This last pic shows several pieces that I collected years ago and one that I broke in two. The pyrite is really bright in the perfectly round ones.

Returned to the Chris’s Yooper Gold Claim this weekend.

Left out Friday evening and spent the weekend hanging out with Chris at his Gold Claim. I took my brother, “Steve”, along for the ride and he was able to get in some swinging time with his detector. We arrived around 630 that evening and before the sun had gone down, Steve had all ready found a nice piece of gold with his detector. Nice way to start the outing.

The next morning I did a little exploring, as is my general nature, and got to know the place a little better. I decided to do some digging and testing about ¼ mile away from where we were camping. I figured we all ready knew there was gold in the immediate vicinity and wanted to see if it could be found in other places as well. Turns out it can be. I worked an area that was void of any running water but showed where a trickle does run during runoff or heavy rains. I quickly found some nice pieces of color and by the end of the day I had found the biggest “Flake” I have ever found. I have found heavier nuggets, but this was a true flake and it was between 3/8 and ½ inch. I did not find much else, maybe a total of 7 pieces showed up in the black mat of the sluice. I did a fast pan of the cons and did not see much. This place does not have a lot of fine, flower gold. It is either go big or go home it seems.

The weekend was a terrific success. The only negative thing is the drive. I always seem to get caught up in that nasty traffic on I-70 coming out of Denver. It has a tendency to put a dark cloud on things. But I am sure in a couple of weeks I will be chomping at the bit to get up there once again.

Thanks once again to Chris for allowing us to come hang with him. I am very envious of his little slice of heaven. He has got a good thing going there. If anybody is thinking of taking a trip up there I’m sure you will find it enjoyable as well as I have. Have a good one, Woody.

Breakfast of Champions, oh they were sweet. Who brought the Ice cream. If I had the time I could of picked a whole gallon full.

Here is an unknown item I found while poking around a bit. Anyone got a clue as to what it could of been used for??

Here is a pic of Steve hard at work. You can see there is not much bare ground. A little water slowly started to appear as we dug, but getting enough to run any material through a sluice would be difficult.

It looks like an old cable spool from that picture. is the metal tube open on both sides? Usually the spools used wood between the wheels, but they could have used metal. My first thought was an old outhouse.

My first thought was for it being an old spool, "the type us batchlors used as a Coffee Table", but after looking at it, that metal center piece is WAY too heavy. I think it might have been used as some sort of Pully System like a Drum for a Winch or something. But you could be right, we may never know for sure.

Alas my “Rabbit Hole” has played out. It is not so much that it stopped producing as much as the crystals were very small and encrusted with a hard overgrowth. It is almost as if the rocks got a little too close to the fire and got burnt or melted. I’m sure if someone was to put several hours into removing a lot of overburden and gaining better access they could find some interesting items. The Fluorite left the show completely. If it were still popping up every now and again I would still be working the area. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

So just to get my spirits back up, I went to one of the known locations and dug for Amazonite. I kind of use this place as an, “Old Faithful”. Found lots of pieces of around an inch in size. Some showed good hexagonal shape to them. One day I will figure out how to work lapidary equipment and probably wish I spent more time here. Who knows?

I spent the entire day up in on that hill, Sunup to sundown. Before I left I scouted around to find a couple more spots that looked promising and will need more investigating. That’s the way I like it, always have a spot in mind that I can turn to in case a day of prospecting starts to turn uneventful. Sometimes it makes it easier to continue to prospect knowing you have a back-up plan. Have a good one, Woody.

Aug 20th, 2011

Got out today with some friends and went rock hounding. I also brought along my Step-Daughter. It’s her birthday and she is now 14. It was very difficult to keep her attention focused on collecting minerals when she knew there was cake waiting at home, “a lesson learned on my part”. I wish I could have stayed longer as I’m sure the best was jet to come. I can’t wait to hear back from the rest of the folks and see how they fared. Although I did not stay long, I managed to find some of the best quality smokie Crystals that I have found so far. Here is a pic of a Smokie that looks like it ate a Christmas tree. I’ve never seen one with that kind of coloring.
The day may have been short but I got to met some great people, learn a thing or two, and did not have to spend the day bushwhacked in the lowlands. Thanks guys for the invite and I am looking forward to future endeavors, Woody.

If you haven't seen this, you might like it.

http://golddredger.com/fluoritemine/fluorsparmine1.htm

This is an old mine near Jamestown.
Leonard

Thanks Leonard,

I did see that several months ago along with the video. I would sure like to get up there sometime. I am sure I will it is just a matter of when. Thanks for the reminder, woody.

Great smokey Woody, love the way it shows the colors. The one you gave us with the layers of white microcline overgrown on the smokey quartz is really cool as well. I will have to get a picture of it and post it here. You definately find some cool goodies out there! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Cool video Leonard, I never get tired of looking at Fluorites......especially the purple and baby blue ones. The baby blue ones are my favorite.

That special time of year,


Anyone remember how excited you got as a kid during Christmas? The family gets together, the house is full of wonderful smells, just an all around time of joy. Well today starts my “Kid-Christmas”

I am all packed up and I leave tonight for the high country on a 12 day Archery Hunt. It is a long way away from civilization and way up on Grand Mesa. Although I have a tag for Deer, Elk, and Bear the success of the hunt will not necessarily be based on how many animals are taken. Just being out there is the main reason. If I don’t get anything it will not be the first time. Sure I enjoy every outing I do all year long but hunting camp is exceptional. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of the entire family coming together and heading to the hills. Even when I was too young to tag along for the hunt I enjoyed the thrill of hanging around the camp. Now it is an annual ritual that unquestionably ranks as one of my highest priorities.

So if you happen to be up in the hills in the near future and you see some ol’ feller grinning from ear to ear, don’t worry, it’s just me. And in the back of my mind I’m just running around the house in my pajamas with my teddy bear under my arm with all the other kids, in total amazement of all the bright colors and can’t wait to open up those presents.

To all the hunters out there, Happy Kid Christmas. Be safe and have a great hunt, Woody.

Good luck to you Woody. I hope you have a great trip. I couldn't agree with you more. I still have some time before my trip in late october. 10 days in a wall tent is my annual heaven. The being there is what recharges all my batteries for the day to day here in reality. I can only wait til my kids are old enough to come enjoy it with me.

I hope all is going well for you Woody! I can almost hear you now, "ssssssh, be very very quiet, Im hunting elk".

Here is that really cool smokey crystal that has the strange over growth that Woody gave us. Not something I see all the time, so it stood out to me.
It's fantastic Woody, good job on the sweet find!