Drywashing the High Desert: A Family Guide to Gold Mapping Near Barstow, CA
Drywashing the High Desert: A Family Guide to Gold Mapping Near Barstow, CA
There is a unique kind of silence in the California High Desert—a vast, sun-baked landscape that feels both empty and overflowing with secrets. For a gold prospector, that silence is a challenge. When you’re standing in the middle of an 80-acre claim near Barstow, you aren't just looking for gold; you’re looking for a needle in a massive, dusty haystack.
In our recent three-day adventure, I took my son, Finn, out to the desert to link up with some buddies and tackle a massive prospecting project. Our goal wasn't just to dig—it was to map. We wanted to unlock the geological secrets of this land using ATVs, dry classification, and the ultimate desert tool: the Royal Drywasher.
Whether you are a seasoned "desert rat" or a family looking to start your first prospecting journey, here is how we tackled the Barstow desert and what we learned about finding "yellow" in the wash.
1. The Strategy: Spot Prospecting 80 Acres
When you have 80 acres to cover, you cannot simply start digging a hole and hope for the best. You need a data-driven approach.
Our Method:
- Scouting: We used ATVs to scout the claim for distinct geological features.
- Sampling: We focused on "Spot Prospecting"—taking 3-bucket samples of classified dirt from various locations to see which areas held the most promise.
- Processing: While we did some drywashing on-site, we also hauled classified material back to a central "processing center" (base camp) to run through recirculating sluices.
Pro Tip: The "Claim Math" We found that roughly six buckets of unclassified desert dirt equals about three buckets of classified material. In prospecting terms, six unclassified buckets represent about 1/8th of a cubic yard. This helps you calculate your "gold per yard" ratio to determine if a spot is worth a full-scale setup [06:05].
2. Reading the Desert: Gold Indicators
In the high desert, the gold doesn't usually sit on the surface. You have to read the rocks to know where to dig.
The Contact Zone
The most important term you’ll hear in desert prospecting is the Contact Zone. This is where two dissimilar types of geological material meet—for example, where dark gray schist meets lighter volcanic tuff or basalt [04:30]. These intersections often mark where ancient water flows or tectonic shifts occurred, creating natural traps for heavy gold.
Other Key Indicators:
- Mineralized Quartz: Look for quartz outcroppings. We found a line of mineralized quartz crystals that signaled a potential "pay streak" valley [18:32].
- Iron & Black Sands: If you see heavy mineralization or "ugly," iron-stained rocks, don’t ignore them. As the saying goes, "ugly rocks often have the gold" [22:12].
- Decomposed Bedrock: Gold likes to settle on the heaviest layer. In some spots, we had to dig two feet down to hit the hard layer; in others, the pay dirt was only inches below the surface [07:49].
3. How to Set Up a Royal Drywasher
Since water is a luxury in the Barstow desert, the drywasher is your best friend. It uses air and vibration to separate heavy gold from light desert sand. Here is the step-by-step setup we used for our Royal Drywasher:
- Level the Stand: Slide the hopper box onto the legs. Ensure you have enough clearance on both sides for your "tailings" (waste rock) to build up without burying the machine [33:32].
- Connect the Blower: Hook up your blower hose before attaching the sluice box to ensure a tight seal.
- The "Tickler" Attachment: If your unit has a tickler, hook up the back of the sluice box first to ensure it fits into the feeder hole from the hopper.
- Manage the Hose: Run your hose to the left or right—never straight out the front or back, or it will get buried by your tailings [34:21].
- Anchor with Rocks: The vibration of the engine can cause the drywasher to "walk" or tip. Use heavy rocks to anchor the legs [34:57].
4. The Challenges: Moisture and Hard Work
Drywashing requires dry dirt. Unfortunately, desert soil can often be damp just beneath the surface, which causes gold to stick to rocks rather than falling into the riffles.
Dealing with Damp Dirt:
- The Tarp Method: Pre-dig your dirt and lay it out on a tarp in the sun to dry for 24 hours.
- Double Processing: Run the dirt through the drywasher once just to let the blower air dry it, then run it again for the actual recovery [36:20].
The Physical Toll: Prospecting is a world-class workout. In a 20 to 30-minute "set," you might move half a yard of dirt—but remember, you’re actually moving it twice (once into the machine and once away from your tailings pile) [54:21]. It’s hard work, but being outdoors with family makes it worth every drop of sweat.
5. Results: Finding the "Yellow"
After sampling multiple spots, we saw the reality of prospecting:
- Spot #1: Digging deep (the "grave") produced zero gold.
- Spot #2: A shallow dig of only a few inches produced a beautiful gold picker nugget [32:51].
- The Pay Streak: In the valley where we set up the drywasher, we found coarse, "orangey" gold sitting right on the bedrock [57:10].
Final Thoughts for Families
If you’re heading out to the California desert, remember that it’s about the journey. My son Finn was right there with me, classifying dirt and hunting for "cool rocks." We ended our hard days of digging by heading back to a hotel in Barstow for a soak in the hot tub—a well-earned reward for a day of chasing desert gold [58:36].
Ready to start your own adventure? Grab a shovel, find a contact zone, and start mapping!
For more desert adventures and gear tips, check out the full video: Gold Mapping Our 80 Acres: Unlocking the Desert's Hidden Secrets
