Can anyone tell me if dry washing can be done in Dec or Jan in Arizona or is the soil too moist at that time? I`m planning a metal detecting trip at that time and wondered if they could be combined. Are there some soils that can be worked easier than others? What effect does caliche have on the equation? Never dry washed so appreciate any advise or guidance
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Hey if you want lessons drop me a line I have two claims you can learn on free of charge: au_prospector_2000@yahoo.com
Thanks James, I have sent you a message.
hi Rege, most years it is dry, but not last year, cliche is a different story, if it is wet you need to bring blankets to dry the dirt. If you can take some dirt in your hand and make a fist and open your hand and it does not make a dirt clod it is dry enough to dry wash. hope this helps some. If you got the money for $ 140 for the first year and $ 40 a year there after there is a club called the Havasu Gold Seekers they have 3200 acres you can dry wash on, seen some nice gold come out of there.
Hi James...thanks for the dirt in hand tip. The Havasu looks like a good well run club, I`ll probably join up when I decide to do the trip. I have much to learn and prepare for, your info and the other replies are much appreciated.
Thanks for the replies. Looks like both can be done depending on the weather.
Would Gold Basin be a good place to go or are there other GPA or other club claims worth joining?
Never been out that way so any info is appreciated.
GPAA has over 1200 acres in the whole area around Dolan springs, Meadview, gold basin etc. Lots of area to get lost on! LOL. It can be picker country though.
There is other clubs with claims in the area as well. One is the Mohave Prospectors
( http://www.mohaveprospectors.org ) based out of Kingman, AZ. I am not a member of that club, so all I can do is pass info along. I think their membership is like $35 for the first year for a couple, or single.
The GPAA is definitely an option with that much land, I would like to find some local clubs on a smaller basis, just a little more personal and a chance to hook up with someone for some guidance. Thanks for the club web site.
The key word in drywasher is "dry". Some recommend putting the gravels on a tarp for a day or 2 to dry, but never seen anyone do that! Arizona has a diverse temperature and rainfall from one area to the next. It could rain on one side the the road, and not the other! (Really!) From personal experience, even 2 weeks after a rain in the winter months, going down as little as a foot will produce "moist" gravels and would not work. My advice is to look to the bank edges of a wash and dig inward near the bottom of the wall. If the area just had light rains, the water may not have soaked in that deep, especially if the wash wall is 5 or more feet, you may find drier materials digging horizontal. Another trick would be to scan the walls with a detector looking for concentrated pockets of magnetite or a good sized magnet to look for areas where your magnet would attract large clumps the the magnetics. Dig there. I'm probably going to sell my drywasher once my other equipment comes in. Good luck out there!