looking for some help gold panning

[utah_ty]

I live in vernal,UT and want to start panning for gold. I am completely new to this so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, also looking for someone in the area to help if possible.

 

[stephen583]

My interest in gold prospecting now is to develop it into as much of a science as possible, thereby eliminating most of the unproductive and wasteful digging. Understanding how topography and hydrodynamics influence gold deposition is essential to pinpointing productive dig sites. For instance, gold in a water course won't make a 90 degree turn (not the majority of it anyway). Gold moves down a water course in a straight line, even though there are curves in the creek, (just about every experienced prospector knows that).

So even in a fast running creek, an abrupt change in the direction of a creek will cause gold to drop out of a current (even during flood stage). Remember, gold moves in straight lines down a water course. It won't make a 90 degree course change. The turbulence of the water crashing into the bank at a 90 degree turn also insures the gold will drop out at that point and end up being deposited around the base of the boulders, or it will be washed up onto the high bank and settle in there.

I am currently using "Google Earth" to survey American Fork to locate prime locations where the river makes abrupt turns, especially if there are very large boulders located at the turning point where the current would run particularly fast and with a high degree of turbulence. If the boulders dropped out of the current and ended up in the apex of turn, it stands to reason the gold probably did the same thing.

 

[stephen583]

The reason I take such an analytical view of prospecting has to do with my background. I worked both as a criminal investigator on the Sheriff's office and as an arson investigator on the Fire Department. Seems to me, gold prospecting and good detective work go hand in hand.

The excitement and satisfaction of finding a nice pocket of gold, isn't unlike standing out back of an appliance store when a professional burglar steps out the back door holding a television in his arms, and I'm standing there dangling a pair of handcuffs on my finger. LOL. For me, it's all about the challenge and the hunt.

 

[KevinInColorado]

The reason I take such an analytical and scientific view of prospecting has to do with my background. I worked both as a criminal investigator on the Sheriff's office and as an arson investigator on the Fire Department. Seems to me, gold prospecting and good detective work go hand in hand. The rush and satisfaction of finding a nice pocket of gold, isn't unlike standing out back of an appliance store when a professional burglar steps out the back door holding a television in his arms. Lol.

This makes complete sense to me. I also love the sleuthing and finding. Mother Nature loves to play hide-n-seek...and I do too!

 

[stephen583]

BTW. If you visit Rose Creek in Arizona next to Lynx Creek, about 50 yards beyond the big pool where everyone hangs out panning, Rose Creek makes a hard 90 degree turn just before it curves around and reaches the public park (hint, hint). You're still on the privately owned section of Rose Creek where prospecting is approved by the land owner, so you can dig all the way down to bedrock there and no body is going to hassle you.

 

[stephen583]

I heard an interesting story about a place called Strawberry Creek in Yellowstone Park. A couple of back packers (nature lovers) stopped off to investigate an old abandoned (mostly collapsed) cabin. While poking around for relics, they found a couple of old corroded metal gold pans and decided to have a look around the creek. As the story goes, they claim they found some gold nuggets just laying there on the bottom of the shallow creek bed.

I also once passed through a town in Southern Colorado called Strawberry on my way to Arizona. There was an annual motorcycle rendezvous there, so I decided to lay over one day and take in the sites. Once the locals learned I was a prospector, several of them assured me there was good color in some of the creeks around Strawberry. One fella went so far as to invite me to pan the creek on his property at no charge if I didn't believe him. Unfortunately, I was on my way to pick up a friend in Cottonwood, Arizona at the time and never got the chance to investigate any of these claims.

Does anyone know, is the name "Strawberry" associated with gold finds ? Such as "There was once so much gold here, it was like picking strawberries" ? I've noticed certain names are code for gold locations. For instance, Cotton Wood trees have shallow roots, so their presence on a hillside a creek runs down might indicate the presence ancient alluvial river clay just beneath the surface of the ground, or "pay dirt" as some call it . So anyplace with the name "Cotton Wood" in it is worth a look in my book.

The Blue river in the Sit Graves National Forest Arizona could have also been a reference to "blue-grey" colored alluvial clay in the area as well. As most rivers appear blue anyways, it would seem a little obvious to name a river the "Blue River" merely because it contains water, don't you think ? and I found some good color on the Blue River.

Might be worth a look see if anyone passes by these two Strawberry locations though. They're both on my bucket list.

 

[49er4ever44]

Very interesting. There is a strawberry Arkansas near where they find/mine diamonds.

 

[kcm]

From the highway twelve miles to the south to the Martinez ranch, there is an ATV/FWD trail. There's a warning sign at the beginning of the trail that says, "Vehicles using this trail are cautioned to travel in convoys", although few people heed the warning. It's a pretty rough trail in some places, but most of it is drivable at low speed. Give yourself 2, or 3 hours to reach the river park near the ranch, that's where you'll have to leave your vehicle. It's all on foot from there on out.

I would Google Earth the entire trek so you have a preview of just how rugged and remote the Blue River area is.

That's a good tip. Another good tip would be to get a decent Screen Capture utility (I use Movavi) and record your Google Earth session. That way when you're out in the wilds, you can review it as needed to ensure your on the correct path, to locate any nearby landmarks, alternative routes, etc. No internet needed, and you can play it back on your laptop as often as needed.

 

[stephen583]

Very interesting. There is a strawberry Arkansas near where they find/mine diamonds.

There's also a "Strawberry" Reservore located somewhere near American Fork, isn't there ?

 

[stephen583]

I was reading an excerpt from Alan Chenworth's book on Gold Prospecting in Utah and he specifically mentions "Cascade Creek" on the American Fork River. Have you ever been to Cascade Creek Kevin Any idea where its' located ?

Can't find its' location on the maps available on the internet. Lot's of nice photos of it though. Later today I'm going to step over to the library and take a look at some hard copy maps of American Fork River and try to pinpoint it.

 

[stephen583]

What part of the state of Utah is Marysvale and Bullion Creek located in ? According to the internet there are places on Bullion Creek where people can pan and sluice free of charge. Tons of photos of the place under Utah Gold Panning, but absolutely no directions how to get there. LOL. You ever been there Kevin ?

 

[KevinInColorado]

I was reading an excerpt from Alan Chenworth's book on Gold Prospecting in Utah and he specifically mentions "Cascade Creek" on the American Fork River. Have you ever been to Cascade Creek Kevin Any idea where its' located ?

Can't find its' location on the maps available on the internet. Lot's of nice photos of it though. Later today I'm going to step over to the library and take a look at some hard copy maps of American Fork River and try to pinpoint it.

I'm really glad you have Alan Chenworth's book. Good stuff! I haven't been to Cascade Creek, but I bet the other Kevin has. Would be fun!

PS I'm very impressed with how generous you are with info Stephen, very kind!

 

[stephen583]

Don't know about this Marysvale "Bullion" Creek outfit though.. the pics look pretty crowded and touristy. The place has probably been pounded as hard as Lynx Creek. Not really my bag of tea. I prefer to prospect alone, or with a single partner in a remote area. Although Bullion Creek might be a good location to network with locals and pick up some valuable information.

 

[stephen583]

Kevin. You asked earlier if I ever had any problems on American Fork. As I indicated earlier I haven't been there yet, but I can tell you something about Utahans I've learned in general. Most of them around SLC are friendly enough, although some of the Mormon elite (recommended Mormons) can be a bit stiff and standoffish. A recommended Mormon is one that has been endorsed as being a particularly devout Church member by a council of apostles, or the bishop. It's definitely a cast system, and that's o.k.

Some Utahans in particular take special offense to tourists coming in and "exploiting" their state resources. There is a television special airing this week on KSL news addressing those complaints. These hyper-sensitive individuals want higher fees for park access and tougher recreational mining regulations. So far, this small group is satisfied with merely protesting and lobbying state legislators.. but there is definitely an underlying hostility that exists towards outsiders exhibited by these very adamant and emotional folks.

My advise would be to be especially respectful of private property and gold claim rights. Think TEXAS. If you are confronted by an angry armed Utahan, I would advise a posture of polite disengagement (as he is probably one of these extremists). I would also advise you to have an escape and evasion plan already laid out wherever you are.. just as a precaution. Unless you are particularly fond of raging gun battles with homicidal maniacs, (which I'm not particularly fond of).

I haven't heard of any such instances since I moved to SLC, but at the same time, I'm sure a lot of what happens in the back country doesn't make the six o'clock news either. Just want you to know the potential for confrontation is a little elevated here in Utah. That is the State motto on their license plates, "Life Elevated" ! LOL. And Utah is very much part of the Ole' West.

 

[utah mason]

I was reading an excerpt from Alan Chenworth's book on Gold Prospecting in Utah and he specifically mentions "Cascade Creek" on the American Fork River. Have you ever been to Cascade Creek Kevin Any idea where its' located ?

Can't find its' location on the maps available on the internet. Lot's of nice photos of it though. Later today I'm going to step over to the library and take a look at some hard copy maps of American Fork River and try to pinpoint it.

It's up the south fork side of the canyon. Here are a few pictures of my map.








Hope this helps

 

[KevinInColorado]

Stephen, UtahMason is your real Am Fork expert
...I've only been up there digging a couple times, once was with him!

 

[Goodyguy]

Stephen,

Love your stories. They remind me of my own. I'm not much of a story teller but I love reading about the adventures of others.
Thank you for the rides along.

GG~

 

[Goodyguy]

That's just two businesses I got talked out of, there were dozens more. I also came up with an idea for the most formidable bear deterrent in the world, and I'm not talking about CS bear spray. The problem with CS bear spray is it is a direct fire weapon. If you have to use it, you're already engaged with a bear at close quarters. CS bear spray doesn't deter bears from entering your camp in the middle of the night, does it ? Nor does it deter a bear from quietly sneaking up on you while you are fishing on a river bank somewhere. (And let me tell you, an 800 lb. bear can creep right up on you. In most cases, the first indication there is a predatory bear nearby, is when you feel his breath on your neck). Then there is the other problem, "What if there is more than one bear" ? The solution. Even the biggest, baddest Kodiak, or mamma Grizzly bear isn't going to mix it up with a skunk, and every bear by the time it's two years old knows what a skunk smells like and to avoid them at all costs. Why not synthesize skunk spray in a can ? Walk out 10 yards, or so from your camp site, and give the spray can a miniscule squirt on a bush, and sleep safely. A bears sense of smell is 50,000 times that of a human. So you wouldn't have to use so much you would be able to smell the offending odor. Walk fifteen yards around the camp in a circle, and lay down some more "Fresh" skunk. Continue until you are surrounded by an invisible and impenetrable "skunk" barrier.

Of course it could be used as a direct fire weapon as well, if designed with a narrow stream, instead of a fog spray like a conventional bear spray. That's another downside to CS bear spray, the wind can blow it back on you, and you become as disabled as the bear is. CS bear spray then becomes a waiting game. Who will recover first ? You, or the bear ? Notice I keep using the phrase "predatory" bear, which is a bear that has decided to kill, or eat you. The runoff the mill, curious bear is easily deterred by CS bear spray. In fact, the average bear won't usually even enter a camp site with a strong human scent. If you leave your camp empty for more than three days, all bets are off. Better not try spraying CS bear spray through a hole in your tent either (say one made by a predatory bears claws). A straight stream skunk spray could easily be fired through the smallest hole, and the bear won't come back later on. he just learned you've got a skunk with you in your tent.

Imagine the advantage of not having to haul your packaged food up into a tree and haul it back down every time you cook. Sleep soundly all night in complete confidence. Never having to worry the pet dog is going to be killed by a bear (and BTW I've seen the biggest, baddest pit bulls on earth, roll over on their backs and whimper like a puppy at the approach of an 800 lb. brown bear). Your dog isn't suicidal, he isn't going to fight to the death against an gigantic monstrous predator like a brown bear. he probably wouldn't attack a 300 lb. black bear either, and the common and numerous black bear accounts for 95 % of all bear attacks on humans.

Name of the product "Bear-B-Gone" Skunk spray and bear deterrent. Naturally, you could tame your own wild skunk from a kit and throw it at the attacking bear. That might work also, but I think it would be less reliable than "Bear-B-Gone". One thing I always carry with me in bear country is a small economy size spray can of WD-40. It contains ether, and makes for one heck of a improvised blow torch with a bic lighter held in front the nozzle. Keep it down to a three second bursts, the nozzle will melt, and the can will explode with prolonged use as a flame thrower.

I've actually used WD-40 to stop a charging black bear in his tracks. The bear was digging in a garbage pile, and I walked carelessly past, as 300 lb. Boo Boo bear (as he was called by the locals) was well known and seemingly acclimated to people.. except if you got within 20 yards of his garbage pile. The bear covered the 20 yards in a couple of seconds and headed right at me with his ears back and his teeth showing. This was no "mock" charge ! I pulled out my can of WD-40 and the lighter, and gave Boo Boo bear a blast of fire just as he was swiping at my legs. Bears are covered with fur and they scorch easily. No real damage, just some burnt fur. Faster than you could say "God Yes" Boo Boo bear made a 180 degree flip in the air and reversed direction in a panicked run. He continued to bellow in indignation as he ran a couple of miles away abandoning the garbage pile for the day. A few weeks later, in the middle of the night, Boo Boo bear retaliated in a surprise attack and almost clawed his way into my tent. Fortunately the first gash was large enough, I was able to give him a second treatment with the WD-40 without catching the tent on fire, although the hole became a whole lot bigger, and my tent was ruined. Skunk spray eventually wears off, serious fire damage to a plastic tent does not.


Anyway, good luck making a million dollars Kevin if you decide to market "Bear-B-Gone". I'm near the end of my life, never married, and all my family are gone, so I don't need the money so much, as long as I have a roof over my head and I can make groceries.. I'm happy.

Here is the spray just needs to be purchased in bulk and re labeled and you are all set ..............



Used by law enforcement for crowd control.
http://www.shop.blazedefensesystems.com/SKUNK-Crowd-Control-Malodorant-Spray_c40.htm



GG~

 

[stephen583]

Stephen,

Love your stories. They remind me of my own. I'm not much of a story teller but I love reading about the adventures of others.
Thank you for the rides along.

GG~

Thank you. I've been in some pretty hairy situations in 30 plus years of prospecting, and I don't want anyone else to make the same mistakes I did.. especially newcomers to the field. Newbies deserve every bit of support we can give them. I also don't mind sharing detailed information about gold prospecting with other prospectors.. because nobody gets it all. I assure you, everywhere I've dug, there's still plenty enough gold waiting there for everyone.

If anyone tells you they know about a good area, but they cleaned it out, or everyone else has.. they're lying to you, or they don't know what they're talking about.. It's not possible ! Even Lynx Creek. Arizona (the most heavily visited and pounded tourist gold panning site in America) still produces some gold. A few years ago a teenage kid walking down Lynx Creek without even a pan, found a marble size gold nugget just laying in the Creek.

I once heard, if someone makes a statement and uses the word but, to ignore everything that comes after that ! There are statements of fact, and their are opinions.. the word but usually precedes an opinion.

 

[stephen583]

Wonderful pics of Cascade Creek and its' location Kevin. Thanks much. I intend to make Cascade Creek my first expedition into American Fork. Probably will spend at least seven days there camping and prospecting. Initially I plan to attack the mouth of the creek and later work my way upstream from there about a couple of hundred yards. I'll post a report of what I found and where I found it in this thread the moment I return.

 

[stephen583]

The first segment of "The Big Five" "Price of Popularity" aired on KSL News tonight. It detailed the 2016 national ad campaign for the five major parks in Utah and the accompanying problems caused by increased tourism. The sewage treatment plant at Moab is overwhelmed. Sewage from camp grounds is having to be trucked 100 miles away from parks to be treated. Traffic near parks is becoming more congested, and vehicles are spewing C02 exhaust while they are waiting for hours to enter the parks. Littering, vandalism by tourists and other crime was also mentioned. Only at the top of the segment was there any mention of the 1 billion dollars in state revenue tourism provides Utah annually. The program appeared to me to have a very "negative" slant in general.

Just before this, a story appeared on CM30 News at 9, entitled "Criminals in Uniform" which reported on 86 cases of sexual assault by airmen stationed at Hill AFB in 2016. No comparison was made between the number of such assaults occurring at Hill AFB and a general civilian population in Utah in a community of the same size. So this story appeared to me to have a xenophobic bias as well.

So Yes. I would have to say there is a "xenophobic" component to Utahan culture. Dog gone it ! I'm going prospecting anyways, whether they like it, or not !