DICKINSON 2

This claim has a flat top that was bulldozed to the pay layer a few years ago, so there is fine to coarse gold across the entire claim. The claim has a steep descent on the West side down into weaver creek. This hillside contains coarse gold, pickers and the occasional nugget. If you are detecting, try around and between the large cactus. These are 150 years old an show the location of ground that is virgin.

I went to this claims 6 times and get small gold..this last trip i went with a guy from the prospecting store Tony. As luck was with us we met a local who was pleased to chat it up while i shoveled..Anyway the local shared a few good tips that i still have to try..we highbanked about 2 feet down. Had alot of clay so the 25 gal of water lasted about 2 good buckets..alot of clay..so the local says you dont run the clay only the top two inchs of gravel. Use a vacuum and dry wash..which was a great idea but i wanted to test my new highbanker..so next time i will try it his way.

Looking from the Satellite map and discussing with others I am looking to do metal detecting on the West side of this claim. Fred Dickinson noted the hillside contains coarse finds. The areas around the cactus appears to be virgin ground, these cactus have been here for a very long time.

Access was easy in my 2x4 SUV from SR89 (last half mile or so is rocky so just go slow to avoid any bigger rocks).I tried detecting with my Minelab for about an hour with no luck. Ran about 6 or 7 buckets of gravel down to about a foot before I hit the hardpan from the western slope down towards Weaver Creek. Easy to run thru my washer. Lots of flour and a few bigger flakes so an ok outing for my efforts.

Using the same satellite image and looking where the washes are located, I found a spot where I believe the water may have slowed down and curved around boulders or bedrock this is where I want to use the drywasher.