Not a speck of gold did we find. So, we packed it in for the day and went back to Sierra City for a great meal at one of the local restaurants. On Tuesday, we went a little further downstream to a spot I had seen the day before. It had exposed a bank of rounded river rock and ancient stream bed. I knew this is exactly what I was looking for.
Trouble is, it was on the other side of the river.
The Yuba, this time of year is swift, powerful and cold. But, I was determined to see what was there. With gold pan in one hand and a shovel in the other, I carefully crossed the river. After a few pans of material showing a few colors, I decided to go get the sluice box. With the sluice box set up, I started screening material into my 5 gallon bucket.