How Far To The Gold?

December 2021 by Chris Ralph

…in spite of the fact that the well-pounded spots probably don’t have much gold left, I see all too many prospectors hike down to a creek or other spot at the first place the road comes near it just because it’s the easiest access point.

Hunting for Hardrock: The Basics

December 2013
Exposed veins and outcroppings can be a great source for gathering good gold ore for processing. Veins and outcroppings do require a lot of work to free the ore from its earthen grip, but this labor can be very rewarding.

Your Guide to Prospecting in Alaska

May 2013
Alaska is getting a lot of interest these days, not least because of all the gold prospecting shows on television. Hardly a month seems to pass without some new prospecting show being announced, and a couple of the most popular feature Alaska.

Grizzly Flats, California—Another Mother Lode Gold Rush Town

January 2022

We chatted for a bit and then we had to take off, but I kept what he said in the back of my mind as we rushed out to some other gold-bearing place in the Mother Lode to feed our gold fever.

Strategies for Dig and Detect Operations

November 2022

Mining In The El Paso Range of Southern California

December 2020

While none of the historical mining camps are active, the area is still a hub of activity for the modern prospector, and claims still blanket the hills and gulches.

Using Structural Clues to Locate Buried Placer Channels

April 2014
They must have assumed the paystreak was spotty and had been mined out, so they never mined as close to the side of the valley as they should have.

Time for a New Approach: Detecting Float Gold

September 2013
The first pieces found were in a spot that most gold hunters would not even detect, right in the middle of a downslope meadow.

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