Alaska Gold Rush

[Shawn B]

Is anyone watching the "Alaska Gold" show of the folks from Oregon mining up in S.E. Alaska along Porcupine creek? I know next to nothing about mining, but find the thought of doing something similar exciting. The old timer who has a claim along theirs says he removes in gold $20K-$30K a day   Now I know this is just a t.v. show, for entertainment, but there must be some reality in the whole mess too.

[glenn kangiser]

Haven't seen the show but have been on a forum and do a bit down here.  They have promoted that pretty heavily up there to get people to invest in the Alaska tourist economy.  Some who go there will find some gold.  The merchants will find most of the gold.  The old times such as the one quoted know what they are doing if he is for real. I question one being for real who brags about it like that.  He may run the gold dude ranch.

Most will go there - have a good vacation, help the Alaska economy and find out that most is private or under claim.  The guys with the gold dude ranches will come out pretty good too.

Similar in California.  All of it is claimed for the most part however there are places with a little public access.  Residents are some times able to make deals with old timers.  In several years of doing it once in a while I have nearly paid for some of my equipment.  

Occasionally some who know what they are doing do OK to good.  I have a mining friend who said he could write a book about where not to find gold.

[peternap]

Haven't seen the show but have been on a forum and do a bit down here.  They have promoted that pretty heavily up there to get people to invest in the Alaska tourist economy.  Some who go there will find some gold.  The merchants will find most of the gold.  The old times such as the one quoted know what they are doing if he is for real. I question one being for real who brags about it like that.  He may run the gold dude ranch.

Most will go there - have a good vacation, help the Alaska economy and find out that most is private or under claim.  The guys with the gold dude ranches will come out pretty good too.

Similar in California.  All of it is claimed for the most part however there are places with a little public access.  Residents are some times able to make deals with old timers.  In several years of doing it once in a while I have nearly paid for some of my equipment.  

Occasionally some who know what they are doing do OK to good.  I have a mining friend who said he could write a book about where not to find gold.

I'm finding a little gold here Glenn but I may write a book on "How to find aluminum foil"
I'm an expert!

[glenn kangiser]

Glad you are looking, Peter.

Generally the aluminum foil around here is in the shape of what Whitlock calls Christmas Tree Ornaments. 

They are formed as the foil is shaped and compressed while going through the stomach and intestines of the bear.  A bear living near a garbage dump may create many ornaments per day.

We generally find about 500 pieces of tin, nails, square nails, musket balls, etc to every piece of gold.

[peternap]

Yep...finding a little gold quartz Glenn. Pretty stuff and probably worth more as a gem than gold if I were inclined to sell it. I haven't been so far though.

[glenn kangiser]

That is great, Peter.

The specimens are cool and interesting to look at to see how it formed in the quartz.  Lots of old mines where you go? 

I know they had a decent gold rush back there in the old days before ours.  Don't hear much of it though.

[Don_P]

We built a house near Gold Hill about 20 years ago. a mine was at the end of the road. One of our regular retired visitors prospected as a hobby. He had a few nice nuggets.
http://ils.unc.edu/nclibs/davidson/Davidson%20County%20Mining.htm

I know the area the confederate horde is supposedly in, nobody seems to have found all that leftover gold 

[glenn kangiser]

Interesting history, Don.  Thanks for the link.  Looks like one could do well with a good detector if there are places you can get access to.

[waggin]

From what I've read, it's tough for a beginner to really make much on those prospecting vacations.  It would be fun to learn it and experience it.  The money is in owning the gold dude ranch where the tourists visit, definitely.  If you cover the cost of your trip, you did well.  Me, I save the aluminum foil for making my hats.   

[Squirl]

It doesn't pass the smell test for me.  A bunch of amateurs with no prior experience strike it rich.  And there just happens to be a show filming them.  The probability of an experienced person hitting it big is tiny.  For every one there are hundreds that don't.  Oh, and the millions of dollars that go into a shows production just happened to be following the right one.
[rant on]
I watched half of the first episode and shut it off.  It is just more American reality TV BS.  It is the usual formula.  Take a group of the dumbest people they can find with no experience at what they are attempting and see what happens.  I don't know if they have a contract that the people can't possibly pick up a book, consult an expert, or check the internet or if they just pick that ignorant of people for these shows.  Also a lot of quick camera cuts and splicing to create fake drama is annoying.
[rant off]
Also, even though the I believe the dollar number is false, most people report gross.  After processing, expenses (those backhoes aren't free), taxes, and splitting it between all claim holders.  The number is drastically smaller.  I suspect, if he truly was making that much, a major mining corporation with efficiencies in scale would come and buy him out for more than he could ever be making.

[peternap]

It doesn't pass the smell test for me.  A bunch of amateurs with no prior experience strike it rich.  And there just happens to be a show filming them.  The probability of an experienced person hitting it big is tiny.  For every one there are hundreds that don't.  Oh, and the millions of dollars that go into a shows production just happened to be following the right one.
[rant on]
I watched half of the first episode and shut it off.  It is just more American reality TV BS.  It is the usual formula.  Take a group of the dumbest people they can find with no experience at what they are attempting and see what happens.  I don't know if they have a contract that the people can't possibly pick up a book, consult an expert, or check the internet or if they just pick that ignorant of people for these shows.  Also a lot of quick camera cuts and splicing to create fake drama is annoying.
[rant off]
Also, even though the I believe the dollar number is false, most people report gross.  After processing, expenses (those backhoes aren't free), taxes, and splitting it between all claim holders.  The number is drastically smaller.  I suspect, if he truly was making that much, a major mining corporation with efficiencies in scale would come and buy him out for more than he could ever be making.

Squirl, I'm guessing that they are trying to capitalize on the economy. Bottom feeding !

I see desperate people every day, trying to make ends meet through some scheme.
The lottery is a good example. I once saw a woman that had a thousand dollars but needed to pay three thousand in past due bills and mortgage.
She bought lottery tickets with the thousand. I have no idea if she won but if I had to venture a guess, she's on the street.

[fishpharmer]

I personally find the show interesting.  It aggravates the stew out of me to see the dumb stuff.  I gotta give them an A for effort trying to better themselves.  I hope it works out for them.  Unlikely it will.

[glenn kangiser]

I think you nailed it directly on the head, Squirl.

One of the guys that helps run the forum in Alaska was a bit ticked at me for stating it the same way and indicating that there were ulterior motives for the advertising... fake propaganda movies.

He just happened to own one of the biggest gold dude ranches as well as one of the major prospecting supplies up there.

I quit their forum when they decided they would charge for it also.  Use knowledgeable people's expertise to teach newbies for free and make a profit off help offered freely.  Doesn't get it for me.

The propaganda entertainment will cause a lot of people to invest in a get rich quick trip, but they will be surprised when the trip turns out to be all expenses for a recreation trip.

I suggest only planning for recreation as chances are slim for those not around it for years.  There could be the lucky find, but they could also win the lottery at a service station on the way up there.

As an example, I put a road into a piece of property for a friend - back to some old mines, with the understanding that I got to cover my expenses first.  Value of labor only - not equipment cost... for road and one maintenance trip... $4000  Total gold I have found on that property to date.... $0.00 unless you count a couple of colors in a gold pan.  The value is in recreation, researching history, finding a few old artifacts and having the possibility that as we continue to become more familiar with the property we will find something the old timers missed.  We know the history of the property or would not put this much time into it.  Also it is nearby so is a great place to explore with the dogs for recreation.  Nobody getting rich on it though.

[Whitlock]

Generally the aluminum foil around here is in the shape of what Whitlock calls Christmas Tree Ornaments.  

They are formed as the foil is shaped and compressed while going through the stomach and intestines of the bear.  A bear living near a garbage dump may create many ornaments per day.

We generally find about 500 pieces of tin, nails, square nails, musket balls, etc to every piece of gold.

I think I found a guy that will take the trash for you!

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/sesame-street-i-love-trash/1e66577eca840a7054611e66577eca840a705461-289274462416?q=osker%20the%20groch%20I%20love%20trash

[glenn kangiser]

Funny, I had to sing along.... I already know a lot of the words to that song...