Santa Clarita Valley 8 Lb Nugget!

[mn90403]

Does anyone know if this was a specimen or a solid?

I've only been in the Piru area looking for gold one or two times over 10 years ago.  I was told I would get into trouble there because they were protecting an invasive frog.  I didn't know where to go.

This history seems to say.  

Has anyone been there and had success?  I've heard a few stories about people sneaking into some areas but don't know the details.

 

SCVHistory.com | The Story Of Our Valley by A.B. Perkins | Part 5: Mining.

[flakmagnet]

I used to pan on Piru Creek decades ago. Only found flakes, but I knew folks who dredged at a certain little campground there - when there was water - who had some quite good days. They were using 5" dredges.

Have fun if you ever give it a try.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I remember hiking in and staying overnight on Piru Ck. We lived in Simi Valley at the time. I remember my dad talking about the gold there. Hard for me to believe, but that was 65 years ago!

Jim

[Beeper Bob]

Been prospecting at Piru Creek for years with my brother. He had a 4inch Keene dredge and would work the creek. He had limited success. I would work the old stream bed next to the creek and dig my way in on the bedrock. Every time I would move a large boulder I would find a nugget. Some times only a foot from the surface other times right on the bedrock. I probably have a dozen or more finger nail size nuggets from there. That was at Hardluck Camp on Piru creek. My bed rock work is probably still there worked my way in about 60 t0 70 ft the old stream bed was about 5ft deep. Would carry the buckets of dirt down to my wife and she would run the dirt through a keene sluice. Was a very productive spot, have not found anything better. Have a lot of stories about that place, Had heavy rains there one week end the river came way up and the road in turned into a muddy mess none of the 4X4 trucks could get up a muddy hill to get out including my brothers power wagon. Had about 10 people and a young baby stranded there. My CJ7 V8 with air lockers was able to get up the hill and took all the people back across the muddy river, the water was flowing in the jeep through the scupper on each side of the cab, but we made it across  where someone could get in and pick them up about 4 trips. The Forest Circus eventually closed the road in they say because of a endangered frog which I never saw one in the many weekend I was there. It was A excuse to close it because of all the homeless people that would camp at the first crossing and make a huge trashy mess. the gold is still there but you would have to go in by boat at Pyramid Lake to where Piru creek comes in and hike up to Hardluck camp. The camp is sitting on the old stream bed I worked.  Good Luck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piru

[flakmagnet]

Yup Bob, that's where I panned and where my friends used to dredge. I never understood why the forest service closed the road. They kept it closed after that last big fire out there too. I tried to drive out and have a look, but couldn't even get close. Ridiculous when you aren't allowed to access own open land.

[Beeper Bob]

Hi David. From what I was told they closed it because of the Arroyo Toad. Must be really rare or a invisible toad. I remember when they closed the road that went up Big Tujunga creek to the damn because of a endangered sucker fish. Saw some officials behind my house on the creek with nets working the big hole in the creek. They were during a fish survey, asked them about the sucker fish, they laughed and said they have not seen one in over 30 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xracer550]

I remember when the creeks in Canyon Country where closed because of the Stickleback fish , It stopped all dredging in the area ! ,  San Francisquito Canyon was one of my favorite places to sluice below where the dam broke. now you can't even park on the side of the road.

Unarmored Three Spine Stickleback Santa Clara River to Santa Francisquito Creek Rescue / Relocation

[Beeper Bob]

I remember that you could pull off the road and sluice. Did not know they found a lame reason to close it. so glad I moved out of that state.

[mn90403]

Where was the area called the Gold Bowl?

Was it north of Boquet Canyon?

[xracer550]

The Gold bowl is between Bouquet canyon & San Francisquito , The large nugget was found closer to Violin Canyon north of Castaic .