Klamath River with an 8"

[rockhead]

Bluesdad,

Looks like your going to have a great time I'm glad you decided to jump on the oppertunity. Make sure to read this advice over and over again. Dredging ain't no picnik but damn it sure is fun. Be safe and keep us updated when your coming.

Jay

[whats4supper]

might be a whole different spin if some pard puts wacky into the hookah air on purpose.

Yeah, flak, I forgot about that one, wind blowin exhaust into the hookah. problem is, it seems that just about everytime that you get it fixed, the wind changes again-=hak hak cough cough...

[FlakMagnet]

Whats4supper,

How 'bout this one?

As you work on the bottom the header box gets a clog

right where the material empties over the sluicebox.

So naturally, and unbeknownst to you, the header box proceeds to fill up with rocks and muck...

the next thing you know all the fish suddenly split. Then all your tools start raining down around you,

then the toolbox the extra pry bars tweezers everything you had on the dredge.

A startled look up shows the whole rig either belly up on the surface,

or fading off down into the murk like some weird torpedoed ship.

Oh man those were the days.

Flak

[blues_dad]

hey anyone who's worked on the Klamath, what sort of gold are you guys pulling out of there? This guy I'm gonna work with said it's mainly flour gold, but all the pictures I've seen of the gold being pulled out is float and bigger.

[kcoulson]

The type of gold you get will depend on the area and the pay streak you happen to work. Last year I worked with a group project on the Klamath and we got small nuggets and flakes from our pay streak almost no flour gold

You just keep punching holes until you find some high grade and follow the streak.

Also, FYI the Klamath can be very dirty with lots of algae so be prepared for it

Ken

[Cooter9761]

I got all flour and and moved alot of dirt for it. The water is terrible and fast so you will get tired pretty fast, buy you only live once-Go for it!!

Cooter

[Jeff Bucher]

You are getting a lot of good advice and I may be repeating some. You said you are 240 and will be wearing a wet suit. If you are lucky 75 pounds of weight will get you by....... but........ If you plan to work in relitively fast water plan on another 25 pounds.

The best way to handle that much weight is with two belts. That said, with two belt you now have another buckel to get out of in an emergency. One way to deal with this is to zip tie the belts so the top belt does not rotate to the small of your back and alway be aware of the location of your buckels. It is not much fun trying to find a buckel while rolling down river, with no air in your lungs.

I love the Klamath, nasty fast water, bears, snakes, poison oak and all. I was on the same group project as Ken last season and we did in fact get some nice nuggets.

Make sure to take an ear wash that has at least 2% Acetic Acid in Aqueous Aluminum Acetate Solution. Bausch and Lomb is a good brand. Also, make sure to use it each night after dredging. If you don't you will wish you had.

Good luck I hope to meet you this summer. Jeff

[COLORADO BOB]

Blues

You asked something about the size of gold and someone stated that it depends on the area. He is right.

I was working my 5 one day and when I shut down I could see yellow all over but it was all real fine. When I cleaned up I had 460 grains or just short of an ounce. Thats all that the hole would pay, just fine gold.

Another time I was in a hole and 90% of my clean-up was large pickers/nuggets. At other times I have seen it run about 50/50 so you just never know. Anyway, it all fills the poke.

I was working one day [actually just playing around underwater, gee its great to be retired and not have to bust A$$ for a living. Just had to get that in.] anyway I was fooling around taking just a very small layer off at time, to see if I could see any gold laying there in its natural state. All of a sudden I saw this small round area about the size of a silver dollar and it was covered solid with large, somewhat flat pickers. Was kind of a neat find.

I think Flak said something about, watch your hands. Boy I will shout Howdy to that. When you are the rock man, keep a close eye on that cobble pile behind you. Turn around every little bit and see just how close that thing is getting to you and how high it is.

The reason being, with the amount of material being moved with the eight, and the amount of cobbles your moving, that thing will build up real quick. You will be tossing rocks behind you and all of a sudden you will grab one of those 30 or 40 pounders, make a half a$$ turn to throw it, not looking and you will feel the back of your hand hit the pile and that big "ol" rock will smash the end of your finger off or at least it will feel like it..........voice of experience speaking again.

I had that happen, good thing I was in the water and the wet suite was already wet. I am fairly certain that I raised the river by at least an inch or two.

I think Jeff raised a good point on the ear thing. I don't know a whole lot of miners who have not had what we called miners ear. Again, vioce of experience here. I only had it one time, thats enough. In the first place it hutrs like hell and besides that you will be out of the water for a week or more until it heals up. Taking a shower at night won't get those little critters out of your ears and I can tell you, you WILL come down with it.

After I used all the stuff that the doctor gave me I made a concoction of my own and never had it again in the three years that I worked that nasty river. I would put a little shot in each ear at lunch time and again after my shower in the evening. Worked great.

On the shoe thing, I tried several different ones and ended up with the 8" steel toe leather boot, as did a lot of others. Believe me your feet will thank you later. Experience again.

Stayed up there one time and dredged in the winter, no fun and no heater, [at the time]. Many times I got out of the water and stood on the bank sipping hot choc. and shaking like a dog shit-ing peach seeds. I would look at that jug of hot choc. and then at the cold wet suit I had on and keep thinking that I really needed to pour the hot stuff down in my suit ...............but thats another story.

Bob T.

[FlakMagnet]

Bob

you must have had fun. those are memories are from

good experiencies.

Has anyone done this one?

I had been dredging for about three or four weeks one summer.

I was very comfortable in the water, very at home with all the junk that you have to wear;

wet suit - weights - boots etc..

I got down to the river one morning - I couldn't wait to get in the water.

I just knew this was going to be a good day.

Everything was perfect; the weather, the water clarity, the current looked manageable

my equipment had been working beautifully etc.

I gassed up the dredge, suited up, made sure all the tools were where they were

needed to be, fired up the dredge, grabbed my mask and rolled into the water and down to the bottom.

I found the dredge hose by following the trout who always joined me on mornings like this

darting in and out grabbing helgramites, and started hogging gravel up the nozzle.

As I was working away, a small voice was starting to call me just below the level of conscious thought

but dredging has lots of distractions and I wasn't listening for subtlties.

Moments later when I started to move a small boulder the little voice became a yell.

Why can't I breath, where is my air!

I freaked, snapped my weight belt off and popped like a cork to the surface.

The first thing I saw was my partner at the rivers edge doubled over laughing

holding my airline and regulator.

He never let me forget that.

Flak

[blues_dad]

whoa whoa whoa, hold on there cowboy. Bugs in my ears? ewww! I don't mind snakes and bears, but little bugs that I can't see? Can't I just wear ear plugs? Or won't that make a difference?

And yes, everyone has been wonderful sharing their experiences and tips. I'm sure I'll have a great time, and if we find too much flower gold, I'll go hit the creeks with his 5", or start swinging his Minelab 3000 around. I just want one decent nugget for my 3-4 months out there, other than that, I'll be happy to accrue 10 ounces of flour gold in 4 months(and I won't leave til I get it!! no quit here!!)

[kcoulson]

As pointed out above by me and others the Klamath is not very clean. If you are pro-active and take care of your ears every day you will probably be ok.

Also, don't set yourself up for disappointment by expecting to get "10 ounces of gold". It may happen but probably not. Most miners don't get enough gold to pay for the trip. It's hard work and you may find very little or you may find a lot.

Good luck to you

Ken

[FlakMagnet]

Ken is, or course, more than right.

If people were getting ten ounces a trip nowadays,

not sure you could even get near a river much less dredge in one...

But, and this is the best part of every day on the river,

anything is possible.

Best of luck

Flak

[blues_dad]

I know it could go either way on how much gold we find out there. But I figure with 4 months to work, it's possible at least. I figure 10 ounces is just enough to cover my expenses and some of my lost wages. If I don't get that much, at least I still gain the experience.

[oakwoodcutter]

well, i guess this guy wants to bust ass when we're out there, starting at 9 am or so and going until 5 or 6 everyday. You know, I have tried to ask him what he has been averaging out there per season, but I still haven't gotten an answer. Honestly, I don't care if we find that much gold or not, I just want to do it for the experience. Sure, coming home after 4 months with 10-15 ounces would be nice, but not gonna get upset if it don't happen.

i just had ta jump in..ile tell ya youd stand a better chance of getting hit by lightning and wining 6 super lotos in one day than to go find 15 ounces of gold.. i will say atleast your getting some good advice...maybe dredgers are more friendly and giving advice or help...DONT QUIT YOUR DAY JOB

[Uncle Ron]

One more thing on the health issue...First off ear plugs won't 100% protect you from dredger's ear...I always just used hydrogen peroxide...Made a ritual of it every day first thing after getting to camp ... Second, and equally important: DO NOT Under any circumstances swallow so much as a tablespoon of Klamath River water...It is loaded with Giardia which will make you very sick...It is a cyst which causes Giardiasis, commonly called Beaver Fever...I got it in 1983 there in Siskiyou and I was down for four months...Literally unable to crawl from my bed to the bathroom...That warning being said, every adventure has its hazards, that's what makes it an adventure...Cheers, Yer Unc in the Dubyah

[Jeff Bucher]

Diving and ear plugs generally don't go together. The deeper you go the more pressure you will have pushing on the plugs. They also make it difficult to equalize the pressure on your ear drums. Uncle Ron is right on about not drinking any of the river water. Also stay out of the white dishwater looking suds/foam. It is also is thought to be a potential health hazard. Here is a shot of the latest trip to Gold Basin. That is Fred Mason in the foreground. No problem with the water there. Jeff

[blues_dad]

geeze, maybe I should just get a whole slew of immunizations before I go, lol.

[KAGY]

We always mix our own ear solution 50% vinegar/ 50% isopropyl alcohol. 5 years in Georgia and North Carolina,1 season in Maine and 3 in Colorado and(knock on wood) no ear problems. My brother-in - law said phooey and didn't use it. 3rd days end his ears started hurting and couldn't get back in the water the rest of our trip. Doc gave him some medicine but too late. He uses the mix every time now. I tried hydrogen peroxide a few times but it burned my ears with the bubbling. I haven't figured out how to keep from swallowing some water and did get sick a few times in Colorado but doc took care of me and I was never too sick to get back in the water the next day. You may want to speak with your doc in advance and get some antibiotics so you can take some immediately upon starting to crap yourself. Scared out of going yet ?? I guess I would trade places with you if so. Good luck. Ken Gardner

[blues_dad]

no way, can't get scared off this trip. I'll just have to make sure I'm well prepared for anything that could possibly happen to me out there. Gonna be good times. Then shoot, this winter I may try to hit Arizona with a detector if I ever buy one.

[COLORADO BOB]

Hi Flak,

What have you been up to? Still swinging that thing for the yellow stuff?

Yes, all this talk does bring back some good memories. Sometimes I think I would like to go back again and dredge a bit more. Or at least detect some of the old hydraulic workings. There are several around the area but one cannot find them by just driving around on the roads. Some are really worthwhile but a bit difficult to get to.

Yo Ron,

I have also used the Peroxide but in the concoction that I made up. Peroxide-Alcohol-Vinegar, but not an exact equal part mixture.

I saw someone use only alcohol, don't do it. This person was using it three or four times a day, when out of the water. He would fool around and let it dry out every time after he used it. It will probably kill the bugs but will also kill your poor old ear.

Here is what will happen. After many times of use the skin around the opening of the ear will get so dried out that it will start to crack open, much like the cracks that develop on the ends of your fingers from dry skin, or handling a lot of paper or a lot of very dry wood. Very painful, and you will be out of the water again.

Blues Dad,

I don't aim to give you the wrong idea by telling you about a few of the times and places that I found gold,

up there. Looking back over some of my post it would seem that I was finding gold time after time. Not true.

There were many, many times and countless hours, days and even weeks that I found, maybe enough, to pay for gas and then sometimes I would get in a spot that would make me really happy.

I think someone said that getting 10 oz's would be as hard as hitting the Lottery a few times in a row.

I cannot agree with that. If you get in a fairly good pay line, I think that you will find that 10 oz's is not that big of a deal. I know for a fact, of three different payline's that paid upwards of 100 oz's each, some a bit more and some a bit less that the others. That was with a eight inch moving a LOT of material.

Now don't anyone put words in my mouth, I didn't say that it was my 8 inch dredge.

Those areas are few and far between and its probably harder to find a payline like that today, than it was when I was up there. Since then there have been many, many dredges on that river and I'm sure a lot of good areas have been worked hard since then.

If I went back with my 5" I would shoot for those small 4 or 5 ounch holes and just have fun. One of the guys from here went up last summer to have fun and play around with his 4 inch and came back with 7 1/2 oz.. He was happy and had a fun summer.

A little hope don't hurt anyone.

As they say, gold is where you find it, and if you don't find a much, well, you will have seen a lot of country in which to search for it.

Bob T.

[grubstake]

Peroxide, borick acid and alcolhol, is what we used on the Merced river in our ears, never an ear infection. Also, I have drank Merced river water many times, without getting sick. The old miners did it too. remember, that was all they had. Fresh snow melt water, we don't have any beavers here, except the one's that where bakini's. Maybe a few lot lizards too! Grubstake

[blues_dad]

ya colorado bob, he said he has 3 old hydraulic mines on his claims, amd one tailings pile is visible with some gold leeching, but a bear ran him off it last summer. the other 2 have pretty much washed away, but he can follow where they were. he will let me take his minelab 3000 over them. He has 2 8"s out there and a 5", so if we find good paystreaks, we'll run both 8"s probably. I figure over the 3-4 months, if we cn find a couple good streaks, 10 ounces is hopefully attainable, but won't piss and moan if we don't. Well, I might.

Grubstake, you ain't still chasing that commercial now, are ya?

[FlakMagnet]

Hi Colorado Bob,

Yes still detecting (rather than dredging), but have not had much

time for it these last six months. It'll be like starting over when I

finally do get out...

I have a very potent 5" dredge stored up in Mariposa that is "turn key ready",

but like so many things in life, it is complicated to get the time to

take it out again. Dredging is one of the most amazing things I have ever done

and would recommend it to anyone who has the interest, the time,

the energy, and nowadays almost at the top of the chart, a place to go.

I am still hoping to get down to go roam a little in your

neighborhood one of these days, it sure is taking lots longer than I thought.

But I am persistent.

All the best,

Flak

[grubstake]

No Blues Dad, I been very happy with my wife of 15 years, no lead in my pencil after 5 heart attachs, neck surgery, COPD, I take Nitro all the time, Viagra and such are out. DR. said it would kill me! BUT what a way too go. Wife said: You don't need lead in your pencilk, you don't have any one to write too! Ha! Ha! Low on my list of things to do. Grubstake

When your old enough to remember Johnnie MacBrown and BOB Steel, Lash Larue. Well you know.

[Ridge Runner]

blues dad

You have been given so much good advice here that the only thing left to say is, don't eat the yellow snow.

Chuck Anders