Panning Bear River, near Auburn, Calif.

[UncleVinnys]

This was just my second time out, and of course I was still
doing everything wrong and bass-acwards.
Fortunately, other more experienced panners were out there
and they helped me along. One fella was from my SVDB club,
and he was especially encouraging.
Like, I didn't bring a "classifier" to sift out the bigger stones.
I left my catch sponge out of the sluice, but put it back in
on his advice. And, I was not using the gold pan properly.
Despite all my Newbie errors, I was still able to capture
some gold.

 

[rginn]

Cool pics. I'm still trying to figure out the pan. That sluice looks like it might be easier and faster, though.

 

[jf44]

Looks like after you got lined out found some nice gold.
Really makes you feel good to find some, never will forget
our first findings. Its not easy work but the end results are
worth it sometimes. Gold fever is catching.

 

[allen]

pieces of gold like that add up pretty quickly.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Even with our modern tools It's hard to Imagine what the Pioneers had to go through back then. I used to Pan in Colorado and it is backbreaking work!

 

[UncleVinnys]

Even with our modern tools It's hard to Imagine what the Pioneers had to go through back then. I used to Pan in Colorado and it is backbreaking work!

Yeah!
An hour of driving.
An hour of shoveling and hauling heavy rocks and dirt.
3 hours sitting ankle deep in icy water.
Skinned knuckles bug bites.
$2.00 worth of gold . . .

At this rate I'll be rich by the year 2525!

But the scenery was priceless!!