Digger Bob Posted July 7, 2006 Report Share Posted July 7, 2006 Again, it pays to keep your eyes open and try just about anything and anywhere. Those pesky little nuggets can be hiding where you would least expect them. Last weekend I went up to an area I had hunted many times before but had only found a few. I mainly went to get out in the mountains and fresh air. Looking for gold was really an afterthought. While riding my quad up the road between two of the main diggings, I noticed that the winter runoff had badly rutted the road, in places digging it down to bedrock. Hmmm, I thought... I wonder... So, I get out all my gear just to see how much trash has accumulated in the roadbed over the last 100 years washing down this hillside. And of course, I was not disapointed. The roadbed itself was filled with nails, wire, nuts and bolts. However, the ruts were not that bad. About the third target that I actually dug from the bottom of the rut was imbedded into that nice light brown clay. And as soon as I felt it hit the palm of my hand, I had a good feeling about it. Sure enough, it was a nice 1.7 dwter. I hunted those ruts all the way up and down the road for the next 2 days and didn't find another, just more trash. But, I had to dig them all because you never know how much runoff will disturb things and move them where they shouldn't be. Digger Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Chris Posted July 7, 2006 Report Share Posted July 7, 2006 Pretty gold.Maybe some place up in the neighborhood of Howland Flat? The high country should be real nice now.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted July 8, 2006 Admin Report Share Posted July 8, 2006 Hello Bob, I know what you're saying about the ruts. Whenever I'm in a gold bearing area and see where some errosion has taken place I will always check them out. I have found a handful of nuggets like this over the years. You will also seem to find a lot of junk, but you never know! Thanks for sharing your find with us. Hope you continue to find more out there. Take care,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Bob Posted July 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Pretty gold.Maybe some place up in the neighborhood of Howland Flat? The high country should be real nice now.Chris<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Howland Flat? Pretty asute Chris, you must know that area pretty well. Actually, it's a ways away from there but the country looks the same doesn't it?Digger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Chris Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 The sierra high country can be real pretty and this time of year its nice with temps often in the high 80s or low 90s - a big improvement over the valley heat in Chico. I just remembered that you and Jim had done some work over generaly that way last summer. You mentioned the big ruts and a lot of that country got an awful lot of rain last winter and spring. Last year I found a nice patch late in the fall. The road was graded in 2005 and you could drive a family sedan up there when I first found it. Over the winter it was badly damaged. I came back to the area in May and there were ruts up to 4 feet deep and it was iffy getting in with my suburban in 4 WD!Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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