M & M Mining the Northern Sierras

[63bkpkr]

Hi Mike, I've enjoyed reading your thread and the pictures/vids. Yes the mountains are getting colder and so is the water. I've just returned from a trip above Sacramento and the nights required two summer weight sleeping bags, but I had them both so I was Comfy! You've quite a camp there, I'm a bit jealous as mine are quite primitive. Being out here is worth all the effort and some discomfort including I suppose stepping into water that is higher than your waders. The food your share with your dog buddy sounds really great, I usually do not allow myself such comforts as I'm usually backpacking.

Best of success with having the stove igniter work properly for all occasions on your next trip!.................63bkpkr

 

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[mikep691]

Hi Mike, I've enjoyed reading your thread and the pictures/vids. Yes the mountains are getting colder and so is the water. I've just returned from a trip above Sacramento and the nights required two summer weight sleeping bags, but I had them both so I was Comfy! You've quite a camp there, I'm a bit jealous as mine are quite primitive. Being out here is worth all the effort and some discomfort including I suppose stepping into water that is higher than your waders. The food your share with your dog buddy sounds really great, I usually do not allow myself such comforts as I'm usually backpacking.

Best of success with having the stove igniter work properly for all occasions on your next trip!.................63bkpkr

I've acquired an extra long lighter for the damn stove and keep it in the camping tote for those occasions that igniter goes on strike. I know it's not NFAR country, but you're more than welcome to come up for a few days. Drive up camping, and the hike to the dig site is much easier on old, tired bones. Sometimes, even the gold is good.

 

[63bkpkr]

Thank you Mike for the Invite! Right now I'd not be much good as mostly all I want to do is sleep and stay clean, the long hours of driving coupled to the activity of the last day in the mountains has hit home. Your location looks interesting and the camp site is amazing with lots of covered room to spread out. Good luck with the rest of the root ball!...................63bkpkr

 

[mikep691]

Well, my truck was mad as hell on the way home from work last night so I might have to put the next trip on hold. Doing some much needed maintenance today, then working an overtime day tomorrow, then we'll see how the old girl does. The '92 Yota is the perfect mining truck, but with 345,000 miles, she's getting tired. In other work related news, I may be moving up the food chain. I interviewed for a future maintenance position at my current job. This could mean a jump in pay by $6.00 an hour, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[mikep691]

Merry Christmas and Happy 2019 to all. Tis the time to start planning my annual Memorial Weekend trip. It may seem to be far off, but five months goes by quickly. As always, I have room for a few extra friends that would like to join in the fun. If anyone is interested, shoot me a message.

 

[63bkpkr]

Happy New Year Mike!

I'm job hunting so making plans for the future will be put aside for right now. IF I do not find a job then as soon as the snows in NorCal melt I plan on heading for the mountains. I hope you job possibilities have come true, keep that truck running!...............63bkpkr

 

[mikep691]

Sadly, my best friend and companion for over 16 years passed away Saturday February 9th. She was my mining partner, early warning system, and dish pre-washer. Pandora was friends with all that have been to my claim, including other dogs. The cedar log that crosses the creek will be named for her, Dora's Bridge, and the upcoming mining season will be dedicated to her.

She will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.

Rest in Peace my friend. It's not goodbye Dora, I'll see you soon

 

[arizau]

I grew up with only one dog in my life. Flipper, a black and white purebred Cocker Spaniel. He actually adopted our family as he kept running away from his original owner and ending up at our house so the owner finally gave him to us but kept the purebred registration. I, as a young teenager, and the whole family was devastated when he had to be put down. Our remembrance was an almost full sized statue of a dog lying on the floor that we kept next to an easy chair. It looked just like him. Nice remembrance for Dora.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Sorry to hear about this. RIP Pandora

 

[PJV]

Sorry to here that Mike. RIP Pandora.

 

[mikep691]

All these storms hitting the northern Sierras are likely going to push my mining season start back to May. By then I'll be heavily into planting season as well. I'm SOOOOOO ready for spring.

 

[63bkpkr]

It will be interesting to see how summer starts (when it starts)! Spring, what a nice sound to that word and the images of pine and oak forests all over a mountain, the river running clear (and full?!), the birds singing, the squirrels jumping from limb to limb and the aroma of Fresh Air! Sigh...........63bkpkr

 

[mikep691]

Herb, you know you have an open invite to come up and play in meat creek. It's not "roughing it", though the hike to the old dig site from two years ago is a bit long. Harder coming out of course, but nothing like ARC. Plus my mining partner will likely be working close to camp which is even easier. Memorial weekend is the official kick off of our season, and there's still room for a couple of guests.

 

[63bkpkr]

Thank you Mike and my apologies for the late reply! I would love to do something, anything in the outdoors, even being out in the middle of a river shoveling into my GGt like mytimetoshine & asmbandits have been doing. That will not happen for now. I've two maybe job possibilities (you see the double negative) that I could hear about next week as quite simply, it would be best for me to be at a paying job. I am exercising so that as the Sierras open up I will be ready to go out somewhere IF I do not have a job. Till then I stay put and exercise and diet some. I will catch up with you later.........63bkpkr (AKA Herb)

 

[mikep691]

It's not been the best start to the year for me. Lost my best friend two months ago, and then my home of 18 years. I'll be moving this week into a fixer upper, that in a few years will be all mine. Winter still has a grip on the Sierras, which is delaying the start to my mining season. But with the upcoming move, I have to stay and fix the little things at the new house like the water. Then there is all the unpacking. Partner Rockguy bought himself a birthday present, a new metal detector. He's getting the hang of it and has been able to go play in the woods a few times. If all goes well for me this time, The house should be all fixed, and unpacked in time for the annual Memorial Weekend dig. Looks like we'll be heading up on the Thursday before and coming home on Tuesday after. With a good, long weekend, we should pull some decent color. If it's there to be found, we'll find it.

 

[mikep691]

Mother Nature just won't let go of the Sierras. The snow is flying in the Northeastern part of the state, and the forecast has 30-50% chance of some kind of precip through the holiday weekend. Throw in the fact that my finances are extremely tight at the moment, my planned trip for next week is on hold. At this rate, mining season might not start until mid June. I know with all the rain and snow the Sierras have had this winter, the creek will be running high, fast and very cold. This in itself may prevent us from working the creek gravels as usual. Plan "B" may have to go into effect at the outset of our season.

There is a high bench of virgin dirt several hundred feet from the creek. With pumps working in series, we may be able to get enough water there to run the high bankers. Rockguy has acquired a Keene 2 1/2" pump that we can start with, then add in as many 2" pumps as needed with an ungodly amount of lay flat hose, we'll make it work.

It's up to Mother Nature now...

 

[Real of Tayopa]

mike, you have my sympathy, they grow on you. What was the woof's name ??

 

[mikep691]

mike, you have my sympathy, they grow on you. What was the woof's name ??

Her name was Pandora, but we all called her Dora. She will be remembered at the claim with a dedication of the cedar log bridge she laid on to watch us dig.

 

[63bkpkr]

A good Dog is always missed, you have great memories of Dora I'm sure! The home lost is just nasty stuff, sorry to hear that. The fixer upper will be turned into Home quite quickly!

And EVENTUALLY the snow will be gone from the NorCal Sierras but not any time soon! I've been glued to the weather situation above Sacramento for weeks now and quite frankly the glue is starting to smell. I just do not see the snow leaving till it truly warms up and its looking like that will not be till sometime in June which could mean Mid July before the snow is gone from the Jeep (Bronco) trails.

I've one job possibility still sputtering along but man is it dragging my spirits down, I want to get it over with one way or the other and it just will not move along swiftly. Sigh

More later when I have something..................63bkpkr

 

[mikep691]

At least we can get to the claim (a week ago), but Meat is running swift and deep. We can't get into that 34* water to work our normal bedrock gravels. Maybe we can for Labor
Day weekend.