Dave, sorry I can't give you any information about your upcoming Alaska prospecting adventure, but I would to get your experiences because we have also contemplated a trip through Alaska with our travel trailer.

I'll give a full report when we return in Oct this year.

Hey Dave,

That’s an exciting adventure you’re planning! The wife and I flew from Huntsville, Texas into Anchorage in 2021 and rented a car and traveled/prospected the Seward County (enormous!) claims with my simple backpack sluice/equipment that I carried in a checked bag on the plane. We drove as far up as Healy, but didn’t make it to Fairbanks. You might contact the Chamber of Commerce in Fairbanks for camping information. For Healy, the listing is under Denali Chamber of Commerce. Highbankers/dredges, I was told, were being used at the Petersville Recreational Mining Area (nearly 500 acres!), with enticing reports of good gold being found. We didn’t make it to that location because 4x4 was highly recommended. For that location, contact the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce for camping information. The mayor there for 20 years was a cat named “Stubbs” LOL 😆! A nice young man shared his nice nuggets that he found at an open mining location somewhere north east of Healy…I don’t remember his name but he worked at the Three Bears grocery/gas station in Healy, which is an excellent place to resupply. Good luck,…don’t eat any yellow snow, or try to pet a moose! We saw some serious critters up there in the month of May and seemed like we virtually had the state to ourselves!

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Posted By BRIAN WILLIAMS on 23 Mar 2024 04:44 PM
Hey Dave,

That’s an exciting adventure you’re planning! The wife and I flew from Huntsville, Texas into Anchorage in 2021 and rented a car and traveled/prospected the Seward County (enormous!) claims with my simple backpack sluice/equipment that I carried in a checked bag on the plane. We drove as far up as Healy, but didn’t make it to Fairbanks. You might contact the Chamber of Commerce in Fairbanks for camping information. For Healy, the listing is under Denali Chamber of Commerce. Highbankers/dredges, I was told, were being used at the Petersville Recreational Mining Area (nearly 500 acres!), with enticing reports of good gold being found. We didn’t make it to that location because 4x4 was highly recommended. For that location, contact the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce for camping information. The mayor there for 20 years was a cat named “Stubbs” LOL 😆! A nice young man shared his nice nuggets that he found at an open mining location somewhere north east of Healy…I don’t remember his name but he worked at the Three Bears grocery/gas station in Healy, which is an excellent place to resupply. Good luck,…don’t eat any yellow snow, or try to pet a moose! We saw some serious critters up there in the month of May and seemed like we virtually had the state to ourselves!
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Thanks Brian!
Much appreciate your inside info. Yrs ago we did the Alaskan cruise thing and was highly disappointed so now we are going interior.
Approx 2000 miles to the start of Alcan highway and approx. 1400 miles of the Alcan to Delta Junction.
We really only have few things in our windshield for now....Denali for a week of hiking...Fairbanks @ the hot springs....GPA Central Alaska group claims... and possibly the Palmer claim area. We'll swing thru Chicken and head to the Yukon from there. Anything else we do will be free lancing and everything is subject to change!
No yellow snow here...Weird Al warned me yrs ago ;) But I will pet a moose...guaranteed!

Dave,
I am going to be in Alaska from end of May till middle of October. I have a 6 inch dredge and all permits in place. 2 of my buddies will be in and around Fairbanks till July 17th. If you are willing to beat some brush there is over 50 miles that can be claimed where I am going. If interested message me.

Take a BIG can of Deet. We dredged the 40mile
A few years back. Oh and take a gun that starts with a 4. Nothing make you pucker faster than comeing out of the water and finding a Bear helping himself to your lunch 30 feet away. GOOD LUCK.

Will be up in Alaska In July for about 2 weeks. I've been prospecting out of country (my job keeps me away) for about a 1.5 years now. If timing lines up, I'd be open to lending a helping hand and learning from someone who has a bit more experience when it comes to claims and prospecting in the US.