Amador County – Members of family-run Roaring Camp gold mine and dredging operation in Amador County said last week that a potential law change in the suction dredge mining industry would affect their 55-year-old business, which could have a rippling impact on Amador County economics.

Dennis Rodman said Roaring Camp is the only road access into the Pine Grove stretch of the Mokelumne River, and people regularly come to do suction dredging and pan for gold. He said they have their own mining claim and deed, and they can also give access to claims on Bureau of Land Management property along the River.

“We get people literally from all over the world,” Rodman said, thanks to the Travel Channel.

They have had three generations of visitors to mine at Roaring Camp, as well as to work there. His dad, Elton, founded Pine Acres and Roaring Camp in 1956. Rodman’s son Mike and sister Kim now run Roaring Camp, with Elton, who is 92 and still works there. Rodman said “the grandchildren work there in the summer time,” so that is the third generation, and his son’s wife is expecting, the potential fourth generation for Roaring Camp. He said “it has always been a family-run operation.”

Rodman said he started school in 1950 at Pine Grove Elementary, and graduated from Amador High. His kids also went to the schools.

Roaring Camp has been on a regular program on the Travel Channel a couple of different times, one of their rotating programs. Rodman said “we were part of the Treasure Hunter show,” which has given the camp a wide presence and helped it draw tourists.

Rodman said: “That’s the hardest thing about losing this suction dredge mining on the river because it discourages the gold mining” and tourism and the economy would be hurt. He said backers of the law change say there are 4,000 suction mining permits in California, but that’s just a small part of the industry’s impacts on the state economy.

He said Sierra House restaurant in Pine Grove “is just packed with Roaring Camp visitors on Sundays,” when the week switches over. They come into the county, stay somewhere in the county over the weekend, and leave early Sunday morning.

Rodman said “every dollar is worth seven because the money gets re-spent in the county” and “that’s a huge amount of money to a county that’s a small as ours.” He said tourism is a big industry for Amador County, and every attraction is important.

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