The Pacific Museum of Earth is a hidden gem focused solely on the Earth Sciences. It is found on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus in downtown Vancouver. Exhibits are located in both the Earth and Ocean Sciences Main Building and Earth Sciences Building located along the Main Mall. The museum, UBC’s first, was … Read more
Official Club Website Facebook Page Vernon, B.C. is home to the Vernon Lapidary and Mineral Club. An active club since 1959, they host monthly meetings and go on many field trips, often with the 1120 Rock Club in Kelowna. Members gain acces to an extensive workshop and they can be found giving how to presentations … Read more
Official Club Website Facebook Page Kelowna, B.C. is home to the 1120 Rock Club. An active club, they host monthly meetings, got on field trips, assist in hosting rock and gem shows in the Okanagan, and host regular geological and related presentations. Their workshop is in the back of a local Rock and Gem shop … Read more
The Tranquille River is the most famed public panning reserve in British Columbia, Canada. Its notoriety is richly deserved as there absolutely is gold here. Lots of it. And not just flour gold or tiny flakes. With a bit of luck, you’ll unearth pickers and even small nuggets. Located 18 km west of downtown Kamloops, … Read more
The Klinker Opal Property is currently the only opal fee dig mine in Canada. It is located in Vernon, British Columbia though the mine itself is an hour’s drive west of the city. Paid digs meet on the west shore of Okanagan Lake which reduces the drive to the mine by half or more. There … Read more
The Kettle River Recreational Panning Reserve is located roughly halfway between Veron and Fauquier along Highway 6 in the Monashee Mountains of British Columbia. The closest pseudo-town is likely Cherryville, home of the Gold Panner Campground which is known to have gold on their claim. The Kettle River does have a gold rush history, albeit … Read more
Barnes Creek Recreational Panning Reserve is located north of Highway 6 just a few kilometres east of the Needles – Fauquier ferry across Upper Arrow Lake. The area is not heavily developed but there are some recreational properties around and a nearby retreat. The land is mostly forested though plenty of forestry is occuring in … Read more
The Kennedy River Recreational Panning Reserve is located an hour’s drive west of Port Alberni on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. It’s the only panning reserve located on the island. The panning reserve covers a swath of land roughly 2 km by 1 km straddling the Kennedry River along Highway 4 (Pacific Rim Highway). This is … Read more
The Hope Recreational Panning Reserve covers approximately 1.5 km of riverbank on the south side of the Fraser River. The panning reserve extends southwestard from the confluence with the Coquihalla River thought the broadest bar to work is right at the confluence. This panning reserve borders a residential area. Based on that alone, I suspect … Read more
Goldstream River Recreational Panning Reserve is somewhat remote, hiding away in the wilderness between Revelstoke and Mica Dam. Getting there requires a 100 km drive northward on Highway 23 along the east side of Lake Revelstoke and Columbia River. A further 5 km drive inland on a forestry road along the north side of Goldstream … Read more