|
Recreational gold prospecting started slowly a little over 50 years ago, and it will continue for many more years. The fifth gold rush in America’s history, and third in the 20th century is the largest and richest of all time. The early gold rushes only lasted for a very short time, producing a lot of gold. Never the less, this one will be the largest, and richest in terms of dollars for two reasons. One, the value of gold during this rush is, and will be 35 to 50 times greater than it was in the early gold rushes. Two, it will continue indefinitely. I grew up as an avid hunting and fishing outdoorsman in the mid-west. I moved west to California in 1977 and loved exploring old western towns. I was especially fascinated with mining sites, and explored them at every opportunity. I will never forget the disappointment I felt after my first prospecting attempt, finding out that I brought home a bunch of fools gold (pyrite). Then I remembered something I learned early on in life. It doesn’t matter what you want to do, "there is no substitute for experience, even if it is someone else’s". With that in mind, and with directions from a BLM Ranger, I set out to locate the mining camp of a local south west mining celebrity. His name was Walt Bickel and he lived most of his adult life on his mining site in Last Chance Canyon, located in the El Paso Mountains of the Rand Mining District of California. He was a wealth of knowledge, and a kind generous person. He invited me to prospect on his property, and keep the gold I found. He said “there is more than enough gold for everyone, just come back anytime.” He enjoyed the company, and invited many others the same way. Needless to say, over the next few years he taught me everything I needed to know to become a successful placer miner. May god bless him as he rests in peace. I also will never forget the overwhelming excitement I felt when I found my first pieces of real gold. I knew at that moment that I would be a recreational gold prospector for ever! Over the next two decades, on weekends, holidays and vacations I recovered gold in many of the notorious mining locations in the deserts and mountains of California and Arizona. Along the way I joined and was an active member of several recreational gold prospecting clubs including the GPAA and LDMA. These provide places to prospect as well as organized family outings. Gold prospecting as a recreational activity took a giant step forward in 1969 when the GPAA, Gold Prospectors Association of America was formed as a club for recreational prospectors. It now has over 100,000 family members. In 1976 the LDMA, Lost Dutchman Mining Association was formed by the same people. George and Wilma Massie, along with their two sons Perry and Tom were the pioneers of this gold rush. I am fortunate to have known them since the early days, and to have become a lifetime member of both organizations over a quarter of a century ago. George and Wilma have since passed away, but their legacy continues strong today through Perry and Tom. These two organizations, and their affiliated local prospecting clubs, provide hundreds of places throughout the country in gold bearing areas for today’s recreational gold prospectors and their families to practice their hobby. There are many planned outings, gold shows and even a yearly guided expedition to prospect for gold in the Seward peninsula of Alaska. This gold rush is a continuation of the history of gold in America. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN BE A PART OF THAT HISTORY . . . while enjoying some of the most beautiful scenic areas of our great nation. The locations by county and state, as well as the amount of gold produced in each location of the United States is available in “THE GREAT AMERICAN GOLD RUSHES”, Volume I in “THE GREAT AMERICAN SERIES” of e-books on gold.
|