Greetings From Yuma, Az

[AZSilver]

I found some pics of my Patton training camp finds and put them in Detecting for Coin and Relics. Enjoy!

[Compass]

On 12/5/2022 at 9:33 AM, mn90403 said:

I've done some research on Camp Essex.  Have you been there?

 

A major division-size camp, Camp Clipper, was located north of Essex, with its northern boundary located inside the Preserve, north of I-40. A support division, including an ammunition dump, several large warehouses, and a military hospital, were located at Goffs, along with an emergency airfield a mile north of the hamlet. Later, the training grounds were expanded and renamed the California Arizona Maneuver Area, and remained in use until mid-1944. At least one million soldiers spent time in the area. Tanks and other military vehicles roamed throughout the desert, conducting exercises in the valleys of the Preserve and surrounding areas.

Wow, just saw this response and it brought back memories. Back in the 70's we hunted several times around the Coxcomb, Iron, Granite, and Rice areas but on one trip we went to to the Amboy and Essex camp sites. I don't remember finding much compared to my older, more experienced, friends but I do remember seeing a jet-black, round piece of rubber laying on top of the sand. However, it set off my detector and I saw that it was a Walking Liberty half, probably exposed by the wind or rain. One of the guys on that hunt was pulling coins out of one of the flash flood washes but I don't think my detector could handle the mineralization.

If you look closely at the satellite views on Google Maps you can still see the grid lines of the campsite roads and airstrip on sides of Rice Road.

[mn90403]

As you can see we went on Wednesday and didn't find many coins.  My two pennies were sunbakers that I would not have seen without a detector.  I was using my 800.  My wife found the dime and steel penny using her Gold Bug Pro.

Do we really need the advanced tech?  Probably.

I didn't use my 6" coil in the nailbeds we found which may have changed things.  Would a D2 or Manticore find more?  Maybe.

[YumanAndy]

Im up for some digging and detecting in the Yuma Area come cooler weather, gotta be enough of us around this region to at least get together and BS at the AmVets or somewhere and share stories over Ice Tea or what ever....  Lets get some guys together, im not greedy, just want to have fun with fellow 49'ers. Lets get a group started here and hit the dirt guys.  its safer in numbers with all the snakes and heat than alone.. What say everyone ??  Still lots of gold out there

[AZSilver]

Definitely, I've located an old apartment site where only the slabs remain. Aerial photos show it was there in '48 and gone in '81. It appears to be on county property. I'm out in the Foothills and go to AmVets on occasion. Also, there are a few old silver mines that I want to investigate. One next to Adair Gun Range and several off Imperial Dam Road. My schedule is busy the next few weeks with HS starting (Instructor at one of the HS). I'll post when it looks like I have some time.

[YumanAndy]

On 7/29/2023 at 10:41 AM, AZSilver said:

Definitely, I've located an old apartment site where only the slabs remain. Aerial photos show it was there in '48 and gone in '81. It appears to be on county property. I'm out in the Foothills and go to AmVets on occasion. Also, there are a few old silver mines that I want to investigate. One next to Adair Gun Range and several off Imperial Dam Road. My schedule is busy the next few weeks with HS starting (Instructor at one of the HS). I'll post when it looks like I have some time.

Sounds good. Hope to meet you one day, when its cooler

Andy - W7ATR