Gold in Sonora in 2011

44 pound gold nugget at Ironstone Vineyards

I grew up hearing about the California gold rush of 1849 and how there was gold all over the area where I lived.  We went on field trips to Columbia State Park to see the old mining town and to do some gold panning for fool's gold.  California definitely has an interesting history, but maybe it's not history anymore.

Apparently, because the snow fall this year was so excessive (not that I saw any while I was home, but I'll take your word for it) the feeder creeks are re-exposing their gold.  I am not a subscriber to the San Francisco Chronicle, but this article supposedly describes the new-age gold rush in Tuolumne County and the surrounding areas. Grandmama, get your gold pan and start panning the little creek behind your house!   It's worth $1500/ounce and it's just sitting in our backyards, I hope there is still some left when I go home. Maybe I can find a nugget as big as Ironstone's!

I'm sure this will bring in more tourism to the area, although I doubt there is much gold to be found.  I guess I will have to wait till Saturday to read the article to determine the extent of gold availability to see if I should stake a claim, thank you MECC for teaching me how to do just that.

S