Asking here because GD is so fucked up with edge lords - trolls - and just plain old ill mannered idiots. Any of yall do any mining - panning or set up a sleuce (sp) box just for fun? Say on a family outing or weekend camping trip? Ever found any gold? Do you get to keep it - report it - pay taxes on it. Are there still places where the hobby person can exchange it for cash?

No I am not planning a trip to Alaska - too damn old for that although I did spend 3 yrs in the Aleutians - flew in and out of Anchorage a bunch. Reeve's Aleutian Air still around?

Thanks All
HD357

We do it for fun. It's tough to get to our spot with the river and cold crossings. We get gold every time and all we do is save it away. We can cash it in, but it's more fun just to pack it away in a drawer.

We find plenty to make it fun for the day, but its lots of work and kinda not so safe to go there. The creek is cold and fast. Almost to the top of the waders and we cross twice after a mile hike.

Tons of garnets also. Makes it just that much better.

I never have. Wouldn’t mind it just for fun sometime. Know a few places to go.

Know a small town where it’s all gold miners. Don’t mind hanging out at the bar/restaurant/general store/ gas station/ laundry mat/ hotel they have there.

Those dudes somehow spend the $100,000+ on d9s, excavators etc and still come back year after year. Not sure they turn much of a profit. But it’s a way of life for them.

Yup, I grew up hitting the family mining claim near central for a few weekends in the summer.  If you're lucky you'll get something good.  If not, it'll just be placer and garnet, but it's still fun although occasionally hard work.

Thanks all. What is placer and garnet ??

Placer gold is river run or gold that has eroded from it's original location.

Garnets are a gemstone. I find them all the time in gold gravel.

I've bought gear, there are spots along the highway you can placer mine less than 200 miles from town without a claim or permit. I am just so busy. I think this year I will try.

We've got a sluice and tried it for fun with the kids.  

Never found anything really.

We're still looking for a place to go that might actually have some gold to find...  If anyone has a specific location.

I have seen one recreational site out on the Glenn Hwy past Palmer.

Look at the public sites that are out there.

Petersville Recreational Mining AreaHatcher Pass Public Use Area
Independence State Mine Historical Park
Kenai Peninsula area state parks
Chugach State Park
Chugach National Forest
National Park units except Klondike Gold Rush NHP, Sitka NHP, former Mt. McKinley NP (inside Denali NP/P), and former Katmai NM


I used to go panning, sluicing and running a dry washer in some of the deserts, but I still need to get out and do it up here. I'd like to get a small high banker setup going, but hell there's so much other stuff to do before I get back into that...