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09-07-2006, 7:42 PM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 374 Colorado Gold Trip Greetings GoldGrubbers, Back from my vacation to Colorado.  During my time I dedicated 2 days to gold prospecting in the Colorado mountains at about 9,300 feet elevation.  I did lots of research on past gold occurrances before I went and located numerous prospects a short drive from my property in Colorado.  I settled on Cache Creek and the 2nd day the Arkansas River just South of the the confluence of Lake Creek near Twin Lakes Reservoir in supposed known placer gravels in the river. Day 1:  Cache Creek was one of the few placer areas in CO successfully hydrauliced from 1859 to the late 1800s, I believe.  I walked the area off on public lands for 2 hours and then set up next to a promising dry gulch close to the creek.  Thankfully the creek was still running, as the last 2 months had LOTS of rain, the most in years, otherwise the creek most likely would have been too low to sluice or have been dry.  I ran up and down the gulch looking for dry plunge pool areas, bedrock and such.  Cleaned the low areas as best I could .  Next time I will take a small stiff hand broom to sweep the cracks/bed rock cleaner!  I then screened the material and sluiced it.  I was amazed how much magnetite was in the dirt -- filled up the sluice almost immediately.  Had to run the water as fast as possible to keep it 1/2 cleaned out.  My "Le Trap" sluice was a dream -- only weighed 4 lbs, easy to carry, cleaned out with one pan of water -- awesome for carrying/hiking in thin 9,000+ foot air.  I bought a cheap plastic bucket & tub, used a rock for a stool and brought my hand shovel and Garretts Gravity Trap pan plus a 1/8" stainless screen to classify rocks out.  I worked bucket after bucket and cleaned the sluice after every 2 buckets.  At the end of the day I tried to lift the tub and it weighted 50+ lbs due to all the black sand/magnitite!  Too heavy to carry for sure -- so resluiced it all down to one sluice worth and carried the cons home in a ziplock gallon bag.  I repanned then at home. Day 2:  I Drove up to the Derry Ranch placers on Box & Corske Creeks just South of Leadville.  Walked the whole place over, but there just wasn't enough flowing water to sluice.  Huge pile of tailings and rocks.  This place was well worked and covered several miles up the stream beds.  I could have panned in small depressions, but that's INCREDIBLY slow and it was blazing sunny/warm without any shade.  I would have fried.  So I drove up to Leadville to get a CO State "Habitat Stamp" for $5 you're now required to have on state lands, and went up to California Gulch, the site of one of the state's buggest gold finds in history.  I drove up to Oro City ruins and the Printer Boy Mine area -- how laughable -- the signs said "this historic area is protected, so no digging, panning or prospecting or relic hunting"!  Go figure.  The entire hill sides are all torn up, the old mine works abound, the old sluices and wood water ways cover the hills, etc.  So, you can't do a little panning or disturb the ground???  Just plain stupid.  So, I left there and drove back South to the Lake Creek area as it crossed under Hwy 24 and found that area was owned/cliamed by the Gold Prospectors of Colorado club.  I gladly would have paid their requested $1 a day to pan, $5 a day to sluice/high bank or dredge.  There was no way on the spot to join or pay, so I left and went down the highway a ways to a public pull out.  I worked the Arkansas River banks around 1 large boulder, a sand bar and the river bank behind several rocks.  I ran many buckets of sand/gravel and learned that 1). the down stream side of a large boulder had little gold, 2). the down strean side of a long sand bar had decent gold and 3). the river bank area mixed with medium rocks had the most gold color!  Surely just my experience at this one spot.  I sluiced 6 hrs and cleaned up. So, overall, my Colorado trip was a blast.  Learned to huff and puff in the thin air.  Drink water ALL day long in the high altitude and dry air.  My plastic sluice, plastic bucket, plastic tub, plastic gold pan were all weight savers -- every pound matters when hiking 1 mile to prospect and back.  Things I forgot:  A pair of rubber dish gloves to dig/sluice/pan with -- my poor hands lost so much skin they actually cracked/hurt.  Two, take a short/stiff hand brush to clean out bedrock cracks/crevases.  Three, a small chair would have been huge, as my back really tired of working and sitting on a rock all day.  Also, be happy with ANY gold in the sluice/pan...just because you're reworking a known gold area doesn't mean nuggets are going to jump into your pan! I posted about 5 pics on the Forum pics page for all to see.  What BEAUTIFUL country!  Can't wait to go again  Happy prospecting   Randy  a.k.a C-17A     Report

09-07-2006, 7:52 PM faaus Joined on 06-29-2006 Kentucky Posts 441 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Thanks for that GREAT, detailed report of your junket! I enjoyed every word of it and got to share some of your excitement. It seems to me that you are very wise for enjoying the whole trip, not just how much gold you were able to collect. Your tips help the rest of us learn from your experience too.   I wish you many years of wonderful prospecting.   faaus In the Land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.    Report

09-08-2006, 2:44 PM Kev NC Joined on 01-25-2006 Lexington NC Posts 1,406 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Randy, Sounds like you had a great trip! Can't wait for the next gold prospecting update. Kev    Report

09-08-2006, 3:26 PM twig/al Joined on 01-24-2006 Gadsden, Alabama Posts 4,627 Re: Colorado Gold Trip C-17A, sounds like you had a good trip... Feel free to post a photo of the GOLD... lol... PS... Reread your post and you had already put up some photo's... Nice looking GOLD in some interestiong looking cons!!!!! twig/al Alabama Prospecting Supply www.alabamaprospectingsupply.com Email: tom@alabamaprospectingsupply.com Southeast Treasure Hunters Forum www.southeasttreasurehunters.com    Report

09-08-2006, 3:33 PM RDS Joined on 01-24-2006 Acworth (Cobb Co.) Ga. Posts 137 Re: Colorado Gold Trip   WOW and that was just 2 days !!!    I bet if you took a week you could write a book.   I really enjoyed reading about just those 2 days.   Someone earlier said something to the effect that they could live the experience through your description of it and I agree.   So now, just like twig/al said......how's about some 'more' pictures?      RDS Bald Is Beautiful !!!    Report

09-08-2006, 5:28 PM Herschel Joined on 01-30-2006 Monterey, Louisiana Posts 3,149 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Randy told a fine story. Yes, it was kinda like living through his eyes. Herschel "Chief Instigator" Stop "Poly-Ticks" in Washington!! (definitian) Poly: many Ticks: blood suckin' insects    Report

09-08-2006, 6:18 PM faaus Joined on 06-29-2006 Kentucky Posts 441 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Thanks Herschel! That's still another fine tale. I think that is important for folks to do an occasional special trip like that for themselves, while they are still young enough to really enjoy it and have the chance to look forward to doing it again someday. I made the mistake of wasting all my time working overtime and attending all our kids' activities. I maybe should have been kust a WEE bit more selfish.It's a judgement call, but I think people can go overboard in either direction. Just my 2 cents... faaus In the Land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.    Report

09-08-2006, 7:35 PM Alabamasam Joined on 02-24-2006 Hillsboro, AL Posts 613 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Thanks Herschel, that guy to some FANTASTIC photos!    Report

09-09-2006, 12:45 AM jt280z Joined on 05-02-2006 Posts 114 Re: Colorado Gold Trip I've gotta head out that way before I get any older! My brother lives in Ft. Collins and I've not payed him a visit in about 20 years.The last time I went out there I was young and hitch hiked from N.C..He didnt get rid of me for 6 months!!When I go again if I find a lot of gold he might not get rid of me for a year!! jt    Report

09-09-2006, 4:45 AM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 374 Herschel -- Great Lint & Story! I posted more pics of my trip, the scenery and a final pic of my house Herschel, A great story and the pics really tell the other 1000 words each.  Amazing how well preserved so much of that gold mining stuff/housing was for 80+ years left to itself.  I wish I had a metal detector many times as I walked all those CO mine tailings and dry areas. The old miners could not have gotten EVERY nugget! We don't seem to talk much about detectors on this Forum.........anyone know what is the best value for gold nugget detecting these days?  I wouldn't mind hearing from the Forum about their detecting adventures and lessons learned.  I may post a separate thread on this......... Lastly, I posted about 5 more pics of central Colorado -- a few folks asked -- and a finale photo of my house there in Bueva Vista, CO.  Can't wait to go again, soon Enjoy everyone!!  Randy    Report

09-12-2006, 3:09 AM ccv_NC Joined on 01-25-2006 minneapolis NC Posts 524 Re: Herschel -- Great Lint & Story! I posted more pics of my trip, the scenery and a final pic of my house why does this post come up on the not read posts? if ihave allready read it? just a question? later    Report

09-12-2006, 6:37 AM twig/al Joined on 01-24-2006 Gadsden, Alabama Posts 4,627 Re: Herschel -- Great Lint & Story! I posted more pics of my trip, the scenery and a final pic of my house ccv_NC, It does it with me also... Guess that is one of the mysteries of life!!!  lol.... twig/al Alabama Prospecting Supply www.alabamaprospectingsupply.com Email: tom@alabamaprospectingsupply.com Southeast Treasure Hunters Forum www.southeasttreasurehunters.com    Report

01-11-2007, 2:06 PM PrinceVlad Joined on 07-26-2006 Marietta,Georgia(Cobb,county) Posts 375 Re: Herschel -- Great Lint & Story! I posted more pics of my trip, the scenery and a final pic of my house GEGIL you got a PM AL/princevlad    Report

10-14-2007, 1:02 PM Madcritter Joined on 10-23-2006 Oak Island & Uwharrie, NC Posts 161 Re: Herschel -- Great Lint & Story! I posted more pics of my trip, the scenery and a final pic of my house C-17A was that the plastic Le Trap Sluice you used. Does it hold up good ? thanks You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn’t move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn’t move and does, use the duct tape.    Report

10-14-2007, 4:27 PM ClicktheYellowChick Joined on 08-26-2006 Posts 251 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Randy, I felt every Colorado Breeze, and even the gentle swaying of the tall evergreens as I read your fine account. THANK YOU SO MUCH for the sharing.  I always look forward to reading what you so generously take the time to sit down and do after one of  your experiences. YellowChick    Report

10-14-2007, 8:24 PM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 374 MadCritter -- a reply MadCritter, I wanted to take my le Trap, wich I did last year, but instead took my Wolf Trap sluice this year. The Le Trap was awesome, only 4 lbs and worked really well, but was too long/wide now to easily get thru the airlines baggage folks w/o paying extra. The Wolf Trap sluice was a new addition this year to be only 24 inches long vs. 48 inches long and fit inside a large suitcase. It worked really well in fast, deep water and I ran a lot of material w/o classifying. It caught a lot of very small/fine gold. I have previously used the Le Trap. It's well worth the $ for it. It has no riffle bar (external), no carpeta nd cleans up in 15 seconds. It did real well too last year for fine gold. The Wolf Trap is not so good in normal or slower water..........loads up fast and clears out more slower. That siad, with the 3/4 inch dead space/well in the bottom it catches small gold in fast water. Randy :)    Report

10-14-2007, 8:27 PM C-17A Joined on 01-30-2006 Posts 374 YellowChick -- A Reply -- Re: Colorado Gold Trip YellowChick, Thanks for the compliment. I try to make it worth while for anyone who reads it to get a ture sense of the real "adventure" and hard work and fun! Still panning out the 55 lbs of cons I was able to lug home. Not a lot of gold by weight, but lots of small specks and small flakes. Fun, fun, fun... Randy    Report

10-15-2007, 11:40 AM faaus Joined on 06-29-2006 Kentucky Posts 441 Re: Colorado Gold Trip Just a FYI for the goldgrubbers.   Dan and Denise of www.coloradoprospector.com have recently opened up a new pay-to-dig site, near Fairplay, that sure sounds worth a visit. Here's a link to some info. Wifey and I will probably hit it in the coming year. They are setting up some great accomodations (with buffet meals) at a nearby resort. That way, you can get a package deal if you like. http://www.coloradoprospector.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1982 Dan and Denise are nice people and excellent prospectors and rockhounds. Their chatroom is open 24/7 and there are almost always friendly converstions waiting. Enjoy, faaus In the Land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.    Report

10-15-2007, 2:00 PM twig/al Joined on 01-24-2006 Gadsden, Alabama Posts 4,627 Re: Colorado Gold Trip faaus, Sounds like a great place and good people!!! May have to try and make a trip nest year!!! twig/al Alabama Prospecting Supply www.alabamaprospectingsupply.com Email: tom@alabamaprospectingsupply.com Southeast Treasure Hunters Forum www.southeasttreasurehunters.com    Report

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