Jump to content

Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Coming To Alaska


Recommended Posts

First off, I love this forum and all the info here.  Good work guys!   I am planning a trip to Alaska for the summer.  I will be pulling a fifth-wheel trailer.  I will be following my wife's uncle, who makes the trip every 3 or 4 years for the fishing; but I am primarily focusing on the gold.  I think our primary destination will be on the Kenai peninsula, but other places along the way are not out of the question such as Chicken.  I'm into the gold thing about 3 years now and have been primarily to AZ, Colorado and the Klamath in N. Calif.  I'm pretty proficient at panning & sluicing and did some highbanking on the Klamath.  I have several sluices, Gold Grabber highbanker, and I plan to put together a small dredge or power sluice(no more than 4 in).  I am a GPAA member, so am planning on hitting some of those claims, some public areas, and some fee area also.  So my question is this:  What would you tell someone who is coming for up for the first time, that they need to know or might not have thought about.  Thank for any info to make this trip a success.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


You will need a dredge permit from Alaska Department of Fish & Game. Here is the application for Kenai area.http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/license/uselicense/pdfs/kenai_mining_sixmile.pdf

 

If you need permits for other areas. http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=uselicense.gpdredge

 

The new permits are nice they give info on the streams in the areas as far as dredging times and GPS info also the maps will help determine the Anadromous fish areas.

 

Best of all they are FREE. So don't go with out one.

 

Also when you apply for this permit they will give you a permit for the other agency's you need.

 

Kuddos to Alaska for stream lining the process.

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never been there but I hope it becomes necessary for me to ask the same question someday.

 

1. Have a friend that had bent trailer axle issues a couple of times. He says the potholes will run out in front of you.

2. Take lots of notes for those of us who's only travel is through other peoples stories.

3. Take lots of pictures to share with us.

4. Take Klunker

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the input so far.  DUIs is not a problem!   Guns have come up a couple of times.  I know you can't take handguns through Canada, but I was planning on taking a hunting rifle and a personal defense shotgun(using slugs) on a sling.  I know there is a form to fill out when crossing the border and a fee.  My uncle says we can put them on one form and pay one price.  Had thought about buying a large handgun and shipping to Tok and picking up there, but decided against it. 

 

Yukon Jack,  How common is gun rental there?

 

Thanks again everyone.  May have other specific questions later, its a plan in progress.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

East Texas Chris

 The roads are much worse in the Canadian Provinces than when you actually get into Alaska. It is much better to follow someone, and pay close attention to how their vehicle handles the bumps, swerves, brake lights or any other clues you can observe. They usually place a small red flag on the side of the road that has damage. That does not hold water in all cases. Sometimes they have made repairs and leave the flags, or a bad place with no flags. I personally would not drive at night just because of the road conditions. Just take your time and enjoy the trip.

 Take Klunker with you. Might be some gold left in California for the rest of us. lol  :)  

                                                                           Norm McQ

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the driving advice.   I don't drive very fast and my wife won't let me drive through the nights, so we'll pullover someplace at nights.  We won't be in any hurry, but don't plan on a whole lot of sightseeing on the way up.  Will probably just take notes & photos for the return or next trip. 

 

I did have another question.  Is the diesel fuel the same quality as here in the states?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...