Sheldon and Geni's 2018 Trip to Alaska
Today is: July 5 (18,165)
We woke up in: Fairbanks, AK We're going to sleep in: Nenana, AK

Shel: Got up to a rainy morning and headed off for a Gold Dredge Tour. It stopped raining by the time we got there. Nice little train ride where gold mining was described, then an explanation of how the gold dredge works and finally panning for gold. We all found gold ( not much, but we found gold). Then we went half way to Denali to a campground where we can charge stuff up and dump the tanks,

Geni: Poured in morning, but luckily for us, it stopped raining and the day was great. Didn't know what to expect on this tour, but it was really fun. Train ride and explanation of how they mined for gold. We got to do it the old fashioned way with a pan and water. How they ever figured out how to mine the layers of dirt, tip the pan filled with water and dirt and end up with flecks of gold is just magical! In a very enjoyable presentation, they told how gold was found using early techniques and we saw the machines that were built early on.

This is a steam driven winch used to haul ore out of the ground.

The steam boiler and out guide for the tour.

Train to the dredge, passing by all the early equipment

A water gun used to spread water on the ground to thaw out the permafrost so they can get to the gold

This is the dredge. It scoops raw gravel / gold in, separates the gold out and leaves the tailings behind

Wonderful guide showing us techniques of swirling the pan. Not as easy as it looks

Studiously panning for gold

These are the grates in the sluce that will catch the gold as the gravel is washed out

This tumbler is used to get the bigger rocks out of the gravel before it goes into the sluce

The buckets that bring the gole laden gravel into the dredge. Each bucket is 6 cubic feet

Entertainment on board

So what do you do with the flecks of gold you pan (surprisingly, our small amount of combined flecks was worth $20). You either put them in a drawer, or put them in some jewelry; coincidentally, a service provided by them for a small fee!! But, love it!! Fun!!