Colorado Gold and Gem Prospecting Etiquette and Safety

The best kind of gold digger…

I have been a prospector for five years now, and although I do not consider myself an amateur anymore, I still have a lot to learn. With the advent of reality television and a recent interest in the world of prospecting, I have noticed an exponential increase in prospector sightings these past few seasons. The feeling is bitter sweet; prospectors are competitive by nature, and seeing once vacant land filled with holes and squatting novices, fills me with mixed feelings about the rise in popularity of my hobby.

Gold prospecting has a negative correlation with the US’s economy, membership numbers increase as the economy declines. The recent spike in activity is largely due to the Great Recession, and in a very cyclical manner, the “gold fever” has returned with exaggerated reports from the field and TV shows propagating the notion that anyone can pluck the abundant gold from the rivers (although the ol’ timers only extracted about 5-10% of the gold in the Western US.)

So I have decided to inform rather than resent and have compiled a short list of gold & gem prospecting etiquette and safety tips. If you must go out, at least be informed!

1. Safety first! Every prospector knows the feeling of their first significant find, it sometimes overwhelms reason and gets you into severe trouble, or killed. Stay out of old mine shafts and their surrounding areas. Most are dilapidated and their vents covered by forest debris, which you could unknowingly step into and fall. If you see any sunken area stay away from the ground and never attempt to enter an abandoned mine. Poisonous gases/dust, decaying support beams, cave-ins, predator run-ins are just a few reasons to stay out and stay alive!

This portion is more for the female prospectors… carry a firearm when out alone. I hated guns before my husband familiarized me with guns, and now I own two! The thought of me out alone in the woods in rural wilderness drove him crazy, he always thought the worst! Being alert is crucial when alone, the woods are occupied by mountain lions, moose, elk, black bear (not really worried about them they are terrified of humans), wolves, and coyotes. One can get very distracted while working and make an easy target to be surprised.

**Note to any non-prospectors, DO NOT sneak up on a prospector and ask them if they have found anything. Most of us are armed and do not reveal our sites or bounty to strangers.

You are also a female carrying gold, gems and expensive equipment in some cases. I have had instances where a truck load of men drive by me several times, very slowly as if to scope my situation. I immediately pack up and leave. If for some horrifying reason I am approached in a negative manner, I know my holstered and loaded .357 snub nose will let them know I mean to protect myself.

2. Leave it as you find it. I hate hate hate it when people leave their unproductive holes in the ground for someone to stumble into and break their ankle. It is very simple, if you dig a hole fill it in when you leave.

You will also dig up trash and stumble upon debris, as a conservationist I urge you to pack it out to preserve the ecosystem we cherish so much.

3. Do your research on hazardous materials and areas. I still do not own a Geiger counter, which I hate, but I do compensate by extensive research in the areas known for radioactive materials and their appearance. I also do not own any major hard-rock mining equipment, so I poke around old mine dumps about half the time (always search for signs of a claim, a rock stack marker, a No Trespassing sign, etc.).

The mines in Boulder County used mercury and other extremely hazardous materials to extract the gold from the ore. Just a few days ago I dug my shovel into a stream bank and emptied it into my pan, shook it gently and a pool of mercury formed on the top. There are also naturally occurring Colorado ore that is caustic to your health like asbestos, smoky quartz, galena, and uranium. Familiarize yourself with these for field identification and avoid.

4. Do not claim jump! Another instance where research really pays off. The BLM has set aside plenty of national forest for you to freely prospect in, while other mines like the Phoenix Gold Mine and Argo Mine allow you to pay to pan their productive streams… a little girl apparently panned an 8 ounce nugget near Phoenix!

If someone owns a claim, most likely they make their living off of it and every gem and fleck of gold is a hit to these miners. When in doubt just head to the town’s gem and rock shop and ask a local for public land to mine.

Or better yet, support Colorado gem and gold prospecting clubs and the GPAA or LDMA to attain access to their claims!

My husband the goofball angler

5. Respect the anglers. Now obviously this only pertains to mining on the river, and I feel inclined to add this because of my angler husband. Gold prospecting on the river does wonders for the fish population, from extracting trash and mercury from the water, to producing spawning beds from sluice tailings, to uprooting nutrients and food sources for the fish while digging.

But, we do inconvenience the other river enthusiasts like anglers, and on public land they have just as much right to be on the land as you. When setting up a high-banker, dredge or sluice be conscientious of any anglers in the area… of course if they show up after to you that is their fault. But, if they are there first try not to murk up their  water if they are downstream, attempt to not spook the fish by walking around near large holes, and let them fish through if need be (take a break and grab some water, smoke or food.)

I’m not saying let them run your day, just share the wealth of the environment!

…With all that being said get out there and explore the beautiful state of Colorado. And remember, it’s not about finding the gold it’s about the search!

Lincoln Creek, Independence Pass

According to legend, a young boy stumbled upon an exposed vein of gold 10 miles outside of Aspen while resting on a ledge. I went to find this vein over the holiday weekend, to no avail, but captured some spectacular pictures. Ah, Colorado how I love thee.

Field Report: Sedalia Mine, Salida Colorado

For every peak there is a trough in life, and for the last few months I have weathered the trough and completely neglected my blog. My sincerest apologies.

Due to the large amount of international travel already this year, my adventures have been confined to the state boundary lines… but Colorado is a wonderful place to explore. I am the sixth generation to reside in the state and I still have yet to explore vast sections of the area.

Ridgeway, Colorado through my cracked windshield

My family is largely concentrated in the Durango area, and it has been over a decade since my last visit, but a tragic and untimely death in the family drew the clan out of the fields and mountains and back to the homestead.

Red Mountain Pass

The drive from Boulder to Durango follows Colorado’s mineral belt and provided me with prime prospecting opportunities. With my Gem Trails of Colorado by my side I plotted my route and prepared to sift through the ages… hopefully to discover some  natural wonders.

My route was shot due to a giant wildfire on Wolfcreek Pass so I had to detour through Salida (awww, shucks) and over Monarch Pass. One promising spot presented itself as I flew down the highway and slammed on my breaks making a very precarious turn onto a graveled county road. My book instructed me to acquire permission from the ranchers, most of them gun-toting and completely protective of their land, but I lucked out and saw a sign for a yard sale.

I thumbed through old records and purchased a Chubby Checker record with “The Twist” for one dollar… then proceeded to ask for permission. The lovely couple directed me to the old Sedalia Mine (the most productive, abandoned copper mine in the state) up the hill and wished me luck, proudly displaying their finds and scars from a narrow miss with death as their 4-wheeler flipped.

View from the mine

I flew up the rutted old road and came upon the “parking area” which to my surprise was full. The Lakewood Gem & Prospectors Club greeted me and let me tag around their outing since I had obtained permission and made the trek up there.

I gave myself a half an hour to speed prospect so I wouldn’t arrive too late at my destination and got to work with my classifier and the tailing around the rotted high banker. Withing a few minutes I found my half pound almandine garnet, along with microcline feldspar and possibly some epidote in quartz!

almandine garnets

The 90 degree temperature and smell of smoke in the air severely limited my stamina, but in the short 30 minutes of dry washing rocks I found some impressive specimens! I highly recommend the Salida area for rock/gem/gold prospecting but remember most mine dumps are on private property so due your research before heading out… or if you feel spontaneous just ask at the local rockhound shop for public sites.

 

Prospecting Season 2013 is On!

Digging down river from old mine tailings.

New7Wonders of Nature

Humans love their lists… Seven Wonders of the Natural World, Seven Wonders of the Underwater World, etc. In 2007 the New7Wonders campaign led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber began creation of a new list for travel enthusiasts to guide them to the world’s best natural splendors. The naturally occurring phenomena dispersed across the globe were narrowed down from 440 participants to seven finalists over four years of international voting.

When the polls closed in 2011, the top seven stood alone in their capacity to overwhelm the senses in scale and form. I am sad to say I have never been to any of these wonders, so all photos are from New7Wonders site or Wikipedia.

7. Table Mountain (South Africa). The two mile long plateau serves as a sensational backdrop for Cape Town and provides residents and visitors with spectacular views and intense hiking. Khoikhoi, or the first to settle Cape Town 2000 years ago, thrived in this lush environment until (surprise, surprise) the European explorers “discovered” Cape Town and the Khoikhoi were nearly wiped out. Table Mountain also appears on the South African flag and other government related insignia.

6. Komodo Island (Indonesia). Known for the island’s most notable inhabitants, the Komodo dragon, the island also features world-class scuba diving and an elusive pink sand beach (one of only 7 in the world). Evolutionarily speaking, the Komodo dragon has a fascinating history due to island gigantism and lack of apex predators, the Komodo developed into the largest lizard on Earth (same story for large birds of prey).

5. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Philippines). The subterranean river system created by the erosion of limestone, making the Puerto Princesa Underground River a World Heritage site and major tourist attraction. The extremely diverse range of ecosystems, from mountain-to-sea, along with some of the world’s largest caverns full of mature stalactites and stalagmites, draw many environmentalists and geologists to explore. Most of the underground tunnels remain unmapped due to the stagnant air deep within the mountain.

4. Iguazu Falls (Brazil/Argentina). Located on the border of Brazilian state Paraná and Argentine province Misiones, Iguazu Falls rivals Victoria and Niagara Falls in sheer volume and enormity. At any point of time there are between 130-300 separate waterfalls created by the Iguazu River spilling over the Paraná Plateau, with the majority of water flowing through The Devil’s Thumb captured above.

3. Ha Long Bay (Vietnam). The lush, jagged limestone formations jutting into the sky at random intervals inspired the Vietnamese to award the name of “descending dragon bay” upon this marvelous place. Another site on the World Heritage List, Ha Long Bay instantly captures the imagination of all who visit. Located in the Quang Ninh province of Vietnam, the iconic karst topography of the region formed by 500 million years of erosion creates a surrealistic landscape… one which I must see in my lifetime.

2. Jeju Province (South Korea). Also registered as a World Heritage site, Jeju is one of nine provinces of South Korea. The dominant feature of Jeju Island is Hallasan, South Korea’s largest mountain, and a dormant shield volcano. The highly fertile soil of the volcanic region and enormous lava tubes create a wondrous environment to explore. The massive lava tubes, once carrying large volumes of magma to the surface, now lie empty creating an impressive system of underground tunnels and caverns. The site also provides scientists with invaluable data and promotes ecotourism throughout the region.

1. Amazon River and Forest (South America). It’s no wonder that the word Amazon sounds like “amazing” with the richest biologically diverse rainforest in the world paired with the largest river in terms of water flow (more than the next 5 largest rivers combined.) One could spend a lifetime exploring the rainforest and still only mange to cover a small percent of the land. New species are discovered each year in the jungle and river with one in ten species on the planet located in the Amazon. Currently, the impact of climate change and deforestation due to human habitation and development are destroying the forest. The soaring prices in gold drove a new wave of illegal mining into the region including the ever-devastating practice of hydraulic mining.

To donate a tree to the Amazon click here.

Unfortunately, the Amazon is only one of the numerous global destinations being mauled by fast-growing human population and climate change. I travel as much as possible to see things before they are gone, like Venice… or glaciers. Try to do your part for conservation efforts around the world if you enjoy traveling and natural wonders as much as I do.

This list has created much controversy. Do you agree with the order or finalists? If not, where would you vote for?

Flooding: Burden or Blessing?

My family has lived in Colorado for over 120 years. The first Colorado pioneer, George Edward Hastings, migrated from Michigan  in 1858 with fifty fellow gold prospectors to strike it rich near Pike’s Peak. He began a freighting business between Denver and St. Louis, met his wife Mary Jane Lane in Denver and eventually settled the breath-taking Telluride/Montrose area of the southern  San Juan mountain range.  At some point during George’s 30s he decided to build a large ranch on Hastings Mesa, later named after him, and lived amicably with the Ute Indians. My mother’s side of the family has more-or-less stayed in Colorado ever since.

My great, great Grandpa Mortimer Hugh Hastings in 1932 on their ranch on Hastings Mesa.

My great Grandpa Homer Hastings in 1930, Telluride Co.

I am reaching the tail end of my 20s and I have severely flirted with the idea of leaving this state, living abroad and experiencing life. The only problem with this is that being raised in a glorious mountain range spoils you, to the point where one is almost addicted to them. Like coffee or chocolate, looking at a sprawling mountain vista releases numerous neurotransmitters that make me feel… content.

This addiction to the mountains and my incurable restlessness led me down the path of prospecting. You might be asking yourself what the hell is a prospectress? Or a prospector?  Well about the time the Hastings were making their way into Colorado, an enormous Gold Rush was under way, and thousands of families traveled west in search of glory. Unfortunately, this was not the case for most, only 1 in 1,000 miners actually made enough money to sustain themselves, and only a tiny fraction of those made a fortune from their endeavor.

I have no record of any miners in my family but I have a feeling that some ancestors came down with a case of “Gold Fever.” I have had the fever for exactly three years now, and although I have made progress, I still have a lot to learn and a lot to accomplish with this hobby/passion. A well-versed prospector knows how to read the geology of the land and scout for prime gold-bearing areas. They can classify the different placers and scale mountains to hack away at the lode gold above tree-line. Part physicist, part geologist, part crazy-ass; a prospector(tress) has an obsessed with not only gold, but rock hounding gemstones and precious minerals, as well as the lost treasure of the region buried for over a century.

Now you might be wondering why the title of this piece is Flooding: Burden or Blessing? And you also might be wondering why I have not enthralled you with my wondrous tales of falling down river banks and chasing gold pans that float away when I turn my back.

This winter we received record-breaking snowfall totals coupled with one of the wettest Spring/Summer seasons I can remember, has created severe flooding in all rivers. The majority of Colorado’s gold is in its rivers, hacked away from its source via erosion and other environmental processes, and deposited during the Spring floods. This year the flooding is enormous, which means good news for reloading the rivers with gold, but bad news for the prospecting season. Most prospectors (not me!) only run their pans and sluices during the warmer months, and sit at home with their scoops in their bums for the Winter thumbing through concentrate.

It is nearing mid-July and the flooding has yet to abate, in fact it is increasing with each day that passes. My normal spots on the rivers are impossible to reach and too dangerous to work by in most cases. I have not dipped my sluice into the river for over a month now!

Just like my husband said, “Fishing will be terrible this year, phenomenal next year,” and so will the gold hunting.  The more I learn about gold the more I realize that gold and synonymous. Where ever you will find fish you will find gold.  For now I have a large piece of quartz with thumbnail sized garnets embedded in it to keep me busy… as well as the never-ending concentrate buckets.

Will write more when I get back out there for that gooooooooooooold!