Any Geology Experts?

[Suz]

Hey, hey, hey----you have not dampened my spirits. It's always good to keep things in check. Your information is good.

I do happen to know a few people with connections in the mining world so I'm just gathering info now. Never say never

Seriously though....have you EVER seen a vein of quartz similar to the one we saw? Things happen for a reason and timing is everything......plus how fun is it to pick up a new hobby?

[Al_HikesAZ]

Suz - if the gold bug has really bit you, there is placer gold just west of where we were hiking. It is "in the shadow of Red Picacho Volcano in the junction of the Wickenburg and Hieroglyphic mountains near Wickenburg and Morristown." Your best bet is to hook up with AAGP http://www.arizonagoldprospectors.org/

You can pan and I think they have a trommel. It's hard work which is why few people do it. But you can pick up a few bucks for your efforts.
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Anyone can make a hike harder. The skill comes in making it easier. Dosatéhigo nasádo

[RedRoxx44]

Some huge vein remnants in some Death Valley mines I've seen.
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You can rest when you're dead

[Suz]

hmm, don't think I want to pan for gold.

[windymesa]

ok.. SUZ:
After consulting my friendly neighborhood BLM Wilderness Program Lead:
Hells Canyon Wilderness is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System (provides guidance for management of all federal wilderness areas). Therefore you will not be able to file a claim on the quartz dike. You can however, "rockhound" and pick up surface gold nuggets (and lowly rocks and minerals) to the tune of 25 lbs ($381,560) and one piece per day for a maximum of 250 lbs per year ($3,815,600). You may not use a pick and shovel or dynamite. You can use a rock hammer to pry loose a nugget on the surface. You can not use your rock hammer to dig large holes in speculation and transform the natural landscape. Therefore, you can not dig down and expose the Garfias Wash quartz vein in hopes of locating a gold pocket and make a mess of things. You can pan for gold, but not to the tune of dredging an entire creek bed. Wilderness is minumum impact. There is no rockhounding in National Parks or Monuments or wilderness designations within them. Some BLM Wilderness in Arizona do have a very few mining claims, but they predated wilderness designation, and are disappearing due to inactivity, and non-renewal of the claim fees. Nothing is black and white. Chances are you will not stumble on these. So there you have it.... I am legal... well under my 25 lb daily limit so far!

[windymesa]

P.S. You may also use a metal detector... locating surface and shallow nuggets... but nothing mechanical, like a D9 Cat.. can't drive or bike into the wilderness.

[Shawn]

Mess of things? Like this:
http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/uploaded_images/PondExcavatorInDigDSCF6864-726042.jpg

So I assume we couldn't dig up that gold with this:

http://americatopten.blogspot.com/2006/11/largest-earth-mover-in-world.html
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

[PageRob]

Windymesa, I'm "digging" (ho ho ho) your new avatar. Quite appropriate!
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Anywhere is within walking distance if you spend the time.

[azbackpackr]

I tried gold panning once with Boy Scouts in the Catalinas. We did get a few flecks in the pans, but the activity was so deadly boring and uncomfortable that I soon left the group to go for a hike. However, with the price of gold rising and the value of the dollar decreasing daily, perhaps I should re-evaluate my original reaction to the activity!

[Shawn]

We all often come across evidence of mining and mineral exploration on our hikes. A great book on that era is "Deep Enough," by Frank Crampton.

http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Enough-Working-Stiff-Western/dp/0806125292

Having grown up in farm country, I can appreciate the work/reward ratio evident in efforts to subsist or create wealth from the earth by farming, but I cannot even fathom the back breaking work it took to do the same by mining. They had to want it pretty bad.
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

[Suz]

so I'm off the gold for a bit and onto the purple rock from our Garfias Wash hike...........could it be purple jasper? Any ideas?

[Shawn]

Go polish up a chunk and see what it looks like. Crushed down to 1 inch it might look pretty interesting as decorative rock.
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.