Gold in them thar hills

An abandoned bus sits on an old gold mining claim on a moss and tree covered hillside along a tributary of the South Umpqua River near Azalea in southwestern Oregon on Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021. The area has a long history of gold mining going back into the mid 1800’s when gold prospectors and clans of Chinese miners worked the gold-bearing streams in the area.

A modern day gold miner displays the largest chunk of gold he has discovered on his claim along a tributary of the South Umpqua River near Azalea in southwestern Oregon. For the past few years he has been finding small scattered amounts of gold, but dreams of striking it rich. 

Arcane laws still apply to those seeking gold on public property.

An abandoned gold mine dives deep into a moss and tree covered hillside along a tributary of the South Umpqua River near Azalea in southwestern Oregon. The area is scattered with remnants of past mining activities.