Golden Elk
Elk Creek Sold
Elk Creek is one of the prominent gold bearing drainages known for its history, incredible yields with an open dredging season that miners constantly search for. Elk Creek is also large enough to sustain a 5″ dredge through the mining season. As you can see from a day dredging a 5′ x 5′ hole, Elk Creek is rich with potential. The claim is a bit more remote, so while you can access it with a truck, it is a bit rougher terrain, although that can be an excellent advantage if you don’t want the constant foot-traffic back and forth across the site. This claim sits about a 1/2 mile downstream from the historic Elkhorn mine (labeled on the map). Another excellent perk, is there is a large camping area “on” the east end of the claim, south side of Elk Creek, that you can see in the aerial image. Sorry I don’t have pictures to post of that camping area, but large enough to sustain a trailer or two, and great place to set up and work.
- Acreage: 19.8 acres
- River footage: 1550 feet of Elk Creek
- Placer/lode: placer
- Location: Boise County, Township 7N, Range 6E, Section 20 NW & NE 1/4s
- Mining claim serial #: IMC 224979
Map to Claim
Coordinates
NW 43°55’57.3240”N, -115°46’28.7760”W
NNW 43°55’58.2960”N, -115°46’22.7280”W
NE 43°55’58.2960”N, -115°46’09.9120”W
SE 43°55’51.7080”N, -115°46’09.9120”W
SW 43°55’51.7080”N, -115°46’28.7760”W
NW 43.93259°N, -115.77466°W
NNW 43.93286°N, -115.77298°W
NE 43.93286°N, -115.76942°W
SE 43.93103°N, -115.76942°W
SW 43.93103°N, -115.77466°W
Maps
Images
Overview
Driving Directions: The claim is located 13 miles outside the historic town of Idaho City. Driving directions to the claim: from Boise, travel north on HWY 21 to Idaho City (approximately 34 miles from I-84). Turn left (north) onto Main Street in Idaho City. Stay on this road all the way through town and keep following it straight. The name of the road changes to Elk Creek Road, or NF 379…which you will stay on for 13 miles until you reach the mining claim. If this is your first time to Elk Creek, just leaving Idaho City past the bridge, you will come to a very rustic area (old vehicles, equipment, torn down trailers) that is private, where the speed limit is 15 with private property signs out, just stay on the main road through this area. At about a mile and three miles out of Idaho City, you will come to forks in the road, stay on the well traveled fork on the right (east) both times. I should note that, closer to the claim, the main road (NF 379) stays up above Elk Creek, and an alternate road (NF 379A) that forks and follows next to Elk Creek.
Option 1) To get to the lower NF 379A road, at approximately 2 miles past the “Lager Beer” road sign, there is a turn to the right, it’s somewhat hidden as it drops down to the right at the junction (43°54’49.4280”N, -115°47’42.3600”W deg/min/sec), but take this turn to get onto the lower NF 379A Elk Creek road. You will cross Elk Creek the first time, and then drive through an area of private property, just past the private property the road crosses the creek a second time. The claim starts (south boundary) 150’ to the north (past) this second crossing. The mining claim extends up (upstream) following the road for approximately 1700’ to the large camp area on the right.
Option 2) The upper NF 379 road is a well graded road, which has a secondary drop down 4WD road to the lower road at the mining claim. At approximately 5 miles past the “Lager Beer” road sign, there is a turn to the right, at a switchback it’s somewhat hidden as it drops down to the right at the junction (43°55’58.53”N, -115°46’26.88”W deg/min/sec), almost immediately (within 120’) turning onto this 4WD trail you will be on the Golden Elk mining claim. Where this 4WD road connects with the lower NF 379A road, you will be on the claim at the south boundary, and the mining claim extends up (upstream) following the road for approximately 1700’ to the large camp area on the right.
Special note: there is a road that extends up the Ross Fork tributary, although this is a patented mine (private MS 889A), that abuts the Golden Elk claim to the north.
