Colfax, CA panning. Any advice?

[RandyBraun]

Hi all, I am in my second year of panning and new to TreasureNet. I live in Truckee, on the other side of Donner crest. Has anyone panned gold in Colfax, CA? At Mineral Bar? Any suggestions or tips? I'll be there May 1 for a couple of days if anyone wants to join me.

 

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[russau]

Welcome to the site ! Contact the USGS for info on this location for tips in that area !

 

[N-Lionberger]

Lots of people go to Bear River outside of Colfax.

 

[RandyBraun]

Welcome to the site ! Contact the USGS for info on this location for tips in that area !

Thank you Russau!

 

[RandyBraun]

Lots of people go to Bear River outside of Colfax.

So the area is not claimed?

 

[N-Lionberger]

Outside Colfax there’s a campground/day use area on the Bear river that you can pan at. There are a number of books on public panning locations in California. Pioneer mining in Auburn has a good selection of literature.

 

[southfork]

Outside Colfax there’s a campground/day use area on the Bear river that you can pan at. There are a number of books on public panning locations in California. Pioneer mining in Auburn has a good selection of literature.

I spent a lot of days face down on the Bear camp site #1 county park with a big day use area. Just find a vacant hole and jump in a wet suit will make for a better day.

 

[N-Lionberger]

I spent a lot of days face down on the Bear camp site #1 county park with a big day use area. Just find a vacant hole and jump in a wet suit will make for a better

the place is hammered but if you know where to look!

 

[brianc053]

Found this beauty at that section of Bear Creek near the campground parking lot back in 2016.
Couldn't believe it when it appeared in the 8" sluice!

Good luck!

- Brian

 

[russau]

Very nice display case for your BEAUTY !!

 

[brianc053]

Very nice display case for your BEAUTY !!

Thanks, that nugget sits in a case with little bits of gold from each place that I've visited to prospect. Case is getting dusty - need to clean it!
(Side-note: All of it is "in the wild" gold - no tourist gold, not that there's anything wrong with tourists learning to pan etc. at those pay-to-pan places. I just like to venture out to places like Bear Creek to find it "in the wild"!)

There's a hole waiting for more Alaska gold. (There's a whole story behind that hole, but I've already distracted too much from Randy's original post.)

 

[russau]

I started to do that years back but I needed $$ for the next trips ! BUT I got the memories and friends forever !

 

[southfork]

I started to do that years back but I needed $$ for the next trips ! BUT I got the memories and friends forever !

We save photos!

 

[russau]

Yep , LOTS of photo's !