Panning in Desolation Wilderness

[Armchair prospector]

Been watching videos from LandmarkAdventures of a backpack adventure through Desolation. Many lakes and streams. Has anyone done any panning? or is it to high in elevation for gold in the Sierras? These are really good videos to watch. Some of the shots are amazing. Mt. Tallack overlooking Tahoe. If you never back packed this gives a lot of insight.

 

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[Goldwasher]

Its too high up into the Granite belt. I do know there is gold up to and maybe past silver fork. I know someone who found a nugget in the area of that big slide in '97....that was on the river however. Desolation is just not geologically good for gold.....yet there are fracture zones and quartz intrusion. There were a few hardrock gold mines in and around the Tahoe basin...but, there is a reason you don't really hear about them as they were low grade.

 

[Hemisteve]

Yep,
Been in the Tahoe basin most of my life. You might find some fly poop once in a while. Did a lot of hiking in desolation back in the day.
Here is one to check out. There is an ancient tertiary river that has been followed through Little Valley on out to Yerington. No one has ever found traces of it on the western side of Tahoe. Has to be there somewhere.

 

[Fullpan]

My old mining partner spent a week up in little valley - said there decent old diggings up there - he got a little gold.

 

[Armchair prospector]

Yes there are a number of fractures in the granite that are shown. I guess carrying a small pan and maybe a crevise tool would be all that would be needed when backpacking for the weight.
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