Nooksack River Gold Wa.

[minersmoss]

Hi from Washington Sate,

Just thought I'd share a few pics of the first trip out this season on the Nooksack River.

 

[knighthunter]

Nice, way to go.

 

[g-olden years]

Looking good! Andi

 

[kazcoro]

Good gold. Working like a dog I see. Well, he IS a dog after all. Your partner I mean.

 

[sluicelee]

Good gold and nice pictures. Putting those sluices to work :-)

 

[Fullpan]

Don't let PETA see those pics - they'll sue you for not paying your partner federal minimum wage, lol

 

[DizzyDigger]

Nice Nookie color...

Looks like 3 different sluices got a workout...which one is your preferred?

Been watching the Nooksack levels, and thought about heading there
last week but the damn rain got in the way. Soon though...

 

[KevinInColorado]

Federal Claim, secret unclaimed spot, public area or ??

 

[simbad42]

I love taking my dog out on the hunt. He helps me dig and at times feels like he has better luck than me.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Federal Claim, secret unclaimed spot, public area or ??

Kevin, the Nooksack covers a whole lot of country in 3 different forks.

I've found gold in all three forks, but prefer the south as (for me) the
access (physically) is much easier. There are areas of it I would dearly
love to prospect, but unfortunately it's behind the gates of a large timber
company.

There are also several spots that are near roadways that I can get to, and
never yet been skunked there.

 

[minersmoss]

DizzyDigger,

Good to hear from you. My sluice is the Keene A51 and that is the one I prefer. My dad was using the Bazooka Super sluice and it was the first time out for it, I don't think he was using it right because he didn't do as well as I did, later found out that he shouldn't have been classifying his material prior to running it threw the Bazooka. The grey sluice box belonged to a fellow prospector who we ran into along our trek. The river was a little to high the day we went, but we sure had a good time. A flash in the pan is worth it every time.

 

[minersmoss]

Kevin,

Like Dizzy stated the South fork produces the best gold. The South Fork runs mostly through forestland and flows behind locked gates. The area is open to the public for outdoor activities, horse back ridding, hiking, hunting, fishing, prospecting, but no motorized vehicles beyond the locked gate. For the adventurous prospector who doesn't mind hiking a couple 2 or 3 miles the reward can be great. We walked in 2 miles the day we went.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Kevin, Like Dizzy stated the South fork produces the best gold. The South Fork runs mostly through forestland and flows behind locked gates. The area is open to the public for outdoor activities, horse back ridding, hiking, hunting, fishing, prospecting, but no motorized vehicles beyond the locked gate. For the adventurous prospector who doesn't mind hiking a couple 2 or 3 miles the reward can be great. We walked in 2 miles the day we went.

Great, thanks for sharing those details

 

[kazcoro]

Couple of miles wouldn't bother me at all. Just have to bring a backpack is all.

 

[SalmonKing]

Minermoss...nice color you got there!
I have a couple of questions for you if you would sir...

1. How many buckets of material do you think you moved to get that color? Did you classify first?
2. Without giving away your “secret place” have you gone up to the end of FR 12? I went up there a number of years ago, and walked up stream a long ways (maybe a mile, maybe less) but never found a flake. I’ve tried several times from the bridge almost all the way up to Bell Creek....nothing.
I’ve gone just up from the hatchery several times but not done as good as your picture even adding up all of my trips!
Maybe I’m doing it wrong but with 45 years of prospecting under my belt that’s doubtful. The S. Fork has been kicking my butt for 25 years. And I’m my research I’ve never found any history of a gold find on the middle fork so I steer clear of there.

Anyway...nice find buddy...hope to see you in the river!

 

[Treasureman25]

Dang that’s sweet!

 

[Gold4Mike]

Minermoss...nice color you got there!
I have a couple of questions for you if you would sir...

1. How many buckets of material do you think you moved to get that color? Did you classify first?
2. Without giving away your “secret place” have you gone up to the end of FR 12? I went up there a number of years ago, and walked up stream a long ways (maybe a mile, maybe less) but never found a flake. I’ve tried several times from the bridge almost all the way up to Bell Creek....nothing.
I’ve gone just up from the hatchery several times but not done as good as your picture even adding up all of my trips!
Maybe I’m doing it wrong but with 45 years of prospecting under my belt that’s doubtful. The S. Fork has been kicking my butt for 25 years. And I’m my research I’ve never found any history of a gold find on the middle fork so I steer clear of there.

Anyway...nice find buddy...hope to see you in the river!

SalmonKing, welcome to TreasureNet! I saw the other thread you resurrected for the Skykomish. My wife and I have spent quite a bit of time on the SFN too and have had days better than what Minermoss has pictured. I don't know if he is still on TNet to answer, but I think he has some youtube video's of some of his exploits on the SFN. I can't answer your first question, but I also tested up in the upper reaches of the SFN off of FR 12 and did not get anything. That was quite a drive in and I won't bother with that anymore unless I just want to be very remote for some reason. Try the area just up from the Saxon bridge or near the hatchery, or hike up past the hatchery to the canyon area about 2 miles in or to the mouth of Cavanaugh Creek, closer to 3 miles in. You might get a little more gold for those hikes, but you'll probably end up with more gold spending that hiking time just running gravel at the Saxon bridge.
Here's one of our better days near Saxon bridge.

 

[SalmonKing]

SalmonKing, welcome to TreasureNet! I saw the other thread you resurrected for the Skykomish. My wife and I have spent quite a bit of time on the SFN too and have had days better than what Minermoss has pictured. I don't know if he is still on TNet to answer, but I think he has some youtube video's of some of his exploits on the SFN. I can't answer your first question, but I also tested up in the upper reaches of the SFN off of FR 12 and did not get anything. That was quite a drive in and I won't bother with that anymore unless I just want to be very remote for some reason. Try the area just up from the Saxon bridge or near the hatchery, or hike up past the hatchery to the canyon area about 2 miles in or to the mouth of Cavanaugh Creek, closer to 3 miles in. You might get a little more gold for those hikes, but you'll probably end up with more gold spending that hiking time just running gravel at the Saxon bridge.
Here's one of our better days near Saxon bridge.
View attachment 1797406

Nice color!
I’ve never tried the bridge area itself. Just the bars upriver from the hatchery.
Now...with these new rules in effect it’s ALMOST not worth my time anymore.
I only got out once in 2020 due to rotator cuff surgery...but I’m looking forward to trying again this year.
Right now I’m waiting for the rivers to fall into shape and waiting to see what’s going to happen with this next rule change (hoping I can still use my mini-highbanker).

 

[DizzyDigger]

That area around the Saxon bridge is an annual depository for
flood gold coming down from the upper parts of the river. So long
as the river runs high a few times a year that area will be refilled with
more small gold.