Wasn't sure where to post this

[Gutpiler_Utahn]

Well, for many a year, my old man filled my head with info on the joys of gold mining. For the next 20 some odd years, I was shackled down to the horrible, horrible midwest where gold was naught to be found. Now that I'm here and actually have some time to CHOOSE what I'd like to do, I figure now's as good a time as any to get my hands dirty.

So, I've been doing my research and have the basic equipment for panning. I even know of a place or two to get started. The entire point of this post is to see if there's anybody in the area who'd be interested in heading out with me every so often for some fun in the dirt.

[Glockguy]

I would be interested. I have always been curious about that stuff.

In a few weeks I will be free on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

[accadacca]

My Dad has really got into this the last couple years. He just built a custom sluice box, then bought a pump that he plans on taking with him. I'll have to snap some photos of his setup. Hes got the fever...I don't. I do like looking at old mines though.

[Iceaxe]

As a structural engineer I've done a little gold mining. Here is one of the projects I have worked on

[gonzo]

As a structural engineer I've done a little gold mining. Here is one of the projects I have worked on

Wow. That's a lot of digging. You must have gone through a lot of shovels.

[rockgremlin]

I'm into it, but I live far away from Orem. A really good spot for panning I've heard is at the mouth of American Fork canyon. A fellow student and goldpanner in college pulled out a nugget the size of a grape right there.

[savanna3313]

Back in the 80s my Dad and his friends spent two summers outside of Stanley ID gold mining. They brought up trailers and generators, and had a full fledged little mining camp going on. I have slides that I should have copied so I can post them. I went up for a couple of weeks one summer. They were placer mining (I think that's what they called it) but my Dad showed me how to pan for gold in the stream that ran by the camp. It was amazing how many people were up in those hills during the summer - all doing the same thing. I still have a nugget I panned - about the size of an acorn. One of the main things I remember is that there were 3 bars in the little town of Stanley (at that time the population was about 40 I think) and you couldn't get close to any of them on a Fri or Sat night. I don't know where all the people came from, but I do remember meeting a lot of really lonely sheep ranchers.