Earlier this month my wife gave me a Minelab Gold Monster 1000 metal detector as a present for my birthday. She well knows my passion for searching (formerly dredging) for gold but also that age and physical limitations has limited my prospecting adventures. She also reminded me that I need to lose some weight and get more exercise.
So, I made a couple of road trips this month up into the Cascade Mountains and tried my new toy on a couple of old mining claims that are up near the small town of Liberty, WA.
Visible from the highway are tailing piles from the old bucket dredging operations that go back a hundred years and there are nearby locations where the bedrock in that area is exposed and accessible. I've previously used other detectors up here in the early 1990s but the technology advances that are in this GM 1000 detector are really amazing and I even found some small gold in places previously prospected and well worked. I came home with a few small flakes and some color.
As I learn how to properly use (tune) this tool I'm excited to try it out on some old mine workings in this region.
Cheers! Liberty Dave