Winter Prospecting This Year, Reasonable Choices?

[1515Art]

I've been hitting the parks and having some fun, taking Steve's advice about loving the hunt and forgetting about target goals has actually improved my results and put more joy and patience in my game.

 

What Im really wanting is to just get away for a few days away from all the distractions and have the opportunity to be at one with my ZED and see a flash of yellow in my scoop if I'm lucky enough, still the hunt will have to wait until the beginning of the new year and this is good giving me time for some research of ground to explore.

 

I have a few options to satisfy my need for a little adventure, but this being the first winter I've been at this (and a wet one at that) I'm not really sure what would work best, Southern California, northern Nevada or taking the long drive to Arizona? If I can catch a week of dry weather is n. Nevada doable? or  am i better off taking the drive out to Arizona although I've never hunted there and have no knowledge of the areas?

[gambler]

me too, same question. hows the chances near reno? or is it snowed in up there.

[Steve Herschbach]

Pretty dicey in Northern Nevada right now. Not saying it can't be done but brrrr! I am here and if I wanted to do it bad enough at the moment I would be heading over the hill to foothills in Northern California or better yet to Arizona or Southern California. Instead I am just working on website and cleaning house/selling stuff which requires me to stay put for awhile. The most I am doing right now is hitting a park or two if the weather warms up enough to suit me, which right now would be anything over 50. Right now Reno is running more in the 30s and 40s for highs.

[nvchris]

This is my favorite time in NorNV from fall till the March rain/winds. Cold mornings, cool daytime highs and no crowds like AZ sees in the winter with a beeper behind every cacti.

 

Living close to the gold is a big plus though, I can be on most patches in an hour. Lovelock is in the Nevada pineapple belt!

 

That said we are planning/packing the RV up for the WSPA Greaterville outing that runs with the Tucson Gem and Mineral show.

[gambler]

well thanks for the info guys. 

[Steve Herschbach]

Just goes to show I have really wimped up since I left Alaska!!

[fi4451]

Is it pretty muddy in N Nevada right now? Anyone?

[vanursepaul]

I usually sneak off to rye patch every other weekend if the weather permits.

I love the weather in the high 40s when detecting.

If the wind will stay down.

I will say that the wind is more distracting to me than the cold. If I am moving around, 45 is decent weather. And like Chris said, not many people to deal with. I am trying to go to the perimeter of known areas, (after researching claims status) to see if I can find something new on the fringes. Being as I live in Reno it is only a couple of hours for me to Rye Patch.

And when Chris and Wilma go to AZ I can always break into their house...(lots of pomegranate jelly and coffee there)...I can always get a loaf of bread for toast !!!lol

I would also like to get over on the CA foothills too, but that is a little more time consuming.

Good hunting to you all this winter.

[nvchris]

All the Jelly is going south Paul!  

 

The improved roads are fine, for the most part.

 

Do not go in the back country without telling someone where you're going, take several days supplies

In the winter, one mistake and you could end up flipped over in a ditch.

 

It happens to folks every year. 

[Steve Herschbach]

I am amazed how bad the roads in backcountry Nevada get when wet. I have scared myself silly a couple times and have vowed from now on to just stay put for as long as it takes for things to dry out. Chris' advice about having supplies for many days just in case is a good one. The gold will wait, and no use pushing it too hard. Right now wet weather is happening fairly regularly and the weather forecasts are poor at best. The weather is so localized rain can happen anywhere at almost any time it seems. For me day trips are too much time traveling and not enough time detecting so unless I have a week of good weather I just do not bother.