Gasoline lanterns, stoves, and heaters should be allowed to cool prior to refueling. The appliance should be refueled on the ground, in an area cleared for that purpose. If fuel is spilled, move appliance to a new location before lighting. Close fuel container and store in a safe place. Do not light lanterns or stoves inside your tent, trailer, or camper. Be sure to provide adequate ventilation when using these appliances in a confined space. Never hang a lantern against a tree. The heat generated by the lantern damages the bark and may cause the tree to die. Read all instructions provided with the appliance before operating.
Parking in tall grass or shrubs can start fires because the hot catalytic converter comes into contact with dry plant materials. Don't park where vegetation is touching the underside of your vehicle. Motorcycles and ATVs should have spark arresters. All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) produce an enormous amount of heat and can ignite brush from their exhaust systems. Don't park your car, truck, or recreational vehicle on dry grass or brush even for a minute. The exhaust system on a vehicle can reach a temperature of more than 1,000 degrees. It only takes 500 degrees to start a wildfire in the fire season.
Smoking is wise to be done only in established campgrounds, in vehicles, on roads, on the river, or in the forest only if there is a 3 ft. area cleaned all around. AND PLEASE keep all cigarette butts picked up!
Any and all gasoline engines being run in the forest must have a Forestry-approved spark arrestor. This includes chain saws, electric generators, and dredging and mining equipment.
Keep your gasoline in a safe place where fire or cigarettes have no chance of setting it off.
It is wise that you do not store an excessive amount of gasoline at your claimsite.
Our Forest Lands are vulnerable to forest fires. Please, always use extreme care with fire.
Only we can prevent Forest Fires.
CAMPING AND PARKING... should not be done where any
access roads will be blocked. Forestry campgrounds and
other places in the National Forest have a two-week limitation.
Parking along the road must be done as far off the road as
possible, and always with the flow of traffic. Please do not
park so as to block someone else in.
When driving on dirt roads drive slow and easy. Some of our
National Forest roads are narrow. Watch for traffic coming
from the other direction. Dust control is a Forestry concern
so please drive slowly on roads that are unpaved.
Motor vehicles must remain on established roadways.
ATV's must be kept upon established roads and trails,
according to USFS regulations. Always use existing roads
and trails.
Permanent or semi-permanent structures of any kind are prohibited unless approved in advance by the USFS.
The principle of "PACK IT IN - PACK IT OUT" should be observed in all areas of the National Forest.
When camping near rivers and streams - Tread lightly. The land bordering rivers and streams, known as the riparian area, is vitally important to many species of wildlife. If possible, camp outside of the riparian area.
All campers MUST come prepared with some type of acceptable sewage disposal plan if they intend to camp in the National Forest where toilet facilities are not available.
SANITATION: All sewage and gray water must be disposed of in enclosed containers and dumped in towns at approved dump stations (RV parks usually provide this service).
Latrines and holes used for sewage of any kind are not allowed.
Please do not dump your own port-potties or storage tanks or any garbage into chemical toilets as they plug the sewer hose on the pumping trucks. YYYYUCK!
When prospecting away from available toilet facilities use your shovel as your toilet tool away from camping areas, waterways, or trails. Scrape out a hole no deeper than 4-6 inches. (That's because the first several inches - the so-called biological layer - contain a system of "disposers" that will break down the waste. If you go deeper you spoil this effect. Keep any sod intact and replace it after filling the hole. Sprinkle some pine needles and twigs on top and nature will do the rest.)
PERSONAL CONDUCT:
Children should be supervised at all times in the wilderness.
All dogs are to be kept supervised at all times when visiting the National Forest. Fish and Game regulations prohibit any dog from chasing any mammal in the National Forest.
Follow the law and create good will through mutual respect.
FISHING: Always obtain a fishing license prior to doing any fishing.
NOISE: Being respectful of all of the wilderness inhabitants means keeping our noise down before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m.. All engines being run in the forest should have proper noise suppression mufflers to prevent excessive noise in these pristine environments.
PRESERVING CULTURAL RESOURCES: You should be aware that there are numerous laws that prevent people from disturbing or taking items from Native American burial grounds, or other sites where significant cultural or historical resources are located. You must be very careful when digging or excavating in any area to avoid disturbing ancient human remains, or old items, which may be of historical significance.
It is legal to excavate and use electronic detectors in a prospecting operation while looking for precious metals. It may not be legal to excavate and use electronic equipment to find old items (junk or treasure) in the National Forest. Please keep your focus to prospecting. If your focus becomes distracted by other valuable items (like old bottles), know that you are treading in a gray area, which is covered by antiquities laws that are not nearly as forgiving as the mining law. If in doubt, please talk with the U.S. Forest Service.
PRESERVING WATER SUPPLIES: Please do not bathe in the forests creeks and rivers with soap or shampoo. Do not urinate in any active waterways while dredging as many creeks are domestic water supplies for people downstream. Pets should be kept out of the creeks, as well.
PRIVATE PROPERTY: Some claims are located adjacent to private property (or other pre-existing unpatented mining claims). Be careful not to trespass!
Ropes and cables across the river must be of a brightly colored line (yellow and/or white rope are preferred) and they must be no less than ten feet above the water at all times to eliminate the danger to rafters. You might even want to flag your lines to make them easier to see.
When anchoring a cable to a tree, protect the tree by wrapping it with an old inner tube, or by covering the cable with a piece of old hose.
Be sure to remove all cables, ropes, and inner tubes when dredging is completed.
You must be extra careful not to spill any fuel into the active waterway from your gasoline engines when you are refueling them. Please do not bring any more fuel to your worksite than you need to use on any day of mining. Once your engine is refueled, you must secure the seal firmly on your fuel container, and place it well away from the waterway on a level area where there is no chance that the container can be knocked over. Please do not leave your fuel containers down along the edge of the waterway!
All fuel should be packed around any set of river rapids, rather than floated through on a dredge, boat or raft.
Use existing pathways and trails wherever possible. Creation of any new trail that requires the cutting of brush also requires your filing a Notice of Intent (NOI) with the local Forest Service.
Please do not rope or winch mining equipment up or down a hillside in anyway that will create erosion problems later.
Keep your operation looking neat and professional! It's best to keep it orderly and free of excessive equipment or other materials at all times.
SURFACE MINING GUIDELINES:
Dry mining activities are allowed to the high water line. This is where the line of permanent vegetation (trees) begins.
Undermining of trees and banks is strictly prohibited
without prior approval from the USFS.
Cutting any trees on unpatented claims is strictly
prohibited without prior approval from the USFS.
No hose larger than 3/4 of an inch (garden hose)
should be used to clean bedrock cracks outside
of the active waterway.
When using water up on the bank, you must prevent
water runoff to erode the bank away. If you are not
sure if you are operating within acceptable guidelines,
ask for assistance from the local Fish and Game.
No amounts of sand, silt, gravel or other materials
may be washed from the bank into an active waterway.
No surface mining activity is allowed that will erode or damage the existing bank of the waterway or cause a widening of the existing waterline.
Vegetation, which creates shade on the edge of the waterway, cannot be removed to facilitate mining activities without prior approval from the USFS.
ALWAYS REFILL ANY HOLES YOU DIG!
When dredging, sample holes should not be excessive in size. The hole should be filled in with cobbles and tailings as it is moved in any direction to avoid allowing the hole to become excessive in size.
All sample holes must be filled in when you have completed your prospecting activity. This means that cobbles should be moved back into the hole, and tailings should be shoveled back on top of the cobbles.
To avoid washing sand, silt or gravel into the active waterway, natural contours of the area out of the water can be used to slow or contain the water to allow sediment to drop out.
Never mine within 10 feet of any road or established trail.
Never refuel power equipment where oil or gas might enter any waterway. (If your motorized equipment might possibly leak any oil while you are prospecting, use a drip pan under the motor to catch any drops.)
Drainage hoses or pipes leading to or emptying into the river are prohibited. Water from high-bankers must be discharged into a dug settlement pool or other area away from the stream so that this water does not directly re-enter the stream.
Use of explosives, tractors, dozers, and backhoes is prohibited without prior approval from the USFS.
Whether a novice to gold prospecting or an "old sourdough miner", have fun out there everybody!...
Enjoy spending time on your gold property.
