Author Topic: Full day outing (Read 10918 times)

BigAl · « **on:** March 29, 2015, 10:53:46 PM »

We had a good time at the half day outing after the meeting so I would like to get together a full day outing soon. Here are some ideas.

1. A gold and garbage outing to Lower Coker. The gold is a good draw, but from what I have seen some general housekeeping is in order there too. Go down a bag garbage and restore some order and then go get some gold.

2. Wildcat Creek. The gold can be fair to great and the scenery is almost unmatched in the area. But so is the hike coming out. You need to be in decent shape for this one. (Me included).

3. Buck Creek, NC. This would be for corundum (Ruby & Sapphire). Mostly not gem quality, but plenty around. The scenery is great and it's only about 70 miles from Coker creek.

4. A true prospecting adventure: We could go try one of my "bucket list" creeks and see if we can find any gold.

Comments & suggestions please.

Al

Roc · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2015, 07:43:38 PM »

I have been wanting to go to lower coker creek What day are you thinking of getting together.

goldgeezer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2015, 09:44:38 PM »

I am up for any of the ideas you have. I had a good time on the half day outing and learned real quick, to travel light.
Count me in for an outing.
Goldgeezer, Mel

BigAl · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2015, 12:13:55 PM »

Quote from: Roc on March 30, 2015, 07:43:38 PM

I have been wanting to go to lower coker creek What day are you thinking of getting together.

April 11.

Tom Twosocks · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2015, 07:48:42 PM »

Auprospector and I cleaned out Buck Creek,( Secret spot #6) last week.

Rubies, garnets, Corundum, and lots of others not fully identified yet.

BigAl · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2015, 08:52:43 PM »

Quote from: Tom Twosocks on March 31, 2015, 07:48:42 PM

Auprospector and I cleaned out Buck Creek,( Secret spot #6) last week.

Rubies, garnets, Corundum, and lots of others not fully identified yet.

Any pics???

Tom Twosocks · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2015, 09:47:15 PM »

No.we were too busy carrying out the pails that were full off gem stones.

Auprospector · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2015, 02:39:41 AM »

Al I will post pictures soon . Lots of green stones, maybe Smaragdite, possible Ruby, Loads of Garnet. I am still going through the 5 gal. buckets. Also some flower Gold in the black sand with tiny garnets

Roc · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2015, 05:41:48 PM »

Al The 11th sounds good to me I'm game Rocky

BigAl · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2015, 08:43:26 PM »

Lower Coker sounds like it so far. Please vote on a location.

Al

corundumaniac · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:43:52 PM »

Hi all,

If you are going to Buck Creek, you might consider going a little farther, to the vicinity of Franklin, NC. There are three mines there that do not sell salted gravels. I have mentioned them before: Mason's, Sheffield, and Cherokee. I am not sure yet just when each will open (they are managed sites), or what the 2015 deal will be for visitors.

My summer plans may change so that I could arrange for a field trip the week before or the week after the Knoxville show, June 6-7. I will know more later this month. I will probably be displaying material from all these mines at the show, as well as other American rubies and sapphires (from the Southeast, Montana, and California).

Cheers,
Will

Roc · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2015, 05:44:28 PM »

I game for where ever if I can find some gold Rocky

goldgeezer · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2015, 10:33:39 PM »

I am ready for the April 11 outing for gold. I don't know enough about any of the places to vote on.
Just takes us to where you think might be good.
Goldgeezer,
Mel

hillbillygold · « **Reply #13 on:** April 03, 2015, 01:16:57 AM »

We went down to the falls on lower coker after the meeting - couple of cans and stuff laying around ( we hauled it out with us) but that area looked fairly clean when we were there. It looked as if some one had been chipping at a lot of the rock off the sides of the trail and possibly even a couple spots looked like they had dug under some tree roots.

stephanieh · « **Reply #14 on:** April 03, 2015, 01:27:49 PM »

I know that the Mason Sapphire and Ruby Mine in Franklin is open for the season. They will be closed Easter Day but after that they will be open 7 days a week. I would suggest they everyone check it out. It is one of my favorite places to go.

BigAl · « **Reply #15 on:** April 03, 2015, 06:51:16 PM »

Welcome to the forum Stephanie. Mason is a great place to go and Sheffield is as well. I am game for whatever the group wants. We may be a gold club but a lot of us go after other stuff too. Me included.

Al

Gold Seeker · « **Reply #16 on:** April 04, 2015, 06:53:44 PM »

Quote from: corundumaniac on April 01, 2015, 09:43:52 PM

Hi all,

If you are going to Buck Creek, you might consider going a little farther, to the vicinity of Franklin, NC. There are three mines there that do not sell salted gravels. I have mentioned them before: Mason's, Sheffield, and Cherokee. I am not sure yet just when each will open (they are managed sites), or what the 2015 deal will be for visitors.

My summer plans may change so that I could arrange for a field trip the week before or the week after the Knoxville show, June 6-7. I will know more later this month. I will probably be displaying material from all these mines at the show, as well as other American rubies and sapphires (from the Southeast, Montana, and California).

Cheers,
Will

Mason's and Sheffield opens April 1st, Cherokee opens May 1st.

http://www.masonsmine.com/

http://www.sheffieldmine.com/

http://www.cherokeerubymine.com/

Roc · « **Reply #17 on:** April 04, 2015, 10:10:12 PM »

Looks like rain next sat I don't mind getting rained on Rocky

BigAl · « **Reply #18 on:** April 05, 2015, 01:23:30 PM »

We'll have to keep an eye on the water levels.

BigAl · « **Reply #19 on:** April 09, 2015, 09:19:05 PM »

The weather looks good for Saturday as of now. Has anybody checked the water levels in the area? I am still game for Lower Coker unless someone else has another idea. Mason's in Franklin, NC has been presented as an idea. Any input?

Al

billreid · « **Reply #20 on:** April 09, 2015, 09:55:11 PM »

Al,
alot is going to depend on how much rain we get Friday. If the creeks aren't up too much you guys should do good working the edges. If anyone wants to join Stephanie and us at Masons, we will be there Saturday morning. We want to learn how to identify gem stones so we will recognize them in our classifier and pan later.
Bill

BigAl · « **Reply #21 on:** April 09, 2015, 10:09:54 PM »

Quote from: billreid on April 09, 2015, 09:55:11 PM

Al,
alot is going to depend on how much rain we get Friday. If the creeks aren't up too much you guys should do good working the edges. If anyone wants to join Stephanie and us at Masons, we will be there Saturday morning. We want to learn how to identify gem stones so we will recognize them in our classifier and pan later.
Bill

I'm all for what the group wants to do. I would be just as happy at Mason's as at Lower Coker. After all I have mined over 100 pounds of corundum and only 1/2 pound of gold. :-) Votes please.

Whiteknight · « **Reply #22 on:** April 09, 2015, 10:58:40 PM »

Lol......i wont be able to make it wish i could........but heres my input.........id vote on one of your bucket creeks if it rains good head off to the gems........just a well put together input.

goldgeezer · « **Reply #23 on:** April 09, 2015, 11:19:57 PM »

Al,
I can't tell a gemstone from ordinary rocks, so I would be asking you if every rock I find is a gem, until you got so frustrated with me that you might throw me in the water. I do know what gold looks like and even pyrite. So with that said, I put my vote in for lower Coker Creek.
Mel

BigAl · « **Reply #24 on:** April 10, 2015, 02:37:59 PM »

Lower Coker at 10:00 a.m.

Chuck Pharis · « **Reply #25 on:** April 10, 2015, 06:46:08 PM »

We just had a very strong rain storm come through. My yard is flooded and I am 16 miles South of our GPAA property. I can't make the outing, but wonder how the road is to Lower Coker?
May I suggest that anyone with a standard car, meet at the GPAA property and truck pool down there.
The road could be in poor condition.
The good news is the weather report shows a zero % chance of rain on Sat. The temp down there should be around 70 in the afternoon and in the high 40s in the morning.
Also check to see if the Public Notice sign is still there at the road to The Falls. If it is, remove it and drop it off at our property.
Good luck tomorrow and find some nice pickers. Take photos and post them here!
Chuck

BigAl · « **Reply #26 on:** April 10, 2015, 08:44:53 PM »

Good idea. We had minimal rain here so I was assuming the same for there.

Let's all meet at the club property at around 9:15 to 9:30 and go from there. I have room for a few if ground clearance is an issue.

Al

BigAl · « **Reply #27 on:** April 10, 2015, 08:47:56 PM »

Another thought.................Let's have a nugget contest. Whoever finds the biggest piece wins. I will bring my gold scales.

BigAl · « **Reply #28 on:** April 10, 2015, 10:40:10 PM »

By the way, for those that don't know me look for the blue Dodge truck.

hillbillygold · « **Reply #29 on:** April 11, 2015, 12:42:16 AM »

If you don't no Al.... he will be the one standing around with a can of beanie wienies in his hand.... approach with caution.

BigAl · « **Reply #30 on:** April 11, 2015, 10:36:10 PM »

We had a good time enjoying the nice warm weather today at Lower Coker. There were four of us total counting me and Freddie. Where was everyone?

It took a while but I finally got a little color. I think everyone found at least some gold, somewhat hampered by higher than usual water levels. A few even decided to go swimming, which I thought was unusual since the water is still a bit cold.

I did get some gold and though the piece count was low the quality was high.

Al

chiptrip · « **Reply #31 on:** April 12, 2015, 07:10:54 PM »

That looks nice Al. I was cutting hog mat, and breaking the website (temporarily), wish I could have been there.

BigAl · « **Reply #32 on:** April 12, 2015, 09:05:51 PM »

Wish you had been there Chip. We could have used a few more hands to find the gold.

BigAl · « **Reply #33 on:** April 12, 2015, 09:06:45 PM »

Here is a link to a little video I shot there yesterday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0vdiYyOWjc.

Al

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Author Topic: Full day outing (Read 10918 times)

corundumaniac