Gold Prospecting in Nevada - Wake Up Your Sense of Adventure

Prospecting your fortune in the spring

You may have backpacked across Europe, skydived the Grand Canyon and maybe even snow-shoed through Alaska, but you haven't really lived until you've panned for gold. After all, you're visiting the original Mother Lode, gateway to gold rush country and possibly your ticket to untold wealth. On January 24, 1849, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill and started the California gold rush, bringing thousands to this untamed land in search of their fortunes. And although they sluiced every stream, dredged up boulders and tore gaping holes into the landscape, experts estimate they uncovered less than 10 percent of the gold. The rest is still buried in “them thar hills.” So, what are you waiting for?

“Wood's Creek is the richest creek in Tuolumne County and still holds gold today,” Bryant Hock, prospector with Gold Prospecting Adventures, told me. “With just a few tools you can find something. We have a picture in the shop of a mother and son holding a 17-pound nugget.” He was quick to point out that prospecting is about paying attention to the clues left by nature and using science and geology to find the source of gold. A nugget with jagged edges is likely newly released from its quartz prison by a storm or spring run-off. “Gold is very malleable, so older nuggets will be rounded because, as they're pushed down the stream, the edges wear off.”

But he doesn't take well to prospecting just for the sake of getting rich. According to Hock, it's less about finding the gold than working together as a team or family. He told me to be observant for relics like old belt buckles, locks and pieces of pottery. “There are two principles in prospecting: patience and not looking at your finds monetarily,” he said. “Just being here is rewarding and everything else is secondary.”

Thanks to Hock, I found a small chunk of pottery that I have tucked away in my pocketbook. While I'm not sure if it's a relic or junk, it's a sweet reminder of an afternoon spent outdoors panning for gold.

Most outfitters offer actual prospecting school courses that run one to five days, as well as afternoon outings. There's a lot of bending but no heavy lifting (unless you find a 20-pound nugget), and it's an activity suitable for all ages. Boots and pans are supplied. And remember, most of the gold is found on public domain, so feel free to do some prospecting on your own. Unlike in 1849, personal territory no longer extends as far as the owner's rifle can shoot - in any direction.

Spring Roadtrip

After the ice has melted, it's safe to drive the passes that connect isolated communities. Once you're there, park the car and explore the quirky and unusual shops. The Mt. Brow Winery, tucked between the historic gold rush towns of Columbia and Sonora, is a great way to spend the afternoon. Venture onward to Yosemite for a hike (without the crowds of summer) and enjoy a picnic with El Capitan for company. Visit Tuolumne County.