The Chisana Story

[Steve Herschbach]

2010 saw the validity exam process in full swing. We were tasked with finding payable ground on every ten acre section of the claims. Areas previously off limits due to lack of permitting could now be sampled. A validity exam, simply put, requires that you prove the ground can be mined at a profit, or you lose the ground. Needless to say this is important stuff, especially since no serious mining can take place on claims like these prior to them being show as valid under the testing regime. Anyone interested in the process can find details in the Placer Mining Claim Owner’s Guide For Validity Examinations On BLM Managed Lands In Alaska.

The weather was wet and cold on arrival, with the creeks high and snow almost down to camp level. Things always look brighter and sharper after the rains.

Little Eldorado Creek running high and muddy

Snow on the mountains above camp

View down Little Eldorado Creek valley

I worked this sample hole on Little Eldorado Creek with a Keene 4" suction dredge. This is the same creek running so high and muddy just a few days earlier - the water goes down just as fast as it comes up. Pretty spot but I hit either a clay layer of decomposed bedrock at shallow depth. The records mention a clay layer in the area, so I tried to punch through it, to no avail. The smooth clay surface was holding no gold, so except for a little fines this hole was pretty much a bust.

Keene 4" suction dredge at test / sample location

Keene 4" suction dredge with air compressor - good little rig

The ill fated sample hole - much deeper than it looks!

There was this little gut on Little Eldorado near camp that looked like it needed sampling. The problem is there was minimal water flow in the little stream. We set up a 2.5" suction dredge and fed water using a larger than normal pump placed on the creek over 50 feet away. This actually worked quite well. Another not great test site however.

Starting sample hole with 2.5" dredge

Water source on far right feeding dredge on far left

The Willow Ptarmigan is the Alaska state bird, and there are plenty in the area. This one watched the festivities from a safe location.

Willow Ptarmigan watches miners at work

The little gully right behind camp is known as Skookum Creek or Skookum Gulch. The gully is short and narrow but was fabulously rich. The deeply fractured bedrock was removed to a depth of above 12 feet, leaving large piles of fractured rock piled on both sides of the gully. This gully was the first place I found gold on my first trip to the area.

View up Skookum Gulch

Broken bedrock piled along Skookum Gulch

Highbanker/dredge taking sample on Skookum Gulch

Unfortunately the oldtimers did a real job on Skookum Gulch, and so little gold was found the upper claims here were lost.

The Arctic Ground Squirrel is very common in many Alaska locations. These squirrels are also known as "parka squirrels" (often pronounced "par'kee") by many people, especially the native people of Alaska, no doubt because the pelts were useful in making clothing. Many people do battle with these squirrels since they dig holes where you don't want holes, and they get into cabins and really cause a mess. I gave that fight up ages ago and now prefer to watch the little fellows. They mostly just eat and sit in the sun but also engage in some hilarious play.

Arctic Ground Squirrel having a snack

Alpine flowers brighten a scene now and then - some kind of mountain lousewort flower....

Alaska mountain lousewort?

And yet another sample location, this one taken with Dahlke 4" suction dredge.

Dahlke 4" dredge in action

Better look at the Dahlke dredge

The irony of the validity exam process is that as the miners we were only allowed to look for sites. However, if a good site is found, the last thing you want to do is mine away. The minute it looks good, you stop, and wait for the BLM crew to come in and do the official sample. This helps prevent any dishonesty on the miners part. That means however that we actually recovered very little gold on this trip as almost everything was left for the BLM crew. Here is a little of the gold found while sampling.

Gold from sample location

The good news all this work was not in vain. Most of the ground was easily proved up as payable ground, though a few claims and sections of claims had to be dropped. The main thing was we were successful at getting these claims legally locked in as valid mining claims, though it tooks a few more years after this for all the paperwork to get finalized. With that step completed it was then possible to apply for and get permitting for the ground that previously was off limits.

Finally, to wrap up this entry, here are a few photos from along the Nabesna road. There is some fabulous mountain scenary along the way!

Mountains along Nabesna road

Closeup of mountain along Nabesna road

To be continued....

[Jackpine]

Looks good Steve.  Can't wait for the next installment.  Gold, Gold, Gold!

[Steve Herschbach]

On 10/3/2018 at 7:52 PM, Hard Prospector said:

Hey Steve,

Was the horse drawn scrapper used much like the much larger mechanical  drag line bucket?  Sure am enjoying the story and pics.....Thanks!

Rob

Hi Rob,

A bucket line dredge is a much larger mechanical mining method. These scrapers are just the opposite of a bulldozer blade. The dozer blade is pushed ahead. These scrapers drag behind instead to collect and move material. They can be pulled by a horse, hoist, or mechanical crawler. The one I have pictured is described in the passage below as a "bottomless scraper".

Sauerman Brothers Crescent Power Scraper

Sauerman Brothers, Inc. 1918 - 1937

From Placer mining in the western United States - Part III Dredging and other forms of mechanical handling of gravel, and drift mining by Gardner, E.D., and Johnson, C.H., 1935 U.S. Bureau of Mines page 19:

Scrapers & Hoists

Scrapers and hoists have been used for excavating and pulling placer gravels to washing plants. A scraper set-up with ground lines only consists of a hoist, usually with two drums, a scraper, and a cable. The scraper is pulled forward by the hoist over the gravel and picks up a load which is then pulled to the washing plant. The cable for pulling back the scraper goes through a sheave on the far side of the pit . To allow latitude of operation the sheave usually is attached to another cable stretched at right angles to the line of pull. The sheave sometimes can be shifted at right angles to the pull by means of a third drum on the hoist. The scraper is pulled on the ground both ways.

The set-up with an overhead cable is more elaborate; additional equipment consists principally of the overhead cable and a mast. After being filled the scraper is run to the plant and back on the cableway. The scraper or bucket is elevated by tightening the headline. Both bottomless and closed-bottom scrapers are used with ground lines and only closed buckets, usually of the Page type, are used with cableways.

Boulders in the gravel and points of bedrock projecting up into the gravel cause the scrapers to jump. A bottomless scraper will loose its load on hitting a boulder, and a scraper of the closed type is difficult to fill in bouldery gravel. In easily dug gravel the bottomless scraper usually delivers a full load and can push considerable loose material ahead of it. The load is dropped by simply pulling the scraper backward, an advantage that scrapers with bottoms do not have. A closed-type bucket operating on a headline overcomes some of the difficulties of excavating with a drag; furthermore, it can be run at a greater speed once it is filled and the headline tightened. For long hauls the headline or cableway excavator has a further advantage in lower power and labor costs; moreover, the excavated ground can be elevated to the plant at any desired height with less trouble. However, this type lacks the mobility of the straight drag scraper, is more difficult to install , and because of the additional and heavier equipment has a higher first cost.

A scraper is not suitable for digging placer gravels underwater. It follows the line of least resistance and leaves islands of bedrock untouched even where other conditions are favorable. The water is roiled by the digging, and the scraper works out of sight. Moreover, the stirring permits the gold to settle in the gravel being moved, and considerable gold may be left behind unless the pit can be pumped out for cleaning up.

For many years scrapers have been used successfully at sand and gravel pits . They have been tried at a number of placer mines in the Western States but generally have failed, usually because boulders were encountered in the gravel. In Alaska, however, scrapers have proved successful under favorable conditions and have been preferred to other types of excavators.

Advertisement for the Sauerman Brothers Scraper

[Glenn in CO]

Thanks! for the great adventure and photos so far, can't wait for the next installment.

I was wondering do you have any yearning to try and do this again and/or past this wealth of knowledge and adventure on to grandkids, nieces or nephews if you have any?

[Steve Herschbach]

16 hours ago, Glenn in CO said:

Thanks! for the great adventure and photos so far, can't wait for the next installment.

I was wondering do you have any yearning to try and do this again and/or past this wealth of knowledge and adventure on to grandkids, nieces or nephews if you have any?

Hi Glenn,

I am not sure what you mean “do this again” since this is what I do. As far as the passing it along to others - that is why I created this website. Hopefully some people get questions answered and are inspired to make their own adventures! 

[Steve Herschbach]

On 10/4/2018 at 3:32 PM, kiwijw said:

Hi Steve. Stunning location & scenery. That last mountain photo....is that all just natural erosion or is some of it from sluicing? It really shows the layers of deposits, has to be glacial,? & hard rock geology. What is the predominant basement hard rock?

Hi John,

That mountain is many thousands of feet tall and completely natural. Glacial country of course. The area has very complex geology with massive mixing of rock types both hard and soft, creating the fantastic forms of mountains like this. The most common rock types are slates, shale, and greywacke, various volcanics with red, green, and purple basalt flows being common. And then various intrusive zones with granitic rocks scattered around (like on Skookum). I don’t recall ever seeing any schist in the immediate area. See the geologic report on the area for more details on the geology and history of the region.

Before this series is over you will see a lot more mountain scenery. And thanks for the thanks with many back at you! 

Here is a look at the camp at Little Eldorado - a little spot of civilization in the middle of the wilderness!

Civilization Alaska style!

This was never a place with huge herds of caribou but there are many in the area. Here is a little herd that wandered by camp one day.

Herd of caribou on the ridge

Closer look at the caribou - cows and calves

[Lanny]

Steve,

You're truly doing a great job with your narratives. I'm really enjoying reliving your adventures.

Thanks for taking the time to post all of the great pictures as well.

All the best,

Lanny

[Steve Herschbach]

You may have noticed I have not mentioned much about metal detecting the last few entries. This is because the amount of ground suitable for detecting on these claims is fairly limited, and after years of detecting these areas were thinning out. Also, I got caught up in the claims validity exam process and so was spending more time on sampling and trail work than metal detecting. There is also the fact that I wanted to do some gold dredging myself, and now finally both the permits and the equipment were in place to give it a go. In 2012 I flew in to the mine with some friends. The main goal was some gold dredging far down Bonanza Creek canyon, below where all the photos you have seen so far. Bonanza Creek enters a deep canyon on the lower end where there are lots of dredging possibilities.

This turned out to be the coldest summer I ever experienced up on Gold Hill. Normally the weather in July is typical of interior Alaska - lots of sunny days and temps as high as the 70s. This trip was different. The first thing we got after arrival was snow all the way down to camp level. And while it was clear skies most of this trip, the weather was very cool.

Snow at camp July 2012

And snow on the mountains above camp

Upper Bonanza Creek runs in a fairly open valley that is easy to travel on foot. The lower portions of the creek cut a deep canyon dropping to the lower elevations below. This canyon can be traveled on foot but the going is rougher with lots of large rocks and boulders plus a few narrow sections to work through.

Here is a view from a vantage point looking up Bonanza Creek valley, Little Eldorado Creek in far upper left.

Upper Bonanza Creek looking up the valley

Now turn and look downstream into the lower canyon area....

Looking down Bonanza Creek valley from above

The canyon gets progressively deeper until it gets into the last portion near the old ghost town of Bonanza, as far down as you can see in the photo below. The two claims for sale are down in that area, and the main reason they are for sale are they are just too far from the center of operations above. The only way to get from the camp areas above to the lower two claims is a long foot trail (the "Goat Trail") visible in the far left of the photo below. It is actually easier to access those claims from the town of Chisana in the main valley below.

Lower steep canyon portion of Bonanza Creek

Most of the canyon is typical winding turns and little sections of rapids. Here is a look down into one of the few relatively straight stretches of creek before getting into the deepest portions of the canyon below.

The deep narrow canyon on lower Bonanza Creek

I hiked down the valley to where I was thinking of working. It is a decent hike over a lot of rock and a few water crossings. The water was not cold by Alaska standards but I still had a brand new drysuit and thermals with me.

A look at the terrain to be traversed going down canyon

And another view of typical canyon terrain

To be continued....

[Steve Herschbach]

I had my eye on a spot just below a particularly tight little spot in the canyon where all the water goes through a "notch" in the bedrock. This notch forms a natural stopping point for any hikes downstream since you can barely pass through it. There is a little ledge in the rock a skinny person can edge along but the smallest slip will send you into the chasm below. I have done it but it was very scary! You can also ford down into the notch until you get to a rock on a pool - and leap. If you are lucky you can hit the gravel bar on the other side without going over chest waders.

The water shoots through this narrow passage, then opens into a boulder strewn pool and the creek makes a hard right hand turn. I had sniped gold nuggets in the boulder patch years before, and figured that right hand turn below the notch would be a good place for gold to settle.

View down into "notch" in upper right of photo

However, discussions with the prior owner gave me a tip to a location just above this notch where I might do well without having to get the gear down and through that narrow spot. I decided to haul the dredge down to that location, and if it did not work out I could still drop down and hit the lower location.

It was a solid day of packing to get the dredge down to the site and set up. The program would be to suit up in my drysuit each morning at camp, then carry a 5 gallon jug of gasoline down to the dredge. I get an hour and a half running time per gallon and with other work I considered burning that entire jug of gas each day a long days work. The need to haul fuel to the site made it as efficient to stay in camp as trying to camp on site, and far more comfortable. It was only about a half hour hike each way.

This dredge site is on an inside bend, but due to low water I had to place the dredge farther out, then work to the bank to find bedrock. In the photo below the dredge has just been set up and the plan is to dredge towards the boulder patch where the red gas jug is placed in the photo.

First 4" dredge location

Looking upstream

Channel cut to inside bend

Hard, blocky granitic bedrock exposed

My friends were finding some gold metal detecting but I wanted to try and place them in a decent highbanker location. I was tired from hiking, packing gear, and getting the dredge set up, so I took a day to go metal detecting myself to try and find them a place.

George goes detecting

Steve's Fisher Gold Bug 2, ready for action

I wandered the bench workings, and found a place below a hydraulic pit where gold bearing material appears to have been blasted over the edge. It was shallow greenish basalt bedrock with a foot of two of material on top. I got a small nugget with the Gold Bug 2. Then another and then another. I ended up just sitting in one spot, carefully raking though the material with the little 6" coil.

This may seem odd but sitting and picking little bits one at a time can get a little tedious. Finally I decided I had gone far beyond proving this was a good spot and called it a day. I wish now I had gone a little longer because I had 91 little gold nuggets and it would have been cool to find 100 nuggets in a day. The little bits do add up, and my 91 little gold nuggets ended up weighing 3.6 dwt (5.6 grams) which is not bad considering how little work was involved.

The guys liked my gold and decided that my spot would indeed make a good place for a highbanking operation.

91 little gold nuggets add up

To be continued....

[Steve Herschbach]

My location was ok but not great. Three days dredging got me just over an ounce of gold. Not bad, but not enough to stay put, especially since it seemed to be be getting worse, not better. I went ahead and decided to move the dredge below "The Notch" to seek better pay.

Here is a view from below the notch and if you look you can see dredge floats sitting in the narrow portion waiting to be floated across the small pool.

Bringing dredge floats through "The Notch"

Dredge working along rock bank

The dredge location working into rock pile on inside corner

A closer look at the excavation

I had dreamed of hitting this spot for many years, and had visions of a serious paystreak on this inside bend. There is definitely a enriched layer of reconcentrated tailing material that starts right at the surface. However, as I punched deeper the area showed signs over having been mined in the old days (boards buried in material) and so the deeper material was not as good as that surface enriched layer. The other problem is the bottom was deeper than I anticipated, and with the hole six feet deep that rock wall was still going straight down.

We had visitors in the form of the permitting people so I had to take a break for a couple days to show the visitors our operations. I took advantage of some of this down time to do a little metal detecting. I had a then new Garrett AT Gold along to play with, and spent a little time with it. The AT Gold is a decent little 18 khz VLF detector and I had no problem finding a few nuggets with it.

Technology old and new - Garrett AT Gold

1.4 grams nuggets found with Garrett AT Gold

To be continued....