ChrisUndertaking — Chris Spangler
Chris Spangler, better known online as ChrisUndertaking, is a family-focused gold prospector, content creator, and outdoor adventurer who has built his platform around making gold prospecting approachable, educational, and fun for the entire family. His adventures range from California's deserts and rivers to Australian goldfields, often with his children right beside him. His official site describes ChrisUndertaking as a “gold prospecting family” combining outdoor adventures with hands-on testing and development of prospecting equipment.
Gold Prospecting as a Family Adventure
One of the qualities that sets ChrisUndertaking apart is the emphasis on getting children and families involved. Chris regularly prospects with his sons, Finn and Lucca, turning gold hunting into an opportunity to explore, learn, experiment with equipment, and spend time outdoors together.
His content covers a wide range of prospecting techniques, including sluicing, highbanking, drywashing, gold panning, bedrock prospecting, sampling, metal detecting, classifying material, and testing prospecting equipment.
Prospecting California
California plays an important role in ChrisUndertaking's adventures. His content has covered Southern California prospecting locations and techniques, including the San Gabriel Mountains, California High Desert and claims near Barstow. His 2026 High Desert adventure, for example, involved taking his son Finn onto an 80-acre claim to scout, sample, classify material and drywash for desert gold.
His California adventures demonstrate something prospectors quickly learn: conditions can change dramatically after storms and floods. Understanding drainage, exposed bedrock, old channels and where heavy material concentrates can reveal opportunities that weren't accessible before.
Building & Testing Prospecting Gear
Chris isn't interested only in finding gold—he also experiments with the equipment used to recover it.
The ChrisUndertaking family develops and field-tests prospecting gear, including 3D-printed sluices and classifiers, using actual prospecting trips to evaluate how well different designs capture fine gold.
That combination of prospector and gear experimenter gives his content an educational angle for people interested in understanding why a particular sluice setup or recovery method works.
Prospecting Beyond California
ChrisUndertaking's adventures aren't limited to the United States. The family has also prospected extensively in Australia, including New South Wales goldfields and areas around Trunkey Creek and Canberra. These trips feature bedrock prospecting, sluicing, detecting and working within Australia's different equipment and mining regulations.
That international perspective gives followers an opportunity to see how prospecting techniques must be adapted to different geology, terrain, regulations and water conditions.
Why Follow ChrisUndertaking?
ChrisUndertaking is especially worth following because he brings together California gold prospecting, family adventure, education, equipment testing and social-media storytelling.
His message also fits naturally with families who want to introduce younger generations to prospecting. Chris's adventures demonstrate that a successful day doesn't necessarily require a giant nugget. Kids can learn about geology, history, problem-solving, equipment, nature and responsible outdoor recreation while experiencing the excitement of finding their own gold.
As Chris's own adventures demonstrate, when you're prospecting with family, the gold is only part of the treasure.
Follow ChrisUndertaking
ChrisUndertaking maintains a presence across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, in addition to his prospecting website.
Known for: Family Gold Prospecting • California Prospecting • Sluicing • Highbanking • Drywashing • Bedrock Gold • Prospecting Gear • Outdoor Adventures
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