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   One of the great things about recreational gold prospecting is that you can enjoy the activity with only a very small amount of tools.   For some it is called crevicing, for others it is labeled sniping.   The object is to go after gold particals that have been washed over the permanent rock (bedrock).  With the density and high specific gravity that gold possesses, gold will always try to work it's way to the lowest possible place.   The gold's journey is stopped only by the partical reaching a point in which it can no longer penetrate.   This is usually going to be by hitting bedrock or an impenetrable layer of false bedrock such as a thick clay layer or cemented sands and rock.   As floods continually stir up the sediments within the waterway and carry them over the bedrock, gold particals and pieces will tumble into the cracks or crevices and work down to the lowest point they can go.

   If you want to have fun going for gold, all you will need is a small handful of tools and some fortitude to do it right.   First of all, you will need a gold pan to work the materials that are recovered from the cracks and some scraping tools.   Tools for scraping out sand and rocks are only limited by your imagination.   I have used a cheap screwdriver (don't use a good one because it wont drive screws very well after it is bent) or some other stiff rod or wire that can be bent and flattened on the tip forming a small scraper end.   Modified table knives work real well on very thin cracks.   Grind the end of the knife to form a wide hook shape, somewhat resembling a curled over finger.   This will scrape out sand and particals as well as gathering it up to be collected at the surface for removal.

   You will probably need something to suck up particals once they have been exposed.   Commercial suction tools are available.   However, these are not difficult to make yourself.   Just make sure it is one you can work with in close quarters, because sniping involves getting up close and personal with the gold traps (thats what makes it so fun!).   Some people may use turkey basters or bulb type battery water testers.  I have even used a regular snuffer bottle with a slightly larger tube in it and it works like a charm.   If you encounter rocks with large cracks that run a distance along the face you may want to utilize a heavy 3- 5lb. hammer and some large chisels to split the crack open for easier cleaning.   Remember, the gold will be wedged in at the deepest part, so anything you can do to facilitate reaching that point the better.   That is pretty much it!   With these simple tools you can explore and clean out cracks that have been subjected to repeated deposition from years of floods.

If you want a fun day of prospecting without the burden of lugging lots of equipment around,  give crevicing a try.   Be careful, you might like it so much that you could turn into a "crack addict"!