Yuba river frustration

[sidvail]

All set for 3 days of prospecting on the NF Yuba river. At least I thought I was. My fault, didn't make reservations before hand. Had no idea it would be so packed.

Left bright and early this morning for the drive up 49 to the north yuba river. Awesome drive and some of the most beautiful country ever. Arrive at the river and start looking for a campsite. Nada. Either full or reserved. I'm thinking, 'Okay, no problem. There's like 6 campgrounds around here' I check out Cal-Ida, Fiddle Creek, Indian Valley, etc, etc, etc. Nothing. I keep driving up 49 checking everything I can find. Epic fail.

I finally get a clue from a ranger to try up above Downieville at Loganville Campground. Assures me there are spots open and easy access to the river. I tell them I have a friend with me who cannot climb and is very fragile - and she came to pan for gold. They say nevermind, she'll never make it to the river. I drive up anyway and see a great campground. But alas, no access for my friend, so I tell her we'll keep looking. (I REALLY wanted to stay)

We keep driving up 49 and finally end up at Truckee. We're done. It's 6:00PM and we're beat. We decide to head back to Colfax and try Mineral Bar campground as I've always had luck getting a spot there. NOT! It is also full. Back home and we'll try again tomorrow. At least I can take her to Dave Moore nature area in Coloma so she can pan to her hearts content.

Very frustrating. I found 11 campgrounds on 49. All full. Is it always like this? Just bad luck?

Have to say though - Downieville, Sierra City, Sattley and Sierraville are AWESOME! I even found a little crossroads (Goodyears Bar) on the other side of the river with an old Inn and several houses that was way too cool. Mountain House road I think. I may have to retire up there somewhere. That's my kind of country.

I definitely want to try again. I'll call ahead and make reservations next time. I also noticed that even in a couple of spots in these National Forest campgrounds, there were claim markers and no panning allowed. Am I wasting my time up there? At one empty campsite there was a van parked with a placard in the window declaring 'Valley Prospecting' and claim markers on the trees. I did not know about that. Makes it difficult to know what you can do, as even the rangers had no idea if we could pan at any of these campgrounds.

Frustrating day. Makes a guy want to go out and buy a claim so he can 'always' have a spot to dig.

Probably get told no there also.

 

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[DizzyDigger]

Haven't camped in a "campground" in years, and much prefer to just
head up in the hills and find my own spot. Camping in a campground
with a couple hundred strange people would be about as relaxing to
me as sleeping with rattlesnakes, and the noise alone would drive
me batty real quick.

When I'm far enough back in the hills that, when I stop the truck and
get out, the only sound I hear is Ma Nature or a sound I make myself.

Then I'll drive another couple miles further back...just because.

 

[Aufisher]

Try again a different day. The whole place is booked for the downhill mt. bike race

 

[Hoser John]

TV shows and poverty are to blame as fever runs high and waters run low so many less places to go also. Bummer sorry to hear of your epic fruitless journey. John

 

[Jeff95531]

I feel your pain sidvail. My whole summer of prospecting got put on hold as soon as school let out. I live in an RV park and it's been full most of the time. When I asked what was going on, I was told a lot of people came from Oregon to avoid the smoke and fires. Btw, I NEVER go on weekends because of consistent crowds. I don't do crowds, no way

 

[sidvail]

Yeah, campgrounds are not my normal destinations - but with Diane coming along, I have to make it doable for her. Which means large tent and all the comforts. I prefer backpacking, but she's not physically able. We'll try another week and book a spot ahead of time. I did like the look of the Yuba river though. Very pretty.

Downhill mtn bike race? So that's why I saw so many cyclists.

We're off to the Cosumnes right now. Maybe we'll find some color

 

[Fullpan]

Not too long ago we could count over 50 dredges along the NF Yuba from Indian Valley CG to Sierra City - now its cyclists. Last twenty years they've built over
300 miles of trails in that area, the Downieville Downhill is most famous. This years race was held Aug 1 - 4. Used to be 2 0r 3 gold shops in town that would buy your placer, and if you made friends would sometimes grubstake you for a couple bucks. They are gone now but there's still a lot of gold in NF and tributaries. I know the bed and breakfast place in Goodyears Bar - very homey with small garden. We always passed it going the short cut up to Alleghany on
Mountain House rd.

If you are planning on another trip I suggest Union Flats CG (about halfway between Dnville and SC) and PM me before you leave - I
might have a spot you can check out. Union was always full of miners back then.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Just for perspective, I live in a town of 800 +/- (don't know who died, or was born lately ).
In the Summer and when the Salmon are in, the population grows a bit to maybe 900. We do have
stop signs here, but the closest stop light (signal) is almost 25 miles downriver.

Smaller creeks (6'-10' wide) are everywhere, and a few that are always holding some flood gold
run through an area about 20 min. from home. Once I step off the road the area I like to pan
in is about 50 yds. up the creek, and odds are near 100% I'll never see another soul. Hell, you can
even drive 15-20 miles down some of the paved backroads and see only 1 or 2 other cars on the road
the whole time. (Elk, deer, bear.... yes, people....no)

Being near-deaf, when I get around any crowded (or noisy) area, all I can hear is
a loud, confusing, jumbled up mass of humanity all talking at the same time. I can't
make anything out clearly. No ability to "localize" the source of sounds, so even if
someone shouts my name, or I hear a airplane/car/etc I still have no idea what
direction to look to find them.....it's maddening at the very least, and I avoid it unless
there is no other option but to be there.

I'm usually up at nights, as the outside ambient noise level is about -0-, and I can hear
the river running behind the house, owls, and even a duck fart two-blocks over..(which
probably just my neighbor sneezing...lol).

You want peace and quiet? Give me a call...we don't have loads of gold, but
we've got lots of peaceful solitude around here.

This pic was (literally) taken from my backyard. Sold a number of prints (still have
some available on canvas in 16x24 and 24x36 sizes).


(view at max size)

 

[sidvail]

If you are planning on another trip I suggest Union Flats CG (about halfway between Dnville and SC) and PM me before you leave - I
might have a spot you can check out. Union was always full of miners back then.

FP - Thank you sir, I will definitely take you up on that. We are planning another trip, maybe early next month. Those towns up there were so perfect. I think I could retire to a place like that. Really concerned about all the claims though - don't want to step in the wrong area.

Dizzy - You got the spot! I used to go to training in Everett (Fluke Networks) and would drive up to Mt Pilchuck, but never made it up north to your area. Looks awesome.