The detectors made specifically for gold are better than the more generic ones. The specific ones use higher frequencies, and are able to find smaller targets. There is much trash in the area, and we've found boot tacks, square nails, barrel staves, and all manner of other useless debris. It is fun looking, though
We dig into the creekbed, about 4 feet to bedrock, and collect the bottom 6 inches of dirt. We run that through the wash plant. We get an ounce or more each trip, with a few nuggets of 4 or 6 grams. We've had several 2 oz trips. We are all old, so this represents about 3 days of hard diggin'. If I got fired tomorrow, I would head out there and try my hand at full time. But as long as my engineering degree allows me to sit on my butt and make good money, I will keep this in backup.
Our claim has some good ground, and we have found several places with relatively thin overburden. There are places where the creek concentrates the gold, and we try to find the ones most easily accessed. Not that we are lazy. We just have expended nearly all of our shovel credits. There are a lot of thorns on the claim, and the road in isn't for the faint of heart. We have left the Sprinter near the highway and walked down, when the pickup was out of commission. It's not a long walk, but it is a bit rough.
Everyone is welcome, and if some are less able to wield a shovel, we will figure out something. Everyone, at some point in their life, should see a bit of gold gleaming at them from the bottom of a pan.
Jim and Bev own the Lakeview RV Park, and are good people. The showers and bathrooms are clean, and the laundry is well maintained. You can come in and buy just a shower if you like. Their prices are good, and the Arrey Café just south of the park is mighty fine grub. There are two state parks nearby, and plenty of BLM land for boondocking. There is a WallyWorld in TorC, as well as a couple of good hardware stores and auto parts stores. I always spend way too much money shopping in TorC, too. There is a Forest Service office there too, and the rangers are pretty helpful. We usually see a significant number of Border Patrol vehicles, and a few of them have stopped and asked what we were doing. We can't get any of them to handle a shovel, though. When I retire, I will very likely spend much time there, even if I can't work the claim.
Drop me a note on this thread, or a PM if you like. Ask any questions here, and I will try to answer as soon as I can. I will post a few more pictures if I can.
Hope to see all of ya'll there in March!!
Bama
