Whatsforsupper!

[hendo]

Charlie, I was out at Gold Butte last week for a few days, and I saw a large number of BLM trucks(white, unmarked with gov't plates). Have you heard if anything is going on out there? Hendo

[whats4supper]

THE BLM AND OTHERS are attempting to make gold butte a combination wilderness preserve, upgrade wildlife habitat, and close the area off in general in order to protect the springs and plants. Pushing the ranchers out, and making the miners more miserable and mistreated, in the hopes they'll simply give up and move on.

However this is less a blm action than it is pressure from the environmentalists. this is a preliminary survey and scoping out of the area.

There was once a nice hot springs resort and trailer park (Juanita Hot Springs) but some guy bought them out and made it his own little enclave. plus he put up a lot of negative signs attempting to discourage people from further travel into pacoon springs or the gold butte area. if you swing back around north past pacoon springs, up towards mud mtn, there are some pretty good views and an average 4x4 road down to elbow canyon, which is a neat trip. mud mtn is okay except when wet, then the mud is slick enough that the truck will still be sliding when you get out, ever gaining ground towards the ever steeper slope and dropoff (first hand exp).

Besides gold, mica was also mined, and crystals mined on top of jumbo peak were used in making radios in the 1940's. One used to be able to traverse the flank of Jumbo Mtn to get across the lake from South Cove, but the area is left to wilderness status, and probably only a rock crawler could make it now. There is also another road that gets near pierce ferry, by following the grand wash SE, SSE, neat rocks and geological views. some detector gold there also, but it takes a lot of effort to snipe the cracks.

There has been placer gold found also, coming off the northern and western flank of the Virgin Mtns, as well as around the tungsten mines (White Butte (finger butte to some in mesquite) seen from Mesquite, looking south. cross the bunkerville bridge, then make a left, follow road towards SE notch, but look for a right (SW) fork, and follow it towards the center mtn peak, though a running stream (also scenic), and platinum mines (Key West) (bad air in this mine also) found in the area. The virgin mtns are interesting enough to explore, and pick up interesting relics. Along the virgin river, south of the center part of mesquite can be found an old mill foundation on the south bank. that was used to mill both gold and tungsten from the virgin mtns.

Of another curious note, when blasting in the Virgin River Gorge where the freeway now traverses, some of the vugs holding red clayey dirt had wire gold, though most of the area is a limestone country rock. On one blast, we lost the air trac and compressor into a deep dark hole. I dropped a few road flares in but they dropped clean out of site. there was also a pungent air that came out of that 'bottomless' hole. Call me a kook, but that is another area I've been to and worked in that was sort of creepy. I felt like the whole place was haunted. I still get that feeling when driving through the canyons.

Back to pacoon springs area. if you've ever heard a story about brigham young losing gold coins and payroll to marauding indians, that is the area, not mt potosi or other areas to the west of las vegas. Actually, the $20,000 in gold coin was the payroll for the APEX mine, farther north, up near gunlock. As far as I know, no one has ever found it. on old maps the place names and landmark names (since changed) indicate the general area being there, rather than the sames names used to name areas around mtn springs and potosi. The Apex is a rather interesting mine, but involves a climb as well as a 4x4 to access. the mine below, near the gravel pit SW of hwy91, is a later work.

And motoqua, NE of gunlock, goldstrike to some, was the site of one of those slave labor mines where the mine owner brought people (mostly emigrants) into work, but never let out any mail or bodies. that went on for 12 years or so, until a couple of guys escaped to Veyo and got a rescue party back to get the people out. Another spooky place, it had tons of relics, both known and unknown usage, when I first got in there in 1970. Been meaning to go back, but....

[hendo]

Charlie, I'll P.M. you. Hendo

[DOC]

Charlie,

Have I ever told you how much I enjoy your posts? Being I live here in Las Vegas I obviously find your posts relevant. However, besides that you are simply a wealth of knowledge regarding this whole area. You are a wonderful writer to boot.

I remember when you wrote about the old land fill where the old casinos use to dumb a lot of stuff. I never knew that existed. I can't remember where you said it was, makes no difference, it was interesting reading.

You're like a Southern Nevada encyclopedia.

Thanks for sharing your amazing knowledge.

Doc

Charlie, I'll P.M. you. Hendo

[FlakMagnet]

Whats4supper,

I heartily second DOC's post.

I always am amazed at the amount of knowledge you have at hand.

It is a pleasure to see you share what you have learned

it enriches all of us.

Thanks.

Flak

[whats4supper]

the 1950 dump is located off hollywood and sahara. just north of the fire station is a road that meanders down into a gravel pit, then up. well travelled enough, follow it up a couple of miles. 1x or 2x whell drive is sufficient, but there are a lot of nails and broken glass. the dump was a burn-push type that created a leading edge of cans, bottles, comic books, guns, coins, gaming chips, ashtrays, cocktail stir sticks, license plates, silverware (both solid and plated), and lots of brass, auto parts, dogdish hubcaps, copper junk, and papers including old receipts, bills, letters, etc.

Used for a couple of years, the dump was abandoned in 1951 and moved up the hill. I have found some nice coins there. take your time and be methodical in your search and raking. I have found stuff that's only valuable to me, up to stuff that has appraised at over $3G for one item.

beyond the eastern dump horizon in the mill foundation of the Frenchman gold mine, that worked the Western flank of Frenchman mtn. The recovery mill was located at the SE corner of treeline & charleston- now under apts. The mine worked from about 1911, up to 1942. closed, not for lack of gold, but by executive order in WW2. workings are covered/filled

if you go, the ideal setup would include some coveralls, 8210 3m dust mask, garden cultivator (long handle) with 4 or 5- 4" prongs, a long handled shovel, gravel rake, heavy soled boots, a few 5-gallon buckets for the finds, gloves, and some washup water and shampoo.

[DOC]

Now see, that's what I am talking about right there. Look at all that knowledge Charlie has about that old dump. It tells me to take shampoo. I'm bald, so if I am planning on going to someplace where afterwards I need shampoo, ah, maybe it's way too dirty even for me.

If I'm going to get dirty I would rather be out in the desert wandering aimlessly swinging my metal detector. I mean the dump sounds like there might be some neat treasure buried there, probably a few bodies too, but it also sounds like you might need a hazmat suit to be on the safe side.

Thanks Charlie for posting that again. It would be interesting to take a ride out there if for no other reason just to take a few pictures.

Doc

[whats4supper]

hazmat is probably the bullseye.

in 1950, nothing was dangerous, and the litigious society hadn't been born.

the shampoo is for washing everything, hair or not, arms, face, neck, head. god only knows what you'd be taking home, or at the very least, getting all over the insides of the truck.

One thing I forgot to add, it makes sense to make a sifter as well. mine is about 32 x 48, 1/2" hardware cloth. jewelry, war medals, coins.

If you're a white guy, plan on being black.

if you're a black guy, plan on being whiter.

If you're a latino, well, that's a mixup.

if you've always wanted to live in the hobo world, your chance is waiting for you while digging up the dump.

The edge is a variable 3 feet to 30 feet deep. asbestos, red lead, lead, mercury, arsenic--- all sorts of goodies.

[Gilaoro]

A dump diggers dream, you have probably started anew gold rush! I know that is the kind of place I love!

Please give us more info about Goldstrike, it is unique for having gold in sandstone is it not? I have not been there for 15 years, its probably all claimed!

Thanks for the interesting posts.

Max