Thanks for the input, I plan on spending a few weeks up there next summer.  I live outside Laramie.  I am a newbie since I have not chased gold since my great grandparents and grandparents were alive.  If you are local and want to get lunch sometime it would be great to hear about your experience.

Dino Ruffoni

.

Walden I see, I have always wanted to run a metal detector on top of Independence Mountain.  Have you been up there?

I hunt Independence quite a bit, and I tried panning some down on Three Mile creek this past fall, without much success. There are at least three or four claims on top of Independence, one that I know for sure is an active claim, the Mitchell Placer mine, then there are 2 Placer Draw Placer mines, not sure what their status is, and at least one other claim that I have found the boundry markers for. My maps show one or two other claims down lower on the south side of the mountain, about a half to three quarters of a mile hike to get to them.

 I'm not sure what the rule and regs are for state trust lands are in regards to prospecting, have to find out before next summer.