that prevented me from getting good time on clay. I spent most of the time dredging around them to try and move them but they were to big. Today I got completely rock blocked. So next time I come I'm going to try my luck at a new spot.