- Why does AGA close
from June to September? – From mid-June, through September 15th, temperatures in the Rich Hill
area routinely surpass 114-degrees. During this time of year in the lower Weaver Mountains, dangerous and
venomous wildlife, reptiles and insects are active, breeding and hunting. While gold prospecting in wilderness areas can always be dangerous, Arizona Gold Adventures wants to
minimize these dangers and maximize our guests learning and prospecting experiences by placing them in the best possible environment
for success.
- How much gold will I find? – AGA makes no guarantee that you will find any gold. No weight
or amount of gold is ever promised. We are TEACHING you WHERE to look, and HOW
to recover placer gold in one of the richest placer gold areas of the United States. Your best chance of finding gold is to dig dirt, or “move material”
on one of our proven Rich Hill area gold claims; classify it; and run it through our high volume machines that condense the
dirt down to its heaviest properties. You then take those “concentrates” and “pan them out,” using
a gold pan, or automated “Blue Wheel.” No AGA guest has ever gone home without gold using this method!
- What is "Nugget
Shooting?" - Nugget Shooting, is prospecting for gold nuggets with a metal
detector. Your chance of discovering a gold nugget is 30/70 on a one-day shoot (that’s
Seventy-percent against). AGA teaches you how to use both VLF (Very Low Frequency), and PI (Pulse Induction)
metal detectors. Our certified instructors show you the theory behind the two types; how to ground balance them; use the controls;
and why search coils of different sizes and shapes are used in different situations. We teach you what to listen for,
and how to dig targets. On average, Nugget Shooters dig nearly 200-targets for every gold nugget they
find. Folks, we are talking about bullets; rusted pieces of tin cans; buttons; spark plugs; hot rocks; shotgun
pellets; barbed-wire; nails; 1947 truck bumpers; old coins and more! A gold nugget is rarer than a diamond!
The reward of finding a large gold nugget is high, but so is the investment of knowledge, research and hard work. On
the flip side, AGA instructors have helped multiple guests find a gold nugget during their very first
day of prospecting!
- How long is an average
day? – Eight-to-Nine hours. We get started about 7:30-8:00am, usually meeting for coffee
at the intersection of HWY 71 and 89, in Congress. Then we head out Stanton Road to the claims. We’ll work until
4:00pm. After we pack up, it will be a 40-minute drive back out to pavement, and another five-minutes to the Sierra
Vista Motel in Congress.
- How many will be in our group? – Arizona Gold Adventures is a Private
gold prospecting experience. We never put strangers together in a group. You receive private and personalized
training and supervision from an AGA certified gold prospecting instructor for the entire length of your stay or class.
- What
about Dangerous Weather? In rare instances when Central Arizona weather becomes too dangerous
to prospect on the claims – usually due to lightning strikes; flash flooding; rain; wild fires; or sustained
winds of 45-mph or higher, AGA will reschedule for the next day, or refund your money completely.
- What kind of Car should I rent? – AGA recommends
a high clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. We also recommend it be fully insured, as scratching the paint along the sides
is possible on cactus and plants along tight and rugged desert trails. This is called “desert pin striping.” Any street car can make it to Stanton
(30-minutes down a dirt road from 89), and from there, we can usually ferry two-people to the claims, which are 15-30 minutes
further east and north on rugged trails. Larger groups are urged to rent appropriate vehicles.
- What should I wear?
–Long Pants; Long-sleeve Shirt; Wide-brimmed hat –OR- Baseball cap with a bandanna to cover your ears and neck.
Don’t forget plenty of Sunblock for the kids! Good Shoes - No sandals or flip-flops! The goldfields
have sharp rocks, unexpected holes and drop-offs, and ubiquitous plants with stickers and sharp needles!
Do you have a question not answered here? Email Terry Soloman at: info@arizonagoldadventures.com or call him at 914-589-3985 seven-days-a-week between 8am - 8pm EST. 
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