Kevin in Colorado...and elsewhere

[wildminer]

This is going to be a fun ride along! Always wanted to make it to AK, but haven't made it yet. Thanks Kevin!

 

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[triple d]

Kevin good to see your living the dream. Don"t keep up with the forum as much. Sounds like your doing it right. Have every thing planned out. Sound like the trip of your lives to me. All the best.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Kevin, somehow you remind me of a little boy let loose in his favorite toy store for as long as he would like to be there, what fun! Must be a wonderful trip especially with your dear wife there with you. Congratulations to you both as you both deserve the vacation.....................63bkpkr

Spruce Creek just Shouts to be explored!! Thank you for sharing.

Yup! Spruce Creek is a Provincial Panning Park. Found one decent flake and lots of fines. We also met another family who needed lessons (and a vial!) so we had fun making new friends too

Pine Creek was all fines. Might be better upstream but we were at a public area near the mouth of the creek. Can’t complain as it was 20 yards from our campsite!!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Did u know there’s one National Park where you can gold pan? We spent the last few days at Wrangell-St. Elias NP and arranged a fly-in to an airfield near some historic placer operations.

This rock crusher was at the edge of the runway:
an encouraging welcome!

Panning in Chititu Creek (about 3 miles from the turf airstrip):


Mostly my wife took pictures but she did dig the largest flake!l

 

[GrizzlyGoldTrap]

What a great adventure you are on! Keep posting - having fun following this adventure

 

[63bkpkr]

Alaska has a lots of creeks, streams, rivers and some have huge amounts of water flowing through them And I suspect you also noticed they are all Cold! One time when I was there, up the Copper River and into Copper lake to Saint Ann's Creek, I went up the creek for a walk (with my then .44 magnum in my left armpit) and pushed the bushes apart to step over the creek and noticed this Large Bear Paw Print that was Way Bigger than my hand. I turned around and went back to the boat! Keep having fun you Two! Glad she got the largest flake.................63bkpkr

 

[KevinInColorado]

What a great adventure you are on! Keep posting - having fun following this adventure

Thanks! I have my GGT along and hope to use it soon!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Did a little sample panning in Anchorage. This was inspired by notes I took years ago when I saw an episode of Gold Fever lol! Tom Maddie and his son were there and just gave a few clues on where they were but I puzzled it out


Gold found was beach sand sized as expected.

 

[gunflintguy]

I see that you are in Anchorage I don’t know which way you are heading or how long you are in Alaska. I spent over 50 days last year in Alaska, seeing the sights and fishing.

Depending on which way you are heading from Anchorage, there are 3 public gold panning areas near Portage Alaska, which is along the Turnagain arm.

We stayed at Williwaw National forest Campground which is on Portage Glacier Rd, about 13 miles from Girdwood, and visited one of the 3. Bertha Creek gold panning area which is about 20 miles from the campground didn’t have much water running at the time and I did some panning but no luck. Bertha Creek also has it’s own small campground but I liked Williwaw because all the campsites were nicer and the sites are paved.

The other 2 are near Hope which are accessed from the Seward Highway via the Hope Highway. They are resurrection creek gold panning area and
six mile creek gold panning area.

The other place I checked while I was on my way to Denali National Park, was near Trapper Creek, it's called the Petersville Recreational mining area which is on the Petersville Road, and it’s about a 30 mile drive off the Parks Highway and Trapper Creek. All but the first 10 miles are gravel and the last 4 to 6 miles are 4 wheel drive or high clearance vehicle.

I didn’t do any prospecting because it started raining hard just after I got there but spoke with a guy who actually camped in the area and showed me the gold he had found.

I stayed at K’esugi Ken campground which is a new state Park Campground with electric sites that had just opened up and was about 20 miles north of Trappers Creek and Petersville Road.

Enjoy your trip, it was hard to come back, we really loved Alaska.

 

[gunflintguy]

I forgot to mention that I did make it to Chicken and stayed 2 nights at the Chicken Gold Camp. The Taylor Highway (5) was really bad when it comes to frost heaves and the last 20 miles was under construction so it should be better this year. I was there August 8th last year. It was really hot and in the 90’s and the only electric sites were at the Chicken Gold Camp.

I spent one day on one of their claims along with a 5 other people staying at the campground. I did get some nice gold and some pickers. However, I had my BGT and there was not enough water to run it so I ended up renting a high banker for the day.

I had planned on heading over to the Jack Wade Creek Gold Panning Area, which is about 20 miles away from Chicken and stay at the Walker fork BLM campground but due to the hot weather my wife and I decided to move on.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Good tips, thanks! Today was spent at Anchor Point. On the Cook Inlet side of the Kenai, a few minutes from Homer (where we are staying). So gorgeous!


Cube it or lose it baby!

A peek at the gold:

 

[mytimetoshine]

Trip of a lifetime. Enjoy Kevin!

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Colorado isn't going anywhere! Have some fun out there man!

 

[KevinInColorado]

...4 hours of digging with a Gold Cube Banker at Resurrection Creek public area on the Kenai Peninsula in AK

 

[wildminer]

Ohhhh! That is nice shiny!

 

[Capt Nemo]

I wish I was up there right now instead of just prepping for the trip.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Since my last post I’ve hit several spots and found pickers at the Felix Pedro Monument and at Chicken Creek. Pics to follow when I have better internet service

 

[KevinInColorado]

Tried several spots on Jack Wade Creek today before moving on to Dawson City. Not much hold but we found a little.

 

[Jeff95531]

View attachment 1622339
...4 hours of digging with a Gold Cube Banker at Resurrection Creek public area on the Kenai Peninsula in AK
View attachment 1622340

Hey Kevin. Life is funny. 25 years ago, I was in that exact same spot with my Dad and my girls catching a different kind of gold. Chrome bright pinks. All day long till our arms got too tired. I was blissfully unaware of the gold beneath my feet then. Fast forward to me in CA with GOLD RUSH fever...and I dreamed of finding gold like you got in 4 hours...and I did...after 4 years. LOL So happy for you Kev and stop by if you can.

 

[KevinInColorado]

The humpies and silvers were hanging out with me the whole time. Fun!

When we get to CA, a visit with you is definitely on my list Jeff!