If you have done any hiking in rough terrain you are well aware that going down a slope is much more difficult and dangerous than climbing it.

He could tell that the top part just slid partway down over the bottom half. So, he tried to twist it apart with his hands. No go!

Midway into my first tank of gas I was beginning to see color in my sluicebox. Needless to say, I was excited.

Saturday came and it looked to have the makings of a dreary, misty day. Undaunted, I loaded my truck with my sluice, buckets and gear, and headed for the claim.

On about the fifth time across one of these slopes, and down near the little wash...bam! I found a nice chunk of rock, laced through with gold. Wow! How had I missed this?

He got out his new salt gun and began searching for the source of the intruder. He soon isolated the sound to a point in the rafters above the stove.

Because waiting for spring seemed to be taking forever, my 15-year-old granddaughter Grace and I decided to pan for gold sooner. The thought was…even if we did not find any gold, we would set a new record for absurdity—gold panning in the coldest weather!