Panning and gold detecting in fremont???, Was looking for a good place this weekend? Options

[Troy#1]

Hello everyone Iam new to this forum and gold prospecting in general but just bought a bunch of gear and live in canon city CO, was looking for a little help in the search of ether a good ghost town for my new ATgold or a good sluice area for this time year for my new Keene A52? Plan on joining the CP yearly once I recover from the 1300 spent on gear! Thanks in advance really like reading some of these posts.

[Caveman]

The was a lot of copper mining there too, gold and other metals were byproducts of both silver and copper in that area. Rosita was also a major gold producing area, and is just south of Westcliffe. I do not know about the road from Canon City to Cripple Creek. I have a book that shows some rockhounding areas, (which is also prospecting) but no sluicing/panning areas along that road. Andrew, you are right, mainly silver, but the active mines there now are registered as lode deposits for gold, and the big active mine you can see from Mitchell Mountian Road at our property is a gold mine. My guess is that it is also getting silver.

[Troy#1]

The was a lot of copper mining there too, gold and other metals were byproducts of both silver and copper in that area. Rosita was also a major gold producing area, and is just south of Westcliffe. I do not know about the road from Canon City to Cripple Creek. I have a book that shows some rockhounding areas, (which is also prospecting) but no sluicing/panning areas along that road. Andrew, you are right, mainly silver, but the active mines there now are registered as lode deposits for gold, and the big active mine you can see from Mitchell Mountian Road at our property is a gold mine. My guess is that it is also getting silver.

Anyone know about phantom canyon which kinda starts at cripple creek and back out halfway between penrose and canon city saw a video on youtube of a guy panning phantom canyon but of course it never showed gold in the pan or say if it was even a legal area?

Texas creek maybe my best bet, please let me know if you find out any info on that area Caveman and anyone else have some ideas on the area please feel free to reply as I need all the help I can get!

Look forward to finding a spot?

[Dypheron]

Anyone know about phantom canyon which kinda starts at cripple creek and back out halfway between penrose and canon city saw a video on youtube of a guy panning phantom canyon but of course it never showed gold in the pan or say if it was even a legal area?

Texas creek maybe my best bet, please let me know if you find out any info on that area Caveman and anyone else have some ideas on the area please feel free to reply as I need all the help I can get!

Look forward to finding a spot?

As far as I've seen phantom canyon is bare, all I found up there was dirt, a few pretty rocks, and a dead dog. Also, there is a lot of private property that boarders the road, some posted some not. There is a large pull off area about 3/4 mile or so from where the asphalt ends going up (right at the first tunnel) that has a wash/seasonal stream that I pulled a bunch of material out of, probably 8 buckets or so worth with not even a speck of gold to be found. Lot of black sand and a few tiny garnets. I went up there based on probably the same video you did (woman filming and commenting on her husband panning?). Nice drive though.

The two areas that seem to come up a lot in discussions for places to go are clear creek and fairplay beach. Both are known gold producing areas, with caveats. Fairplay charges a nominal fee for a permit, and there's a large claim on the western end of clear creek if you're working the stretch in Jefferson County.

$1300 seems a bit much for gear to be starting out, I'm maybe $300 into gear, and that's pans, 2 sluices, and buckets. Do snacks and beer consumed while reading the forums count as gear?

[Troy#1]

As far as I've seen phantom canyon is bare, all I found up there was dirt, a few pretty rocks, and a dead dog. Also, there is a lot of private property that boarders the road, some posted some not. There is a large pull off area about 3/4 mile or so from where the asphalt ends going up (right at the first tunnel) that has a wash/seasonal stream that I pulled a bunch of material out of, probably 8 buckets or so worth with not even a speck of gold to be found. Lot of black sand and a few tiny garnets. I went up there based on probably the same video you did (woman filming and commenting on her husband panning?). Nice drive though.

The two areas that seem to come up a lot in discussions for places to go are clear creek and fairplay beach. Both are known gold producing areas, with caveats. Fairplay charges a nominal fee for a permit, and there's a large claim on the western end of clear creek if you're working the stretch in Jefferson County.

$1300 seems a bit much for gear to be starting out, I'm maybe $300 into gear, and that's pans, 2 sluices, and buckets. Do snacks and beer consumed while reading the forums count as gear?

Haha yep thats the video, I have a place on the other end on shelf road I take my dogs to play in the water and it was loaded with black sand never panned it cause wasnt sure about the laws there.

But as far as the 1300 it was mostly the ATgold from garret and the A52 sluice plus I got the badger from Apex, rubber boots, garret pan set and some other little stuff and it added up quick!
yeah I here about those alot too, I think clear creek is pretty far from here but fairplays pretty close and I here buena vista is pretty good as well but as far as this time of year what do you thinks worth the drive??

[Dypheron]

Haha yep thats the video, I have a place on the other end on shelf road I take my dogs to play in the water and it was loaded with black sand never panned it cause wasnt sure about the laws there.

But as far as the 1300 it was mostly the ATgold from garret and the A52 sluice plus I got the badger from Apex, rubber boots, garret pan set and some other little stuff and it added up quick!
yeah I here about those alot too, I think clear creek is pretty far from here but fairplays pretty close and I here buena vista is pretty good as well but as far as this time of year what do you thinks worth the drive??

If you have the means to get to Denver you're within range of Clear Creek. The open panning area starts just west of Golden on the west side of the first tunnel and runs all the way to at least the county line. Not sure about past that. As I mentioned there is an active claim that starts at I believe it's Elk Creek and goes downstream for a mile. Other than that it's fair game. I've seen people panning in Denver itself but I think that kind of takes the fun out of it. Some of the more seasoned members can offer more information as I've started fairly recently myself.

As for this time of year I'd say that if there's no significant ice buildup on the stream you choose and you aren't afraid of the cold water then go for it! I know that Clear Creek was under some heavy ice the last time I was up there about a month and a half ago, probably about the same now.

[Troy#1]

If you have the means to get to Denver you're within range of Clear Creek. The open panning area starts just west of Golden on the west side of the first tunnel and runs all the way to at least the county line. Not sure about past that. As I mentioned there is an active claim that starts at I believe it's Elk Creek and goes downstream for a mile. Other than that it's fair game. I've seen people panning in Denver itself but I think that kind of takes the fun out of it. Some of the more seasoned members can offer more information as I've started fairly recently myself.

As for this time of year I'd say that if there's no significant ice buildup on the stream you choose and you aren't afraid of the cold water then go for it! I know that Clear Creek was under some heavy ice the last time I was up there about a month and a half ago, probably about the same now.

Hey thanks Dypheron I will head up that way in the middle of the next week when my sluice gets here , does open panning mean hand feeding a sluice and digging as well??

[Dypheron]

Hey thanks Dypheron I will head up that way in the middle of the next week when my sluice gets here , does open panning mean hand feeding a sluice and digging as well??

As long as you're not pulling material from above the high water mark you're fine. Make sure that you fill any holes that you make, and yes, a sluice would be fine. You could call Jefferson County to verify that nothing has changed for this year.