Gold Rush Alaska , sparked gold fever with some co workers and myself

[vontar]

OK, I know this could never be a get rich quick or anything. Always beware of get rich quick as they never are. However it could be something fun to get out, get fresh air and exercise.

At work several of us watched Gold Rush Alaska and have discussed several things about the people like they don't seem to know how to run the equipment and that if we were going to spend a 1/4 million dollars how we would have brought in people that knew how from the start. All the mistakes they made, like bringing their family along, almost building a small town, instead of just building enough shelter to do. They over did some item instead of working on the mine.

I believe one of the facts they listed was there was as much gold mined in Alaska in 2009 as in 1909. The difference they failed to tell was that in 1909 or whatever year it was, most of that was panned and mined by hand, now it is done with mostly with heavy equipment. In short it is much harder to get now.

Anyways I said something about if it wasn't so far I wouldn't mind if a couple of us took a vacation and just went panning for gold, however I would not want to go someplace where everyone has already been panning. You know would not want to pan where it has already been panned out. I would want to get off the beaten path.

A co worker brought up about some places here in east TN where you can pan for gold. I had heard about it for years but never put much stock it in, and still don't. I did some research and sure there was some minor gold rushes in east TN in the 1800's

From what I read, it is possible to find some gold panning in East TN but looks really really small amounts around Coker Creek and Tellico Plains.

Also most information I did find when trying to search, almost everything wants a person to join a club, which to me looks like that might be where the money is actually made. Memberships and selling supplies.

Some reading I did, seems TN issues permits for dredging for gold.

Gold Dredging Permit Info

Seems you can even pan in national forests in certain areas. However I would certainly want to learn more before trying, even check with a ranger first before just trusting a website.

Anyways, just going to be curious if anyone has tried panning for gold anyplace?

[ttocswob]

Years ago, my cousin started a mini gold rush with the kids around here - turns out he had seeded the creek with spray-painted rocks!

Sorry, that's my only experience.

[Motasyco]

A couple of former coworkers used to travel to northern California every summer on vacation to a claim they had there. They didn't get rich but they had a great time and covered all of their expenses and sometimes a little more. They did it year after year. They'd always bring back their gold to show what they got. It never looked like much and I never saw any nuggets but they always seemed pleased with the results.

My dad used to take my kids into the mountains of western NC to pan for gold. They never found any but they had fun just being out there. That's kind of how I fish. I'll just tie on a sinker and throw it in, kick back and enjoy being on the lake. Catching a fish would just be an interruption.

[1gewehr]

My son and I panned many times in Western NC and N GA. We used to do it when we took a break while hiking in the mountains. All we ever found were flakes, and not in any quantity. It's fun for a 1/2 hour. After that, it quickly becomes cold, hard work. I think in 10 years we managed to find a grand total of probably 1/4 ounce.

[McAllyn]

Know how to make $1M mining for gold? Start with $10M, take 6 guys who know nothing about mining, and spend 5 months in Alaska. At the end of the 5 months, you should have about $1M left.

Mac

[vontar]

Know how to make $1M mining for gold? Start with $10M, take 6 guys who know nothing about mining, and spend 5 months in Alaska. At the end of the 5 months, you should have about $1M left.

Mac

That is probably about right.

[Tncobra]

Find white quartz and you will find placer gold around here.

[Guest 4centcotton]

I think its worth a week to poke around looking for anything thats worth $1,400 an ounce. Where is the big question, I sure wouldn't tell if I new where to find it.

[vontar]

I am considering since I am with in driving distance at least looking into it. Might be something fun to do on a day off from work. Of course I need to make sure I don't break any laws or trespass. So I would want to make sure I go to public land where it is allowed to try my hand at it.

I am certainly not going to spend allot of money in it as I can see the pay off is not looking to high unless a person just gets lucky.

I really don't want to join a club and have membership dues (unless I were to start finding a worth wild amount).

[mike_f]

I used to do it some for fun when I lived in Colorado. I went to college out there and knew the geology fairly well (degree in Geological Engineering).

Lots more public land out there (no trespassing worries). I just used a pan, small shovel, and rock hammer. Minimal investment in equipment and I could carry it along while hiking.

I never found much gold, but I had a good time doing it.

I think if you're doing it for fun, then it's worth doing. If you're trying to make money, then you'll probably be disappointed. I think it's well known that the best way to make money in mining is to sell stuff to Miners.

[Murgatroy]

Coker Creek was where the first gold strike in Tennessee was. They still pan up there. Several years ago a man moved up there because he was told by God in a vision that he would find gold. Excavated half a mountain and didn't find anything.

It is just my slightly biased opinion that the creek is seeded during the 'Gold Festival' at Coker Creek village to keep the tourists coming and spending their money.

Of course I had a bumper sticker on my truck that read "If it is called Tourist Season; why can't we shoot them?"

You can find a handful of places that will take you out and teach you to pan, show you where the gold was found. But I don't buy it. All the surface gold dried up years ago. There was actually a mine dug just up the road where we lived in Ironsburg, it was closed off, and I never got too deep, but it was an old gold mine.

If you try it, more power to you, and I wish you luck, but I wouldn't go broke trying to find it.

[vontar]

I think if you're doing it for fun, then it's worth doing. If you're trying to make money, then you'll probably be disappointed. I think it's well known that the best way to make money in mining is to sell stuff to Miners.

I think I might try it for fun, getting out for exercise with only very basic tools. Doctor wants me out more. I like the outdoors. Heck, I know some places that are not even listed as Gold places back home I might even try just for the heck of it.

It is just my slightly biased opinion that the creek is seeded during the 'Gold Festival' at Coker Creek village to keep the tourists coming and spending their money.

"If it is called Tourist Season; why can't we shoot them?" Because you can't bait them

All the surface gold dried up years ago. If you try it, more power to you, and I wish you luck, but I wouldn't go broke trying to find it.

Yea, i kinda figured all the surface gold is gone.

[Hershmeister]

Make a roadtrip to Dahlonega GA. There are two placed there where you can pan and tour a mine. Stay at the smith house and enjoy their awesome fried chicken too!

[Guest boatme99]

If the people on the program knew what they were doing and functioned as intelligent humans, there would be no reality show to rot the minds of the viewers. There is an off button on the remote.

[vontar]

If the people on the program knew what they were doing and functioned as intelligent humans, there would be no reality show to rot the minds of the viewers. There is an off button on the remote.

I know, they just show the good parts. Editing is fun.

However, It was late in the season when they learned several key things how they had been doing things wrong with their processing plant which could have been costing them gold all along. They did improvements in the last couple weeks thanks to experts recommended that had they done early could have helped them allot sooner.

Just like sports, it is easy to arm chair quarterback.