Location
Northeast slope of Santa Catalina Mountains, T. 11 S., Rs. 16 and 17 E.
Topographic Map
Bellota Ranch 15-minute quadrangle. Geologic map: Wilson, Moore, and O'Haire, 1960, Geologic map of Pima and Santa Cruz Counties, scale 1:375,000.
Access
Alder Canyon, about 10 miles southeast of Oracle, is accessible by dirt roads leading from town along the flank of the mountains.
Extent
Coarse placer gold is found in dissected bars and benches along Alder Canyon and on spurs between tributary gulches from near the Coronado National Forest boundary (sec. 13, T. 11 S., R. 16 E.) to within a few miles of the San Pedro River (east margin of T. 11 S., R. 17 E.).
Production History
The placers were reportedly worked intermittently for many years, but many miners were transient and stayed only a short while, having recovered very little gold. Recorded production is small and for some years included with production from the Old Hat district.
Source
Unknown.
Literature
Wilson, 1961: Location, extent, size of gold; placer-mining activity during the period 1932-33; production.
U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1935: Gives production for 1934 from Alder Canyon credited to Old Hat district.
