Prospecting for Gold in Alaska for Fun
When I wrote about the Crow Creek Mine the other day, I was thinking about my occasional hobby and how you might enjoy a taste of it when you come to visit Alaska. So, when the Anchorage Daily News had an article about gold mining (and the rising value of gold), it peaked my interest. One of the concepts introduced in the article is a more intense gold mine vacation experience.
Imagine going out into the bush (the wilds) of Alaska to an area that is known to have quantities of gold. You would camp out (all gear provided) with a small group of people. Your guides will help you with the equipment, including metal detectors, and teach you how to become a prospector. You get to keep all of the gold that you find. If you are lucky, you could even pay for the trip (or much more). But, of course, there is no guarantee of that. The example they used in the paper was Moore Creek Mine.
To go to Moore Creek Mine, you must fly to McGrath by small plane and from there continue on into the Iditarod area. Currently, the accommodations are tents with cots, so be prepared for roughing it. They do have plans to put in cabins. Despite the lack of a luxury hotel, they sell out each year. The newspaper article indicated that they are sold out for 2008, so plan way in advance if this is a vacation that you are interested in. The cost is currently $2500 for one week. This "does not include travel expenses." The largest nugget found by a visitor to Moore Creek Mine was 24.79 ounces! For more information, go to: http://www.moorecreek.com/pay_to_mine.htm
Another place to try is Ganes Creek Mine. According to their website, they are taking reservations for the 2008 season. They also are a hop and skip from Anchorage via McGrath. Ganes Creek does have cabins with heat and electricity. They even have, oh la la, showers (but not in the cabins). Some of you might wonder, "why bother?" But, those of you with a streak of adventurer and treasure hunter in you will be interested to know that the largest nugget taken out of Ganes Creek Mine weighed 122 ounces! The cost for this stay is also $2500 a week, and again, travel expenses are on your own. Their website helpfully explains all of the air arrangements that you need to make to get to the mine. http://www.clark-wiltz.com/
This is not a vacation for everyone. There will be mosquitoes and bears... and gold mining is a very physical activity. But it will be a week that you will never forget and an experience that you may well treasure.
