WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS & RENEWING MEMBERS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Dear Members, WAYNE WITCHER - We received word that Wayne died suddenly at home on 6/28. We attended a Celebration of Life for Wayne on 7/3 along with many other Goldhounds and Elk friends. Wayne was a char-tered member of Mother Lode Goldhounds and joined when we were the Mother Lode Miners in 1979. He was a dear friend and a fierce Gold Panning competitor. He always had a big smile and a joke to tell you. He loved his family and friends and helped people where he could. Our deepest sympathy to Ruthie and family. OUTING FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND - Our weather had been cool and then turned HOT! Don met everyone on Friday for some hiking. He will cover this in his notes. Sat., 6/20, I joined the group for a day of detecting. Some of our members had not been to the Gleeson Pit so we made the trip to the Iowa Hill hydraulic pit for panning and detecting. Bill Westcott had his Fisher Gold Bug with a small coil and he was able to pick up 6 or 7 pieces of gold. This area had been detected many times by the Goldhounds in the past so this just goes to show you that the gold can be overlooked. Sorry Bill that I did not take the camera! I will do better next time... We invited Gerry Lyons, News Director of Wave Broadband Cable show in Rocklin, to come along with us for a story about gold prospecting on the Foresthill Divide. Gerry had not been to a hydraulic pit before so he did film the area and we talked about the history of the Iowa Hill Divide. He may show up at our meeting one day with a camera and microphone to ask some of you about the “Gold Rush” that the high price of gold started! On Sunday Gerry Lyons filmed Mike Bowers talking about metal detecting and he showed some beautiul gold he had found. Great job Mike! Gerry was impressed! NEXT OUTING WILL BE JULY 25 AT MINERAL BAR -Just below Colfax as you cross the No. Fork of the American River. There is a parking lot there for everyone. Don will send an email on time to meet him for the trip and it will be early. We hear that the river is low already so that means a trip to Pickering Bar will be right around the corner. ROCK & GEM MAGAZINE, JULY 2009 - Marc Davis, Goldhound member, has an article about Gold Panning and how important it is to know how to pan properly in order to catch all the gold. Also on page 26, Marc reviews and writes about Don’s Gold Panning DVD. Sometimes I watch our members panning and can see that they could lose the gold fines easily. When I try to correct them they just look at me and smile. I think that means they must know more than I about panning? Oh well? Marc’s article explains it all! SB 670 - THANKS EVERYONE FOR WRITING ON THIS IMPORTANT BILL. KEEP IT UP! ICMJ’s Prospecting & Mining Journal reports that it may not be too late to fire off a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger and your Senators regarding this bill. The bill would stop all suction dredging in California until a new Environment Impact Report is completed. More information in the July 2009 issue on page 5. Get involved as much as you can as this bill would devastate dredging in California! THE SIERRA NEVADA MINING & INDUSTRY COUNCIL announced that there will be a “Miners’ Picnic” on August 29. 2009 at the Empire Mine State Park in Grass Valley. This family oriented day will have cake walks, ladies’ slipper kicking contests, gold panning, old fashioned children’s games and a silent auction. Some of our “old timer” miners will be there answering questions and telling their experiences ‘ in the mine. HELP NEEDED FOR RAFFLE TABLE - We want to thank Brian & Karen Bartholomew for taking care of our raffle table each month. They have a long ways to travel and sometimes it does not work out for them to be here right at 7:00pm on meeting nights. Please let us know if you can help out. For now the Red Hat La-dies will take it over but we need any help you can give. Barbara Cardoza will be there to get it going on 7/10. Thank you all so much. WORLD GOLD PANNING CHAMPIONSHIP, to be held August in Italy. Don and I will not be at-tending but the Goldhound U.S.Team of Carol Ebbitt, Mike and Barbara Sutton, Joyce and Fuzzy Mason will be on their way soon. It sounds like the plans are all packaged up and ready to roll. Good Luck to you all, keep in touch by email if possible. Can’t wait to see you at the California State Labor Day weekend! Be Safe! Annie.

Goldhound Meeting June 12, 2009 (Pictures by Bill Percy. Thanks Bill)

Forrest Gibble, Grand prize winner of the gold and quartz, donated by Jim Eakin

Wayne Witcher, second from right.

Richard Wetzel Ted Spelis

Don, trying to get the meeting started!

Goldhound Meeting June 12, 2009 (Pictures by Bill Percy. Thanks Bill)

Mike Bowers, center, talking about the film. Ron

Ruth Witcher J.P. Korn

Jan Makiney Marc Davis

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands June 18 - June 22 By Don Robinson

There is no better way to start the outing than the picture of the entry gate and directional sign into the Grant Highlands paradise. This is a beautiful, private camping area and facility belonging to George Grant, of Foresthill. George was tremendously generous to let us have his place for the five days. We came in on Thursday and everyone was gone by 10:00 AM on Monday. In between we had outings on Friday, a choice of two on Saturday, and a trip to higher country on Sunday. In total, 43 Hounds came and went, and we had a great time. Thursday was for setup only and sixteen Hounds took advantage of that. On Friday morning the vehicles started arriving for our first trip and at 8:30 AM we were on our way.

Arriving early here: Jon and Joyce Petri, Gerald Para-tore, David Wheatley, Chris Jackson

David Wheatley getting his tent ready.

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands June 18 - June 22

Besides the great camping area, George’s Highlands had this great patio.

To the left is the view off the patio. How could we ask for a better view than this? Our facility sat on top of the ridge, overlooking, in the far distance, the North Fork of the American. Direct-ly underneath was an andesite volcanic cap and underneath that an ancient river channel called the Golden River, which was part of the Red Point Mine. Our Saturday trip went to the mine portal and we panned for gold there - and found some decent color. A few Hounds found some really nice flakes. Dale and Wendy Sorenson scored very well there, but that’s getting ahead of the story.

Bill Westcott and Tony Ramos

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands - Friday June 19

Mike Bowers led this team effort to an area he calls the Eldorado. It’s near Foresthill and down a long, gated road through and into some private property. Mike has detected some nice gold here in times past. This was real exploration and a pretty good hike down as well. We flagged our way down and that helped some who came out early. This was an old hydraulic pit now overgrown by brush. A ravine with enough water to pan ran through it. We had a great time, with some panning and some detecting. We learned a lot about the area and gold this time was sparce, but we still found some and that counts! Still, a very neat trip with some future potential as well.

After traveling down the road for quite a ways, we all unloaded from the trucks and prepared for the trip down the sometimes steep trail. We all did well.

The creek was narrow but still permitted us to pan. Some were finding small flakes, but at least it was color!! The panners were beating the detectorists this day.

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands - Saturday Red Point (Golden River).

This is the Red Point - Golden River crew. Saturday Hounds had a choice of going to the Gleeson Pit with Annie at 9:00 AM or taking the Red Point trip starting at 8:30 AM. Annie wrote about the Gleeson trip in her letter but pictures were not available at newsletter time. These two pages are about the trip down to the Red Point Mine. The objective was to make a trail to there that had been roughly flagged but not worked on at all. We had two good ropes to use, rakes, picks, and shovels. The trip was rated at a level 6 and we all agreed it was at least that. especially the very end where we had a 100 foot rope to help us up and down easier. We had to cut steps as well. This wasn’t exactly a picnic but it was a super trip and just about everyone found gold, some of it very nice! This was a trip well worth taking and we will do it again, both to improve the trail and to get more gold! This trail was made on George’s property which made it very private, which was the way we wanted it.This was a great one day outing.

The team on the way down, making the trail all along the way.

On the creek now, looking for that gold! It wasn’t long before some nice flakes were showing up!

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands - Saturday Red Point (Golden River).

Dale and Wendy Sorenson working a crevice in a boul-der.

Dale and Wendy’s gold from the pictire on the left.

Sunset from the deck! Photo by Jon Petri.

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands - Sunday. Little Secret Creek

The Sunday trip to Little Secret was an easy drive and an easy hike. The results were really good for sev-eral of the Hounds. This is a mining claim belonging to Larry Hall, who is pictured above, second from the right. Thanks Larry for taking us to your claim. Some very nice gold was found.

On Little Secret Creek just before it runs into Big Secret Creek.

Goldhound outing at Grant Highlands - Sunday. Little Secret Creek

Hounds on their way down to the creek.

Mike and Dawn detecting together, looking for that nug-get.

Almost one pennyweight (Mike and Dawn).

Found by Mike detectingOne of the Hounds finds

(PUBLIC LANDS FOR THE PEOPLE) PLP IS A NON-PROFIT - MULTIPLE USE (501C3) ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN AT THE FORE FRONT OF MOST LEGAL BATTLES OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. THEY HAVE WON MOST OF THEIR BATTLES AND MANY OF US SUPPORT THEM AS THEIR LEGAL TEAM IS THE BEST. JERRY HOBBS, PRESIDENT, HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO MINING ALL HIS LIFE. GO TO WWW.PLP2.ORG FOR INFO OR CALL (909) 889-3039. WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER HELPING SUPPORT PLP IF YOU CAN. EACH YEAR THEY RUN ONE OF THE BEST RAFFLES AROUND. THE RAFFLE IS ADVERTISED IN THE ICMJ’S PROSPECTING JOURNAL. THE WINNERS ARE POSTED ON PAGE 28 IN THE JULY ISSUE FOR THE 6/18/09 RAFFLE. A NEW ONE IS LISTED JUST BELOW THAT FOR 12/18/09. KEENE AND PROLINE HAVE DONATED THEIR BEST DREDGES, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PRIZES TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR PLP. GOLDHOUND T-SHIRTS NOW FOR SALE DON NICHOLS, MEMBER, WILL BE TAKING CARE OF THIS FOR THE CLUB. DON HAS DIFFER-ENT COLORS AND JUST NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT SIZE YOU WANT. HE HAS MADE UP SOME BEAUTI-FUL T-SHIRTS FOR US ALREADY! BUT IF YOU REQUIRE A XXL OR XXXL, HE NEEDS TO KNOW. IF THEY ARE PRINTED ON ONE SIDE ONLY THE COST WILL BE 12$ AND BOTH SIDES WILL BE $15. DON’S EMAIL; DONSIMAGES@COMCAST.NET OR CALL 916-384-7767, WEBSITE; \WWW.DONS-IMAGES.COM. THANKS DON! RAFFLE TICKETS ON THE WAY!OUR GOLDHOUND ANNUAL FUND RAISING RAFFLE TICKETS ARE IN AND WE WILL BE SENDING THEM OUT NEXT WEEK. THIS IS THE ONLY FUND RAISER WE HOLD FOR THE YEAR. THE DRAWING WILL BE HELD ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND, 9/6/09, AT 5:00 PM. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN. THIS YEARTHE COST OF OUR BEAR RIVER INCREASED BY $300. OUR TOTAL COST THIS YEAR FOR THE OCTOBER OUT-ING WAS $750.00. THIS IS A MEMBER’S ONLY OUTING.. Annie NEW ADDRESS FOR B.L.M.THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FOLSOM FIELD OFFICE HAVE CHANGED TO MOTHER LODE FIELD OFFICE, NEW ADDRESS: 5152 HILLSDALE CR., EL DORADO HILLS, 95762, PHONE (916) 941-3101, FAX: (916) 941-310. WWW.BLM.GOV/CA/MOTHERLODE___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ICMJ’S PROSPECTING & MINING JOURNALONLINE: WWW.ICMJ.COM -- PHONE: (831) 479-1500 -- FAX: (831) 479-4385 --ICMJ, BOX 2260, APTOS, 95001-2260

Pick up the latest California Mining and Prospecting Journal at Pioneer Mining in Auburn. They have current articles and monthly updates of on-groing issues regarding our mining industry. We cannot stress enough the importance of sending letters and support to the groups that are helping to fight against closures of lands and mining rights. They are the best! Annie___________________________________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERSHIP APP.-MOTHER LODE GOLDHOUNDS, BOX 149, FORESTHILL, CA 95631 wwwgoldhounds.com - email: goldworld@wildblue.net - 530-367-2891 VM leave message. $40.00 Individual or $45.00 Family (one year) please send check to above addresss. ( ) New membership or ( ) Renewal----Are you interested in the Exploration Team? ( ) yes or ( ) no NAME_________________________________________EMAIL______________________________________________ ADDRESS________________________________________________PHONE___________________________________ CITY____________________________________STATE___________ZIP CODE________________________________I APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE MOTHER LODE GOLDHOUNDS. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT WHATEVER RECREATIONAL EVENT I, OR MY FAMILY, ATTEND THAT I AM RESPONSIBILE AND AT NO TIME WILL HAVE LEGAL OR FINANCIAL CLAIM AGAINST, NOR WILL HOLD RESPONSIBLE, ANY MEMBER OR CLUB OFFICIAL OF THE MOTHER LODE GOLDHOUNDS FOR ANY DAMAGES OR INJURIES BY MY PARTICIPATION.

SIGNATURE_________________________________________________ DATE_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DON’S EXPLORATION TEAM - EMAIL: GOLDWORLD@WILDBLUE.NET OR CALL 530-367-2891 VM You will receive an email and it becomes your option to go or not. A rating of 1-10 will be added, 10 being very difficult. The team may not always find gold but they are always looking for new areas to prospect. Finding such places is not easy. You should be in fairly good shape as you never know where Don may take you. If you are in-terested in the team be sure to email Don to have him add you to the EXPO TEAM. The email states where to meet and what time you will leave. Be on time or you will be left behind.CLUB NAME BADGES - MEMBER JIM KURY TAKES CARE OF OUR CLUB BADGES. WE HAVE PIN CLASPS FOR $4, OR MAGNETIC FOR $4.50. EMAIL: JMKURY@HUGHES.NET OR CALL 530-367-4318

2009 GOLDHOUNDS MEETING SCHEDULE & OUTINGS CHECK YOUR EMAILS AND UPDATES. YOU MAY CHECK WITH PIONEER MINING,, AUBURN, AS THEY RECEIVE INFORMATION ON OUTINGS ALSO. THANKS SO MUCH FRANK AND DENNIS! July 10 Goldhound meeting, 100 East St. Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall, 7-9 pmJuly 25 Mineral Bar Outing, meet at 7:00, info and email will be sentAug. 14 Goldhound meeting, 100 East St. Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall, 7-9 pm Aug. 21-23 Annual Laporte Dredging, Slate Creek, watch for emails to update info.Sept. 5-6 Heritage Celebration & State Championships will be held in Foresthill, volunteers needed.Sept. 11 Goldhound meeting, 100 East St. Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall, 7-9 pmSept. 26 Annual prospecting trip, info and email to follow.Oct.8-12 Annual Bear River Outing. 10/9/09 meeting will be held at camp. All Motorized Equip. must be out of the park. Info on equip. and email will follow. Oct. 29- Sep.1 Annual outing at Ancadon & Happy Bride Mine. Schedule will be posted on day to day activities.Nov. 13 Goldhound meeting, 100 East St. Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall, 7-9 pm Dec. 11 Goldhound Annual Pot-Luck Christmas party/meeting, 100 East St., Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall SPECIAL EVENTS - 2009Sept. 5-6 FORESTHILL HERITAGE CELEBRATION AND CALIFORNIA STATE GOLDPANNING CHAMPIONSHIPS. GOLDHOUNDS ANNUAL FUND RAISER. more info will follow.Sept. 9-26 & 9/27 - The Nuggets will teach goldpanning at the Colfax Rail Fair Info. contact Carol EbbittOct. 17 IOWA HILL GOLD RUSH DAYS- Food & drink all day. Mountain Men & Entertainment. Info to follow. Contact info Cathy Morgan, Iowa Hill School.(530) 913-8539 or 913-9680. OTHER CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONSRoseville Rock Rollers Gem & Mineral Society meets 2nd Tues. monthly, Roseville Fairgrounds, Garden Room, 800 All America City Blvd., www rockrollers. com or Box 212, Roseville, 95678 or call Florence, (916) 961-6868. email rockrollers @ hotmail.com. or WWW.ROCKROLLERS.COM El Dorado County Mineral & Gem Society - email info@eldoradomineralandgem.org - 530-676-2472 or www. eldoradomineralandgem.org - Mail: Box 950, Placerville, CA 95677- meets mthly. on 3rd Tues.at Senior Center, 937 Spring Street, Placerville, at 7:00. This club is active and has a monthly newsletter.Gold Prospector Association of America, meets quarterly, for info, Jim Hutchings, 530-367-5108. (Claims) Date of next mtg., 7/18/09. FOR INFO WWW.GOLDPROSPECTORS.ORG OR 1-800- 551-9797.Sac.Valley Detecting Buffs meet 1st Thurs. monthly, Sac.County Old SMUD Bldg. corner Elkhorn & Don Julio in No. Highlands, or call 916-987-9336 - www sacramentovalleydetectingbuffs.com.United Prospectors meets every other month at outings, www. unitedprospectors.com. Info 510-733-3253. Club has claims and newsletters every 2 months. meets at outings.Shasta Miners, meets 3rd Friday, Happy Valley Center, Anderson, info 530-623-4209, claims, mthlynewsletr. Public Lands for the People, 7194 Conejo Dr., San Bernardino, CA 92404, (909) 889-3039, WWW.PLP2.ORG- PLP continues to work on your behalf to keep public lands open. Donations are tax deductible.New 49’ers Prosp.Club. Box 47, Happy Camp, CA 96039, new49ers@goldgold.com, WWWGOLDGOLD.COM For info call 530 493-2012. Club has Claims.ICMJ’S Prospecting & Mining Journal, Box 2260 Aptos, CA 95001 or wwwicmj.com.831-479-1500Comstock Gold Prospectors, Box 20781. Reno, NV 89515 , Club has Claims contact Reno Mining Supply.Gold Pan California, Gold Adventures, 1021 Detroit Avenue #D, Concord, CA 94518, (925) 825-GOLD

MEETINGS ARE HELD the 2nd Friday of each month at the Veterans Hall in Auburn, 7:00om-9:00pm, 100 East St. Take Hwy 80 to Auburn, then Hwy 49 east, at the first stop light, turn right, go one block, turn right again, Veter-ans Hall sits on the left, parking in the back. Public invited. FOR SALE: WHITE’S GMT METAL DETECTOR, PIN POINT PROBE, BAG & HEADPHONES . USED ONCE, $750 OR BO, RAY DODDS (530) 367-5539. WON AT DEC. 2008 MEETING...Minelab, GPX4000 or 4500 J-P is looking to but this detector if someone is interested in selling. His contact: J-P at sjpkorn@att.net.

MOTHER LODE GOLDHOUNDS NEWSLETTERP.O. BOX 149FORESTHILL, CA 95631(530) 367-2891

July 2009

TO:

Frank, finding nuggets on the

North Fork.e-mail: pmining@pioneermining.com Fax (530) 885-0583

NEWSLETTER ISSUED MONTHLY - Issue #264 July 2009Mailing address: MOTHER LODE GOLDHOUNDS

P.O. Box 149, Foresthill, Ca. 95631 A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT MINERALS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

PUBLIC WELCOME!Newsletter/Membership Cost $45.00 Family Per year $40.00 Per year for Individuals

Publisher and Editor: Goldhounds (530) 367-2891 (vm) email: goldworld@wildblue.net

www.goldhounds.com