Howdy Folks, Don Greeno here - Friend and fellow member
you need to try the Summit Claims in San Bernardino County. the directions are spot on, the claims is full of gold all over the place. in all the dirt hills and valleys. you can even just dig where someone else already has the run the tailings from past prospectors as most run dry washers here and all drywashers loose gold only capturing about 50-70 % for the average guy. more experienced guys and gals may get more from experience. when I first started prospecting I went on 9 trips before I found my first flake. that first on you will never ever forget. you are about to crack that nut also and get your first gold. the Summit claims are on the Cajon Pass off the 15 Frwy. I go there a lot. its one of the closest claims to where I live in Rancho Cucamonga.
the other claim is out in Barstow - Placer Pete's! you can dig just about anywhere on that claim where you find decomposed granite ( a lot of it there) and dig in that a few inches down and run it or pan it. YOU WILL FIND GOLD! and don't forget to run others old tailings for what they have left behind. here is a tip - if you find the discovery marker on the claim, easy to do, dig anywhere in the large pits near the marker and you WILL FIND GOLD TRUST MY WORD ON THIS.
Now that you got some information, go out there and get some gold!!!!! you deserve it! have a great time and be safe. leave the claim the way you found it and be a good steward of the land. enjoy Don - Idongreeno@gmail.com

here is some gold and the claim in Summit Crystal claim
https://youtu.be/XMKFHpWxTOU

here is some Placer pete action

https://youtu.be/RZaoTiuF2s4

here is some gold to look at

https://youtube.com/shorts/myHbMTM1k_E

all from the Crystal claims and summit claim in Cajon pass

you can expect this at Cajon pass claims regularly - get yourself some! lol

https://youtube.com/shorts/slrv3yW7DQM

Good luck Friends!!!! you will find it!!!

Hi Don,

Wow! Thankyou for your generous response!
Sounds like you really have some experience.
We would love to "get some gold" :) and will absolutely take your advice. We saw the Cajon pass in the guide book, and it has the most gold pictured in all the socal claims, we are excited to try it out. We do enjoy the adventure either way. We'll keep the forum posted on how lucky we get!! 🤣

Happy hunting!!

Well hello everyone, My name is Don Glaszczak also known as the Gold Reaper Guy...lol
i make the fluid bed sluice.
I made my first after losing my bazooka in the north fork of the american river.
was also mining up north in the bear river, when i lived in colfax.
miss that place, awesome gold
moved back home because of grandbabys. too precious to be far away.
just bought a Keene 12v dry washer hoping to go play in the desert nearby??
would love to join in with others and get some color.
feel free to contact me

I started looking for gold down here, southern california and it's been tough to find gold....
until i went north, take a trip to mineral bar campground near colfax...
hike to penny weight trail. you will be smiles from ear to ear.
hand dredge is a great idea to. run a sluice for production.
-Don

Hi Don ! I am new to gold prospecting and just joined GPAA. I am having a hard time with the directions and GPS to the site. I live in Newberry Springs east of Calico and want to start when detector gets here. I
Ive tried google earth and maps but still cant picture where placer petes is. Can you fill in the blanks...I can go to the 58, exit Hinkley Rd and head north. The road ends and im not sure what to do then. Im retired and can go anytime. Thanks Scott

Hello Donald, i'm new to the group and also looking to prospect in the desert
I wouldn't mind joining up with you so that I can get familiar with our boundaries
On the claim i'm retired 64 years old and feel young and eager 😁 i reside in hanford ca. Right now, I have a couple of metal detectors here, and a sluice was looking into a dry washer .

Hello Donald, i'm new to the group and also looking to prospect in the desert
I wouldn't mind joining up with you so that I can get familiar with our boundaries
On the claim i'm retired 64 years old and feel young and eager 😁 i reside in hanford ca. Right now, I have a couple of metal detectors here, and a sluice was looking into a dry washer .

Hello Donald, i'm new to the group and also looking to prospect in the desert
I wouldn't mind joining up with you so that I can get familiar with our boundaries
On the claim i'm retired 64 years old and feel young and eager 😁 i reside in hanford ca. Right now, I have a couple of metal detectors here, and a sluice was looking into a dry washer .

Ernie, Scott and Donald,
I would love to hook up with you all and show you the claims the GPAA has in the Barstow area, the boundries, how to get there and how to find gold on them. I have had some damage from the wind and it will take me a few weekends to get back out again but when I do, I WILL POST A NOTE BACK HERE AND LET YOU KNOW when I can get out and meet up with you all if possible. the more the merrier. I have taken a few groups of GPAA folks out to the claims and posted some pictures on the claims pages for Placer Pete, Hey Buddy 1,8, 9, & 10. and the Summit claims on Cajon pass.
all the claims are good to Dry wash or Pan and Sample.
Metal Detecting is best on Placer Pete and that surrounding area....I have a few spots and the proper process to show you how to get gold in heavily worked areas. its a bit of work but it is successful for the willing.
all the claims have GOLD. some claims are a bit harder to work than others but all have it. I have found it on every one that I have visited.
My email is Idongreeno@gmail.com
you can connect anytime with me to chat, say hi, ask a question etc..., I love to make new friends. I am 55 and love to prospect for gold.
I live in Rancho Cucamonga
Don Greeno GPAA member and friend

Hi Don! Thanks for your reply and sorry about wind damage. Gold Bug 2 coming next week and I found someone that did a real time drive to Placer Petes so now I feel comfortable trekking there. My FJ cruiser is getting new front wheel bearings, its my mostly off road vehicle. I will post here a few days before I go and anyone that wants to join is welcome.

that sounds great!
good luck with the Gold bug its a great machine.
2 tips to add to your success when you go to placer Pete's if you trek there alone at any time.

1- no matter what or how slow you have to go - KEEP YOUR COIL IN CONTACT WITH THE SOIL! ( Hmm...did I just make that rhyme? lol) "I DID!"

2 - if you have a HOE or a FIRE TOOL called a McLeod tool, clear an area as big as you desire of the top layers of dirt - remove or push aside the top 4 inches of soil or rock - a few good whacks with a Fire Tool and it is done in a min or two. then grid off your cleared area and start detecting. Keep the coil to the soil and go slow - listen for the faint signals and dig them till they get stronger.
I am sorry to say that I have detected shoulder to shoulder with anther GPAA member and swung my Gold Monster over the soil but it was up only about 1/2 inch and I did not get a signal . my buddy ran his over same spot within seconds and his coil was FLAT ON THE GROUD SCRAPING IT and he got 2 NICE SIZED nuggies right where I just was. sad for me but I learned what needs to be done ALWAYS! the lesson you only have to learn once!
COIL TO THE SOIL is the name of the game.

good luck and be safe

ps......the center of the claim to the EAST end ( a tail runs right though side to side for 4x4) a the same small little valley area just east of the claim owners wooden platform is the area I would recommend the most. just see Dan the detector man's reports on the claim. that is where he worked successfully and I have gotten all my pickers in that area too. you may work it a while and find nothing but then you will come across that fresh dirt and scratch away a little more to expose the virgin dirt and nuggets left behind. also do not pass up OLD OLD tailing piles and do the same, clear and detect, clear more and detect. you WILL GET THE GOLD!
now go get IT!!!!
good luck
Don Greeno GPAA member and fellow friend

I was thinking of working all the tailing piles and all the holes, keeping rake and shovel handy. I read the tips you gave twice, coil to the soil and it makes sense, thats why I bought the coil cover. I have been told to stay with it, it isnt easy.

GOOD LUCK SCOTT!!!!

I want to go too. i have a garret infinium LS, but always find bullets and trash. been running dirt through a drywasher at cajon summit and i find gold.
I hope to do better out by barstow, I do miss sluicing up north.
been building my truck into a outlander with a tent on top, just about ready.
I plan on going up north in the summer to run my sluice, I know a few great places.
and looking for a place or two in the desert, i live in menifee, i'm 58
_Don Glaszczak. the gold reaper guy