Adventure 008, Hike 028 - Marshall Monument

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 028 – Marshall Monument Trail

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  June 29, 2012

Location: James Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Columa

Hike Info:

Trail: Marshall Monument Trail

Distance: 1.2

Duration: 40 minutes

Elevation Rise: 232'

Description:

When you walk the Levee Trail on the East side of the American River, you see this tall, slender white edifice rising from the woods and you wonder what is it. Then looking at a map, you say, oh cool, there is a trail to it. The trail starts close to the James Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park Visitor Center and then ascends sharply up a hill. It is will made, but with a good slope. You travel through oaks. Even crossing an old, but still in use, irrigation ditch. After the climb, you break out into a little park like area where there is a house which is a center for public outreach, some picnic benches and a water fountain under a grape arbor. The later was much appreciated since the way was getting warmer and we did not bring water with us. For those who feel inclined, there is a road to this place as well.



A short distance up a small mound is a large flat space. Rising up from this space is the James Marshall Memorial. In 1885 when Marshall died, he died very inconspicuously. In 1890, the people of Placerville felt the person who Discovered Gold should be honored. They with the State of California raised $9,000 for this monument honoring Marshall. He was interned there.



The trail back is the same as what we did coming up.

Adventure 008, Hike 027 - Gold Discovery Trail

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 027 – Gold Discovery Trail

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  June 29, 2012

Location: James Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Columa

Hike Info:

Trail: Gold Discovery Trail

Distance: .7 miles

Duration: 1:17

Elevation Rise: 27'

Description:
The Gold Discovery trail loops around from the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park Visitor's Center, across Highway 49, along the South Fork of the American River and then back to the Visitor Center. It is a short walk, but what it shows you along the way is what changed the world in 1848. You first see some of the replica of buildings from old Columa. Then crossing Highway 49, you come to the replica of Sutter's Mill. The replica has been moved in from the river to avoid the periodic flooding which takes place. The trail then heads to the river and downstream a ways. You come to a stone wall, with the words Sutter Mill conveniently lettered in white pebbles to show where the original mill stood. Continuing downstream, you come across the old raceway where gold was actually discovered. The trail turns back across 49 and parallels the highway for a ways. You then get to see an exhibit of the old Chinese general store—where the balances were more accurate than the American's—and some examples of various mining equipment. Then it is back to the Visitor Center. You can do the walk in 15 or 20 minutes, but that would be like saying I saw Yosemite without getting out of the car--not a very satisfying experience.

Adventure 052 - Sutter's Mill

 Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 052 – Sutter's Mill

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  June 29, 2012

Location: James Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park

Destination:
The original mill is long gone. What stands now is a wall marking the spot of the original mill. It is next to the South Fork of the American River, where James William Marshall proclaimed those famous words, “Boy's, I think I have found it”. The IT being gold.



A replica of the original mill has been rebuilt in-land, where it will be away from flooding. Like the original mill, no nails were used. Wooden pegs holds the whole structure together. What surprised me was the structure is open air with very little machinery. Most of the structure is taken up by area to stack and handle the wood.



From our readings, James Marshall was more interested in getting the saw mill completed than his discovery of gold. The discovery was made while constructing the raceway which would power the mill. When the wheel which would turn got stuck, the raceway channel needed to be deepened. Each day Marshall would have his help, mostly Native American Indians and Mormon soldiers, clear away boulders. At night, he would have the water spill through, scourging the raceway. On his daily inspections, he saw a glittering and saw that it was gold. After that, he would let his men pan for gold on their free time, while working to get the mill operational. This worked out until the find was confirmed and then all the mill tools were dropped and gold fever struck. After that, well the rest is history.

Adventure 008, Hike 026 - Levee Trail

 Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 026 – Levee Trail

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  June 29, 2012

Location: James Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Columa

Hike Info:

Trail: Levee Trail

Distance: .7

Duration: 20 minutes hiking

Elevation Rise: 32'

Description:
Imagine our surprise when we walked over the Mount Murphy Bridge, going to pan for gold along the South Fork of the American River when we came upon a trail, the Levee Trail. We shouted Eureka! We have found gold! Well, at least a double dipping. We can pan and hike! So that is what we did. We panned for gold along the South Fork of the American River and then walked along the levee. It was a nice morning walk, some joggers. We were able to enjoy the river and see things like the Sutter Mill wall and the James Marshall monument. Also, we were able to go where a few people actually walk, therefore we got a feel for the land. How would the original people of Columa have seen the summers along the river? What would they have heard? All in all, a nice little hike. Oh yeah, this is an accessible path.

Adventure 098 - Gold Panning

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 098 – Gold Panning

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  June 29, 2012

Location: James Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park

Description:
So how hard can gold panning be? You just grab some river bottom, putting it into a pan. Then swish around some water and Eureka! You found gold. James Marshall did not even need a pan to find his gold. Right? Well evidently you need a little more skill than that. As we came up empty, but rich in a better understanding of the impact and experience of the 1840's and 50's. We also found out the meanings of placer (to pan for gold) and lode (to dig or mine for gold). (Are we glad we do not need to pan for gold for a living today!)

According to the Highway 49 web site, how you really pan for gold is as follows:

You will need a gold pan, a 12 or 15 inch steel pan is preferred. Darken the pan by placing it over a burner or in a campfire. This will make the flakes of gold more noticible. • Look for gravel bars in the middle of • rivers or streams • Look for gravel bars around heavy • water runoff • On the downstream side of large boulders or tree roots in streams • In cracks above the water-line, along the edge of the stream • In streaks of gravel that settle above • streambeds and follow the • bottom of stream channels

Place your pan under water, keeping the pan under water at all times, filling the pan nearly full. Throw away the large stones and break up lumps of mud and clay. Hold the pan level with both hands and rotate the pan with swirling motions. As you rotate the pan the heavier gold loosens from the sand, gravel and settles to the bottom. Tilt the pan downward to let the dirty water, sand and gravel wash over the edge of the pan. Continue to raise and lower the lip of the pan so the water will flow over it and remove more of the lighter material. Continue this process until nothing but gold and heavier minerals are left in the pan Carefully inspect the black sand for nuggets or tiny specks of gold or other precious minerals.