Lake tahoe NV gold prospecting? Travelling from Wa state.

[mshanygin]

My wife wants to go to lake tahoe NV at the end of the june. She will go party with her friends and I would love to go get some gold or at least rock hound. Any ideas or at least thoughts on this plan. My other option is staying home and doing some extreme camping gold prospecting in Washington state. Which is also good. I love my gold here. I have seen fire opals on tv that could be a fun stop for me. Any suggestions? Any good gold in that area that I can prospect publicly? I will be bringing my bazooka, pan and other supplies.

 

[rodoconnor]

If all else fails ,just down the road[ I 80] are the American and Bear Rivers. Good luck

 

[mytimetoshine]

I've never heard of gold in lake tahoe but that doesn't mean it's not there. I would think the elevation would be to high for this area but it is s In a valley. Someone else will probably chime in.

I love lake tahoe. In fact I'm going up next weekend with a friend. Might have to bring my gold pan hehe

 

[NeoTokyo]

You could do what I did as a kid if you get too bored, sit on the rocks with bits of hot dog on a string and catch some tasty Tahoe Lobster.

 

[minerrick]

My wife wants to go to lake tahoe NV at the end of the june. She will go party with her friends and I would love to go get some gold or at least rock hound. Any ideas or at least thoughts on this plan. My other option is staying home and doing some extreme camping gold prospecting in Washington state. Which is also good. I love my gold here. I have seen fire opals on tv that could be a fun stop for me. Any suggestions? Any good gold in that area that I can prospect publicly? I will be bringing my bazooka, pan and other supplies.

PM me when you are close to showing up and leave me your phone number. I live in Truckee, and this summer I plan on going on a lot of adventures looking for new claims to sell to fund the WMA lawsuit. If you are in really good shape and want to do some exploring, let me know. I have some very interesting prospects I want to check out and you can come along if you'd like.

The only gold I know of in or around lake tahoe, is on the east side of the lake, half way up the hill from the desert floor in NV. It is placer and it is on private property. From my knowledge, there was an ancient river channel that ran under tahoe down into the american river basin. Tough luck finding that one under the lake. I also heard of a story of a guy who had some mining location near the top of Brockway Summit (Hwy267), but I would have no clue where he was going to find that. There were minor locations for digging silver near Brockway summit, but it wasn't rich or long lived. In Martis Valley there is BLM land with trails on it; and one of the trails near the highway has a bunch of rock piles in the meadow, along side the creek, where apparently old timers were looking for gold. I've never looked there, but I don't think I'd waste my time in the Tahoe area. Best bet is to go down towards Placerville and Nevada City/Downieville.

 

[davin]

i dont know much about the area but have read some about placer ca.
not sure how close to tahoe but i know that area up there is suppose to have gold.
keep us posted.

 

[The Gilded Lens]

PM me when you are close to showing up and leave me your phone number. I live in Truckee, and this summer I plan on going on a lot of adventures looking for new claims to sell to fund the WMA lawsuit. If you are in really good shape and want to do some exploring, let me know. I have some very interesting prospects I want to check out and you can come along if you'd like.

The only gold I know of in or around lake tahoe, is on the east side of the lake, half way up the hill from the desert floor in NV. It is placer and it is on private property. From my knowledge, there was an ancient river channel that ran under tahoe down into the american river basin. Tough luck finding that one under the lake. I also heard of a story of a guy who had some mining location near the top of Brockway Summit (Hwy267), but I would have no clue where he was going to find that. There were minor locations for digging silver near Brockway summit, but it wasn't rich or long lived. In Martis Valley there is BLM land with trails on it; and one of the trails near the highway has a bunch of rock piles in the meadow, along side the creek, where apparently old timers were looking for gold. I've never looked there, but I don't think I'd waste my time in the Tahoe area. Best bet is to go down towards Placerville and Nevada City/Downieville.

Agreed, I've never heard of any gold up that way. A few of my coworkers went on a camping trip near Bowman Lake and that's only a few thousand feet higher than Nevada City and they got skunked for gold. The geology just isn't there. It's all granite peaks and boulders. Treasure in it's own right, but not golden. If you guys head down to the Nevada City area we could show you around. Plenty of prospecting to be had, but the Empire Mine and just the towns in that area are always fun to visit for history's sake.

 

[minerrick]

Agreed, I've never heard of any gold up that way. A few of my coworkers went on a camping trip near Bowman Lake and that's only a few thousand feet higher than Nevada City and they got skunked for gold. The geology just isn't there. It's all granite peaks and boulders. Treasure in it's own right, but not golden. If you guys head down to the Nevada City area we could show you around. Plenty of prospecting to be had, but the Empire Mine and just the towns in that area are always fun to visit for history's sake.

Actually, there is gold by Bowman, but you were not in the right place. There was noted gold near Weaver Lake and also S and E of Bowman- Both Lode and Placer. You just got to know where to go. Actually, there was a claim right on I-80 near Cisco at one point. An occurrence, I assume as I don't know of any ancient river channels that far east.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Rick, how long have you lived in Truckee?

 

[The Gilded Lens]

Actually, there is gold by Bowman, but you were not in the right place. There was noted gold near Weaver Lake and also S and E of Bowman- Both Lode and Placer. You just got to know where to go. Actually, there was a claim right on I-80 near Cisco at one point. An occurrence, I assume as I don't know of any ancient river channels that far east.

I've never tried up that way. Why go North, when it's in my "backyard"? I'm not sure where exactly they were, a smaller lake near Bowman, but don't remember its name.

 

[Aufisher]

Head towards Hwy 49. I found puny gold on the East side near whale habor /nude beach. Huge black sand and miniscule gold.

 

[Miner49er_2015]

I've never tried up that way. Why go North, when it's in my "backyard"? I'm not sure where exactly they were, a smaller lake near Bowman, but don't remember its name.

Weaver Lake, or McMurray to the North of Bowman, or Sawmill to the SE. Lindsey, Carr or Feely Lake? Been to them all.

There is a hard rock mine with a 5 stamp mill still standing and a very large jaw crusher on the South side of Bowman Lake, up from the curved concrete dam. It was a difficult hike. Getting back wasn't fun either. No trails along the shore, but with the water levels lower it is accessible, but there was still some boulder climbing to get there. I went back again in a canoe! Just don't get caught on that lake when a thunderstorm rolls through!! The lake got so choppy and windy, ended up almost at the east end of the Lake, had to walk all the way back to the truck parked near the gravel/earth dam.

 

[The Gilded Lens]

Weaver Lake, or McMurray to the North of Bowman, or Sawmill to the SE. Lindsey, Carr or Feely Lake? Been to them all.

There is a hard rock mine with a 5 stamp mill still standing and a very large jaw crusher on the South side of Bowman Lake, up from the curved concrete dam. It was a difficult hike. Getting back wasn't fun either. No trails along the shore, but with the water levels lower it is accessible, but there was still some boulder climbing to get there. I went back again in a canoe! Just don't get caught on that lake when a thunderstorm rolls through!! The lake got so choppy and windy, ended up almost at the east end of the Lake, had to walk all the way back to the truck parked near the gravel/earth dam.

Sawmill! That's the one!
I've gone backpacking to French and Meadow lake but never prospected them.

 

[NeoTokyo]

I saw this posted on Gold Prospectors group on Facebook tonight by Gerald Kracher

It might be worth a try, check to see if it is open to prospecting.
It looks like it is quite a ways from the lake though.
I just did a google map search and this is what I got.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/B...2!3m1!1s0x809c85b8c4a9b3af:0x587bd92f94b65836

It is south of Bowman Lake which is Northwest of Lake Tahoe above I-80.

 

[minerrick]

Rick, how long have you lived in Truckee?

I've lived in Truckee since 1979, which I think makes it 36 years. Before that I lived in Nevada City for 15 years.

 

[minerrick]

Brandy City is a good 2 hours from Lake Tahoe. But for what it's worth, you cannot find any good gold grounds any closer than about 45 minutes away from Truckee. I have a claim that is about 45 minutes away, but it is pretty much on the edge of the eastern gold belt of Nevada City and north. You wanta play, you gotta pay (in hours).

 

[minerrick]

Attached is the "tahoe gold channel" map- got scuba?

 

[DizzyDigger]

I've lived in Truckee since 1979, which I think makes it 36 years. Before that I lived in Nevada City for 15 years.

My family spent summers in Truckee/Donner Lake for a number
of years, and the summer I turned 13 was spent working at
a small resort on Donner Lake.

Any chance you recall a place that was along the lake called
Cottage Pines Motel? Run by a fellow named Sky Miles?

 

[bedrock bubba]

I've never tried up that way. Why go North, when it's in my "backyard"? I'm not sure where exactly they were, a smaller lake near Bowman, but don't remember its name.

That could be Meadow Lake, elev. 7000' where there was once an old gold mining town. But it was all recalcitrant ore!

 

[The Gilded Lens]

That could be Meadow Lake, elev. 7000' where there was once an old gold mining town. But it was all recalcitrant ore!

No, they (my coworkers) went to sawmill. No gold.

I have backpacked Meadow but not prospected it. It was before I was miner lass.