Gpaa

[taternut]

Is anyone familiar with the gpaa claims? I know there is one in trinity about 1.30hours away from me but I don't know if it would be worth it. There's free prospecting areas around me, but I want to learn more. Their website says its $90 for a new member, but I've heard it's more?? Does anyone have any input on this company? And if it's worth the money

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

I do better in areas around Redding than I do at the claim in Douglas City. I haven't been to the other claims farther down. I wish I would have looked at the claim before I paid my money. Some guys like though.... You should drive over and check it out.

 

[Jimmydolittle]

Hey taternut, if there are any clubs near you, you do not have to be a GPAA member to attend them, and they are free to join. The club I belong to has really taught me a lot about prospecting. Something to consider.

 

[2cmorau]

whats a good shoolin cost now a days?, and as past bis owner, many customers asked where can i go? or how do i learn to use this proper like?
confluence of the american river, bear river camp ground are my answers, there are many that show up to these site and may help, a loco prospecting club is a good place to start but 90greenbacks thats not even close to my mining claims property tax, oh and the catolog that comes with the price to pan where u won't get chased off for trasspassin on somebuddies mining claim
HH

 

[DizzyDigger]

whats a good shoolin cost now a days?, and as past bis owner, many customers asked where can i go? or how do i learn to use this proper like?
confluence of the american river, bear river camp ground are my answers, there are many that show up to these site and may help, a loco prospecting club is a good place to start but 90greenbacks thats not even close to my mining claims property tax, oh and the catolog that comes with the price to pan where u won't get chased off for trasspassin on somebuddies mining claim
HH

Unfortunately, GPAA has failed to maintain their Claim Book, and some of those
claims are no longer under lease. I know of 2 in Calif. that, had my buddy and
I continued down the road another 200 yds. and started working (what we thought)
was the GPAA claim, we would have received a nasty ticket from Calif, plus had our
gear confiscated.

If you have a GPS, finding the GPAA claims is much easier, as the so-called "directions"
GPAA provides are not usually very good, and you'll win up elsewhere if not careful.

 

[mytimetoshine]

I was wondering about this also. The commercials make it look like a no brainer. Might be worth it since you get about 30 bucks worth of gear along with it and its good for your family also but something doesn't sound right to me.

 

[taternut]

Well I read you can only take immediate family, which is lame because no one in my family prospects. My best friend which is basically my brother always go with me wouldn't be able to go. And for family you have to get guest passes which only allows them to pan...so I've read

 

[B H Prospector]

Donh't know where you guys are gettin your info but it sounds like mis information to me. I've been a GPAA member for years and have not had any of the problems you are stating or rules like family needing a guess pass. That's BS. Family members from birth to 17 can use any GPAA claim as a full member. Their book is published every two years so yes some claims may not exist between publishing but all up dates are published in the pick and shovel paper members get bimonthly. $90 and have access to over 300 claims! Yes that is a NO BRAINER! As far as your buddy goes, take him all you want. There is no limit on visits and he can use your equipment. He just can't bring his own.

 

[dieselram94]

GPAA is a stand up organization. I used to be a member when I lived out west and I am going to renew my membership anyways as a way to support the cause.

Sent from my SCH-R930 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jmoller99]

I have been a GPAA member for years and I bring people along on outings. No one has made any issues of it at all (My friend from the UK has enjoyed the trips and the gold he dug up to show his friends back in Lancashire). As long as everyone gets along and people stick to what the site allows, I can't see why you would have any problems bringing someone along. If you brought lots of people along, that might be an issue. Many of the members bring neighborhood kids along for them to get out and learn things - its always been a lot of fun.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Donh't know where you guys are gettin your info but it sounds like mis information to me. I've been a GPAA member for years and have not had any of the problems you are stating or rules like family needing a guess pass. That's BS. Family members from birth to 17 can use any GPAA claim as a full member. Their book is published every two years so yes some claims may not exist between publishing but all up dates are published in the pick and shovel paper members get bimonthly. $90 and have access to over 300 claims! Yes that is a NO BRAINER! As far as your buddy goes, take him all you want. There is no limit on visits and he can use your equipment. He just can't bring his own.

First, let me apologize for sounding so upset at GPAA..I'm not, but after re-reading my post
it's obvious that I didn't express that very well..lol

The 2 claims in question were down near Randsburg, CA. and both he and I had only been
GPAA members for about a month. The paper we received along with out Claim Guides, etc.
did not mention the closed area, so we hadn't a clue. The Park Ranger stopped us on the way
in, and if he hadn't we would have gone right ahead and prospected the area.

Unfortunately, the Pick & Shovel is bi-monthly, and hopefully in the interim no one will make a long
trek to visit a claim only to find out it is no longer available to GPAA members, and with no alternative
claims available in the area. In my case, we got lucky as the GPAA does have other claims in the immediate
area, so we did have a site to prospect for the day.

I do understand the Claim Guide is only updated every 2 years, but it does seem reasonable
that they could add a single page flyer with any updates regarding claim availability. A cheap photocopy
would do fine, then the new member gets an up-to-date claim book to start off with.

I have no issues at all with their guest policy, and in fact that is one of the reasons I joined GPAA.
Unfortunately, there are only a few GPAA claims in the state, and 2 of them are inaccessible for me
as the terrain is too steep and not worth the risk of a fall.

My funds for clubs are very limited, and since I can only take a couple of extended trips a year,
odds are that next year the money will be spent joining two local clubs. Each has several good claims
in my immediate region, and I believe there would be more opportunities for me to learn and share
with others.

Now, if I lived in Northern or Central Calif. things might be entirely different. With the multitude of
claims and local chapters that GPAA has in Calif., joining the GPAA annually would be a good investment
that I wouldn't pass up. They've got enough claims down there to keep me busy forever.