I will be heading to the Gunnison area soon and was wondering if there are any good panning/sluicing spots around there?

I don't know about prospecting around Gunnison, but Grand Junction is sort of nearby :
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo/minera...k_hounding.html
As always, make sure you are not on a private claim or property before dipping your pan.

What I do know, is that the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is breathtaking!
Click to view attachment

Some yummy looking quartz veins on the other side of the canyon.Click to view attachment

I wasn't into prospecting when I took these pictures (almost 10 years ago). I now wonder if this picture isn't showing the top of one of the quartz viens exposed on the surface. Patches of this bubbly looking rock is abundant in several areas. I didn't pay attention to the composition at the time (darn it). Probably just a big, stupid rock...Click to view attachment

It's real purdy... If you get a chance, go visit the Canyon.Click to view attachment

Boogie

Nice! Makes me want to take a road trip.

Sweet pics! Thanks for sharing.
Looks like a very interesting area to do some prospecting for many mineral types.

I've not prospected that area but sure will if I can in the future sometime. Have fun and let us know how the prospecting goes around Gunnison.

CP

<<<As always, make sure you are not on a private claim or property before dipping your pan.>>>

Are there maps showing active claims on public property? If so, are they different from the BLM maps?

I wish I had a good answer for that question. I don't think there is such a thing as a 100% fool proof claim mapping system at this time. I use BLM as a starting place but you need to be careful even with BLM maps. Geocommunicator can be used for basic searches. LR2000 is fairly accurate. I haven't heard enough about goldmapsonline.com. Has anyone out there tried it?

Boogie

You are correct Boogie, there is no map program to show claims that is 100%.
There is no way any map program could do this as it would be absolutely impossible to keep contiually updated or accurate.

Geocom for instance takes information entered by each claim staker/filer (GPS cords or meta and bounds etc) and "attempts" to overlay that info onto a map. As you can imagine, just the simple fact of varied types of data used by claim stakers to file......there isn't any way it can be an accurate overlay.
An example could be a description like the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 and the claim is 19.98 acres.
This description will be interpreted as a square shape on the described 1/4 but in actualality it may be that there are 4 claims there yet the overlay program shades over all 4 claims showing them as only 1. It could also completely misplace the claim by description in it's attempt to overlay onto the map....... if a claim lies in two sections it can cause problems for the overlay, or the claims are not square or rectangles (many are not), this will also cause in accurate overlays from the program.

Other map programs/websites will compile topos, but those are usually a decade or so old for versions and again, the topos are continually updated each year and there are absolutely no map programs or sites that can have "upto date accurate maps showing claims" unless compiled and reuploaded daily!

You will need to compile several sources of information (including maps) to accurately research and plot exsisting claims and then of course the open lands.


Hope this info helps

CP

I have tried goldmapsonline.com and like it. It is easier to use that Geo,at least for me it is.
The bad thing is they only update once a year(Jan.) It gives you the claim name,type,commodity,location date,serial # and status on unclaimed. On claimed it also gives you the claimant,address,and city/state.
Your can also use your mouse to get close on the marker locations.

It and LR2000 have been agreeable on those I have cross referenced with.

As far as Breckenridge,I would try the Blue River just south of town. There are many claims,but it looks like there are several open areas as well...maybe. Check with BLM.

Maybe someday there will be a national database that will tie into all BLM offices and be automatically updated each time an entry is edited just like the national police records database.

I know, I'm dreaming again.... It is doable though... There is a project for you wiz kid programmers out there. Get to work, dag-nab-it!

Boogie

You may be dreaming but it should be that way.The technology is there.

While we are dreaming,it would be nice if all BLM employees knew the mining laws by heart.

Hope you don't mind, but I have a few more pictures from the Black Canyon that I just can't keep to myself. Feel free to dispose of them if they are taking up too much space (espcially the incriminating ones).

I bet you could almost throw a rock across the canyon here.
Click to view attachment

Indian art supplies.Click to view attachment

LOL! This is back when I was clean cut and in good shape (relatively speaking)... One reason I took up prospecting was to lose some weight and regain my studly appearance. I hope it works... Click to view attachment

Cactus in bloom. No, it's not Peyote.Click to view attachment

Ok, just one more... The bird soaring overhead is a Great American Bald Eagle. Notice how big it is in comparison to the people at the overlook. The Eagle is actually further away than the people are. We kept our little dogs in the car at this overlook because that Eagle looked kind of hungry.Click to view attachment

Boogie

nice pics! I love them, looks like you had a great time.