TN Nor Cal day in the river

[norcalsteve]

I hope i am not offending anyone by starting this thread.
I am just started gold prospecting last year with my son. Man, did i catch a fever.
I have only been out panning 4 times. The places i have been are Bear River, Mineral Bar, Yankees Jim and Roaring Camp.
I now have a BGT and a Gold-N-Sand hand dredge that i can't wait to try out.
I would love to meet up with the people here on TN.
If one of these places would work for a Saturday group outing or if someone else knows of a good place please yell out ( no hot spots or personal spots are expected ) just a good open public spot.
Lets figure out if Jan 25th or Feb 8th works out for most , including the Bazooka crew.
Steve

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[Aufisher]

Probably about freezing at 0705 I would like to hike a ways so I might leave the pick and shovel home. Anyone is wecome to use my bgt prospector because I usually like to go hands free for bouldering.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Lookin4goaled]

Sounds good, thanks for the offer but I'll drive up there myself... See ya on sat!

 

[Lotus Geologist]

I was there two weeks ago, worked my way downstream from Mineral Bar on river left... The trail peters out after about 1/4 mile at the bend for Slaughter's Sluice (name of the 1st rapid) and you will need good scrambling skills over car and house sized boulders to make it as far as Chamberlin Falls.

It's not too bad, but keep that in mind if you are lugging buckets in one hand and a sluice in the other, you will be asking for trouble and/or won't be able to lug all that gear. The same is true for the river right bank... a decent trail for less than 1/4 of a mile and then you either need to start climbing/scrambling, or get into the river up to yer wedding tackle.

Regardless, that seems to be a good area with very high fluctuations in flow. This weekend it should be around 40 cfs. Last December it was nearly 40,000 cfs. That's three orders of magnitude change in flow... Plenty to replenish some of the bars.

I will be kayaking on Saturday or I would join you.

L.G.

 

[goldenmojo]

I've got the super mini which fits in my pack and I will load what I can carry. If I find that I have to much brought too much I will just jettison some like the emigrant trail..

 

[norcalsteve]

Probably about freezing at 0705 I would like to hike a ways so I might leave the pick and shovel home. Anyone is wecome to use my bgt prospector because I usually like to go hands free for bouldering.

Aufisher to go hands free for bouldering what equipment do you take with you?

 

[goldenmojo]

Lotus Geologist Thanks for the trail info. Scrambling time again... With the high water last year hopefully we will find some good areas... Hope to get out with you sometime, maybe the South Fork.

 

[goldenmojo]

ShineyNoob see you Saturday!

 

[norcalsteve]

Doesn't sound like taking my 36" BGT, 5gal bucket, shovel and pack with pans and small stuff is going to be fesable.

 

[Aufisher]

Aufisher to go hands free for bouldering what equipment do you take with you?

Prospecting gear

 

[goldenmojo]

Norcalsteve My set up looks close to what Aufisher has except I will bring my BGT and I don't have gloves or kneepads. The BGT is only 24" and fits in my pack easily. I am going to bring a 5er but will trail drop that and pick it up on the return if necessary. If you can figure out how to strap the BGT and shovel on you might want to take it, just depends on how well you climb with the bulk and what your plan is for working the area. I work in the low cracks up to the waterline if necessary and may pan only, it just depends on the conditions when we get there. I will take a pic tomorrow and post it so you can see my setup.

 

[goldenmojo]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/377522-mineral-bar.html #4

 

[MadMarshall]

There is no trail downriver on the Colfax Side of the river. Iowa Hill Side downriver the trail is good but brief.. The Landslide area will mark the end pretty much.. Continuing to walk the bedrock is possible for a way's. Some climbing/scrambling. Though I would use Caution. Very slick in the winter.. Now also one can choose The Windy Point Trail And though you have about 600' elevation change the trail is very nice.. Also allot of offshoots lead to the river. A very nice walk to Yankee Jims actually..

 

[PaulieNoNuggets]

I don't know the condition of it as I've not tried hiking it yet, but I noticed on Google Earth that there's a trail on the Iowa hill side of the river starting about .7 of a mile up the hill from the campground, and leading to the creek about 1 1/4 miles downstream of the bridge.
http://goo.gl/maps/e2r3Z
My apologies if it's a dead trail - don't want to send anyone on a wild goose chase and cut into your gold time

 

[MadMarshall]

I don't know the condition of it as I've not tried hiking it yet, but I noticed on Google Earth that there's a trail on the Iowa hill side of the river starting about .7 of a mile up the hill from the campground, and leading to the creek about 1 1/4 miles downstream of the bridge.
http://goo.gl/maps/e2r3Z
My apologies if it's a dead trail - don't want to send anyone on a wild goose chase and cut into your gold time

I suspect your looking at the Windy point trail

 

[goldenmojo]

MadMarshall Thanks! that is the info we needed to get this adventure going. We will make you proud.....

PaulieNoNuggets Thanks for the help. Even if the trail was overgrown we would bash our way down to the river.

 

[Prospector70]

View attachment 933727

Prospecting gear

The spoon cracks me up, I also have one in my pack.

 

[goldenmojo]

I've got more than one in my pack and when the wife finds out its going to hit the fan............

 

[fowledup]

Sounds like your going to have a great time. Wish I could come down that way but we just got back from Angels Camp and going back down again on the 30th for the frog and toad meeting in Sac. You all feel like a field trip one of these days just shout out. Would love to show some folks the northern diggins.

"Weddding Tackle", that's hilarious, never heard hat one before!

 

[goldenmojo]

Where is Northern?

 

[fowledup]

The Feather (West Branch, Middle fork, and North fork), and Butte Creek,