Panning for Gold - Cache Creek

Last week we had sent an email to Emily asking her what would the kids like to do while here in Buena Vista.  From visiting ghost towns, hiking, taking a boat ride to an abandoned resort, panning for gold, white water rafting, and much more.  Number one was panning for gold, number two was white water rafting.  After they arrived early Saturday morning, Dee, Rob, Dave and I plus Emily and Cody and Imana headed north to an area called Cache Creek.  On Granite mountain.  Had to travel on a dirt road, and we climbed up over 10,000 feet in elevation and arrived at our destination.  This area is well known to newbies and to professional prospectors.  Was a big gold mine area from the late 1800s to about 1920.  Hills of stone and wash were abundant, left over from the big mining companies.  Nature has reclaimed the land and scrub trees, pines and vegetation have taken over.  Cache Creek flows down from the mountains creating a lovely serene atmosphere.

Walking through forest to find the perfect spot

Cache Creek - and it was cold!!! from snow melt

Dave with Imana and Cody discussing where to set up

Rob and Dee pan for gold (and other minerals and gems) in this area in the past and knew that this area we were going to should provide some gold flakes and if lucky, nuggets.  After arriving (we were on BLM land), we unpacked the car and truck with sluice gear, pockets, pans, shovels, and of course nourishment and drinks for us all, and off we went on a 1/2 mile hike further up into the mountain.

Rob in lead, Emily then Cody/Imana and then Dave headed to Randy's spot

Randy instructing all of us how to sift the dirt in the pan

On to the digging - Cody liked that the best

Found a nice spot where the creek flows past us, dropped our stuff and Rob saw other prospectors ahead and went to inquire what their luck was.  As it turned out, Randy and John, two prospectors they met in the same place last year, were set up and were happy to share and teach the kids how it's done.  Randy is a professional guide as well as professional prospector who brings people to the area and helps them dig for gold.  He said he had not done any tours this summer because he was helping his daughter prepare for her wedding and had other commitments.  But, he was so happy to see Rob and Dee again, and he was doubly excited to teach Imana and Cody how it's done.

Randy said - Eureka - I see gold!!!

Randy and his friend John showed us all their sluice gear

Randy with thumbs up - with Imana and Cody - there was gold in their pan!

He demonstrated where you would likely find gold in the ground, showing what to look for in color of dirt and what the surroundings look like, then how to dig it up, sift it in pans, and then to set up a sluice in the flowing creek.  The kids had a ball.  We got to Cache Creek site about 10:45 and never left until 4pm.  The kids did not want to leave, having fun digging, then sifting into buckets, then pouring the dirt into the sluice.  Randy told Rob that our visit made his day - he loves to teach people how to pan for gold, and to teach youngsters, he told Rob 'thank you - you really made my day'.  How nice! And how lucky were we to run into Randy!

Some of us resting in the shade, our sluice and buckets ready for after snack time

Hard work panning for gold!

Randy said to call him - he loves taking people out to find gold

The kids got to use Randy's sluice - a big bonus

We hiked back to the truck with a big bucket of sifted/sluiced material to further investigate back at the campground.  While I got us dinner and Dave cooked out, Rob and the kids did further sifting (called classifying) and they found not just flakes of gold, but nuggets.  Eureka!!!

By the time they were done, they had a small vial each of the gold they panned for, about $130 for each one to take home as a souvenir.  They were so happy, and us adults sure did learn a lot.  Talk about labor intensive!