Newsletter
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
President's Message:February 2026
Is it at least 50 degrees outside yet?
1. The season is colder. Grab your concentrators and let’s go because gold is $4991/oz
2. Our January outing went fantastic. We had about 12 people at the dynamic duo Benson’s abode where we worked on our HPA’s for gold mining on the beach at Cape Disappointment. Morning potluck breakfast was spot on and thanks to all of those that came and participated. Special thanks to Karla and Rodger for sharing their home with us.
3. Our February 14th 1000am meeting will be full of Valentine’s Day charm discussing a coordinated outing February 28th with the Scouts of our region and teaching them all about mining and prospecting. We will also be a first discussion of upcoming March activities including rock cutting and gold smithing. Hope to see you there at Elim Lutheran Church in Port Orchard 1000am in the morning.
4. The February 28th outing will be a coordinated fun learning experience with the Scouts of Chief Seattle Council at their Camp Parsons for their “Klondike Gold Rush Camporee”. Activities to start at 0900. We will be teaching them all about kids all about ethical mining and prospecting in Washington State And how to pan for gold. We need your help and equipment including Tables, Cement mixing bins for panning, pans, black sand or gravel, your copy of Gold n Fish Pamphlet, extension cords, buckets etc. Lunch will be provided. If you would like to camp with the scouts over the weekend, please contact Don Parsons at 360-535-3964. The event itself will start 0900-1600 so please arrive to allow time for set up. Location will be at camp Parsons 970 Bee Mill Rd, Brinnon Wa 98320. For more information or questions you can contact me directly at blakeeric69@hotmail.com or 360-509-4572.
5. The March outing will include discussion of rock hounding and rock cutting as well as gold smithing. We hope to have a new gold smelter on hand to test and then have available as equipment to you to use for free.
6, Our 2026 Calendar is out. Please review it and make plans for a fun year.
7. Please see our Membership Coordinator to update your 2026 waiver and receive your 2026 dashboard pass. A reminder that reservations are now being taken for our September Cape Disappointment outing.
8. The newest version of the Gold and Fish book is on WDFW’s web site for download here: https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02150
9. Reminder to all the claims are still open and turn your claims work forms into our claims manager Carl Kresnel. Happy diggings.
As always we are small scale miners.
Stay healthy
Eric
WE ARE SMALL SCALE MINERS
Membership
You don’t have to be a member of GPAA to be a member of our chapter. You are welcome to mine on the claims that the chapter owns, provided you adhere to mining policies, rules and procedures. No dues are collected. Chapter funds are raised through bake sales, raffles and various other activities. Meeting minutes and By-Laws available for review at chapter meetings.
Please note: Only GPAA members can become chapter officers. Also, non-GPAA members must be with a GPAA member to use GPAA claims.
Claim Passes & Chapter Emergency Contact Info. Rodger and Karla Benson have the 2026 year claims passes available and will have them at meeting upon review of your emergency contact information.
If you no longer want to receive email notifications or to be a member of WWGPAA please notify Rodger or Karla at the meeting. Thanks.
The new version of the Gold and Fish book is on WDFW’s web site for download here: https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02150 . All the claims are still open and turn your claims work forms into our claims manager. Happy diggings.