Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Hooked on Gold Prospecting Blog template change, Mobile Ap and Google+

In case you think you are on the wrong blog, I DID change the template to my favorite color ORANGE! Yes, I know, you thought it would be GOLD, but, alas, ORANGE was my favorite color LONG before GOLD ever entered my life.

Why, you ask? Mainly because the links were hard to see and I have been thinking I should change templates so they are easier to see and follow.  I have also added Google+ to this page and have optimized it for mobile.  I am dealing with putting a mobile ap on the main website, too.  Hopefully, I will get through that today for you.

Hope you like the changes.  Please leave a comment for me on the change and any issues you might have with the ap. If this template is too 60's for you, I can always change to something else, but the mobile looked nice.  If you find it too hard to read or the color is too bold, let me know.  I will change it to whatever is easiest to read.  I would much rather you be pleased with reading the blog than that it be a color I like.

In the meantime, as always....

Good Prospecting to You,
Shirley Weilnau
www.hookedongold.com
hookedongold@gmail.com

Monday, April 22, 2013

Cache Creek Updates and Links to BLM Information Pages



                                                         Pouring a Gold Bar

WOW! Are we getting excited about the swings in gold? LOL! $1422 at the close today.

I saw, after my last post, that I still have some links for  you concerning Cache Creek and a link to the new BLM forms for the Arkansas.
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/rgfo/minerals/locatable_minerals/placer_mining/cache_creek.html
and

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/royal_gorge_field/Minerals/locatable_minerals/documents.Par.36939.File.dat/2013%20Notification%20for%20Placer%20Ops.pdf 

Regs for Cache Creek are the same as for 2012.  

This next link is to the BLM's General Usage guide to locatable minerals and placer mining.


 http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/rgfo/minerals/locatable_minerals/placer_mining/standard_guidance.html

They have also launched a new interactive page on minerals that you may find helpful.

http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Information/newsroom/2013/blm_launches_interactive1.html

Both of the new series about prospecting for gold and gemstones have had good reviews and comments, btw.

It is snowing here again, but it looks like we will be turning the corner towards spring by this weekend.  That means gold prospecting season in Colorado is just around the corner and lower elevations will be more accessible.  Hope you are ready.  I know we are.  

Shirley Weilnau
www.hookedongold.com
hookedongold@gmail.com

 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013



                              April 16th.

I am beginning to wonder if winter is ever going to turn into spring.  I fear, this year, we may go from winter directly to summer.  It is snowing, again, as I write, and we are looking at another 5 to 6 inches of accumulation before this finally heads east and leaves Colorado.  Another round is looking to hit us on Saturday. I DO hope the weather is clear for Sunday!

Gold took a BIG turn downward earlier this week, hitting a low around $1352.  I has managed to rally the last two days, even touching $1395 today before retreating to $1375, now, and sliding. I could go into a long dissertation on the why's, but I will restrain myself to simply say there are many pressures to keep it down for now.  Like I said earlier, I would be content to see it end where it was a few days ago.  I DO hope it makes it back into the stratosphere. 

I have several announcements to make that are way over due.  The first is to announce the premiere of Animal's Planet's new series 'Ice Cold Gold' which has its' first airing on Sunday April 21st at 8 pm MST.  We are attending the pre party here in Denver, as we have two Colorado boys we know who are part of this team.  Chad Watkins, of 'Tin Pan Prospecting', and John Self, of 'Self Aware Minerals'. This series follows a team of prospectors who go looking for gold in Greenland.....and FIND it.  I have a couple of links to short videos about the series you can watch. 




The second is that you need to be watching the Weather Channel's  "Prospectors" series on Tuesday nights a 7 pm MST.  They filmed several local gem prospectors who mine on Mt. Antero and in the Lake George area and the adverse weather conditions in our mountains.  This has, also, been an interesting series.  They run the back episodes before and after the new episode, so check in at 6:30 if you have missed them.

Last, the Denver Spring Gem Mineral and Fossil show is this weekend, April 19th through the 21st.  This is always a very nice show with lots of vendors and excellent items to purchase. I have already started to compile a list of shows for this summer and will post them another time.  Here is a link to information on what is going on this weekend. 
http://www.mzexpos.com/colorado_spring.html  The Dorris family from the Weather Channel's 'Prospectors' series will also be there.  I am sure Steve Brancato and the Busse family will be around, as well.  Amanda is in New Jersey at a gem show there.  The Dorris' are well know for their Amazonite crystals and will have their usual room set up.  Drop by and say 'Hi'.

Well, I don't know about you, but I am ready to get out and do some prospecting for gold here in Colorado!  We have many projects taking shape for the summer and are in high hopes of uncovering some nice finds, both gold and gemstones.  If you are in Nathrup visiting Cindy, stop in at the old ice cream parlor.  The Busses' will be setting up a new shop with all kinds of mountain gems, artifacts, specialty jewelry, and items from local artisans.  They will, also be setting up an area south of Salida that will offer bags and buckets of gemstone dirt, similar to what the Topaz miner did before the fire.  I will get info to you as soon as I know when.  I already know where.  Looks to be a great year for us.  Hope yours is looking as good.  As Always....

Good Prospecting to You,
Shirley Weilnau
www.hookedongold.com
www.hookedongold@mail.com


Tuesday, April 02, 2013

How has your winter been? Ours has been crazy busy....AND stressful. We sold our home after a 6 month wait, and the things we had to do to get that done were insane, to say the least. As with buying the present house, we were not sure the sale would go through until the papers were all signed.  I know.  I have heard the stories about 10 or so offers on the first day, but our home was a townhouse, and everything is different with them.

Fortunately, not much that was really important happened since my last post. Just gun laws being passed in Colorado, the premiere of the 'Prospectors' series on the Weather Channel, and few odds and ends.  Nothing I can't catch you up on.

First, for those of you who have not heard, The Weather Channel premiered their 'Prospectors' series last Tuesday at 7 MST. They showed the first two episodes and there were rave reviews about it. Larry and I were invited by Brian and Yolanda Busse to a showing at the Steamplant in Salida, and the place was packed!  We didn't see the first showing as we volunteered to sit with the crystals and specimens they had out for show while they hosted the event.  A real privilege.

This series is not about gold, but about the crystal diggers of Mt. Antero and the Lake George region.  For those of you who are not familiar with Colorado minerals and crystal areas, these people mine Aquamarine, Smoky Quartz, Florite, Phenakite, Amazonite, Topaz, and others. The areas can be very high and very dangerous with extreme weather and other adverse conditions.  Take a look at it tonight.  You can watch a short video about it on their website HERE. Those of you on Facebook can find it on the Prospectors page.

Another series on prospecting that is coming up will be on Animal Planet.  A team of prospectors look for gold in Greenland...and find it!  We have two Coloradans who are on that team, Chad Watkins and John Self.  The premiere of Ice Cold Gold will be April 21st at 8 MST.  That's 10/9 for those of you east of Colorado.  You can see a short video of it on their website HERE.  You can also read an article about the series.

The Spring, Denver Mineral and Fossil show will be April 19-21st, this year, so you might want to put that on your calendar if you will be in the area.  The Fall, Denver Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show will be September 13-15th.  That's the BIG one for this area, so plan on attending that one, too.

Gold keeps bouncing around in the $1570 to $1600 range. I am not looking for it to change much right now. I will wait to see how it looks in June...or maybe October.  If it stays where it is for now, I'm OK with that.

Spring is here!  Make sure your gold prospecting equipment is in running order.  You're gonna want to use it soon and it isn't any fun to get out there and find out you forgot your hoses needed replacing, or you used the hand spade for gardening.  Get a spare to put in your pack.  They're cheap!

I have no new word on Cache Creek for this year. As far as I know, regs are the same as last year.  We did notice a new Forest Service building being built in Salida.  BIG building.  Cost a BUNCH of money.  And, yes, I said Forest Service, not BLM.

That's all for now.  I hope your Spring is a good one.  If you have questions, mail me.  As always....

Good Prospecting to You,
Shirley Weilnau
www.hookedongold.com
hookedongold@gmail.com