Power sluicing

[infotraker]

Does anyone know what the rules concerning power sluicing on the n. Fork American river are and are there dates when it is ok ? Also, any ideas as the best place to go along the n. Fork area. I think it is ok from ponderosa up to iowa hill bridge . A friend of mine has bought one and wants me to show him how and where to operate it. I know the bridge access areas probably do not gave much gold but at least I can show him the ropes.

Thanks for any info.

 

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[H&F909ORO]

Mineral Bar is a place to try, but yes you need to have a permit when power sluicing. Do not be caught without a permit OR you can be fined a thousand dollars. There is a forum on here that talks about it. Look up in google search "power sluicing in California." There the first thing that comes up is the thread go and check it out.

 

[Clay Diggins]

*Sigh*

Mineral Bar is claimed and off limits to prospecting. There are other claims above Ponderosa and almost half the river area you described is private land and closed to prospecting.

Please know where you are before prospecting. Please respect private property and your fellow miners claims.

 

[Clay Diggins]

To answer your question. There are no permits required for highbanking in California.

You can get confused by the opinions posted on this, and other internet forums. I think the water board is counting on that. Or you can go to the trusted and respected Mining Journal and study the facts.

 

[infotraker]

As I understand the mineral bar area is not claimed and the area upriver for quite a ways is wild and scenic and open to non motorized prospecting. Most of the area from Auburn up past secret ravine and further is open and not claimed. There are a couple of areas that are private that were not bought from owners when preparing for the Auburn dam but they do not cover very large areas.

 

[H&F909ORO]

Mineral bar is not claimed. There has been many people including me that ha prospected that area. If it was claimed I would see signs posted everywhere along the river, which I have not seen one. I guess for permits it has updated. When I looked on the forum I read you needed permits.

 

[Clay Diggins]

As I understand the mineral bar area is not claimed and the area upriver for quite a ways is wild and scenic and open to non motorized prospecting. Most of the area from Auburn up past secret ravine and further is open and not claimed. There are a couple of areas that are private that were not bought from owners when preparing for the Auburn dam but they do not cover very large areas.

You understand wrong.

Mineral Bar is under the EILEEN placer claim CAMC9683 located by John and Clarence Eddy in 1960. That's 54 years. Please respect their claim.

The vast majority of the North Fork drainage is private land. The stretch of river from 1/4 mile upstream of Ponderosa to Bunch Creek is ALL private land. None of that private land is in the SRA and none of it is open to prospecting. At Bunch Creek is a claim on both Bunch and the North Fork.

Please understand that the SRA is an interagency management agreement. The land was not purchased. Much of the land within the SRA management district is controlled by the Bureau of Reclamation but the lands themselves are assigned to the BLM. Mixed with the SRA and private land along the river and elsewhere are significant pockets of BLM land open to claim.

The Wild and Scenic River corridor, above the EILEEN placer claim extends 2640 feet out from the river. Above that line there are many claims on the mineralized public lands. In the North Fork drainage above Auburn there are more than 700 active mineral claims. Gold Run, Idaho Hill, Yankee Jim and many other productive areas are a patchwork of current mineral claims and private mineral patents.

I hope that helps you understand better.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Mineral bar is not claimed. There has been many people including me that ha prospected that area. If it was claimed I would see signs posted everywhere along the river, which I have not seen one.

You have stated that more than once here H&F909ORO. Repeating an untruth does not make it true. There is no requirement under California law that a mineral claim be posted with signs. It is the legal obligation of each and every prospector to know the status of the land before he prospects. Mineral trespass is illegal and a disservice to your fellow miners. Please don't steal from other miners.

 

[Campngolf]

Man, all this confusion sure does make it difficult for a newb to figure out where to hit the river.

Does any agency have maps available that shows what areas are claimed and what areas are open for prospecting? I've got the fever and want to keep gettin' the gold but I do NOT want to trespass on someone's claim.

 

[Campngolf]

dupe post. please ignore

 

[Clay Diggins]

No such agency maps exist. Never have and probably never will.

Alaska has their own mapping system for land status that is pretty good but seldom up to date. Australia has an excellent system.

There is a system that professional prospectors and miners use to determine land status before prospecting. That system requires a lot of self initiative and some considerable time but it is just one of the many skills required of the professional prospector.

If you don't desire to learn the skills or just don't have the time local prospecting clubs have a good solution to the problem.

Gold has never been easy to find, that's why it's worth so much. Taking shortcuts and ignoring the rights earned by prospectors who have learned the skills and done the work is disrespectful and all to common in my opinion.

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

Mineral bar is not claimed. There has been many people including me that ha prospected that area. If it was claimed I would see signs posted everywhere along the river, which I have not seen one. I guess for permits it has updated. When I looked on the forum I read you needed permits.

If a bunch of people jumped off a bridge would you too since there are signs? Sorry to be abrupt but that is the lamest excuse I have ever heard. Do proper research, people rip signs down all the time. What you hear in a forum is nothing but some guys opinion I wouldn't use it as legal advice. Guys like you are a big problem for guys that actually do the work and pay the money to stake a claim. Either do proper research or stick to the know areas established for prospecting. Better yet join a club, most offer claims for members.

 

[H&F909ORO]

Huh, I must have been very confused. Last time I asked this someone said that it's claimed, then another said it's not. Wasn't sure what to believe because when I went prospecting for the first time I saw a few people digging. I only did crevicing and moved little dirt. Considering many people went prospecting I figured there was no claim which was a false assumption. How far does the claim stretch on the river? I'm thinking I know now why people go farther downstream and don't dig close to mineral bar. Won't be doing anymore crevicing near mineral bar. Sorry for all the trouble.

 

[H&F909ORO]

I typed in the claim number you have me clay. I found that there is a claim, but could not find the exact location because it would not open up. Again, sorry for my idiot statements and ideas.

 

[Goldwasher]

Its not really difficult to find out thr status of an area. It is easy to pick a small area you are interested in. Locate the private properties, check the land management status of the " Public Lands" in the area and search through the county and blm as far as claims go. Check patents at the county. You can call BLM especially with serial numbers for info. Minecache is a good google earth download for basic info to cross reference. Any and all information you gain online must be checked for accuracy with the county and blm office. If you don't know don't dig. Mineral trespass and grand theft are not really charges to have put on you. Especially when there is so much open ground. If I ever see some one post names or VIDEOS of easy to get to places I automatically assume its claimed and that person shouldn't be there. sucks to look at that way but..this forum has some perfect examples of it. Some people seek out these areas and would rather beg forgiveness or argue ignorance ...and it is slinging the wrong type of mud within our community....barren worthless mud! Clay Diggens has had to chime in more than he should on these specific areas and anyone not heeding his advice is a fool. If you want to prospect...you must know how to claim, as that is the conduit to prospecting and mining legally. If you don't want to put in the effort then join a club.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Huh, I must have been very confused. Last time I asked this someone said that it's claimed, then another said it's not. Wasn't sure what to believe because when I went prospecting for the first time I saw a few people digging. I only did crevicing and moved little dirt. Considering many people went prospecting I figured there was no claim which was a false assumption. How far does the claim stretch on the river? I'm thinking I know now why people go farther downstream and don't dig close to mineral bar. Won't be doing anymore crevicing near mineral bar. Sorry for all the trouble.

The claim starts at Mineral Bar Campground and goes upriver for 1/4 mile. From the bridge downstream for almost three miles is open to prospecting. At that point you enter into private lands again.

Heavy Pans

 

[ALewis]

I have a question....almost thought of PM'ing Mr Clay....and, afraid to kick this hornets nest....But here goes.....
1st, please, no disrespect meant. I appreciate any & all info, and I am really not trying to argue, just understand ?

Main Q, can they be messing up the legal desc. on the Eileen claim ? I don't know, I CAN pull up a bunch of recorded "Proof of Labor" for the Eileen claim, recorded every year, I see 1985 - 2013. Sure enough, looking at the APN map that is a stretch of the NF of the American...

BUT, isn't that inside the Auburn Rec Area ? I know that's not gospel...But I've been told (NOT Gospel) that you cannot have a claim in rec area ?
You can go to State of Ca Parks website & it list's Mineral Bar, give's fees, etc & say's pannin ok ?
I have asked one of the "private" white ranger guy's about claim, etc, he actually laughed and said no way. (I know not gospel) but, he does have a gun, and has given me a parking ticket, if that matters ?
Asked a Placer County Sherrif at the gas station in Colfax, again, very Not Gospel, but he said prospectin allowed from Iowa bridge into scenic land..
I talk to & work next to an "old Timer" who "say's" he's been working in & around there for 20 Yrs, he said no way there is a claim @ Mineral

So, back to my Q...Is there a way to know that Eileen is valid ? Is it just due to them recording doc's w/ the county ? I always hear to "Do Your Reasearch" , but I am getting different & conflicting info... I have a Stack of parcel maps, index maps, etc.. I am planning on taking it all w me to the mining summit, hope I can get more info !!!

 

[infotraker]

Thanks for the claim information.

 

[Clay Diggins]

The SRA is a recent management agreement. In and of itself it closed no lands to claim. Most of the land considered as SRA today are actually under a powersite withdrawal and some rather shady alternating BOR dam closures. Without going into details I would once again throw out a significant hint to serious professional prospectors to keep an eye on land status on the North and Middle Forks this year. Big changes are mandated by law and it's very doubtful the SRA or BOR are going to give you a heads up as to the opportunity that will be available. Land status does change. Closures don't last forever.

The EILEEN is a mineral claim that was in existence long before any closures, withdrawals or restrictions were even considered on the North Fork. Preexisting valid mineral claims are always exempt from land status changes. The EILEEN is a valid mineral claim so the mineral rights there are superior to any subsequent management changes. No matter what changes or closures come along the EILEEN is exempt unless they allow their annual filings to lapse. The EILEEN is, and will remain, a valid mineral claim.

The mining acts are very powerful. Once a valuable mineral deposit is perfected there is very little any government agency can do to affect the rights of the claimant after the fact. That's why there are valid existing mineral claims inside National Parks, Monuments, Wilderness and Recreation Areas.

On the other hand higraders stealing minerals from a claim has always been a problem. The fact that an inferior California management contractee like the parks department would stoop so low as to encourage felony mineral trespass and theft to bolster their own sense of importance or to advance their own illegal agenda is disgusting.

Listening to anything the State Parks dept has to say about the legal status of lands in these public federal lands is a big mistake. You might as well ask your dog for advice about investing in the stock market, at least the dog won't try to BS you into believing they know something about the subject.

 

[russau]

to check ownership of a peice of land, go to the county recorders office of that county and research it your self! see whos paying taxs on that ground! DONT rely of the BLM/FS to give you anything that is correct!