Gold Panning

[Java]

My dog turned 14 in Feb and still loves to get out, I can't touch my backpack without her losing her mind... but her body is slowing down, and we can't hike her as far now. She loves water, she can hang out at a stream all day, so I'm adapting. I'm not really into fishing, so I bought a gold pan. Anyone ever done this? I have not, I do know there is a designated gold panning area just under I-70 / 58 intersection south of 44th on the Clear Creek path, but that's about the extent of my knowledge.

I found this video, really interesting, especially where he digs. Anyone have any tips or places to go? It's really about the dog, but I don't want to just wash rocks all day...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCL6FKQZyoM

[Heather]

Awww, Java. <3 Don't have any tips - but just wanted to say I've always wanted to try that. Will be following this thread. Hope you both get a lot of enjoyment out of it, and that she stays able to go with you for as long as possible!

[Spieg]

I totally relate to the ol dog requiring a slower pace. Just went thru that with my old dog Rooster for several years. He loved to go anywhere with me. I had to plan my activities to accommodate his declining capabilities. Kind of a switch now with my current/younger dog - now I'm the one that can't keep up for very long!

When I was a kid back in the 70's we stopped at a roadside tourist attraction where you could pan gold for a few dollars. The guy running the operation was actually pretty smart as he was prospecting soil which he would gather from different areas and bring to the tourist shop. He'd let the customers pay to do all the work (panning) to figure out which soil samples were gold bearing. When he found a good sample he'd go back to that area and setup a sluice box for himself.

My dad actually got the bug for panning after that, so I spent many hours panning with him on weekends. The video shows about as much as I know as far as panning technique goes. It's pretty basic and easy to learn with a little practice. Just as the video shows, the gold will be down in the heavy black sand, so as long as you are separating that from the lighter color dirt, then you're doing it right. When you're learning, I'd start with a lot less dirt in the pan than the guy in the video (you can increase the amount of dirt once you get the hang of it).

It's been many years ago, so I don't know the current rules/regulations. Any of the big mining areas (Central City, Cripple Creek, etc...) will usually have some gold if you find a good spot. After the spring runoff or even a major rain storm is a good time to pan the creeks and rivers as new material gets carried in by erosion.

[Brad]

Not sure about locations but am very interested in doing the same. Roxy really doesn't go for walks anymore (diabetic, blind and losing hearing) and Rosie is getting up there in age so she likes shorter walks. Both still love going for drives though.

[Java]

Got a chance to see the gold panning area on the greenbelt friday morning before the weather came in, it was interesting. I don't think I'm going to try it there, it stinks. Literally, the water has that weird black mud and just smells terrible. It doesn't stop everyone, there was one guy with a pretty involved setup that was digging right in the middle of the stream and a group of three guys on the far bank digging and panning. A second waterway runs on the other side of the path, it looks like a man made ditch. It also smells bad and had turtles, fish and birds. Further down the path there is a waterfall created by the ruins of an old mining operation- nothing great about the ruins, just a lot of concrete, but the water flowing over it is beautiful. I think I'm going to hold out for a clear mountain stream on BLM land, I had to wash the dog after we went there. Stinky stream under the highway is not the vision...

[TJS86TOY]

I have been gold prospecting with my step dad for many many years. Basic setup is a pan, sluce box , something to dig with and a bottle with a straw attached to it. What you are looking for mostley is black sand which has gold in it.
I have found gold;
-Creek by trail to whale mine by redcone
-Various creeks up going to Yankee hill
-Arkansas river
On and on.
It takes a lot of work but, if your in it just for the hobby then its fun as heck. Just don't expect to get rich :)
Please excuse grammar and spelling as Im not quite awake yet. ..

[TJS86TOY]

This is what I started out with and works so well I still use it today https://www.amazon.com/E-Z-Sluice-EZ-SLUICE-KIT/dp/B00CYLSJTW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493563213&sr=8-1&keywords=ez+sluice

[newracer]

I bought my son's each a pan when we took a trip to the Ouray area once, best $20 I have ever spent. My boys wanted to stop at every creek to see if they could find gold. We did find a little plus some pyrite and gems.

IIRC there is a group you can join that gives you rights on several claims throughout the state.

[Chris]

I think this may be the one you're thinking of Michael - www.coloradoprospector.com

I signed my wife on a few years back but she didn't participate. We'd still like to give it a try sometime.

[Java]

so we did this a couple of times and it's not really for me, but the pan itself is coming camping from now on; it is the BEST fire fan I've ever used. The shape of it and how rigid it is moves a lot of air very efficiently.

[Jim]

You're a prospector at heart - all tools are multi-purpose


:chuckle:

[Terrafied]

I was a member of the GPAA for a few years and have done quite a bit of prospecting in California, Nevada, Canada, and here in Colorado. If you join a group like the GPAA you get to use all their claims, which is quite a few throughout the state. It is a pastime that takes a lot of patience and digging. Having a metal detector helps too, I have a Gold Bug detector and have found hundreds of old nails and a mountain of tin cans. It's a patient mans pastime that can on rare occasion make you some decent money, but its more about the search. Public areas where you can pan free of charge are usually pretty tapped out, but at least your doing it legally and not panning where you shouldn't be. Most don't take too kind to poachers so just look for claim markers before you dig. Have fun and look for iron , quartz, and black sand - good clues to gold in the area.

[Eagle6]

I used to love to pan for beer money when I was living in Alaska. Haven't tried my hand at it since moving to Colorado. Don't have any of the requisite gear anymore, but would sure love to get back into it I think. Finding legal areas here on Colorado I think is the tough part. And yea from what I have heard, the legal area here in town pretty much sucks. Maybe late spring next year. With the snow melt off and new high waters pushing id down stream.