Water in Randsberg area

[GoldMember]

Semi-hypothetical question time.

What are the options in the Randsberg area for acquiring water-truck quantities of water for washing operations? (Visiting a fire hydrant in Ridgecrest at dawn is not what I had in mind.)

Reason being, I can see a lot of old, old water-washing piles in the Duisenberg area. Someone there told me there was once a manmade pond near the mountain. I'm wondering if recovery is that much better using a recirculating sluice as opposed to a drywasher. If it is, has anyone ever heard of someone having a truckload of water brought in? Large amounts of container water become hazardous (unstable load) in a regular vehicle or trailer.

Thanks, and feel free to newb-slap me if necessary.

Cheers,

-GoldMember

[Rattlesnake Jim]

Recovery using water is usually better than dry methods. But, Sometimes hauling water is a problem and it becomes more cost effective to use dry methods.

[grubstake]

Go to Duesenburg, and look up John, he hauls water for his re-circulation system, he's a friend of mine, he has perment set up at Desenburg, The Massie brothers featured his system in one of there shows once. Runs a highbanker and has several water tanks, ti catch and recirculate. Only draw back its got to be clean out pretty regular, the tailings tank anyway. Grubstake Thats John Garmany

[Hammer]

There you go Goldmember: If Grubstake says he has a friend there, then thats the place to start--good luck.

[grubstake]

John Garmany's Brother, Glen was married to my mothers sister, my aunt for 40+ years he died a little over a year ago. John is a good guy. He is in a great big deisel motor home set up there. Sandtrap knows him and goe's quite offten to see him and visit. Not sure how far he hauls his water from, or where he gets it. You will have to ask him that. Grubstake

[Guest sandtrap]

Howdy- My information comes from members of Orange County 49er's club members. I'm not sure how accurate they are. They go to fire dept. in Randsburg, and buy water for 6cents a gallon. If you plan on doing this, better make sure it is not on "claimed" property. Since gold price has gone up, so have tempers towards trespassers.. Just a warning, so you do not get in trouble.

[GoldMember]

I met John last time I was there, he pulled up to my camp (east of Duisenberg) while making the rounds lecturing dusty motorsports people. He mentioned his "water setup" and he is the one who told me there was once a pond there. I'll have to make it a point to stop and chat with him more next time. I saw his camp but he wasn't in view when I passed that evening.

Fire department- great idea!

I'll be working a club claim.

Cheers,

-Goldmember

[grubstake]

Johns a great guy. You shouldn't have too much problem with him. he's just the kind that takes life slow and easy. Grubstake

[Paseclipse]

Howdy- My information comes from members of Orange County 49er's club members. I'm not sure how accurate they are. They go to fire dept. in Randsburg, and buy water for 6cents a gallon. If you plan on doing this, better make sure it is not on "claimed" property. Since gold price has gone up, so have tempers towards trespassers.. Just a warning, so you do not get in trouble.

I head out to the Randsburg area all the time and every other club seems very nice EXCEPT the OC 49'ers. These guys are really starting to piss the locals off out there especially when there pullin guns on everybody.

[GoldMember]

.. every other club seems very nice EXCEPT the OC 49'ers.....pullin guns on everybody.

Really? Where is their claim/claims? I'll be sure to give it a wide berth.

Virtually EVERYONE I have met out there has been nice and friendly, though I'm only on my second trip, and have yet to arrive with serious prospecting equipment.

I DID notice a lot of people putting off to the east of Duisenberg with drywashers, on ATVs and trucks, away from the areas where I know the club claims are, but I'm new there and didn't explore off in that direction. MAN I wish there was a simple way to get a map showing claimed and free areas! I'll stick to the PCSC claims myself.

-Goldmember

[Skipperbill]

Goldmember,

A lot of those friendly people you have met at Duisenburg are also OC 49ers. Ask around and get the full story.

Bill

[Guest sandtrap]

I belong to 49er's, and I'm friendly. BUT, some are not. Gold , especially at current prices, does strange things to people!! Look me up ....

[Paseclipse]

Goldmember,

A lot of those friendly people you have met at Duisenburg are also OC 49ers. Ask around and get the full story.

Bill

So tell me Bill, what is the full story on this? Because I know a couple of guys this happened to and they weren't even on the OC 49'ers claim!

Hey Sandtrap, not all the OC 49'ers are bad people, as a matter of fact most the people in this club are good people. It's just that there a few people in this club who seem to think it's still the 1800's and they tend to act this way. Pullin guns (and threatening to kill) people they think are "claim jumping" is a load of BS, especially when the majority of the club members claim jump all the time.

Now I might understand pullin a gun on a claim jumper if it was somebodies private claim and it was their bread and butter. But come on, it's a club, everybodies there to have a good time and find a little bit of gold. If I were in the OC 49er's shoes and I ran into a couple claim jumpers I would use the opportunity to try and generate a little bit of revenue for the club instead of the way they handle it.

Imagine what's gonna happen when the guys doin this pull guns on people who are exactly like them? You're gonna have a showndown! A showdown over a little bit of placer gold? THATS GOD DAMN RIDICULOUS! So if these guys keep this up, it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

Goldmember, if your part of the PCSC, I suggest checking out their claim up in Benson Canyon right by Goler Gulch in the El Paso's. This is pretty much the best claim in that area, especially if your into drywashing. Hell I'm tempted to join them just because of that claim!

[joeforthegold]

I am part owner of a claim east of Duisenburg past the shark rock a little ways you will see the concrete mixer truck and old cars. We get water in Jo-Berg at the water dept. for a penny a gallon. Give your self lots of time because you have to use a water hose. OC 49ers are all around I have been a member before but let my membership lapse. I have had no problems with them. You are welcome to play on my claim but be ready to work for what you get. There is plenty of gold but it takes a lot of work. Any body gives you a problem let me know. Problem will go away. See my avatar

-Joe

[FlakMagnet]

Flak

[GoldMember]

Thanks for the info so far. What a great, knowlegable forum full of prospectors we have gathered here!

I'm gonna branch out another thread... or two... from this discussion.

Anyway, more DOOF NOOB questions.

Is it an advantage to run one of those "mile long" highbanker/sluices in a recirculating system, or is that overkill? (Do you need to ask WHO just downloaded/drooled over the full KEENE catalog?) I mean the system that has three sluices in a row. I get the impression that recirc systems run on a lower volume of water than a regular power sluice next to a convenient rushing river. Are those long sluices that much better at cutting losses of values?

Or...

Am I unclear on the concept, the recirculating systems are small and used for processing concentrates, not yards and yards of raw material?

Joe, or anyone else out there... I put a solar garden light to shine on the "Welcome to Duisenberg" sign... it's still there I hope. I feel an affinity for the place, though I have only passed thru on two occasions without stopping. I feel embarrased to show up with my $199 kid's-toy-of-a-detector. Are you talking about the area South of the tracks, I saw at least one car and a cement-mixer-like drum over there, south of the Clark claim and actually southeast of Duesenberg. I saw people heading due east along the tracks with the drywashers, not to mention a couple of guys who appeared to be unabashedly sampling different claims like a honeybee.

Thanks,

-Goldmember

[joeforthegold]

Sounds like the right spot.

the mixer drum is actually standing upright and the car is an old green one I believe. It is shot full of holes of course(not by me believe it or not) there are some old leach tanks on the back of two old semi trailers. Dig around where every one else has been digging awhile and you will get gold guaranteed. Use a drywasher it is probably the best bet. With a drywasher I pulled a half ounce of fines out of there before I owned a real detector. You don't need a multi thousand dollar detector to find gold but it sure don't hurt. You might run into some people from TSS (Treasure Seekers of San Diego) Just tell them Joe said it was o-k.

-Joe

[GoldMember]

Yeah, for the life of me I couldn't figure out that vertical cement mixer. I went only as far south as the railroad grade; got a good video of a train passing. I saw some people working that area several weekends ago, but not last visit. Thank you for the invite! I'll probably do my first work on the Clark claim, but its nice to know I could try a little in that area. Later I'd like to talk about the nature of the gold deposits in that area, in a different thread, but for right now I'd better get off the computer or I'll be single!

Cheers,

-GoldMember

[gotgold]

...... Later I'd like to talk about the nature of the gold deposits in that area, in a different thread, but for right now I'd better get off the computer or I'll be single!

Cheers,

-GoldMember

Goldmember,

There are number of great books out there that you may want to get your hands on regarding the Panamints, Randsburg and the Elpaso's. "Death Valley and the Armagosa" by Lingenfelter and "Exploring the Ghost Town Desert; The Rand Mining Area" by Roberta Martin Starry, there are more but that will get you started. Total cost is around $30.00

The 'Yellow Aster' discoverd by three prospectors in the early 1900's was the big one for the area gold wise. It put Randsburg on the map. It was mined on and off for years. In the 1980's and 90's a large mining company took over and they ended up developing it as an open pit, the entire top of the mountain was removed. It's interesting to compare the old photos with what is there today. A lot of history in that area.

Most of the gold from the later operation was cyanide leached, however they did find some nice pockets. I guess the reply from an assayer of the early 1900's was true about the entire mountain being gold.

If you want to explore in the Panamints be very careful where you take or use your detector. The use of a detector in the Park is a no-no!

Gary

[socalgolddigger]

a friend of mine is a 49er's member. i went to thier big labor day or memorial day outing last year and there was over 100 people out there! thier president gave a talk about the incidents that had happened up till that time of some locals running people off the claim with baseball bats. unfortunatly they tried to run the wrong person off the claim once. many of the oc 49er's are either current or retired law enforcement so they carry guns. and when these individuals tried to run this particular person off the claim he went to his truck pulled his gun and then called the local law enforcement to take care of the problem. alot of this comes about when people miss paying thier fees to keep thier claim and someone else files for it. currently the 49er's accuried some claims that belonged to another club to to thier presidents mistake and they are striking a deal to let the club continue use. so yes tensions are high with the 49ers in that they were very upset as a club being physically run off thier claim. once was a husband and wife who were all alone out there. noone like being threatend with bodily harm!!

[Paseclipse]

a friend of mine is a 49er's member. i went to thier big labor day or memorial day outing last year and there was over 100 people out there! thier president gave a talk about the incidents that had happened up till that time of some locals running people off the claim with baseball bats. unfortunatly they tried to run the wrong person off the claim once. many of the oc 49er's are either current or retired law enforcement so they carry guns. and when these individuals tried to run this particular person off the claim he went to his truck pulled his gun and then called the local law enforcement to take care of the problem. alot of this comes about when people miss paying thier fees to keep thier claim and someone else files for it. currently the 49er's accuried some claims that belonged to another club to to thier presidents mistake and they are striking a deal to let the club continue use. so yes tensions are high with the 49ers in that they were very upset as a club being physically run off thier claim. once was a husband and wife who were all alone out there. noone like being threatend with bodily harm!!

THE OC49ER'S HAVE BE TO BE DIRTIEST PRICKS I'VE EVER RAN INTO OUT IN THE FIELDS! Of course not all are, just the people running it. If they were chased down with baseball bats it was probably for a good reason (continuous claim jumping and trespassing even after they've been told), because trust me these guys claim jump out there all the time! Stealing peoples claims from under their noses is pretty damn dirty too, and I'm sure this has pissed quit a few people off as well. In my book they probably deserved somebody chasing them down with a baseball bat. However this is still not a justification for their actions!

I think probably their best bet is to stick to their claim, don't claim jump (since they're pretty much in hot water with the locals anyway, the locals there are just watching and waiting for them to fart the wrong way) and don't pull guns on innocent people and threaten to kill them. Because at the rate these guys are going somebodies gonna get shot soon.

It's to bad it's come to this out there, because it was a very pleasent place to prospect before this club showed up. But hey they did it to themselves, all the the crap that rolls there way is well deserved. Maybe they need to chill out a little bit and not be so paranoid about everybody and everything.

[socalgolddigger]

Go to Duesenburg, and look up John, he hauls water for his re-circulation system, he's a friend of mine, he has perment set up at Desenburg, The Massie brothers featured his system in one of there shows once. Runs a highbanker and has several water tanks, ti catch and recirculate. Only draw back its got to be clean out pretty regular, the tailings tank anyway. Grubstake Thats John Garmany

John is a nice guy! he came out to an area once and offered his electric jack hammer and rototiller to us to dig up our ground. so in turn we dug up his ground and shoveled into his truck for him. amazing how nice friendly gold seekers who have never met can work together!! he provided the tools and we provided our backs!

Semi-hypothetical question time.

What are the options in the Randsberg area for acquiring water-truck quantities of water for washing operations? (Visiting a fire hydrant in Ridgecrest at dawn is not what I had in mind.)

Reason being, I can see a lot of old, old water-washing piles in the Duisenberg area. Someone there told me there was once a manmade pond near the mountain. I'm wondering if recovery is that much better using a recirculating sluice as opposed to a drywasher. If it is, has anyone ever heard of someone having a truckload of water brought in? Large amounts of container water become hazardous (unstable load) in a regular vehicle or trailer.

Thanks, and feel free to newb-slap me if necessary.

Cheers,

-GoldMember

How much water do you need? i have 3 -55 gallon plastic drums i can put on my trailer! ive run a recirculator out there. clay begone and setleing ponds/ buckets are needed!

[Desertdog]

I head out to the Randsburg area all the time and every other club seems very nice EXCEPT the OC 49'ers. These guys are really starting to piss the locals off out there especially when there pullin guns on everybody.

You really should file a report with the county sheriff. This could get out of hand, The only thing you should not file a false report as it may bite back. Good Luck with the sheriff.

[Paseclipse]

You really should file a report with the county sheriff. This could get out of hand, The only thing you should not file a false report as it may bite back. Good Luck with the sheriff.

It wouldn't be a false report, the guys in this club are really doing this!

[gubelube]

hello all im a member of the oc49ers for about a year now,why should anyone be claim jumpin, all is welcome to attend a meeting, an outing or go as a guest. dont know anything about the incident but hate to be mistaken as sometimes i forget my card, but i know a few from the kern river group, and they are the nicest laid back down to earth guys, wont have to say there names most know the killer kern group. wish all was like that, first time i saw the gold show i got a pan and went to the river, didnt know anything about there being real gold claims these days, and after half a day the group popped up and introduced there self and the claim, didnt know i was claim jumpin, but instead of a big threatining scene , i was invited to stay and continue sluicing and panning and givin the opertunity to go from a pan to a 4in dredge using the hooka for first time in one day, even seen about 1/4 ounce the next day after i came back, was more than welcome to continue and i did the right thing and joined the club as that group is what got me started and from there the rest is all you guys and your post, so id like to thank all of ya, and joe we got to get together and do some huntin buddy and , just got a gp3000 so when ya out in rand area at ya claim give me a email, like to get out with it and my drywasher and learn hoew to use them both, anyways all , just had to put my 2cents in as i know few that are very good people and hope it gets straightened out. dont like being a member of something and then things get crazy. so thanks killer kern rich for the fever, can i take ya to court for all the money its cost me in just couple years of it lol. wish marbles was still a hobby lol.

john