I drove out to Colorado and met my buddy Mike(@artopium) at his place in Parachute. Mike had a great trip planned for us so we loaded up his van with camping supplies, gold prospecting gear, and all the doggies and then headed out on our adventure! Our first stop was Cache creek where we camped out in an Aspen grove for a few days and did some gold prospecting at the creek!
Roadside Scenery
The kiddos (Skinny, Pup, and Siris) all loaded up in the van
Heading up through the high country
Arriving at Cache creek
Running the Keene A52 sluice box at Cache creek
Feeding the sluice
Checking the sluice
We found some nice gold at Cache creek. So after a few days of digging we headed down through the Arkansas river valley and stopped in at the small town of Salida to sell the gold we found to help fund the second part of our adventure. That evening we setup camp there by the Arkansas river at the Elephant rock campground and then took a short hike up into the hills near the camp. There were a bunch of cool rock formations and we had a bunch of fun checking it all out. On our way back we watched a few rock climbers climbing around on one of the bigger cliffs before heading back to camp for the night.
Me standing on the banks of the Arkansas river
Taking a short hike near the Elephant rock camp
Mike and the kiddos on our hike
Some rock climbers near the camp
Then the next day we headed up to Clear creek where we spent a few days hiking around and exploring all the neat old mining towns in the canyon. We checked out Vicksburg, Rockdale, Winfield, and Hamilton! We didn't do any prospecting ourselves, but instead just spent our time hiking around enjoying all the absolutely incredible scenery!
Checking out Vicksburg
Mike with some old mining equipment at Vicksburg
An old wagon by one of the cabins in Vicksburg
Views from Clear Creek
A tailings pile in Rockdale that was full of quartz and pyrite
Cabins in Rockdale
Trail junction in Winfield
The Van in Winfield
Me enjoying the epic scenery
Old miners cabins
Mike checking out some old cabins at the base of Huron Peak
Epic Colorado mountain scenery
The Three Apostles
Huron Peak from Hamilton
Views from the meadow at Hamilton
Hiking up to an old mine
The meadows near our camp
Views from camp
Mike and Siris in the meadows by our camp
Camping by Clear Creek
Then after enjoying a few days camping and exploring at Clear creek we made one last stop in Leadville on our way back to Mikes place in Parachute. I stayed the night there and then drove back home to California the next day.
And that's it for this Colorado Adventure!
Big thanks to @artopium for inviting me out and for planning such an awesome trip!!
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Absolutely wonderful picture story with some stunning pictures. Not like that all are not stunning but few of them like the rock climbing one, the one with you spreading the hands were really need some special appreciation to it.
I think you missed a point, you could also record some videos where ever it was possible and upload in You tube. I recently saw a video of a hiking in some wonderful location like glaciers here in steemit itself and really looked wonderful...
And if you could add some story plot you could convert it into short movie too..haha... like the hero meeting some old girlfriend near creek and she came for rope climbing...meeting with some accident, you are helping her and so on....Just added some fun ..
Cheers.... have a good day
Thanks @angelro! I used to take more video, but I've just been taking photos lately. I should really try to take more video.
You should, especially on such wonderful locations where the chances are very less to make a visit again..
On a honest note I too prefer pictures only...Photographs are better than video for re collecting any event...
Thanks.. Have a good day
Epic. I'm getting ready for a 2nd round of mining at cache creek sometime late August. Will you still be working? Could you make it out for something like that? Since crypto is going up I might be able to help with gas.
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I'll still be working. And with my days I'm off I'll be up in the East Fork. I'd love to get back there though. I was loving it! Gold in every scoop! Honestly I didn't want to leave, but the scenery in Clear creek was definitely worth it.
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That looks like fun. I always wanted to try searching for gold. Good scenery would make it even better.
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Yep, it's all about getting out in the mountains and having some fun out in that beautiful scenery! The gold is just a bonus.
What a gorgeous post * ___ * I love every photo, @derekrichardson! You made the post feels absolutely personal, as if sharing the tale and photos with a close friend <3 So lovely! The narration is great, full with warmth and information and with really lively description of how you were going about things and how you were feeling :D Really wonderful to read through this <3
Your kiddos are amazing * ___ * What beautiful doggos !
I love the photographs of the mountains, and of the van, and of the meadows, and the trees, and the road, and the places you stopped at, and.... and everything and everywhere XD
Really wondrous post <3 I am glad you had a great time with @artopium ! <3
Thanks @veryspider! I'm glad you enjoyed it all! We had a lot of fun on this trip.
Very nice @derekrichardson looks like you had a great time. One of many great places to see in Colorado. If you like the old mining stuff, Crystal Mill and Marble are good places. I'm not far from Parachute.
Very cool you were able to get some gold. I have a couple of friends that go out a couple of times a year.
We had a blast! We got to see so much cool stuff, but I know it was just a drop in the bucket of what Colorado has to offer. I'll mention those spots to @artopium and maybe we'll check them out next time I go out to Colorado!
My wife and I panned for gold in Clear Creek near Blackhawk. We didn't do too well, and did even worse at the casinos in Blackhawk :(
You should've gone to Cache creek... there was gold in every shovel load!
What a cool post @derekrichardson, excellent photos and panning for gold is so cool. Do you know the purity of the gold you sold? Thanks for sharing. 👍
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Thanks @wonderwop! I love gold prospecting, I got the fever bad! lol. I forget what the purity was of the gold at Cache creek. I think it was 19 or 20 Karat. @artopium would know better.
Cool, maybe he will chime in. 🤞
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Sweet! Thank you @curie!
Beautiful mountains!
whoever is reading this text right now - you are great!
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This post certainly rocks the cradle my friend.
The scenery is fabulous and those mountain peaks are stunning.
I am not too interested in the gold panning, but at least it paid for your trip.
The nature is more in my league.
Great photos my friend.
Blessings!
Thanks @papilloncharity! Honestly, the gold prospecting is just a good excuse to spend more time out in the mountains! lol.
Hiya, @LivingUKTaiwan here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #550.
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Sweet! Thank you @steemitworldmap!
hi @derekrichardson
I can not believe it!! can gold still be found in those parts ??? it's an amazing thing, really it's like going back in time and bringing the nuggets to the bank to get some money to spend on your dinner !! but are many people doing this? and the equipment you used is specific or did you do it?
second thing I have to tell you that going with the van is one of my dreams !! sooner or later I have to do it !!
beautiful photos, thanks for bringing us with you on this great adventure. do you live nearby?
congratulations for your curie rating and thanks for sharing :-))
Haha, yep! Gold can still be found in spots all over Colorado. I'm actually living in California, I was just visiting Colorado, but we got lots of gold here in California as well! The prospecting equipment we used is pretty basic. Pick axe, shovel, 5 gal bucket, sluice box, and a gold pan. And that's it!
it's absolutely fantastic! but is this search for gold also used for tourism purposes? sorry but I find it amazing !!
It's used for tourism a little bit, but it's not that big of a thing. Not that many people are into gold prospecting.
but I absolutely want to try when I go to colorado !! :-)) can I use your van???
Thank you so much for being part of the #socalsteemit community.
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That's awesome! Thank you @travelfeed!
No! You're awesome!
Oh my, oh my; what an amazing scenery
How great that you snagged some gold on your adventure! That sounds like soooo much fun! I was actually in Colorado at the same time. What a coincidence! We were in the Pike’s Peak area on the way from Denver to Colorado springs.
I love reading your posts @derekrichardson
The terrain you have at your disposal is incredible. You must never tire of seeing it.
Gold! Holy cow. You found some? Is that usual? That's so cool that you have then sold it to fund your continuing journey.
Great fun. Thanks for sharing.
Gaz
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Congratulations @derekrichardson, your post has been featured in the latest Curie Author Showcase.
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Thanks @ivanm7! I think it's so cool that @curie is doing an author showcase. And I am honored to be included.