Featherdfishead

Love the pic Ray - saw that bugger immediately. I always look for the contrasting bands when in thick forbs or shrubs. Tall grass is the worst. I i've also caught many snakes in my life and even afew Rattlers (quit that now that i have kids ). And boy do our NP's have an amazing variety of colors. I love the aqua green variation.The resent snow settm back alittle but i've been waiting to see our local rattlers waken for spring. I have a friend that wears sandals doing everything like you Spencer - nutty. I'm a Boots Man unless i'm just chilln around the house and on some slopes my mountains you practically must swim through the poison oak to get to were your headn. My take on snakes - i'm a field biologist that covers miles of forest and stream a year and cross path with Mr or Mrs rattlesnake nearly daily in the summer months. Your eyes, mind, and ears lastly are your best bet. If you learn the natural history of the snake species you encounter and their daily routines, heading to water or cooler locations as temps get very hot and/or returning to hot spots from the cool areas as the day cools. Area's most likely to den and hunt, ect. Rattlesnakes when cool in early mornings are very lethargic and rarely rattle when disturbed. They can only retreat very slowly and are easy to walk right up on. At this time they usually just try to slowly get away. Later in the day when there gettn hot and seeking a cool spot, shade or the riparian zone typically, they are feisty and much more active. At this time they'll sound off, much more like the hiss from a water hose or pipe spraying than a rattle. Remember that unless stepped on or very near to they only want to be left alone. They wont activly hunt you like some snakes in africa and aussieland. Also unless stepped on they must coil to strike any distance. They will swim rivers with no problem and when doing so usually take a very direct route across. I have encountered thousands of rattlers and have only had afew close calls while i've known others that have been bit when weeding their gardens on an early summer morn. Once you come to understand ol mr rattler you will encounter'm with respect and less fear and will likely be rewarded with some great natural interactions. I've seen rattlers in early morning that layed perfectly still while a pocket gopher i spooked from his run perched on its back not sure what the hell to do. Also seen'm laying near a small stream strike an american robin a very entertaining wrestling match pursued with the snake the victor after a good 20 mins. These observations are of my only rattlesnake sp here in NCal the Northern Pacific not the desert sp though so im sure you'll notice some different patterns but all have a way of the day. The desert snakes are more aggressive. Ken hit the medical subject well. I'll ad that you no longer want to turnicate or slice and suck the bite like was taught when we were young. Its better to let the poison spread through the system and not keep it localized - sucking transfers poison. Id-ing the snake and keeping the person calm while getting to help as quick as possible is key. In my work we spike out many many miles from anywhere in wilderness zones and have only sketch radio reception in places so we preach Awarness at all Times and luckily we haven't had anyone bit in the many years I've been doing field work. At a wilderness first aid training course i took last year the instructor did show us a kit they carry in helicopters for firefighters and guys in the filed like me. It was a suction contraption of special design. He had never had to use it though. Thanks for postn the pic Ray and keep enjoy you F19. Hopefully the long winded post provides some knowledge AjR

May your back heal well and stay strong for many yrs to come. Hope your out swinging soon. Love the Gold - Thanks for shareing. AjR

Nice Saw. I once found an entire saw still in an enormous old stump. The old stump was nearly completely broken down, just a pile of wood pulp moss and lichen. I was on my way out of an area and had met the skunk that day when to my surprise i see a piece of saw sticking out of the old stump mass. As I grabed it i could tell it was bigger then i thought. I was stoked and also brought it home to my wife. Good luck on finding the ol Fairgrounds AjR

Congrats on your first Gold Basin gold. Thanks for sharing and hopefully your audio problems can be resolved. Its been interesting to see the likes and dislikes and issues that all you GPZ owners have been posting as you get into the groove with the new machine. Thanks Again Everyone its all informative. AjR

Possibly a very rare Christmas Elves ring? Or even Santas. Lol One more ring than i've found. What detector were ya usen? May many more rings wrap your fingers. AjR

Nice maiden voyage Ray! With luck like that you'll pay that machine off in no time. Way To Go! Beautiful piece. AjR

Rad Steve - Nice take !

Not leaving anytime soon. The wife and i are looking to buy a place this next year and then once the kids are raised we do want to hit the road and explore the country. My wife was born and raised her too and we've never been anywhere but Oregon and a little bit of Nevada. I'd love to experience the many different habitats and mining areas we have through out the USA and Canada before i get to old to do it. You know how plans go - they never go as planed so who knows. The Krugers owned the Emporium for yrs but there still here so it musta been before them. I'll see if i can find out. If you do head this way PM me and i can head ya twords afew other spots close to the area you know. Fraser Island sounds good to me - wouldnt trade it though Have a good one strick Adam

Strick - looking at your picture i think i ran into you in the Callahan Emporium maybe 3-4 yrs ago during hunting season. Maybe not though but you look familiar to me.

Love the pics Strick but no glacier just a yearound snowfield that had vanished by 2011. Thompson Glacier and a few small nearby unamed glacier are the only ones in N.California besides the few on MT Shasta. Thompson Peak at 9001 feet is the second highest mountain in Northern California west of the Cascades, after 9027 feet Mount Eddy. The Thompson Glacier lies below the North Face of Thompson Peak. Late in the season, when most of the winter snow has melted, the crevasses and ice of this glacier are exposed. There is another smaller body of snow/ice to the right of the Thompson Glacier, below the north face that might also be considered a small glacier. Further, there is definitely one small glacier on a nearby peak that has crevasses and clearly displays glacier ice. The Trinity Alps have the distinction of being the only mountain range in the United States that lies entirely below timberline (small trees grow just below the final summit block of Thompson Peak) that contains active glaciers. And a some good info from Wiki - Glaciers, snowfields, and ice fields[edit] The lowest snowfield in California that does not disappear except in the extreme runs of dry years is located above Mirror Lake at an elevation of 6,600 ft (2,000 m). The only unambiguous glacier is the 15-acre (61,000 m2) icefield on the north side of Thompson Peak, which shows crevasses indicating true motion even on so small an icefield. Research has shown that some glaciers in the Trinity Alps are more resistant to the effects of global warming than are other California glaciers. According to recent, but incorrect, USGSmaps, 35 permanent bodies of snow and several tiny glaciers dot the highest peaks of the Alps. Independent study has shown that only about six of these snow/ice bodies persist through the driest years. The recent 7.5-minute topographic maps from the USGS severely overstate the area of these ice bodies; for example, none of those shown on the east side of the ridge west of Canyon Creek or of Sawtooth Peak remain at the end even of half the years.[3] Temporary glacier[edit]On the ridge south of Sapphire Lake is an unusual phenomenon consisting of a temporary glacier, versus an inactive snowfield that melts out in dry years. Following years of heavy accumulation, an icefield appears in this fully sheltered north-facing cirque that can show active crevasses and seracs some tens of feet high. But this ice body, at an elevation of only 7,500 ft (2,300 m) in a region experiencing a long, hot dry season from about mid May to mid October, can disappear completely during a run of drier years. Studies of lichen collars indicate that the site near Kalmia Lake is the snowiest spot in the State of California, receiving snow accumulation in excess of the Lake Helen snowcourse on Lassen Peak, by far the snowcourse with greatest late winter snow accumulation in California. This in turn is consistent with the fact of an active glacier under Thompson Peak, while, in contrast, no such active glacier exists under Brokeoff Mountain west of Lassen Peak, higher than Thompson Peak and presenting an ideal NNE-facing zone in the area of maximum snow accumulation beneath an almost-vertical cliff face 1,000 ft (300 m) high. Sufficient snow does accumulate under Brokeoff that in some years the snowfield there experiences incipient glacial motion. Two moraines below it, one very recent, provide clear evidence at least of mass transport in the recent past at that site. These moraines are quite a bit smaller than those found below the Thompson Peak glacieret. The Glaciers on Mt Shasta uptill this year have also been some of the only glaciers that have continued to grow while nearly all others world wide have shrank drastically in the last ten yrs. Deathray - your son was likely very near - there was a big fire in the headwaters of Coffee Creek, Also huge fires up Whites Gulch and Woolly Creek Drainage. Also Two Huge ones down the Klamath, one in the Elk creek drainage and one more northward in the Horse Creek Area. They were huge fires - and were used to big fires but these were the biggest since records began by the FS. Looks like were headed for more with no snowpack. The hunting will be better than in a long time in a few years though. Thanks Beatup Figured you'd know the area Lipca, and heres today near noon with temps in the mid 60's meltn the snow away. The last photo is zoomed into the corner of pic 3. The white building is the old shop at Dredger Camp near the mouth of Sugar Creek, the big drainage your looking up in the pics. The old tailings are 40 - 60 ft tall in most places, you'll notice the Scott River in the lower right corner, very low for this time of year. The tailings have been reworked on afew occasions throughout there 3.5 mile length but it has never been profitable. Most of the gold was small and very flakky and the bedrock was a good 45 ft deep. The area is also known for platinum nuggets but the only people i know that have found any found them up sugar creek yrs ago dredging, pieces upto an ounce though. There very deep ponds within the tailings that have enormous trout in them that my family and i get permission to fish - there beauties - I'll get some pics next time i go. There population is pretty low so we'll catch afew to eat and then release the rest but they fight like river stealhead, and they go to jumping quick - a sight to see - caught a couple 22 inchers last summer - ate one and released the other. My 5 yr old son landed a 14 incher - hooked and landed it by himself, i netted it and got out the hook -i was so proud. Hope you enjoy and if theres any creepys out there eye'n my house, remember my dogs are trained and guns are loaded around these parts. AjR

Bado1 - A friend just scored a very nice chunk with the Fors Gold here in N California. Check it out on TNet. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/458003-fors-gold-sick-day.html Beautiful piece.

Beautiful pics Strick I know the area well. Your picks give a good feel for my country - vast and mountainous. I bet your buddies face was priceless. My buddies that don't mine love to see my gold but they always say they could never stick it out and just don't have the desire and always chuckle that i bring my detector every where. It brings me great peace and focus. I do have to separate hunting animals and hunting gold though because they each need all of my attention. I have hunted below long gulch and done well in the past and have found gold on the lower reaches of SF Coffee Creek and also on Trail Creek below Carter Meadows. From near the Trail Creek campground head down river a bit and you should see some detectable bedrock also there's a few off-roads to the left just down from the CM Campground turn that drops you into an area thats produced gold. Neither place has all that much bedrock and the substrate shifts allot season to season but you never know. The Whiskey speaks for itself - 12 yrs Wiser - Mmm Put some of that foam that you wrap pipes with to weatherize for winter around the head. It'll keep from banging as much and prevent it from abrasing your pack or what ever else. Thanks for sharing, AjR

Jasong - Dragen is like that, she's gotten better over the years but she can be a scardy cat too. Its funny because she can kick ass when need be. I also believe that with dedication and persistence i'll some day hit an untouched patch. Norvic - I'd likley love OZ, I'm all about the wilds of nature. Being a biologist the critters would be rad. And yes ol Zoe loves a fresh pile - the more steam the better. Her favorite is Fox Scat - nicen sour. Lol Gotta love a good dog! AjR

Magical it is Norvic - Glad you enjoyed it. and i would love to see your view. I've always wanted to explore Aussieland, as you said its such the opposite of the wilds i've grown up in. Yup Digger Bob im out by callahan, its nestled near the foothills of Mount Bolivar just out of view in the last pic. Etna is a great little town, one of the only towns i could live in if i had to, but luckily not. The gold will come Spencer just keep it up. If lead were gold and nails like diamonds wed all be rich but the excitement of discovery would be lost and we'd likely be just like all the other rich assholes. Lol WY is beautiful also. Good Luck AjR

Howdy folks, Just wanted to share the view from my house this morning, should have looked like this back in October but here it is in April. As Sourdoughscott has said in the past - i live in one of the most beautiful areas around. i'm truly blessed - Enjoy The gold from yesterday came from the other-side of the mountain shrouded in clouds, but i mine in all the mountains. AjR And yes those are massive yuba dredge tailings in the Scott River below the house.

Thanks again guys, Zoe is a tough old dog. She's battled off Cougars and Bobcats on a few occasions, tangled with a few weasels and flushed many a quail and rabbit for me. Even had to run into a Coyote pack that she was fighting with to help her out -I think theyd of got her that day. As a pup she launched out of my buddies truck at 45 mph for a ground squirrel and all we heard was the sound of the melon popping on the road. She was right at my feet when i jumped out of the rig to scan the scene. She tore her face open from eye to nose on the right side and shattered 2 teeth but was more worried i'd be pissed then she seamed to care about her damaged face. I pressed it back together and she healed up good. When she broke her back last year she was swept down a raging spring river and bashed like a raggdoll. I searched and searched until it was dark but couldnt find her, my wife had a college class so i couldnt camp on the spot. I stripped off my close and left them under a bush with the hopes shed find them and stay put and home i went. An hour or so latter i was BBQ out back very emotional over her being lost, shes a great woods dog, when i turned around and there she was dragging her ass end around the corner of the house. She laid down and didnt move for 3 day's. I had to hand feed her and put her water direcly under her nose to get her to drink. When she did move she barely was able to walk and more or less shuffled and then layd down and rested. She really didnt move around much for about a month, I debated shooting her to end the misery but stuck it out with her. Glad i did becuase although shes allot slower and rarley runs anymore she's not suffering and gets around pretty good. Sadly she has been slowing down pretty quick. She's been my most favorite dog i've ever had - she's a total bitch and doesn't really like anyone but me. Dragen is the loppy family dog, she's a lover and is naturally very protective. Yup i'm a nut but it drives me to experience things many people miss in life. I've tracked many an animal in this weather back to their dens or rousts when it comes to birds. They must of thought i was extra nutty fallowing them home and then hanging outside for hours peeping on them. I have learned a great deal of the wanderings of the critters chasing them around the hills in all the glorious weather were dished out. I'd probably wilt like a spring shoot if i were to try hangn with you Aussies and Desert Folk- but i'd give it a shot. The temps here will be in the 90 to 100 very soon. We usually get up to 105 by July, but then we get massive thunderstorms that usually cool it off but also start wildfires.

Thanks Guys! I do enjoy a good snowstorm. The peace and silence a blanket of snow brings is a welcome release. I do better in extreme cold than i do extreme hot - it just slows me down and boils my mind I'm known to be a dedicated man when family and friends,curiosity or a good adventure calls. Sometimes to the point of obsession or stupidity. Grit was pounded into us Salmon River Boys by the dirt floors of our childhood cabins. As for the doctor - i'd better find more gold to pay him cause he's right on man! Lol. AjR

Hello everyone, I found out yesterday that i wouldn't be able to get out this coming weekend so i took a short 4 hr trip into the place i nabbed the merc nugget and saw the Mountain Lion afew days back. It snowed last night and i was stoked to have a wintry day of mining. We've basically had no winter the last two yrs so this was a welcome suprise. My wife dropped me off and the dogs and i slowly made are way down into the headwaters. It was slow going for my Queensland Healer Zoe, she's going on 10 and after braking her back while mining last year has never been as spry. Droping over the ridge the snow slowly rose until it was waist deep but very light and fluffy so easy to brake trail. We got about half way and ol Zoe slipped into a small streamlette and couldn't get out, so down i went to get her and away we go. We arrived at the spot i'd scored the last nugget and i went to un-stacking the old tailings that the nugget had been just along the edge of. A half hour later and snow ablown i had opened up another 10 sq ft or so of bedrock and began to detect. With the snow flakes growing in size i hit the small piece first with just the faintest of a whisper. I doubted it was actually a target and thought it was ground noise until i got it in my scoop and closer to the coil. The bigger piece came a few minutes latter near the upper edge of the area i had cleared it was a cool mellow tone. Knowing this area rarely has any flakes or fly chit, but wanting to be sure i had brought my EZ sluice. I put thru about half of the gravels on the bedrock but got only one small flake as expected. That took my few hours and left an hour to hike out so i decided to clean up. I snapped the pic of the gold and then drooped the small piece as I tryed to put it in my poke. looked for it a little and then figured easy come easy go - i'll get it when i return in the future. I hiked out a different route up a more sheltered ridge which was good for the old dog being the snow was mostly ankle deep but very windy. Took pics of the old road that hits the ridge i came in on. I acquired a video camera lately and used the still shots from it for the first time today. They appear a little dark but will work on that in the future. I had a great time and enjoyed the solitude and brisk quiet the snow brought to the forest. I was very stoked on the little nugget, only weighed .2 grams, but its the roughest piece I've seen come from here which is cool because I've been trying to find the golds source up the hill. The old timers have a few runners above but they could have missed one. Likely the last deep snow trip for the old dog but a rememberable one for sure - and I'm proud to say ive gotten gold every trip out with my trusty SDC. I hope you enjoy the pics AjR

Pretty neat - thanks for posting

Nice nuggets! twins for sure - one just couldn't find his can of spinach. Lol A rockhounding friend believes rocks with a hole through them are good luck - friendship rocks she calls them - being gold yours must be extra lucky.

She's a Beaut!!! Thanks for shareing!

I have used the Tenergy that steves pics show and also the Li-lon from EB as well as standard Alks. I got about 12-15 hrs with the Tenegry, and about 17-20 with Li-Ions and Alks. in my GB Pro. Be careful how you store Li-lon batteries if you get them. They will melt if banged around allot. I had one melt a short time ago in my pocket and was glad i pulled the damn thing out fast because it quickly melted into a pile of plastic goo as my buddy and i thought shit good thing that wasnt in my machine. I still use them in my GB Pro because they recharge really fast and hold their charge well but will likely switch them out once they show sighns of needing replacement. I also remove them from the machine after every time out. I am allot more careful with them now. Got laughed at by a photographer i was discussing batteries with when i told him. He chuckled and said no shit man you never bang around Li-lon batteries, you pad them and carry them without anything resting against them. In my tests the volt didnt seem to effect detecting ability - Good luck AjR

Two pieces second time out sounds good to me - Good Job Strick! From my experience them ol chinamen sure cleaned an area up good so be proud. Were i am it seems the ol chinaman cleaned their claims the best of all. Its said many of the oldtimers would try to keep the chinamen out until they felt the place was worked out and then sell them the claim for an exuberant price. They'd pay and amazingly find allot more gold and come out ahead. Pretty damn smart and hard workn if you ask me. Good Luck in the Future and when you get tired of that GPZ i'd gladly do you the favor of taking it off our hands. LOL Snowing down to about 5000 ft today here in Scott Valley AjR

Welcome aboard! I look forward to hearing your adventures and seeing some eastern gold. Good Luck! AjR

Thanks Folks! I do enjoy my time in the mountains, lukily i live nestled amoungst them so its not hard to find solitude and peace. My grandma is very comfy in a hospice house - high as a kite but not suffering. Condolences on you grandmother deathray. I am fortunate that my area isnt as well documented as the mother load since along with the ruggedness ,it keeps allot of tourist detectors from findn my spots. The big mines are all documented pretty well but the majority of mineing was small and not recorded. In some areas nearly every gulch for miles has gold, its never easy to find but its their in its various shapes and sizes. I've been doing some good research this last year and have been learning of some new areas to hit. I have more spots to go then i'll ever have time for. As you said Scott most areas must be hiked through to find. I see otters quit frequently also they are one of my favorite critters - My nickname Featherdfishead is in reference to the American Dipper or Water Ouzel - one of my favorite birds - always out with me mining and enjoying the mountains year round and singing the most beautiful songs while all the other birds are quit. I'd love to adventure in the Pyrenesse. Good Luck Rumblefish Knowing that true white gold doesn't exist, but hoping that my piece was just extremely white i put it to the torch after the Easter egg hunt this morning. My hopes went up in mercury smoke. I'd seen allot of merc gold before from Whites and Eddys Gulchs on the Salmon River but they were much more coated and appeared almost waxy like old lead. Any way now she's lookn nicen gold. AjR Happy Easter!