Short Mining Season

[libertydave]

Hello...Been a while since I last posted on this forum and hope all of you are doing okay.

The mining claim I've recently been working is up on Washington's Blewitt Pass and only has a two month season for using mechanical mining equipment (small dredges/high-bankers). The 2019 season ends this weekend.

In early August I discovered color in a couple of the test holes I had dug. The shallow overburden in this spot is only about a foot deep before hitting bedrock. I was working with my small high-banker combo. After a day's effort digging I came across a nice bedrock crack about eight inches long that contained fine gold and a few tiny flakes. Been back a couple of times since and I'm going back this weekend for one last try.

Not even close to what we used to recover while using larger equipment so many years ago I still dug out a couple of pennyweight in the trips I made up there. Most of all finding this gold brought back a lot of good memories and I realized that just the adventure of seeing that gold for all of my hard work was worth all the digging and the backaches. Cheers to all of you!

Liberty Dave

[russau]

Some is better than none !

[libertydave]

Russ...So well stated and I was very grateful for every speck of this small 'paystreak'. At 76 I don't know how many more I'll come across so this one was a special gift

I also was hoping that my post might encourage/inspire others to write on their more recent gold adventures.

Liberty Dave

[russau]

Thank you Dave for your post on your outing ! it's good to hear of everyone's experience's !

[Ornery Cuss]

Now that the heat is off and crowds are gone
I'm planning to get back in the water soon
Before the white stuff flies
Some times life gets in the way of getting out
Good luck, safe travels to all

OC

[russau]

And good luck to you also OC !! Hope you get many pounds !

[russau]

I heard on the news that the North West and Montana got 3 to 4 foot of snow!

[cowboy444]

Greetings All!
I've been sitting in Happy Camp for the last week. I've brought my dry washer with me and we did find gold in two days that we used it. Feels like my back is broken from all the material we moved. Today is a relaxing day off. Tomorrow we're due to move North to a couple of claims on I-5. Our adventure ends on Wednesday so finding gold has to hurry up. Hopefully we'll be able to use our dredges again soon.

cowboy444

[russau]

AHMEN to that Randy!!

[libertydave]

No snow up in Cascade mountains where I was working. Just a chilly breeze blowing over the surface of the creek. Sure was a pretty spot with fall's colors in the tree leaves.
Did one last final dig for the year a few days back and found more fines for a whole lot of digging. Brought home a couple of five gallon buckets to enjoy during the winter. My back was so sore I needed two hefty shots of liquid pain killer just to get a good nights sleep. All told the gold was nice and most of all the adventure of finding color was a memory provoking experience. I so loved the sounds of water, gravel and rocks rolling thru the sluice is music to my ears.
If you are interested the spot I was working it was in Swauk Creek up near Mineral Springs, WA. All the best to you. Cheers!