best way to mine this deposit? Options

[rich on western ...]

Found a section of cut out bench placer. It is a verticle wall of gravel on bedrock. Has color in it. Problem is that it is several yards thick with a lot of larger boulders mixed in. There is a lot of stuff that has fallen at the base of it (lose sand and gravel forming a fan). What would be the best and safest way to dig into this matterial? It is dry and hard compacted alluvial deposit that is at least 100' above the existing river. Another problem is trying to get this stuff down to my truck or area where I can process it. There are several cobbly lenses mixed in. Would these be areas that acted as an armour layer? Also, would the lose matterial at the base probably have color in it as well?

Forgot to mention that I only have hand tools at my disposal and would be working this by myself. Anybody interested in going in on claiming this area? Would be nice to have a partner to help work it

[yeager]

I go out prospecting almost every weekend (winter or summer) and have been shot down on every area Ive ever wanted to claim. I would love to throw down a percentage 50/50 or whatever necessary just so I could see the way through the correct process of claiming an area. I have a 2.5in proline highbanker combo, 25 yrs old and I'm stuck on the hunt for GOLD. I will admit though my taking has been pretty weak for all the places Ive been in the last few years, but that will all change one day (ha ha ha) . Any way I live in Aurora, driving shouldn't be a problem since I drive all over this state anyway, let me know.