California is emerging from an abnormally rainy winter, where many storms, sometimes very close together, have caused rainfall approaching record levels in some areas. The recent rains are sending new curious people to town, according to Mark Dayton, a professional prospector who has more than 20,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Local amateur prospectors are far from fearful of competition. "Come to California! Give yourself a chance to find gold, there's something for everyone here," said Albert Fausel, who runs a hardware store that sells small personalized gold bottles as souvenirs.