Geologist and gold mining expert Rich Dvoracek said this year's gold rush could be the best in 20 years.
Here's five things to know about Gold Rush 2017 in the foothills:
1) Yes, there’s still gold in them thar hills
If you thought California’s Gold Rush 168 years ago all but sealed the deal on the precious mineral in the foothills, you’d be wrong.
It’s still there, and if we at KCRA 3 could find a few specks at Stifle Memorial Claim, then hobbyists and true prospectors can find more gold and in much bigger sizes.
“The gold is coming in quartz veins that are in the hillsides, but not necessarily right in this area,” Dvoracek said while walking along Traverse Creek in El Dorado County. “They’re probably upstream from here and the gold is washing down.”
The Bureau of Land Management reminds those wanting to searching for gold that not all land is open to the public.
"Before searching for gold, the public will need to know about the land jurisdiction. Land jurisdiction can be private, state or federal," BLM spokesperson Sarah Webster said. "Each type of jurisdiction has its own rules and restrictions."
To see if land belongs to BLM, the public is asked to contact the agency.
BLM also recommends contacting the Forest Service for any gold search on the service's lands.
Another option is to contact individual counties to ensure you're not searching on someone's private property.
2) Optimism runs high for a 2017 gold rush
Winter’s rain and subsequent flooding, in combination with the eventual melt-off from the Sierra, have Northern California’s rivers, creeks and streams running quickly and at a high capacity.
The flows push up sediment, dislodge rock and shift soil, which sets the stage for plenty of gold panning opportunities.
“Once the snow pack melts and goes down river, you’ll see the river levels drop," Dvorcek said. "We’ll be able to get at the gold that’s in a deeper part of the riverbed."
Dvorcek, who’s been digging for gold since 1980, believes 2017 will be the biggest year for gold since 1997.
“As far gold, the deposits of gold, this is going to rival and come close to '97, the flood of '97,” he said. “As far as the impact on people coming out here and looking, it’s going to be way bigger because gold has come up in price so much.”
3) Unless you’re in the know, you’ve already missed a mini-rush
Following flooding across Northern California during the past two months, experienced miners and panners went to creeks and areas along the American, Feather and Bear rivers in search of gold.
“The south fork of the American got up to about 40,000 (cubic feet per second)," Dvorcek said. "When that got that high, you really start moving gold around, and when you drop immediately and that water recedes, you can find gold just up on the bank, literally right behind a few rocks."
You can find gold in these areas now, but the nuggets sitting beside rocks along the banks of the rivers are likely already in the hands of someone else.
4) You’ll need some tools for your expedition
“We've seen a lot of ground that's been moved around and exposed to where people haven't gotten to it in years or ever, even. So, we're seeing a large increase in business,” said Jerry Butler, owner of Sacramento’s Black Sheep Mining, which sells gold panning and mining equipment.
For beginners, Butler recommends the standard gold pan.
“You’re just going to scoop your gravel, sand and gravel, into your pan and shake it down. Get all the gold to settle down to the bottom and slowly wash all the lighter material off the top,” he explained.
For those wanting to take it up a notch, a sluice box would be the next step.
“You’re going to set this down in the river where there’s current, classify your material down. You’re going to screen off the bigger rocks," Butler said. "The water coming through is just going to erode the lighter material naturally. The gold being heavy is going to get caught in this black mat and behind each one of these riffles, where there's an eddy created, and it allows the heavier material to drop out."
5) Don’t expect anyone to help you
"If you do find gold, don't trust anybody to tell you where they got it," Dvorcek said with a laugh. "To be truthful about it, I rarely am.”
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