Gold Panning and Salmon Bake Combo

Overview

The year was 1880 and two, down-on-their-luck prospectors, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris, stood on the brink of history.

After trading their grubstake for home brew, an entrepreneur and mining engineer from Sitka, George Pilz, sent them out again with a Native American guide, Chief Kowee, who knew there was gold to be found and just where to find it. He led them to Silver Bow Basin above Gold Creek where they found "large pieces of quartz, of black sulfite and galena all spangled over with gold in a creek that, of course, is now called Gold Creek.

One version of the tale has Juneau and Harris making their strike, loading their canoe with one thousand pounds of gold ore and attempting to high-tail-it to Canada. It appears that they were foiled by another of Pilzs prospectors and brought back to Sitka at gunpoint. The word was out and thus began Alaskas first big gold rush, 16 years before the Klondike. It set the stage for a colorful period in Alaskan history and for your very own opportunity to catch gold fever on this three-hour tour.

Your costumed prospector guide will greet you at your ship for the scenic and entertaining 20-minute ride tracing the route taken by Joe Juneau and Richard Harris in their search for gold over 130 years ago. Once you arrive, you're prospector will provide a lively panning demonstration and narration about the historic days when Alaska captured the nations imagination.

You feel the thrill of discovery as, with expert instruction, you rock your pan from side to side gradually increasing the tilt of the pan spilling water and most of the coarser gravel back into the creek. Just the right wave action will winnow black sand and your gold to the bottom of your pan. And not only will you get to keep what you find, but you'll also get a Gold Claim Certificate as a fun memento.

The gold panning portion of the tour takes place in a serene setting where gold is plentiful. You're likely to see local residents in that location panning for gold. There is no other commercial use authorized in this location, so you will definitely find gold - guaranteed!

Gold-panning is hungry work so you're sure to have an appetite, after a 20-minute scenic transfer, for what's up next on your Juneau adventure. Featured on Bravo Televisions Top Chef, Gold Creek Salmon Bake is an event that's been grilled to perfection for 38 years. Savor the aroma of wild Alaska salmon, grilling over a fragrant alder wood fire the signature entree of an all-you-can-eat adventure. The sumptuous spread has something for everyone with a variety of Alaskan entrees, sides, and blueberry cake for dessert.

Meet Tlingit Master Carver, Doug Chilton, as he and his son sculpt two 10-foot, red cedar totems and authentic silver jewelry. Relax listening to live Alaskan folk music in a truly unique, lush rainforest environment under heated, translucent domes. Take a short stroll along a natural salmon-spawning creek to the entrance of the Wagner& Mine at beautiful Salmon Creek Falls where you can pan for gold, see mining relics, and look for salmon. Have fun roasting marshmallows over a campfire and taking photos at our interactive, gold rush mural. The food, entertainment, activities, and ambiance make Gold Creek Salmon Bake an Alaskan experience that is much more than a meal.