Originally Posted by Elijah (Post 858707)

My wife and I plan to drive to Alaska in summer of 2008. It seems that I should be able to find a place to dig out a little GOLD while up there. We have never been there so it will be as much a sightseeing trip as a search for gold.

Originally Posted by Elijah (Post 860147)

Prag,
I think I'd have to fly in to get to Nome, but I have thought of that. I'd have to rent the equipment up there as would not want the expense of flying in my highbanker, etc. This year ('08) we will be driving up if we really do make it.

<SLV>,
I have a small highbanker with a dredge nozzle (2") that is great for cleaning out the gravels where it is hard to shovel with too many large rocks. Actually in smaller gravels I can shovel faster.

The good news is there is a man in our GPAA chapter that has a claim up at Chicken and he has invited me to come up. Just have to get back with him in the spring. Another couple from Florida that make the trip up somewhere on the Dalton highway outside Fairbanks. I've learned some from them, they plan to get a claim in 2008. They spend all summer up there.

Reno,
Thanks for that link, I'll mark it on my map. Also I'll check out the website more for what I'd need to bring myself and what they might have to rent, etc.

By saying, "Be prepared," what? wetsuit? waders? highbanker or sluice box only? I know that in some of the public areas there are dredge restrictions. In the way of equipment, I have that highbanker with the 2" suction hose but have the 4" dredge on my wish list. I have always got gold pans in the truck, along with a short handled shovel a bucket and classifier/s.

Thanks guys, if y'all think of anything else please post! :D

Originally Posted by Elijah (Post 858707)

Chris,

Just found this as it got shoved down some. I'd been away from the forum for a while, but with winter coming back now I should be around for a while.

Thanks for that great link to building equipment. I will be checking it out more. Great website.

My wife and I plan to drive to Alaska in summer of 2008. It seems that I should be able to find a place to dig out a little GOLD while up there. We have never been there so it will be as much a sightseeing trip as a search for gold.

I am a life member of the GPAA and not new to prospecting in a hobby sort of way. I'd not call myself a sourdough though.

What I would like to know if you or any other forum members ever make the trip or live up there and could give me any advice on where to go, what to take, what to expect, etc., etc., etc..... I know there are many here on the forum that might also have some feed back. I've been studying the atlas and topo maps, talking to anyone who has done it and will talk about it.

Maybe I should paste this into my own thread or something, I'll see what happens here first. I may also start a thread on the GPAA forum, lots more prospectors there!