Gold Prospecting Trips

[WyoDoug]

One of my newer hobbies I adopted since I retired is recreational gold prospecting which is by panning, classifying, sluicing and some rock crushing. I usually combine these with fishing trips. Anyone near Cheyenne interested in such a trip in the summer? Thinking of trying a few spots.

I have found probably 6 grams of gold flakes so far. Not messing with flour gold much as it takes a lot more than that before you can melt it down and purify it. Not looking to get rich off this, just have fun doing it.

 

[diamond hitch]

In Montana, pick up a copy of " Gold Placers in Montana" by Lyden. It will tell you where. Look at " Gold Placer Exploration and Evaluation Techniques" SP -115. It will tell you why and explain what you are seeing.

Thirdly look at "Montana Placer BMPs" . It will provide best management techniques and agencies involved. All are available at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology for under $50. Amazon sells SP-115 but for 3 times the price.

If you have specific questions pm me after thanksgiving. I wrote the books in my other life for the prospectors and the agencies.

However I can't help much with specifics in Wyoming. It was handled out of our Denver office when i worked for the USBM.

 

[WyoDoug]

In Montana, pick up a copy of " Gold Placers in Montana" by Lyden. It will tell you where. Look at " Gold Placer Exploration and Evaluation Techniques" SP -115. It will tell you why and explain what you are seeing.

Thirdly look at "Montana Placer BMPs" . It will provide best management techniques and agencies involved. All are available at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology for under $50. Amazon sells SP-115 but for 3 times the price.

If you have specific questions pm me after thanksgiving. I wrote the books in my other life for the prospectors and the agencies.

However I can't help much with specifics in Wyoming. It was handled out of our Denver office when i worked for the USBM.

I do not know when I would make a trip to Montana. I will probably go to Colorado since I grew up there and know were old abandoned mines are or were.

The fishing part of this is just as important too. It takes a lot of gold flakes to make a living on panning and that and I have no intention on getting into the pro side of it. So panning is just an additional activity for my trips this summer.

 

[Stocker]

That damn song they played on the gold prospecting show on the outdoor channel still haunts my mind. A hunting show would get over then

“Gold Gol gol gol feva va va va va” would start blaring.

 

[T Bone]

My youngest son got us into that for a few years. We have a sluice box and have found gold. The most consistent places are the public mining areas on the San Miguel river. No motors allowed.

After about an hour, it starts to resemble work. A lot of work.

We have yet to find enough gold to pay for gas.

An acquaintance has done well going to the old mining sites, and finding the remnants of the old wood sluice boxes and works whatever sand/gravel he can find in and near them.

 

[Lilhowie83]

That damn song they played on the gold prospecting show on the outdoor channel still haunts my mind. A hunting show would get over then

“Gold Gol gol gol feva va va va va” would start blaring.

My dad was hooked on that show and we watched it religiously every week.

 

[WyoDoug]

My youngest son got us into that for a few years. We have a sluice box and have found gold. The most consistent places are the public mining areas on the San Miguel river. No motors aloud.

After about an hour, it starts to resemble work. A lot of work.

We have yet to find enough gold to pay for gas.

An acquaintance has done well going to the old mining sites, and finding the remnants of the old wood sluice boxes and works whatever sand/gravel he can find in and near them.

I am going to be hitting spots near Kremmling where I used to hunt a lot. Saw tons of quarts and basalt where I have found gold before. Betting I can find a few grams at least. I am with you. You will never get rich with this hobby. I am in it purely for the recreational value in it. But it would be nice and find a one ounce nugget someday LOL.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

That damn song they played on the gold prospecting show on the outdoor channel still haunts my mind. A hunting show would get over then

“Gold Gol gol gol feva va va va va” would start blaring.

Same!! Watched this nearly everyday when I was a kid after the hunting shows when I was spending the summers with my grandpa. Now that I live in Montana I’ve thought about trying my hand at it. Will have to check out those books mentioned above.

 

[Addicting]

If your into other metals as well, head down to CO, check out Gould and then head up to silver creek. I shot my moose there and the kids played in the creek. They found tons of quartz with a metallic in it. We kept a few of the better ones. Teller city is there and is a old silver ghost town. After looking at the terrain you could see what looked like old mounds of tailings. All of us thought it would of been fun to prospect it in the summer.

 

[Wallydeuce]

A former colleague of mine here in Las Vegas does that and his finds got better once he joined a club that have their own claims both here and in northern Arizona. I'm sure there's clubs like that near you Doug.

I'm with T Bone. Looks a lot like work.