Waterfall Mine
In the early 1850s, a small party of prospectors from the East Coast traveled into Shasta County, crossing near Cow Creek and Fort Reading, and followed a rugged stream thirty miles into the high mountains. There, they discovered a stunning, high waterfall, behind which lay an exceptionally rich vein of exposed quartz gold. After harvesting as much gold as they could physically carry, they attempted to enlist the military at Fort Reading for protection against hostile forces, but their request was denied, forcing them to abandon the site and return East. Years later, several members of the party returned to California to relocate the waterfall but found the rugged canyon topography completely unrecognizable, leaving the rich deposit lost to history.
Field Research Notes
The search area lies in the highly rugged and often inaccessible terrain of eastern Shasta County within the Lassen National Forest. Many surrounding lands are privately owned timberlands, so obtaining land status maps and local permissions is essential. Focus search efforts on identifying old geographic waterfalls on tributaries of Cow Creek.
Recommended Gear
Wilderness GPS, Rock Hammer, Magnifying Loupe, Bear Spray
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