Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41°43’48.46″N, 123°26’2.94″W

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 K-23AA


This ¾-mile property, about 9.3 miles downstream of Happy Camp, is not far upstream from our Wingate Property. Look for our upper boundary sign on a tree just upstream from the large pull-off on the side of Highway 96 — located 200 feet downstream from mileage marker 34.78. The lower boundary is directly across from U.S. Forest Service Road 15N32.

Here it is on Google Earth

Here it is in reference to K-23A on Google Earth.

This is another area we have had our eyes on for many years, mainly because of the extensive stretches of exposed bedrock and high-banking opportunity on the far side of the river – especially for crevice mining both above and below the water.

There is also a sizable pull-off area along the side of Highway 96 for parking and camping directly on the property.

If you are planning to work this property, we suggest bringing a small boat, perhaps with a small motor. The best gold deposits will likely be found on the far side of the river.

PROSPECTS: This is a rich mining property which has been held in private hands since before we arrived on the Klamath River in 1984. The owners did not allow anyone to mining on the property, save for one old-timer that has been camping in the roadside pull-off, paddling a canoe over the far side of the river, and digging the gold out of exposed bedrock cracks every summer since at least 1984.

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Topo

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 43’47.46″N 123 26’30.15″W

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K-23 WINGATE METAL DETECTING CLAIM – is located 6.8 miles downriver from Happy Camp. There is a big pull-off parking area on the river-side of Highway 96, directly across from Forest Service Road 15N32. Hike or drive 1/5 of a mile up this road to find the trail head (very primitive) on the right side (just to the left of where the phone line stretches across the road). There is room for one or two vehicles to park directly across from the trail head. Follow the trail uphill to locate a large old hydraulic mining area on several different levels. Watch out for poison oak along the trail. The trail requires substantial physical exertion.

Here it is on Google Earth

PROSPECTS: Members have had great luck in finding gold nuggets all over the hydraulic area using modern metal detectors. Rumor has it that one member did well up there using a dry-washer, but this is unconfirmed. It is a very large area and it is reasonable to assume that it has not all been covered well with electronic detectors. Therefore, the prospects are good for finding more gold nuggets on this claim.

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Topo

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 17’57.2″N 123 4’59.2″W

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SAN-6 – GOLD COUNTRY PLACER is located around 18 miles up the North Fork from the Forks, or about 2 miles upriver from the small town of Sawyers Bar.

Access gets easier towards the upper end of the claim,which is just downstream from the bridge that crosses the river at Whites Gulch. There is nice camping on the far side of the river at the upper end of the claim. Long-term camping is allowed at this location.

The claim is around a quarter-mile long. Boundaries are posted on trees alongside the road.

There is a whole lot of exposed bedrock all throughout this mining property, and all kinds of river diversity that should create valuable placer deposits.

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Topo
 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 42’54.9″N 123 26’44.5″W

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K-23a WINGATE RIVER CLAIM – is located on the Klamath River around and downstream from the USFS Wingate Creek River Access (toilet during summer months). The upper (mile marker 33.77) and lower (mile marker 32.83) boundaries are clearly marked with signs alongside Highway 96. Please, no camping at or around the USFS river access point, because of the heavy use of the river access by rafters and boaters. There is some camping up by Highway 96 in the large turnout, just upriver from the river access.

Here it is on Google Earth
Here it is in refrence to K-23AA on Google Earth

PROSPECTS: Members have found good gold deposits using small dredges and motorized sluices on the Highway-96 side of the river. Members have also found good gold deposits on the far-side of the river, where large surface-mining areas exist, with lots of bedrock showing.

The Club recently organized a Group Mining Project on this claim and did very well. The story for that can be located by clicking here.

Then, we followed up with another Mining Project where we did even better. This story, along with free video segments, can be found here.

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Topo
 

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 39’45.1″N 123 27’0.2″W

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K-24 UPPER INDEPENDENCE CLAIM – is located 11 miles downriver from Happy Camp on Highway 96. The upriver claim boundary (mile marker 29.24) is posted on a tree alongside Highway 96. This is located about a quarter of a mile below the Forest Service developed river access Ferry Point. One downriver claim boundary (mile marker 28.20) is located about 60 yards upriver from the Independence Bridge on a tree on the far side of the river. You can usually see the boundary marker from the bridge. There is also a corner of the claim that extends out into the river down below the bridge (mile marker 28.20). Camping is available at the river access near the bridge. There is a toilet facility at a small rest stop along Highway 96 just upriver from the Independence Bridge. There is a trail that leads onto the far side of the river just over the bridge on the left side.

Check it out on Google Earth

IMPORTANT: The gravel bar (not the river) on the Hwy 96-side of the river, upstream from the bridge, is all private property (upper boundary of the private property can be found on a red post along side of the road). The owner does not want people crossing the bar without permission. The girls in our office can help you make contact with the owner.

PROSPECTS: This claim location is another of the richest gold areas we have along the Klamath River. We purchased the claim from a local commercial dredger who spent several seasons working a rich gold deposit toward the upper end of the claim. The deposit was in around 8 feet of gravel in the channel of the river, toward the highway side. Several members have dredge-sampled the far side of the river, and a short distance out into the river, towards the upper end of the claim, with mixed results. Most of the river channel has yet to be tested. Some members have had real good results surface prospecting (out of the water) on the gravel bars located on the far side of the river. This claim has excellent potential, with (estimate) hundreds of ounces of gold being recovered with dredges off the claim just below during recent years.

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Topo

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates:  41°39’30.49″N, 123°27’13.09″W


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K24A


K-24A MIDDLE INDEPENDENCE CLAIM –  is located between our existing K-24 and K-25 mining properties, about 12 miles downriver from Happy Camp. The upriver claim boundary is about a hundred yards downstream from the confluence of Independence Creek, which is located around 200 yards downstream from the bridge that crosses the river.  Look for a very large upcropping of bedrock sticking out through the gravel bar (with some red markings on it).  Our upper boundary sign is posted on a tree there.

Here it is on Google Earth.

Camping is available at the river access near the bridge. There is a toilet facility at a small rest stop along Highway 96 just upriver from the Independence Bridge. There are also several wide pull-offs along Highway 96 where you can set up camp with an overview of your mining program. The downstream end of this property butts up to our K-25 property at mile marker 27.16. With the exception of a short portion of the river between Independence Creek and the bridge just upstream, we now hold nearly three continuous miles of this very rich stretch of river!

From previous experience, we can tell you that the best line of gold for surface mining and underwater crevicing is going to be on the far side of the river (from the road). There is going to be some comparatively easy access towards the upper end. This is because the bridge there will allow you to reach the other side, park your vehicle and walk down. Access to the far side of the river further down this very extensive property will require a boat. There are several slow sections of river that will allow relatively easy crossing (small boat with motor).

Much has been written about this property, since this is where the original strike was made which brought Dave McCracken over to the Klamath River during 1984.  Our announcement  when we acquired this claim provides more helpful information.   Dave also wrote more about the background of this property in this article.

PROSPECTS:  This is a very rich gold property! The reason is because it contains three separate lines of high-grade gold: (1) Independence Creek has been depositing a steady line of larger, crystalline gold into the river for about a million years. One of Siskiyou County’s richest pocket mines is located about a mile up the creek. This gold has more of a crystalline texture to it; it is very unique! Over the years, we found a bunch of it on our K-25 property about 1 ½ miles downstream from the mouth of the creek. Some beautiful specimens were found down there! I am predicting that the best is yet to come off the east side of the river on this new property. (2) One of Siskiyou County’s richest hydraulic mines, “Bunker Hill,” directed its tail races into the Klamath River just upstream of this property. We personally have seen others recover 6 and 7-ounce days mining redeposited gold on the lower end of this property. The gold was resting directly on top of the bottom strata of original streambed. We believe that the best is yet to come from redeposited gold in the shallower stretches of river on the upper portion of this property. (3) The original streambed out in the river is rich, rich, rich! Most of it remains in place. 

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3 oz independence nugget  8 oz day 001 (2)  240 oz 001 (3)  Independence claim 001  K24A-A  K24A  071  078  079  083  121  172  173  Dscn78931[1]  Dscn78941[1]

 

K24A Topo
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K24,K24A,K25

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 38’17.2″N 123 27’55.4″W

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K-25 LOWER INDEPENDENCE CANYON CLAIM – The upriver boundary (mile marker 27.16) sign is posted on a tree alongside Highway 96, located 13.3 miles below Happy Camp-or about a mile downriver from the Independence bridge. The upper boundary is about 200 yards downriver from Crawford Creek, which passes under Highway 96 through a very large culvert. The upper end of this property butts up to our K-24A. The lower boundary is marked along Highway 96 at mile marker 26.29. The claim can be accessed by various paths and trails which have been created along the hillside. There is one old road which extends part way down to the river which some members are using for a trail. This is located in a large Highway 96 pull-off, just upriver from the most upriver private property. The location is marked with a claim sign. Camping can be done on this large pull-off.

Here it is on Google Earth

PROSPECTS: This is one of the richest mining properties owned by the Club. Hundreds (estimate) of ounces of gold have been dredged from the claim just above during the past several years. Some members have sampled and mined on the upper end of this claim and found the deposits to be very rich. Surface mining the exposed bedrock is also very good. The problem to overcome is access down the hill.

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Topo

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K24,K24A,K25

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 36’46.6″N 123 29’49.3″W

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K-25A – COONS CREEK CLAIM – This is the lower portion of the canyon that begins up on K-25. It butts up to our K-25AB property downstream. The lower boundary sign (mile marker 23.41) is posted on a tree alongside Highway 96 about 100 yards from the bridge that crosses Swillup Creek. A short distance upriver is the USFS Coon Creek river access (mile marker 23.85) (toilet during summer months). Because the access receives a lot of use from rafters, the Forest Service has asked us not to park or camp down on the river access road. A camping area does exist on the other side of the river there. There is also a small camping area just downriver from the river access, up into Coon Creek on a short dead-end road (at mile marker 23.68). The upper claim boundary (mile marker 24.56) is marked alongside the river across from the confluence of Ukonom Creek – or just up river from the road-side picnic area along Highway 96 (mile marker 24.44).

Check it out on Google Earth.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Between June 15 and October 15, there will be no dredging within 500 feet upstream and 2000 feet downstream of the mouth of Ukonom Creek. This is an inaccessible area (deep canyon) of rapids at the upper end of our K-25A claim. During the same time periods, there is also no dredging within 500 feet of the mouths of Coon and Swillup Creeks.

PROSPECTS: Gold has been found on the lower end of the claim, with the adjoining claims below Swillup Creek producing rich dredging deposits, as well. Members have been boating up into the canyon from the Coon Creek river access, and doing exceptionally well on the far bank using gold pans and vack-mining equipment. They are finding the gold along the exposed bedrock well up the hillside away from the river.

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Topo

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K-25 A-B-AB

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 

Upstream: 41°36’28.60″N 123°30’3.26″W
Downstream: 41°35’49.12″N 123°30’34.07″W

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Elliot Bar


At long last, we have acquired the 1.7 mile stretch of Klamath River which connects our Coons Creek and Cottage Grove Properties. This is approximately twenty miles downriver from Happy Camp.  This will now provide us with a continuous stretch of river that is more than 3.3 miles long. The lower boundary of K-25AB butts directly up against our Cottage Grove property at the access road near mile marker 21.93.  The upper boundary butts up to the lower end of our Coons Creek property about 100 yards upstream from Swillup Creek near mile marker 23.41.

Here it is on Google Earth

Important note:  The upper portion of the river area on this property is landlocked by private property.  Our mining claim takes in the river which flows around the private property.  This is shown in this diagram on Google Earth. There is some kind of private fee camping area there that we don’t know anything about.  You may be able to work something out with the owners.  Otherwise, the upper portion of the claim will only be accessible by boat.

Note from Dave Mack:  This is another area of the river where I personally have some early history dating back to 1984.  In fact, this is the first place that I put a dredge into the Klamath River.  I had five or six of my very first students with me, and I was going to show them how to sample.  We started in an area just downstream of the huge bar on the upper half of the claim (towards the upper end of the river in the image above). Digging a small hole on the edge of the river exposed cemented gravel inside of a bedrock crack.  It took us a while; but we picked the hard material out of the crack and found nuggets and chips of gold on the bedrock.  But the going was very slow, so we turned our attention to the river.

Floating my 5-inch dredge just out into the river, we started a sample hole between the bank and a section of faster water.  I was used to the much smaller and tamer Trinity River; and frankly, I remember being overwhelmed by the size, depth and ferocity of the Klamath.  The boulders were larger than I was used to; there seemed to be no bottom to the streambed material, and the river was so wide compared to what I was used to, it felt like we were just an ineffective needle in a haystack.  There was also a nagging feeling in me that there was not going to be much gold in the Klamath River.  We didn’t have enough experience there to know any better, yet.

The key moment was when I considered pushing on out to the edge of the fast water towards the middle of the river.  I crawled out there underwater and took a look.  The water was faster and deeper out there, but I could have done the sample, and it looked like I could get to bedrock in that place.  I remember deciding there was not going to be any gold out there.  These are the exact decisions we make that change our fate forever!  Had I done that sample, I cannot even imagine how differently the world would have gone. In fact, I might not even be writing this newsletter right now!  This was a good lesson, amongst many others over the years, why you should not give up hope too quickly.

One of my students offered to buy the claim. He was excited that we found gold nuggets so easily along the edge of the river (under the cemented gravel).  It was actually a group of ten claims.  Having acquired plenty of other claims, and always in need of financial capital, I decided to sell him that stretch of river.  That guy was a good student!  After he finished my class, he went out and dredged the sample I neglected to do further out in the river. He struck it rich within the first hour!  He ultimately dredged hundreds of ounces of gold from that single location!  Selling those claims was something I have regretted doing ever since.

Unfortunately, my ex-student died of a heart attack shortly thereafter, and the property has been held in private hands ever since.  The owners have refused to allow any outsiders to access the property.  To my knowledge, no mining or prospecting has been done on this extensive property beyond the original strike.  I have been waiting patiently to reacquire the long stretch of river for the past 30 years.  Now we have it!

PROSPECTS: Besides the extensive underwater suction mining opportunity remaining on this property, there is also enough surface mining potential on both sides of the river to keep our members busy for the rest of our days.  This is a huge property! There are extensive ancient hydraulic workings on the far side of the river which take up the lower half of the property.  There may be some really good electronic prospecting opportunity over there!

 

Important note concerning Mining & Dredging Seasons on this Property

Google Earth Coordinates: 41 35’39.9″N 123 30’40.2″W

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K-25b COTTAGE GROVE CLAIMS – are located 18.5 miles downriver from Happy Camp-or about 2 miles downriver from the Coon Creek river access. This property butts up to our K-25AB property just upriver. Several access roads (located at mile markers 21.68 & 21.93) used to extend down towards the river from Highway 96, but were washed out by a winter storm. Look for the upper (mile marker 21.93) and lower (mile marker 21.36) boundaries posted on trees along Highway 96. There is camping down along the access roads and on the gravel bar, although it is more of a challenge now to get there.

Here it is on Google Earth

PROSPECTS: Here is another very proven section of the Klamath River. Several dredgers hit very rich pay-dirt on K-25AB just upriver. Other members have been doing well suction mining along the edge of the river on the Hwy 96 side. Several members have done considerable suction mining up on the gravel bar on the Highway-96 side of the river where a water table allows dredging all summer long – and they have been finding nice nuggets! Considerable metal detecting activity has been done in the old hydraulic workings on the non-river side of Highway 96, with nice nuggets being found there, too. This claim has a lot of potential.

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K-25B Topo

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K-25 A-B-AB

Upper Klamath :: Upper-mid Klamath :: Mid Klamath :: Lower Klamath
Elk Creek :: Indian Creek :: Scott River :: Thompson Creek
Salmon River Main Stem :: Salmon River North Fork
Master List of Mining Properties

 

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