3.8 gram nugget, prospecting via whitewater kayak!

[Lotus Geologist]

Went whitewater kayak prospecting on the South Fork American yesterday and we found a doozy, a 3.84 gram nugget! It was in a small pocket just under the vegetative mat, not even in a crevice… doesn’t look like it spent much time in the river at all. Which is good, because I think I know where it came from. Will be going back with the metal detector to work the slope up to an area of visible alteration. It is a VERY steep slope… impossible to access unless you have solid whitewater skills.

The funny part of the story about this nugget is the name it gets… we’re calling it the Greenhorn Nugget. Here’s why…

My buddy James is a good whitewater kayaker, but until yesterday he had no clue what gold looked like. Yesterday morning he comes over with a vial of mica thinking he’s rich… I dump it in my driveway and tell him I will show him what gold looks like and where to find it. We get in the kayaks and paddle about a mile of Class 3 rapids and pull to shore to work a few crevices… he figures out pretty quick what gold looks like and we both are doing well, 5-10 flakes and a couple pickers in each pan… a couple of the pickers were quartz encrusted gold… hmmm… can’t be far from the source…

We head downstream through one more rapid and split up, James on one side of the outcrop, me on the other… not two minutes later he comes walking up with the nugget in his hand asking “is this what I think it is”? I grabbed it and told him no, it’s fool’s gold for sure, and now he’s a fool for handing it to me!

To be truthful, I was jealous of his find, but only for a few seconds… I am super stoked that a verifiable GREENHORN, first time prospecting, found such a nice nugget. James is now hooked! I told him not to expect another nugget like that anytime soon…

L.G.

(nickle for scale)

 

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[delnorter]

Wow, what a great nugget L.G. Kind of like getting a big buck the first time hunting. Both can be done again with scouting and smart work.

Mike

 

[Lanny in AB]

Went whitewater kayak prospecting on the South Fork American yesterday and we found a doozy, a 3.84 gram nugget! It was in a small pocket just under the vegetative mat, not even in a crevice… doesn’t look like it spent much time in the river at all. Which is good, because I think I know where it came from. Will be going back with the metal detector to work the slope up to an area of visible alteration. It is a VERY steep slope… impossible to access unless you have solid whitewater skills.

The funny part of the story about this nugget is the name it gets… we’re calling it the Greenhorn Nugget. Here’s why…

My buddy James is a good whitewater kayaker, but until yesterday he had no clue what gold looked like. Yesterday morning he comes over with a vial of mica thinking he’s rich… I dump it in my driveway and tell him I will show him what gold looks like and where to find it. We get in the kayaks and paddle about a mile of Class 3 rapids and pull to shore to work a few crevices… he figures out pretty quick what gold looks like and we both are doing well, 5-10 flakes and a couple pickers in each pan… a couple of the pickers were quartz encrusted gold… hmmm… can’t be far from the source…

We head downstream through one more rapid and split up, James on one side of the outcrop, me on the other… not two minutes later he comes walking up with the nugget in his hand asking “is this what I think it is”? I grabbed it and told him no, it’s fool’s gold for sure, and now he’s a fool for handing it to me!

To be truthful, I was jealous of his find, but only for a few seconds… I am super stoked that a verifiable GREENHORN, first time prospecting, found such a nice nugget. James is now hooked! I told him not to expect another nugget like that anytime soon…

L.G.

(nickle for scale)
View attachment 977010

What a sweet story! He should be hooked too, and it's amazing how many times I've been out and seen greenhorns do just that, pull out a nugget! Perhaps that's where the phrase "beginner's luck" came from, the goldfields? Anyway, if it didn't, it should have.

Great story and great find. That piece of gold just screams character!

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/g...-north-american-placer-freakin-fantastic.html

 

[Campngolf]

That's the kind of beginners luck I'm looking for.

 

[Bonaro]

The best kind of nugget is one you can trip over

 

[medic7a]

Ha, I kinda thought that was you I was talking to when you described the mica that your buddy brought to you. I was across the river when your buddy jumped up and started doing the happy dance. Did you guys find anything else on the way down?

 

[Lotus Geologist]

Ha, I kinda thought that was you I was talking to when you described the mica that your buddy brought to you. I was across the river when your buddy jumped up and started doing the happy dance. Did you guys find anything else on the way down?

Hey Medic, we actually did a little better upstream, but no additional nuggets... "just" pickers and a bunch of flakes... We hit three more bedrock outcrops on the way downstream and it was mostly fine gold... Gonna hit it again tomorrow.

How did you do on our your side of the river? I have found some nice pickers on that bedrock right where you were panning.

L.G.

 

[Lotus Geologist]

Funny that another Tnet'er got to see my buddy do the happy dance!

L.G.

 

[Tree!]

Man! That nug makes my eyes feel funny things... haha!

 

[medic7a]

I did ok. I was just out for a couple of pans and the exercise. I had already explored a different canyon that morning and got skunked so i decided to hit that spot.

 

[kazcoro]

I knew that kayaking idea was a good one.

 

[panningjack]

That is a beautiful piece of gold!

 

[Aufisher]

Wowser! Way to catch the fever and a smoking one at that!

 

[TAKODA]

Went whitewater kayak prospecting on the South Fork American yesterday and we found a doozy, a 3.84 gram nugget! It was in a small pocket just under the vegetative mat, not even in a crevice… doesn’t look like it spent much time in the river at all. Which is good, because I think I know where it came from. Will be going back with the metal detector to work the slope up to an area of visible alteration. It is a VERY steep slope… impossible to access unless you have solid whitewater skills.

The funny part of the story about this nugget is the name it gets… we’re calling it the Greenhorn Nugget. Here’s why…

My buddy James is a good whitewater kayaker, but until yesterday he had no clue what gold looked like. Yesterday morning he comes over with a vial of mica thinking he’s rich… I dump it in my driveway and tell him I will show him what gold looks like and where to find it. We get in the kayaks and paddle about a mile of Class 3 rapids and pull to shore to work a few crevices… he figures out pretty quick what gold looks like and we both are doing well, 5-10 flakes and a couple pickers in each pan… a couple of the pickers were quartz encrusted gold… hmmm… can’t be far from the source…

We head downstream through one more rapid and split up, James on one side of the outcrop, me on the other… not two minutes later he comes walking up with the nugget in his hand asking “is this what I think it is”? I grabbed it and told him no, it’s fool’s gold for sure, and now he’s a fool for handing it to me!

To be truthful, I was jealous of his find, but only for a few seconds… I am super stoked that a verifiable GREENHORN, first time prospecting, found such a nice nugget. James is now hooked! I told him not to expect another nugget like that anytime soon…

L.G.

(nickle for scale)
View attachment 977010

" doesn’t look like it spent much time in the river at all ".


I gotta agree with that .

Damn nice piece regardless of when it got there .
Good luck on the follow up .

 

[goldenmojo]

I was out there all day myself but no luck like that. Great find by your buddy. He now knows what gold looks like.

 

[golden sluice]

Gold! outstanding find.