Ophir Creek Claims

Overview

“Ophir Creek” is one of those top historically well-known gold bearing tributaries of the Boise Basin as a source of phenomenal color in the center of prime gold country. The surrounding mountains which are littered with lode mines and other adits illustrates multiple accounts of Ophir Creek having cut many of these veins, with rich deposits laying within its gravels. However, as another bonus, the surrounding area (even high up on the hills) is also known for its glacial till (appears in the form of river cobble), which blanket over many sections around Placerville. Ophir Creek is also a tributary that is open to dredging, for that fun feature and option.

These two 20 acre placer mining claims also have a couple unique & outstanding features about them; they have the type of terrain conducive for bringing in heavy equipment for a midscale trommel operation, as well as decent pay layer material found on-site and each of these claims can be increased in size to capture roughly 34.8 acres each (or roughly 70 acres combined).

I would note, that our company also owns the 100 acres abutting to the north on Ophir Creek, where we are in the process of developing a plan for a mid-scale trommel operation…this is how serious we are about the great gold mining opportunity this area has.

These claims are positioned only 2 miles outside of Placerville (with limited services), or about a 30-minute drive to either Idaho City or Garden Valley with full services.

Aerial & Topo Images

Royal Ophir

Ophir Paydirt

Sold

Show me the Gold

These samples were collected from doing a short 3 hour sampling (using suction high-banker), but there is quite a bit more additional color I have collected on Ophir Creek, with having owned several miles of this drainage over many years. There is some amalgam present, but mostly clean color. Within the concentrates I have also found a LOT of PGMs, so be mindful of what you throw away.

Geological Reports

1915 Report
https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0640e/report.pdf

1947 Report
https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0944c/report.pdf (See pages 282 & 283)

Driving Directions: The claim is located, about 2.0 miles outside the historic mining town of Placerville. From the Boise area, Placerville can be reached from three different main routes (all about the same drive time…just depending on which side of Boise you are coming from).
Option 1) HWY 21 to Idaho City, then Centerville Rd. to Placerville.
Option 2) HWY 55 to Horseshoe Bend, then up Harris Creek Rd to Placerville.
Option 3) HWY 55, right at Banks to Garden Valley, then south across the Payette River to Placerville.

Driving directions to the claim: from Placerville, head northeast on NF 615 (towards Garden Valley), about 500’ as you head out of town, turn right (east) onto NF 349. Take this up and over the hill for approximately 0.4 of a mile, and turn left (before reaching the bottom of the draw) onto NF 386. You will stay on this road which follows along the northwest side of Ophir Creek for approximately 2 miles to the claims. If you get to where the road crosses Ophir Cr draw, (at the fork), this is the northern end (but “on”) “Ophir Paydirt”. Signage has been posted along the road, showing where the mining claim boundaries are positioned. West of the fork on the northern end of Ophir Paydirt is a massive camping area “on” the claim.