Planning a trip to California

[cheech]

I am planning a trip to California with my family and am looking for suggestions of hotel and places to prospect. I live on the east coast and have never been to California. Also any suggestions on some place to sight see. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

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[H&F909ORO]

Areas in a small town called Colfax is a great place to prospect and sight see. Lots of historic land marks there a long with good gold. Go to a place called Yankee Jims or Mineral Bar. 10.00 dollars parking at each of the sites. I suggest going to Yankee Jims as it has some good gold to be found. I'm sure there's some hotel around there. Any other questions you need answered to ahead and ask. Others will give some good info as well.

 

[Fullpan]

Anywhere within a 50 mile radius of Ca. hwy 49 (north,south), and I - 80 (east, west) is a good bet. Plenty to do and see. Suggest Auburn ca. as home base while you're here and drop in at Pioneer Mining shop for details in Auburn.

 

[cheech]

Thanks for the information I'll check the place out and start planning my trip. There is public places to go over there.
Thanks again for the help

 

[cheech]

Just about ready to take my trip just would like to know what time a year would be a good time to go Weatherwise and water level

 

[infotraker]

The rivers are running high after this weeks storms. The levels go down quick and the spring runoff may be low as this year has been mild. Most of us go out year around working around the weather.

 

[ratled]

Are you looking for touristy kinda of things, gold related things, history things, family things or trying to get in a little mining for just you? Also, CA is kinda big ( no comments form those from TX or AK folks needed) did you have specific area you are looking at?

ratled

 

[cheech]

Looking to do a little bit of everything mainly prospecting going out that way by myself on this trip to explore the area basically to see how it is and a next trip will bring the wife and kids but I'm kind of down to one hand as I broke my hand two weeks ago so determine how long before I can make this trip or if I can do it with just one half hands and the area would be around North California colfax and Auburn

 

[infotraker]

I would recommend two hands as rocks on the n. Fork american River can be slippery in the winter. Yankee jims out of Colfax is good . The n. Side has a path upstream. South side path , you can not go upstream , creek has lots of water.

Mineral bar upstream n. Side path goes above river to large gravel bar, flood gold in gravel usually found with sluice box.

 

[bedrock bubba]

Anywhere within a 50 mile radius of Ca. hwy 49 (north,south), and I - 80 (east, west) is a good bet. Plenty to do and see. Suggest Auburn ca. as home base while you're here and drop in at Pioneer Mining shop for details in Auburn.

Sorry to change the subject. Does anyone have a gold wheel for sale? I'm in Grass Valley. Just PM me with phone #.
Yep, I tried the classifieds, but no wheels for sale.

 

[Hoser John]

With a wounded hand not a good idea as everything is slippery and wet and MORE damage could be a life changing event to a current injury. Take care of yourself and heal up first. John

 

[Goldwasher]

Let me know when your in the area and if you will be able to come to the Coloma/Placerville area we will get you to a handicap access spot don't let the gimp get you down. You won't get rich but we will get you color and you'll get to do it amongst the spirits of the gold rush.

 

[63bkpkr]

Cheech,
It is still winter in NorCal. The rain on ~ the 9th kicked the NFAR flow up to 10,000 cfs though it is now down to a little less the 2000 cfs however one should not even try to swim in it at 250 cfs as you can not get back up river as the flow is strong. As it has already been said the rocks are slippery. Even moderate water flows at this time of year are Cold making falling into the water and incurring an injury could be a near death experience. Even the places you've had suggested to go to may not have many people there and then they will be busy with what they are doing, the only person looking out for you will be you. Being out there with a healing body part is only adding to the potential danger to yourself.
As has been said the water in CA is low however we could still get snow into May and any "Winter" storm can turn deadly, be prepared to take care of yourself for at least a week if you are snowed in.

The Auburn area is a great place to be, the prospecting shop there will welcome you and likely will be able to supply you with helpful info. Understand that the Auburn area is part of the 1849 gold rush so lots of history and possibilities abound. I would suggest you wait till summer like early June especially if any additional snow and rain develop as the water will be much lower, safer and more places will be accessible for camping as well as prospecting. There are many trails out of the Auburn area, again the prospecting shop in Auburn can help you with info. on them. if you are physically in good shape and bring along a pack you could even backpack down some gentler trails to a river/creek and campout. Check out my thread "A picture is worth a thousand words, approximately..........63bkpkr" in the journals section at the top of the prospecting info and you will see pictures of what the river looks like during the 'summer' months. Some of the trails down to the NFAR require serious physical fitness as well as a hiking staff AND the bears are plentiful and will rob your food bag unless you are very good at hanging it. They know enough to chew through a rope.


Best of luck with your trip....................63bkpkr

 

[cheech]

Thanks everybody that would be great I can use a handicap spot no big deal[emoji3] but I should have the pins taken out in about two weeks and then I still have a little bit of recovery time but I think I should be able to work fine without the pins being in there as for I'm already using the hand it all depends on what the doctor says in two weeks if and when I make the trip and how's the weather there in March and can you use a high banker there yet thanks for all the important
Thanks again maybe one day we'll meet

 

[Hemisteve]

If you are interested in seeing some beautiful country and a historic mining town head up Hwy 49 to Downieville. I can put you on some good ground on the North Yuba.
Late March should be a good time to be up there as long as we don't get any heavy late season snow storms.
Weekends only for me.
Steve

 

[The Gilded Lens]

I'd go to Grass Valley and get some pasties for lunch from Marshall's Pasties in the historic downtown area. There are a few gold shops in on the Main Street area as well as a hardware store or two that sell gold mining supplies. Then head out to Empire Mine. It's now a park and you can check out the museum (amazing gold specimens) and walk through the entire mine yard, go down the main shaft a ways, and see the beautiful mansion. They have hiking trails too! I know it's not actual prospecting, but with a bum arm it would still be fun!

 

[Hemisteve]

Mmmmmm. I haven't had any pasties from there in a long time. Is Ames book store still there? I bought a lot of great old mining and geology reports and books there in the past.

Good call on recommending Grass Valley, Nevada City. Close to Auburn and Colfax.

 

[The Gilded Lens]

Mmmmmm. I haven't had any pasties from there in a long time. Is Ames book store still there? I bought a lot of great old mining and geology reports and books there in the past.

Good call on recommending Grass Valley, Nevada City. Close to Auburn and Colfax.

No! I'm so sad! I loved Ames! I think it was last year that it went our of business.

Yeah, too much history and beauty not to visit.

 

[The Gilded Lens]

On yeah. Depending on what month you're going up you can also go visit Malakoff Diggins and it's ghost town of North Bloomfield. In either June or July they have Humbug days which is a really fun event.

Do you have dates already set or are you planning around fun things to do?

 

[cheech]

I was planning on going to get in the March maybe middle of March don't really have a set date just looking for things to do while I'm there besides prospecting I like to see the other sites