Need advice on a mountain creek I found

RTR

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Smith Mt. Lake Va.
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All Treasure Hunting
While deer hunting I came across this mountain runoff creek.I didn't have any gold hunting equip with me .But I did have a camera.This creek is located (as the crow flies) about 1 mile from an old registered gold claim. Anyone See any rock formations or indications that might look promising for gold ?
2011_0216Mttohuntdeer4th0016.webp2011_0216Mttohuntdeer4th0017.webp2011_0216Mttohuntdeer4th0011.webp some rocks in the creek.2011_0216Mttohuntdeer4th0013.webp
This creek is miles away from anyone/anything. I think very few if any people have been here because of difficulty getting there.
 

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Also saw signs of Mt. Lion in this area and being alone I didn't stay long.:)
 

Also saw signs of Mt. Lion in this area and being alone I didn't stay long.
Ohhhhhh come on now dont let a little mountain lion,even though you wont see or know what hit you if he wants you,stop you from getting a few samples or looking around.:laughing7:
 

2010_1113Mttohuntdeer4th0012.webp
Thanks guys..........Also in the same area I came across this. Any idea what & how old it is ?2010_1113Mttohuntdeer4th0011.webp
 

Looks like either.....
1) the stones were stacked before mortar was being used in construction,or.
2) mortar was used and disintegrated over time,or.
3)Dirt was used as mortar.
Anyone with ideas ,as to its age ? And or what it was ?
 

Iron oxides in quartz says GOLD like a flashing neon sign. As for the stone structure, people in my part of Appalachia were still building with rocks like this for log cabin chimneys, all chinked with clay, mud, and moss, as late as the 1940's, but WWII brought prosperity to the region and the practice died out. Of course yours is probably much older than that, and detected coins should give you an idea on it's occupation timeline.
 

I'd smash the crap outta that stuff and go from there. As for that wall was there any military activity in that area (civil war, etc.) or could it be an unfinished wall of a cabin or monument?
 

That structure looks like a fireplace of some kind.

I'd hit that quartz like it owes me money! IT DOES! WACK IT!
 

I see no apparent rock formations in the photos as indicators for gold.
The country rock appears to be an assortment of shale and limestone bedrock with assorted colluvium in the stream bed which is not usually an indication of gold deposit.

The quartz however may contain some values, hard to say without crushing.
Also the quartz most likely originated from much higher up the slope and more upstream. That is where I would look for its source.

With all that being said......
As you know, gold is where you find it :icon_thumright:



Go for the gold
GG~
 

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Any local history regarding Civil War ? Could have offered some protection for a soldier. Is it on a ridge ?
 

Any local history regarding Civil War ? Could have offered some protection for a soldier. Is it on a ridge ?

Its on a ridge.Maybe 500 ft. above Roanoke river.Franklin county Va. Maybe some civil war history,area is surrounded with it.
 

RTR - I SEE Adventure written all over your post/pictures/comments! If someone was there long enough to build a wall/fireplace-chimney then they will have left or lost other objects. The Creek, sampling including moving rocks to get down into the creek bed for better samples/where gold may have been captured takes work and time. The area around that section of stacked rocks needs searching and detecting as well as more roaming around the hillsides looking for Signs. Possibly putting up a trail cam to see what is coming and going would be useful......................63bkpkr
 

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I can steer you into a little better place for thoughts on your rock pile. Go to the research and technics section and then to the treasure markers thread. I've read and learned a lot about things we don't pay attention to when we walk around.
 

That's some cool finds in the forest but how was the Deer hunting ?
 

My ancestors settled this property I own very early on. The second house on this property - the chimney is still standing. Based on study, my chimney was erected around 1803 or thereabouts. My chimney had mud fillers as does the picture of the chimney you found.

It's old!
 

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cool stuff anytime you happen upon an area that just gives you the feel that not many if any have been. No mortar in the wall doesnt mean anything. Tons of hand stack walls and foundations out here in Ca that are the same
The geology looks a bit off for gold but crush that quartz and i would for sure break out a metal detector
 

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