Where do you draw the line?

[sierra_ronin]

I had some time to reminisce today over some of the precarious places I've hiked into to prospect in the Sierra Nevadas over the past year and a half and I got to thinking maybe I push it a little too far to extreme at times. My philosophy is to hike(often alone) into places that are off the beaten path, places that may have never been hit hard by mining which is almost impossible in this part of the world so I sometimes find myself in dangerous situations trail blazing DEEP into the back country.

For example last year I was hiking back up a steep grade(almost vertical really) carrying a very heavy pack after prospecting on the Rubicon River all day. About 3/4 of the way up the ravine the ground under my boot gave way and before I knew it I was tumbling down. I'm convinced that the only thing that stopped me was my heavy ass pack strapped to my back that day. I tumbled a good 45 feet from where I slipped and my cons bucket flew much further down dumping a hard days work all over the mountain side. I didn't get too badly banged up but I understand it could of been much worse.


So my question for everyone is: Where do you draw the line?


Yes, I've found a couple potential placer claim sites and a few gold in quartz specimens in my adventures but is it worth the risk?
I think I may get a little over zealous out there when I see color but I'm curious to hear what everyone's thinking is on this subject and I hope to get a healthy discussion going here.

 

[beekbuster]

a tell myself the same thing as im so carefully placing each step because i know falling=death. never look down. so after my second occasion of rock climbing i stay away from the 45+ degree slopes. find a safe way down and dont try any short cuts coming out.

 

[Bonaro]

For years I had been obsessed with the historical accounts of the Golden Tunnel mine. A fabled natural cave that reportedly had free gold crystals hanging from the ceiling. After many months chasing down historical details about this "lost mine" I actually found the location. Then came the part of actually getting to the location. According the the GPS it was only 1.5 miles as the crow flies. We set out at 6am at the trail head with a turn around time of noon if we had not made the summit. It was all hands and knees scrambling because it was so steep and the only hand hold was the dense brush. After some time we encountered a extremely steep ravine we had to traverse to the east in order to continue up. We roped up and made it across with no problem and we continued to work our way up to the saddle. Shortly there after we emerged from the brush to discover we were on the edge of a vertical wall box canyon. We were on the wrong route and were forced to turn around. On the way out we missed our route and hit the ravine in a bad spot, a vertical chimney. Ropes again and this time it was a straight down drop of about 40 feet. This was a bit trickier to traverse but we made it. The trip out was fast, REALLY fast, because the brush bend down and acted like a slide. We had to use the ropes to lower ourselves off the mountain.
Neither of us had any climbing experience, definitely over our head....in the following years we went back 3 more times

 

[et1955]

I chased the Golden Tunnel mine myself and found it, just wanted to clarify it's geology, the cave had freemilling gold and quartz crystals.

 

[Hefty1]

Well that's a tough question GoldGreenhorn. The line is usually drawn after the experience as to what I wont do again. I use to use a modified mini trial bike to get my supplies into and out of the claim. Now some spots on the trial get a little hairy, but not to bad. On a trip out with the mini bike I was on a part that was pretty simple, I called it the highway. You could get some good speed on this part...but...the split second I took my eyes off the trial I came upon a split rock that protruded up, that I had driven over many times before (slowly of coarse). Well that rock sent me and the minibike over the side. Now everything is movin in slow motion and I will never forget it. I let go of the bike as I was flopping head over heels down this cliff, actually telling myself to lay flat. Well that wasn't going to happen, to steep. Trying to grasp onto brush that was flying past me would just rip through my grasp. Then everything speeds up and I slam my back into a big pine tree on a small fat spot about 100 feet below the trial. Thank God for that Pine tree as there was nothing else but another 100 feet straight down to the boulders in the river. I put my right hand on the tree to push myself away and my third finger was pointing straight back at me, my hands were torn up pretty good. I tried to get up, but as I went to stand on my left leg, the most shrieking pain I ever felt shoot through my left ankle, as I feel back to the ground. It was broken! Now I had two helpers with me that Memorial weekend and they were behind me up on the trial as I started yelling for them. They heard me and climbed down to me. How were we going to get me outta there? One stayed with me and held onto me as I started to tremble, the other climbed out and went to town to get help. It took some time, but help arrived. They decided there was no way to get me out. They called for lifeflight. All helos were busy picking other climbers that had fallen that Memorial weekend that didn't survive. They got ahold of a big chopper from Sacramento Fire Dept, that had never done a mountain rescue before. They finally showed up and a rescuer had been lowered to the trial to asses the situation. He climbed down to me along with all the other rescuers, not much room left down there. I found out that once they lower one of those guys from the chopper they become in charge of the rescue. They lower the basket and set it along side of me and the guy in charge asks me if I have a problem with heights, I told him yes, he told one of the medics "shoot him up" And I didn't mind flying at all, they never touched a leaf pulling me out of there. I hit one of the landing runners, the guy inside the chopper spun me around and pulled me into the chopper, after that I pasted out and woke up in an emergency room in Sacramento. Three days later I was home with an extra plate and 6 screws in my left ankle. A day or two later the darkest, most painful huge bruise came out on my back.

Anyways the line was drawn, that minibike is rotting away in the back yard.

 

[Hoser John]

Bad experiences do wear on you,educate you, or you perish. John

 

[2cmorau]

holy smoke Hefty, heck of a story, nice outcome. glad your here to tell about it

 

[rodoconnor]

Serious prospecting is not for whimps !! Neither is getting old. Good story Hefty--glad you made it OK

 

[Jeff95531]

I had some time to reminisce today over some of the precarious places I've hiked into to prospect in the Sierra Nevadas over the past year and a half and I got to thinking maybe I push it a little too far to extreme at times. My philosophy is to hike(often alone) into places that are off the beaten path, places that may have never been hit hard by mining which is almost impossible in this part of the world so I sometimes find myself in dangerous situations trail blazing DEEP into the back country.

For example last year I was hiking back up a steep grade(almost vertical really) carrying a very heavy pack after prospecting on the Rubicon River all day. About 3/4 of the way up the ravine the ground under my boot gave way and before I knew it I was tumbling down. I'm convinced that the only thing that stopped me was my heavy ass pack strapped to my back that day. I tumbled a good 45 feet from where I slipped and my cons bucket flew much further down dumping a hard days work all over the mountain side. I didn't get too badly banged up but I understand it could of been much worse.


So my question for everyone is: Where do you draw the line?


Yes, I've found a couple potential placer claim sites and a few gold in quartz specimens in my adventures but is it worth the risk?
I think I may get a little over zealous out there when I see color but I'm curious to hear what everyone's thinking is on this subject and I hope to get a healthy discussion going here.

Best thing I can offer is use that tool between your ears. Study what you are about to do and run best and worse case scenarios and then balance ability with the potential rewards. I have stopped on many occasions because I remembered along the way that I will still need to return and may not have the energy to do so safely. I'm 57 and pretty stocky now days...that's a big part of my decision making process too.

Bottom line, sooner or later we all have tales to tell or we take them to our grave. If you prospect alone, I would STRONGLY recommend this....

SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER :: HOME PAGE

Stay safe and good luck!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing the story.

 

[sierra_ronin]

a tell myself the same thing as im so carefully placing each step because i know falling=death. never look down. so after my second occasion of rock climbing i stay away from the 45+ degree slopes. find a safe way down and dont try any short cuts coming out.

Many situations falling would equal death or close to it. I always try to take my time coming back out of somewhere sense chances are I'm more fatigued than when I went in.

 

[sierra_ronin]

For years I had been obsessed with the historical accounts of the Golden Tunnel mine. A fabled natural cave that reportedly had free gold crystals hanging from the ceiling. After many months chasing down historical details about this "lost mine" I actually found the location. Then came the part of actually getting to the location. According the the GPS it was only 1.5 miles as the crow flies. We set out at 6am at the trail head with a turn around time of noon if we had not made the summit. It was all hands and knees scrambling because it was so steep and the only hand hold was the dense brush. After some time we encountered a extremely steep ravine we had to traverse to the east in order to continue up. We roped up and made it across with no problem and we continued to work our way up to the saddle. Shortly there after we emerged from the brush to discover we were on the edge of a vertical wall box canyon. We were on the wrong route and were forced to turn around. On the way out we missed our route and hit the ravine in a bad spot, a vertical chimney. Ropes again and this time it was a straight down drop of about 40 feet. This was a bit trickier to traverse but we made it. The trip out was fast, REALLY fast, because the brush bend down and acted like a slide. We had to use the ropes to lower ourselves off the mountain.
Neither of us had any climbing experience, definitely over our head....in the following years we went back 3 more times

That Gold Tunnel mine sounds like something to behold. Thanks for sharing your story. There's a certain point when hiking transitions into mountaineering especially when vertical chimneys and box canyons come into play. After hearing what you shared I think I better get my hands on some good rope.

 

[sierra_ronin]

Well that's a tough question GoldGreenhorn. The line is usually drawn after the experience as to what I wont do again. I use to use a modified mini trial bike to get my supplies into and out of the claim. Now some spots on the trial get a little hairy, but not to bad. On a trip out with the mini bike I was on a part that was pretty simple, I called it the highway. You could get some good speed on this part...but...the split second I took my eyes off the trial I came upon a split rock that protruded up, that I had driven over many times before (slowly of coarse). Well that rock sent me and the minibike over the side. Now everything is movin in slow motion and I will never forget it. I let go of the bike as I was flopping head over heels down this cliff, actually telling myself to lay flat. Well that wasn't going to happen, to steep. Trying to grasp onto brush that was flying past me would just rip through my grasp. Then everything speeds up and I slam my back into a big pine tree on a small fat spot about 100 feet below the trial. Thank God for that Pine tree as there was nothing else but another 100 feet straight down to the boulders in the river. I put my right hand on the tree to push myself away and my third finger was pointing straight back at me, my hands were torn up pretty good. I tried to get up, but as I went to stand on my left leg, the most shrieking pain I ever felt shoot through my left ankle, as I feel back to the ground. It was broken! Now I had two helpers with me that Memorial weekend and they were behind me up on the trial as I started yelling for them. They heard me and climbed down to me. How were we going to get me outta there? One stayed with me and held onto me as I started to tremble, the other climbed out and went to town to get help. It took some time, but help arrived. They decided there was no way to get me out. They called for lifeflight. All helos were busy picking other climbers that had fallen that Memorial weekend that didn't survive. They got ahold of a big chopper from Sacramento Fire Dept, that had never done a mountain rescue before. They finally showed up and a rescuer had been lowered to the trial to asses the situation. He climbed down to me along with all the other rescuers, not much room left down there. I found out that once they lower one of those guys from the chopper they become in charge of the rescue. They lower the basket and set it along side of me and the guy in charge asks me if I have a problem with heights, I told him yes, he told one of the medics "shoot him up" And I didn't mind flying at all, they never touched a leaf pulling me out of there. I hit one of the landing runners, the guy inside the chopper spun me around and pulled me into the chopper, after that I pasted out and woke up in an emergency room in Sacramento. Three days later I was home with an extra plate and 6 screws in my left ankle. A day or two later the darkest, most painful huge bruise came out on my back.

Anyways the line was drawn, that minibike is rotting away in the back yard.

Hef,

Holy crap man if you're talking about the trail that I think you are...you're a madman haha. There are plenty of spots on that trail where there is no buffer between the trail and a hell of a drop. I'm wary just walking it in places. I'm glad Sac Fire was able to get you outta there and that pine was there to catch you. RIP to the mini bike and thanks for sharing.

 

[Hefty1]

Serious prospecting is not for whimps !! Neither is getting old. Good story Hefty--glad you made it OK

That getting old part hurts more...

Use the SPOTTY all the time now.

 

[sierra_ronin]

Bad experiences do wear on you,educate you, or you perish. John

From my own experiences and hearing everyone elses the consensus seems clear: Learn or Die!

 

[Hefty1]

Hef,

Holy crap man if you're talking about the trail that I think you are...you're a madman haha. There are plenty of spots on that trail where there is no buffer between the trail and a hell of a drop. I'm wary just walking it in places. I'm glad Sac Fire was able to get you outta there and that pine was there to catch you. RIP to the mini bike and thanks for sharing.

Same trail back in 2003.

 

[sierra_ronin]

Best thing I can offer is use that tool between your ears. Study what you are about to do and run best and worse case scenarios and then balance ability with the potential rewards. I have stopped on many occasions because I remembered along the way that I will still need to return and may not have the energy to do so safely. I'm 57 and pretty stocky now days...that's a big part of my decision making process too.

Bottom line, sooner or later we all have tales to tell or we take them to our grave. If you prospect alone, I would STRONGLY recommend this....


SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER :: HOME PAGE

Stay safe and good luck!

Great advice I seriously need to look into a SPOT device.

 

[Asmbandits]

Well that's a tough question GoldGreenhorn. The line is usually drawn after the experience as to what I wont do again. I use to use a modified mini trial bike to get my supplies into and out of the claim. Now some spots on the trial get a little hairy, but not to bad. On a trip out with the mini bike I was on a part that was pretty simple, I called it the highway. You could get some good speed on this part...but...the split second I took my eyes off the trial I came upon a split rock that protruded up, that I had driven over many times before (slowly of coarse). Well that rock sent me and the minibike over the side. Now everything is movin in slow motion and I will never forget it. I let go of the bike as I was flopping head over heels down this cliff, actually telling myself to lay flat. Well that wasn't going to happen, to steep. Trying to grasp onto brush that was flying past me would just rip through my grasp. Then everything speeds up and I slam my back into a big pine tree on a small fat spot about 100 feet below the trial. Thank God for that Pine tree as there was nothing else but another 100 feet straight down to the boulders in the river. I put my right hand on the tree to push myself away and my third finger was pointing straight back at me, my hands were torn up pretty good. I tried to get up, but as I went to stand on my left leg, the most shrieking pain I ever felt shoot through my left ankle, as I feel back to the ground. It was broken! Now I had two helpers with me that Memorial weekend and they were behind me up on the trial as I started yelling for them. They heard me and climbed down to me. How were we going to get me outta there? One stayed with me and held onto me as I started to tremble, the other climbed out and went to town to get help. It took some time, but help arrived. They decided there was no way to get me out. They called for lifeflight. All helos were busy picking other climbers that had fallen that Memorial weekend that didn't survive. They got ahold of a big chopper from Sacramento Fire Dept, that had never done a mountain rescue before. They finally showed up and a rescuer had been lowered to the trial to asses the situation. He climbed down to me along with all the other rescuers, not much room left down there. I found out that once they lower one of those guys from the chopper they become in charge of the rescue. They lower the basket and set it along side of me and the guy in charge asks me if I have a problem with heights, I told him yes, he told one of the medics "shoot him up" And I didn't mind flying at all, they never touched a leaf pulling me out of there. I hit one of the landing runners, the guy inside the chopper spun me around and pulled me into the chopper, after that I pasted out and woke up in an emergency room in Sacramento. Three days later I was home with an extra plate and 6 screws in my left ankle. A day or two later the darkest, most painful huge bruise came out on my back.

Anyways the line was drawn, that minibike is rotting away in the back yard.

That's one hell of a story hefty, I ride a trials a lot when prospecting and had a very similar situation with my younger brother who rode his big enduro off the side of the trail in a very steep canyon a couple weeks ago. Luckily the trail zig zagged up the canyon and he jumped off the bike and did not get hurt so we were able to get his bike down to the trail below and rode out of there. When it happened I thought for sure he was going to be hurt and the bike lost but we were lucky..

 

[sierra_ronin]

Same trail back in 2003.

Oh man that is no child's play. Amazing you're here to tell us the story. You keep going back so it must be pretty good in there.

 

[sierra_ronin]

I guess I am learning I'm not alone in taking risks out there. Also I find that you gotta be pretty damn tough to be a successful prospector. Exacting gold from the Earth is no easy task within itself and finding good gold is even tougher. The gold isn't waiting in the easy to get to places but often in places where your life might be on the line if you have a misstep along the way for whatever reason. Regardless I love it and I appreciate hearing what people have to share.

Thanks