California's Main Gold-Bearing Rivers, Part 3

(Cleer Creek as it empties into the Klamath River.)

Northern California contains some of the best small-scale and recreational placer mining streams in the state. In this, my 3rd and final post on the subject, we'll take a look at these classic auriferous rivers of and their tributaries.

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Northern California

Klamath River: Located in extreme Northern California's Siskiyou County (like the Scott and Salmon Rivers), the Klamath has to be one of the most rugged and spectacular gold-bearing rivers in the entire Golden State. Placer gold exists in varying quantities for much of its course, as well as in most tributaries feeding the Klamath. The Klamath offers miners just about every conceivable type of gold-bearing placer ground, including areas suitable for suction dredging, sluicing, drywashing, highbanking, and sniping.

This wild river is near and dear to my own heart. As a child I lived for a number of years in Yreka which is the Siskiyou County seat and spent many childhood days fishing and exploring the Klamath and nearby creeks and streams. My grandfather owned a great deal of property just off the Montague Highway east of Yreka and is commemorated by having Campbell Drive named after him. (On a sadder note, my mother is buried in the Yreka Cemetery.)

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But I digress here. Take heed of the fact that much of the Klamath is pretty much claimed up these days like many other auriferous rivers in California. Also, there has been a constant struggle over water rights and attempts to end suction dredging along the Klamath River by rabid environmentalists and local Native American tribes.

If you want to learn more about gold on the Klamath I suggest you contact Dave McCracken at the New 49ers Prospecting Association (http://www.goldgold.com/generalinfo.html). Dave knows more about mining on the Klamath than any dozen miners put together.

Salmon River: The Salmon River offers the same gold recovery possibilities as the Klamath, only scaled down a bit. Much placer work was done along the Salmon in the old days, including hydraulicking, so keep your eye out for those inevitable old tailings piles. Like the Klamath, many parts of the Salmon River are wild and scenic, especially those areas a bit harder to reach. These areas are the most likely to hold the best gold values as well.

Scott River: Most of the extensive mining along the Scott River was done in the narrower and harder-to-reach canyons of the river's course. It's not uncommon to have steep hills and mountains rising up almost from the water’s edge, but at the same time the Scott will meander for portions of its length leaving behind extensive gravel bars and bench gravels. In the old days, some of these inside bend gravel "bars" were quite rich in placer gold.

Treasure Hunting

Miscellaneous

East Fork of the San Gabriel River: Although not what I would consider a main California gold-bearing river, the E. Fork of the San Gabriel does deserve mention here. For more info, please read my posts on the E. Fork beginning with:

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/southern-california-placer-areas-e-fork.html.

Kern River: An anomaly of sorts, the Kern is situated some 150 miles south of the Motherlode's Southern Mines and north and east of the Southern California metro areas. More on the Kern's gold potential can be found at:

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/southern-california-placer-areas-e-fork.html

Good luck and may shiny yellow metal fill your pan.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "California's Main Gold-Bearing Rivers, Part 2"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/04

(c) J.R 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

California's Main Gold-Bearing Rivers, Part 2

Gold Prospecting Books
Gold Pans
Gold Concentrators

In my previous post on this subject I covered California's main gold-bearing rivers from the American River south. In this post I'll outline Northern California's main auriferous streams:

Northern Motherlode Region

North Fork of the American River: The North Fork of the American represents the beginning of California's Northern Motherlode Region (in the old days, the "Northern Mines"). Like the other forks of the American, the North Fork was extremely rich placer ground during the Gold Rush and staggering amounts of gold were removed from its bars, benches, and bedrock. The American's North Fork continues to be worked by small-scale placer miners and is a favorite region for many suction dredgers and underwater gold "snipers."

Bear River: Although the Bear River was overshadowed by its larger cousins (the American and the Yuba), it produced significant amounts of fine to moderately coarse gold over the years. The Bear may hold some surprises for enterprising recreational miners who don't mind recovering lots of fine gold, with a few small nuggets occasionally thrown into the mix.

Yuba River: If I had to choose what I thought represents the most beautiful gold-bearing river in California it would be the Yuba and its forks (middle, north, and south), hands down. I am partial to the North Fork of the Yuba and have worked it on and off for nearly 30 years (most recently in June of 2008). I have also spent a bit of time along the South Fork as well. The entire Yuba watershed area was fabulously rich in placer gold in the old days and still presents many opportunities for good gold recovery for dredgers, highbankers, sluicers, and gold "snipers." I love the Yuba...what else can I say?

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Feather River: The Feather and its Forks are in Butte County but remain close enough to Sacramento and the Yuba to be considered part of the "Northern Mines." Some of the most intensive and extensive placer mining and large-scale dredging operations took place along the Feather, with very large amounts of gold recovered from these. Many local miners still work the Feather and it's worth checking out if you are in the area.

Important Reminders and Suggestions

Again, I must remind you that with spot gold prices at their current highs, there are few open areas available in the Motherlode Region (especially the Northern Motherlode). Most of the good spots have been claimed up and are either being worked, leased, or being held back for claim sale "speculation" (you can also translate this as "claim scams" in some instances).

For instance, last June I spent a full day driving along and scouting out most of the North Yuba and part of the South Yuba (and their tributaries) and I was dismayed by the lack of open areas to mine, including areas that 20 years ago that were wide open to the public. So be aware of this fact.

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If want to do some "serious" mining in the Northern Motherlode in the 2009 season, I suggest you think about leasing a claim if you don't already own one or don't have some sort of connection or "in" with local miners. The few public areas open to recreational or small-scale placer miners in the Northern Motherlode are usually crowded and, to a great extent, have been worked over pretty hard.

I'll cover Northern California's gold-bearing rivers in my final post on this subject. Until then, take care and good luck to you!

If you liked this post you may want to read: "California's Main Gold-Bearing Rivers, Part 1"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/04/californias-main-gold-bearing-rivers.html

(c) J.R. 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

California's Main Gold-Bearing Rivers, Part 1

(Map of the Consumnes River watershed.)

Since the days of the California Gold Rush, the Golden State has produced more placer gold than many other Western states combined. The majority of this gold has been recovered from the state's main gold-bearing rivers and their various forks:

Southern Motherlode Region

Merced River: The Merced runs through beautiful Yosemite Valley where it attracts many sightseers and fishermen. Despite being considered "worked out" long ago, the Merced still carries placer gold values for the astute panner or small-scale placer miner.

Costplustools

Tuolumne River: Although dammed up at various locations along its length, the Tuolumne is still a reasonable prospect for small-scale or recreational placer miners.

Stanislaus River: The Stanislaus produced a large amount of gold over time and is now a recreational playground for all sorts of rafters, kayakers, fishermen, and recreational miners. Lots of good bedrock is available on the river's North Fork.

Gold Concentrators

Mokelumne River: Another big gold producer of the Gold Rush, the Mokelumne is a very popular spot for recreational and small-scale miners. The upper reaches are best for gold recovery.

Consumnes River: The Consumnes is actually a tributary of the Mokelumne River. Once rich in placer gold, the Consumnes and its surrounding creeks and gulches still contain good placer gold values.

American River: One of the richest placer gold rivers in the entire Motherlode, the American is still a very busy place for all sorts of recreational and small-scale gold miners. It also marks the "demarcation" line between the Motherlode's Southern and Northern Regions, with the North Fork of the American River actually considered part of the Northern Motherlode.

For additional or more specific information on small-scale mining opportunities along these rivers and their forks, I suggest you contact one of the following:

Merced, Stanislaus, Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Sacramento, or Placer Counties

California Department of Forestry

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

California Department of Mines and Geology

Local prospecting/mining supply shops

One important thing to bear in mind when planning a mining trip or venture in California's Motherlode Region is that many stretches of these gold-bearing streams are currently "claimed up" and off limits, mostly due to the current high price of gold. So if you want to avoid possible disappointments later, I suggest you do a bit of research up front before loading your gear and heading out.

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Good luck out there!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Publications on Placer Mining in the Yukon, Part 2"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/04/publications-on-placer-mining-in-yukon_13.html

(c) J.R. 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Publications on Placer Mining in the Yukon (Part 2)

Here is my second installment of useful publications relating to placer gold mining in the Yukon Territory:

Gold Pans
Gold Panning Kits
Mining Equipment

"An Evaluation of Ground Penetrating Radar as a Tool in Placer Exploration, 1994" (M.A. Power, 1994. Note: this is an Amerok Geophysics text.)

"Sedimentology of the White Channel Placer Deposits, Klondike, West-Central Yukon" (S. R. Morison, 1985. Note: this work was Morison's Master's Degree thesis at the University of Alberta.)

"Light Auger Drilling for Placer Prospecting in the Klondike District, Yukon: a Pilot Project" (D. Brent, 1995.)

"Stewart River Placer Project Station Location Map" (G.W. Lowey, S. Deforest, and P.S. Lipovsky, 2004. Note: this map is 1:250,000 scale.)

"Placer Gold Recovery Research: Final Summary, 1990" (R. Clarkson and P.Eng, 1990, New Era Engineering Corporation. Note: this text is a reprint.)

"Placer Mining and Exploration Compilation (105 A/B/C/D)" (L. Carlyle, 1995. Note: this text contains four 1:250,000 scale maps.)

"Summary Report on Placer Research Projects" (C.H. MacDonald and P.Eng, 1990. Note: this text is a reprint from Mineral Resources, DIAND.)

"Yukon Placer Mining Industry-1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998" (A.L. Doyle and A.L. Millar [editors], maps by W.P. LeBarge. Note: this text is out of print but you may be able to access or download it via the Mining Inspections and Exploration and Geological Services Division. )

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There you have it. Eight more publications that may prove useful to those of you considering small-scale mining efforts in the Yukon Territory.

More on the publications in this list can be found on the Yukon Geological Survey website at the following URL:

http://geology.gov.yk.ca/

Good luck out there!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Publications on Placer Mining in the Yukon (Part 1)

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/04/publications-on-placer-mining-in-yukon.html

(c) J.R. 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Southern California Placer Areas: Important Update on the E. Fork's "Bridge to Nowhere"

("Private Property" sign at the "Bridge to Nowhere," photo courtesy of Jason Peters.)

Gold Pans
Gold Concentrators

Important Update

I have an important update for those of you interested in gold panning or recreational mining along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River at or near the famous "Bridge to Nowhere." One of my readers, Jason Peters, recently sent me the following message:

"You said in your blog that you were curious about panning under the "Bridge to Nowhere" or in that area. Well, I took the hike down there on Saturday and went all the way up to the 'Bridge to Nowhere' only to find a sign when I got there that said this area was Private Property.... SAYING no camping here, no prospecting for gold, and a few other things, so the bottom line was we didn't get a chance to look since there was a sign that said anyone who did break the law on those rules would be prosecuted. I could send you the photo I did take while I was there, and the 'bungee' jumper people who work there work for the private property area. So you're being watched in a sense, although they are not there during the week days only the weekend.

I also did find one other post from some other guy that went there and actually found gold in 2005. I don't know if the private property sign was up yet, but there is a mine I heard about in this other post a mile after the bridge although who knows if its private for there are literally private property signs all over the rocks past the bridge.

Well I hope that shed some light on your curiosity!"

Jason was also kind enough to send along a few photos of the "Private Property" signs that are scattered about in the immediate vicinity of the "Bridge to Nowhere." I've posted the main sign at the beginning of this post. It reads, in part:

"You are now standing upon private property. This is not part of the Angeles National Forest. The bridge and 1/2 mile in any direction from the bridge is privately owned....No hunting, no prospecting, no camping, no campfires....We will not hesitate arresting any persons violating these rules."

So there you have it. Another historic spot that is now off limits to panning or recreational mining. Please note however, that the trespass sign only involves the area within 1/2 mile of the bridge. I suggest you check with local rangers to determine exactly which areas are open along the East Fork and within the Angeles National Forest. As I told Jason, it's been over 20 years since I myself have been in that area.

My thanks to Jason Peters for this important information update. If you have specific questions, try contacting Jason at his place of business, Elite Hardware in Beverly Hills:

Jason Peters

Elite Hardware Inc., 307 North Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Jason@elitehardwareinc.com
tel: 310-550-8842 fax: 310-550-8843

If you are like me and have never visited or shopped a "high-end" hardware outlet, then Elite Hardware is made to order for you! If you can, stop by and talk to Jason in person.

(Jason, once again thanks much for your pertinent info and the photographs. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. J.R.)

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "3 Good Tips on Purchasing Used Mining Equipment"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/04/buyer-beware-3-good-tips-on-purchasing.html

(c) J.R. 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Buyer Beware: 3 Good Tips on Purchasing Used Mining Equipment

(A used spiral gold wheel that sold for 60% of its new value.)

Miners are Bargain Hunters Too

With the sharp downturn in the U.S economy (not to mention severe economic problems elsewhere) many small-scale or recreational gold miners are not exactly rushing out the door to purchase new mining equipment. If they can't make do with what they already have in their garage or storage shed, they are searching mining periodicals or the internet for bargains in used gear.

Gold Pans
Gold Panning Kits
Mining Equipment

What sort of gear? Primarily motorized equipment such as suction dredges, drywashers, highbankers, trommels, and spiral gold wheels. Some of these items can still be quite costly, despite the fact they have been used and, on occasion, worked pretty hard. That's why it's even more important for you, the potential buyer, to use plain old common sense and remember the old consumer adage, "Buyer beware."

3 Good Tips

Here are a 3 good tips that will make your used equipment purchases saner and more cost effective:

Try to visually examine and test run equipment firsthand. Although this is not always possible, being physically present with the seller and the gear gives you the opportunity to actually examine things with your own eyes and determine whether the seller's claims of "just like new" or "purrs like a kitten" are true or just B.S. and hyperbole.

During the physical exam make sure to check all the intakes, hoses, hardware, motors, belts, drives, etc. as thoroughly as you can for "swelling," cracking, hasty repairs, or any other defect indicators. Make sure the equipment operates as it should (i.e., the drywasher bellows actually "puffs", the highbanker pump "pumps," and the dredge intake hose actually "sucks" since that's what it's supposed to do). Finally, make absolutely certain that all the necessary parts for operating that piece of gear are present and accounted for.

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Pay attention to your "gut" reaction to the seller. I don't know about you, but I always try to get a sense of who it is I'm dealing with when making a purchase like this. So pay attention to your intuitive or "gut" reaction to the seller and his or her words and demeanor, whether over the phone or in person. Being a good judge of character is a real asset in this context.

Do you sense a hustler type or someone who wants to pressure or "run" you? Is he or she a fast talker who overvalues their own gear while making deprecating comments about this manufacturer or that particular brand? Or is he or she low-key and self-possessed, answering all your questions calmly and directly without gaps or holes in the salient information? In other words, is he or she a "miner's miner" as I like to say?

Avoid buying used equipment over the internet whenever possible. I can tell you right here, right now that most used equipment you buy online from individuals or at online auctions is a crapshoot in terms of what you expect to receive for your money and what actually arrives at your door. That "like new" highbanker you bought on e-Bay may look like it's been repaired by some crazed idiot with a 10-pound sledge or that suction dredge you just purchased as "ready to run" is missing key parts and has a badly cracked pontoon.

Costplustools

Think I'm exaggerating? Perhaps a tiny bit, but this is actually not far from the truth based on personal experience and that of a number of mining friends. You can generally expect to get what you pay for in terms of used gear, however, from reputable online mining supply houses and prospecting shops, though you probably won't be able to work the kind of deal you can with private sellers.

Remember, it's always "buyer beware" when it comes to purchasing used gold mining equipment. Stay smart out there.

If you liked this post you may want to read: "Publications on Placer Mining in the Yukon (Part 1)"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/04/publications-on-placer-mining-in-yukon.html

(c) J.R. 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Publications on Placer Mining in the Yukon (Part 1)

In an earlier post I provided my Canadian gold mining friends with a list of British Columbia placer gold mining publications. Since that post proved to be quite popular and oft-visited, I decided to include another list of publications on placer gold mining, but this time one specifically dealing with the Yukon Territory.

Here is Part 1 of that list:

"A Brief History of Placer Mining in the Yukon" (G.W. Gilbert, 1989.)

"Placer Geology of the Stewart River (115N&O) and Part of the Dawson (116B&C) Map Areas, West-Central Yukon, Canada" (Report by G.W. Lowey, 2004. Note: A CD-ROM and paper maps for this title are available separately.)

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"Placer Gold Deposits of the Mayo Area, Central Yukon" (W.P. LeBarge, J.D. Bond, and F.J. Hein, 2002. Note: this title is accompanied by 6 maps.)

"Sedimentology of Placer Gravels Near Mt. Nansen, Central Yukon Territory (115 I)" (W.P. LeBarge, 1995.)

"Shape and Composition of Lode and Placer Gold from the Klondike District, Yukon, Canada (115O Parts of 116 B)" (J.B. Knight, J.K. Mortensen, and S.R. Morison, 1994.)

"Yukon Placer Activity Map" (P. Lipovsky, W. LeBarge, J. Bond, and G. Lowey, 2001. Note: this publication accompanies EGSD Bulletin 13, Scale: 1:1,000,000 map.)

"Yukon Placer Database 2005-Geology and Mining Activity of Placer Occurrences" (W.P. LeBarge and J. Coates, 2005. Note: This database is in Microsoft Access 2000 format.)

"Yukon Placer Mining and Exploration 1985-1988 and 1989-90" (W.P. LeBarge and S.R. Morison.)

"Dawson Area Placer Activity Map, Portions of NTS Sheets 116B&C and 115N&O, Yukon" (P. Lipovsky, G. Lowey, and W. LeBarge, 2001. Note: this publication accompanies EGSD Bulletin 13.)

Mining Equipment

"Gold Losses at Klondike Placer Mines-Gold Recovery Project (Phase 1)"
(R. Clarkson and P.Eng, 1989. New Era Engineering Corporation. Note: this publication is a reprint.)

Gold Prospecting Books

More on the publications in this list can be found on the Yukon Geological Survey website at the following URL:

http://geology.gov.yk.ca/

Good luck to you all!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Top 10 Personal Mistakes to Avoid in Gold Mining (Part 2)"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2009/03/top-10-personal-mistakes-to-avoid-in_30.html

(c) J.R. 2009

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com