Great video and thanks for the comment about preserving the history of the Robe Canyon. Have you done any prospecting farther up the SF of the Stilly, say around Deer Creek? I know some have gotten color around Red Bridge and at the campground across from the Ranger Station at Verlot.
Thank you sir. I would love to learn more about ecological, respectful, responsible prospecting. Please keep up your good work of educating us youngins.
@Gamuru I've done quite a bit of the Stilli sampling, and the most concentrated place for gold I have found is through Robe Canyon. I have a theory on why--but won't express it here. Of course, there are mines up Deer Creek, but more lode oriented. I haven't seen any bedrock there--at least along the lower portion of the creek, so the concentrations will be lower. There is certainly gold all the way up and down the river--but I think you will be suprised at the amout of color through Robe.
No sluice boxes on gravel... Hm. Out of all the places to sample and process placer material in washington, there are very few places to set up a sluice on bedrock with the right flow, drop etc.. relatively speaking. I get it, but to say only on bedrock in WA is a bit too limiting. I do believe any gravel area would work,so long as you can prove to the officer that there are no redds or visible fish lingering about. And as far as proving where your sediment deposition ends in relation to where redds begin.. that could be very debatable. Even the director of WDFW said "All too often we forget that humans are part of nature too, and we need to factor that in to the regulations we create". Very rough quote, but similar sentiment.
Your insights are very true, Frank. But they won't find a home in the heart of the forester that comes by and examines your work. The same is true in the state of CA. And nope, no matter what you do, you won't be able to prove "there are no reds or fish lingering about." But they will be able to prove it is not legal to place that box on gravels, no matter what the conditions are. Because they will ask you to produce your fish and game booklet, where the regulations are plainly written. (There is an extra fine for not having your booklet in hand, also).
Silverton was more about the silver than gold. The gold was a buyproduct. Of course that is usually reversed, but that is what I have read from several references. In any case, it was all lode--nothing placer. If you drive just upstream from Silverton (by a few hundred yards) you will note that the river turns away from the road for about 1/4 mile. You can find a modest amount of color on the road side of the river along the bank--all trapped by a thick web of roots and evenly distributed
I'm just looking over some of the comments on my pages, and I saw yours. I'll just say this, Gamuru: I think you are totally on the spot about the g. till. My sense is that the gold found around Silverton was salted and part of the mining stock scams that where so prevalent around the turn of the century. Go around some of those tunnels and see if what they were digging in makes any sense! Then examine what little tailings are left--for the most part unmineralized ground. Till is dead on.
well, I now live in Nevada, so if you are familiar with where I was mining, by all means, take my spot! There is still gold left there (you will need to uproot that bush to get underneath); on a good day (4 hrs or so) we were taking out about a gram (with a highbanker). Regards! B.
I suspect any gold east of Robe is buried under glacial till. I've got a few spots where I want to look, but much digging would be involved. I know several shafts were sunk around Silverton, but I have no idea if they produced. Thanks for the reply.
@Gamuru The other thing is, I work for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians--and this was their river of life, so I know a modest amount of history about the area from the native perspective--which is very important to me--even if I didn't work for the tribe. Keep in touch!
my uncle roger is the first to show me this mossing theory .. we where panning in liberty wa. and he seen some moss and went right to it well he got the best gold out of all of us great video thx.
Callmebe....you mention not panning into a gravel bed because of possibly disturbing Salmon spawning beds. I wholeheartedly agree with you but....isn't the Robe Canyon ABOVE the falls? When did WDFW or the tribe start transporting Salmon up river? I know there are Steelhead in the deeper holes all up and down the river but the water in the Robe Canyon area is so swift I don't see how they could. Possibly spawn there. Just my thoughts on the matter..... Hoping to see you on the river! Terry "Salmon King" Baker
Yes, Terry, the Robe is above by a few miles. So Granite Falls is just a mile out of town, and is marked on the side of the road (west side, and immediately past that is a large bridge). There is a wide trail down to the falls. Anyway, there are fish ladders down there, Terry. But yes, at one time the river was sterile above this area. And, that's why most of the Indian history is further down river (where the River Park is), though the Ice Caves were a focal point of religious ceremony. Anyway, most of the gold in the Robe emanates from the sides of the immediate hills. Very little gold is carried downriver from deposits further upstream--above the Robe. So, you will find very little gold in the gravels. You should be looking for areas where the gold collects as it runs directly off the hill and into the river. Once past the Robe you can find gold in the gravels--especially when riffled by large roots that are a 90% angle to the water flow. If you wish to do that, search those areas where the gravels are dry. I hope that all makes sense, Terry! Yes, I would like to go back at some point, but now I am in Nevada. (BTW, Fish and Game does not want sluice boxes placed on gravel--at least 4 years ago when I lived in WA).
I tried out your mossing suggestions and wanted to say thanks. One thing I am curious about is the floating gold. I would swear up and down most of the gold colors don't sink, and are gold looking under my loop. Any idea if this is gold? Or is it mica that looks like gold? I also found those gorgeous garnets you mentioned. Super small but beautiful color. I took some time to look at the bedrock, and it seems to hold gold, and lots of iron down the cracks when I inched slices up. That gold looked native but showed up by iron oxidation. I found lots of coal, and gold/silver ore where some holes were left. You were right on about the long stringy moss as well:) Anyways what is your theory about where the gold comes from? You know a lot of the gold and silver found in Silverton and Monte cristo was in sheer zones with quartz veining? The bedrock area we were pulling moss out off was a bedrock sheer Zone;)
Aaron Schiffman Glad you are in that beautiful region, Aaron! Small flakes of gold will rise to the surface of the pan if they are covered in oil. And, new gold pans sometimes have a lot of residual oil in them from their initial fabrication. Clean your pan out with soap. Aaron, if your surface rising continues, place a small drop of dishwashing soap in your pan as a wetting agent. If the material is gold it will automatically sink. Pyrite will continue to float. Aaron, I think the gold in this local region was left behind by glaciers. That accounts for it's flatness and fairly even distribution. Good luck in your continued search!!
Yeah I still have over two gallons of black sand filled with gold. I was guessing about a gram for a trip. I really like that root ball as well. !!! Ttyl
Thanks for your pics and great suggestions. I just got back from a Robe trip with my daughter. Beuatiful trip, We loved it. We rinsed the sand out of the moss and packed out about 20 # of sand. I'll pan it tomorrow. Question: you call the gold "sump gold" and say it comes from the canyon rocks above not the river. If so would the moss at the top of the scour zone have more gold than that closer to the river?
William Pendergrass You figured it out, William! The material gets more diffuse as you proceed lower into the scour zone (as it comes in contact with goods from the river itself--which has very little gold). Good luck with your sand!
Great video and thanks for the comment about preserving the history of the Robe Canyon. Have you done any prospecting farther up the SF of the Stilly, say around Deer Creek? I know some have gotten color around Red Bridge and at the campground across from the Ranger Station at Verlot.
Thank you sir. I would love to learn more about ecological, respectful, responsible prospecting. Please keep up your good work of educating us youngins.
@Gamuru I've done quite a bit of the Stilli sampling, and the most concentrated place for gold I have found is through Robe Canyon. I have a theory on why--but won't express it here. Of course, there are mines up Deer Creek, but more lode oriented. I haven't seen any bedrock there--at least along the lower portion of the creek, so the concentrations will be lower. There is certainly gold all the way up and down the river--but I think you will be suprised at the amout of color through Robe.
No sluice boxes on gravel... Hm. Out of all the places to sample and process placer material in washington, there are very few places to set up a sluice on bedrock with the right flow, drop etc.. relatively speaking. I get it, but to say only on bedrock in WA is a bit too limiting. I do believe any gravel area would work,so long as you can prove to the officer that there are no redds or visible fish lingering about. And as far as proving where your sediment deposition ends in relation to where redds begin.. that could be very debatable. Even the director of WDFW said "All too often we forget that humans are part of nature too, and we need to factor that in to the regulations we create". Very rough quote, but similar sentiment.
Your insights are very true, Frank. But they won't find a home in the heart of the forester that comes by and examines your work. The same is true in the state of CA. And nope, no matter what you do, you won't be able to prove "there are no reds or fish lingering about." But they will be able to prove it is not legal to place that box on gravels, no matter what the conditions are. Because they will ask you to produce your fish and game booklet, where the regulations are plainly written. (There is an extra fine for not having your booklet in hand, also).
Silverton was more about the silver than gold. The gold was a buyproduct. Of course that is usually reversed, but that is what I have read from several references. In any case, it was all lode--nothing placer. If you drive just upstream from Silverton (by a few hundred yards) you will note that the river turns away from the road for about 1/4 mile. You can find a modest amount of color on the road side of the river along the bank--all trapped by a thick web of roots and evenly distributed
I'm just looking over some of the comments on my pages, and I saw yours. I'll just say this, Gamuru: I think you are totally on the spot about the g. till. My sense is that the gold found around Silverton was salted and part of the mining stock scams that where so prevalent around the turn of the century. Go around some of those tunnels and see if what they were digging in makes any sense! Then examine what little tailings are left--for the most part unmineralized ground. Till is dead on.
well, I now live in Nevada, so if you are familiar with where I was mining, by all means, take my spot! There is still gold left there (you will need to uproot that bush to get underneath); on a good day (4 hrs or so) we were taking out about a gram (with a highbanker). Regards! B.
85th 👍
I suspect any gold east of Robe is buried under glacial till. I've got a few spots where I want to look, but much digging would be involved. I know several shafts were sunk around Silverton, but I have no idea if they produced.
Thanks for the reply.
Really nice video.Nice clear pictures.Very clearly explained and illustrated...Regards,Trevor.
hey I met you down at the canyon. happy mining.
@Gamuru The other thing is, I work for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians--and this was their river of life, so I know a modest amount of history about the area from the native perspective--which is very important to me--even if I didn't work for the tribe. Keep in touch!
@RandiEyre Randi. I probably won't be leaving my day job anytime soon, though!
my uncle roger is the first to show me this mossing theory .. we where panning in liberty wa. and he seen some moss and went right to it well he got the best gold out of all of us great video thx.
Trevor, I hope you'll be able to use the info! May gold flash in your pan . . . B.
Callmebe....you mention not panning into a gravel bed because of possibly disturbing Salmon spawning beds.
I wholeheartedly agree with you but....isn't the Robe Canyon ABOVE the falls? When did WDFW or the tribe start transporting Salmon up river? I know there are Steelhead in the deeper holes all up and down the river but the water in the Robe Canyon area is so swift I don't see how they could. Possibly spawn there.
Just my thoughts on the matter.....
Hoping to see you on the river!
Terry "Salmon King" Baker
Yes, Terry, the Robe is above by a few miles. So Granite Falls is just a mile out of town, and is marked on the side of the road (west side, and immediately past that is a large bridge). There is a wide trail down to the falls. Anyway, there are fish ladders down there, Terry. But yes, at one time the river was sterile above this area. And, that's why most of the Indian history is further down river (where the River Park is), though the Ice Caves were a focal point of religious ceremony. Anyway, most of the gold in the Robe emanates from the sides of the immediate hills. Very little gold is carried downriver from deposits further upstream--above the Robe. So, you will find very little gold in the gravels. You should be looking for areas where the gold collects as it runs directly off the hill and into the river. Once past the Robe you can find gold in the gravels--especially when riffled by large roots that are a 90% angle to the water flow. If you wish to do that, search those areas where the gravels are dry. I hope that all makes sense, Terry! Yes, I would like to go back at some point, but now I am in Nevada. (BTW, Fish and Game does not want sluice boxes placed on gravel--at least 4 years ago when I lived in WA).
Love that area; but it's too far away for me. Glad you're up there, though!
I tried out your mossing suggestions and wanted to say thanks. One thing I am curious about is the floating gold. I would swear up and down most of the gold colors don't sink, and are gold looking under my loop. Any idea if this is gold? Or is it mica that looks like gold? I also found those gorgeous garnets you mentioned. Super small but beautiful color. I took some time to look at the bedrock, and it seems to hold gold, and lots of iron down the cracks when I inched slices up. That gold looked native but showed up by iron oxidation. I found lots of coal, and gold/silver ore where some holes were left. You were right on about the long stringy moss as well:) Anyways what is your theory about where the gold comes from? You know a lot of the gold and silver found in Silverton and Monte cristo was in sheer zones with quartz veining? The bedrock area we were pulling moss out off was a bedrock sheer Zone;)
Aaron Schiffman Glad you are in that beautiful region, Aaron! Small flakes of gold will rise to the surface of the pan if they are covered in oil. And, new gold pans sometimes have a lot of residual oil in them from their initial fabrication. Clean your pan out with soap. Aaron, if your surface rising continues, place a small drop of dishwashing soap in your pan as a wetting agent. If the material is gold it will automatically sink. Pyrite will continue to float. Aaron, I think the gold in this local region was left behind by glaciers. That accounts for it's flatness and fairly even distribution. Good luck in your continued search!!
Yeah I still have over two gallons of black sand filled with gold. I was guessing about a gram for a trip. I really like that root ball as well. !!! Ttyl
thanks for the info. i'm actually heading up there tomorrow to test this out. thanks for all the info!!!
Thanks for your pics and great suggestions. I just got back from a Robe trip with my daughter. Beuatiful trip, We loved it. We rinsed the sand out of the moss and packed out about 20 # of sand. I'll pan it tomorrow. Question: you call the gold "sump gold" and say it comes from the canyon rocks above not the river. If so would the moss at the top of the scour zone have more gold than that closer to the river?
William Pendergrass You figured it out, William! The material gets more diffuse as you proceed lower into the scour zone (as it comes in contact with goods from the river itself--which has very little gold). Good luck with your sand!
Really Moss, Tree Roots? Wow!!
Yep. And, quite a bit, too.
banjo pan