Gold Fever

Sunday we ventured off to see a historic gold mining operation.  We got to the site just as the guide was telling us all about the new gold being piped through the Alyeska Pipeline that was also on the property.  Then we boarded a train that took us on a tour of the mining operation.  We got a firsthand view of what a gold dredging operation was like.  The machine was huge, over three stories high.  It was capable of processing tons of gold bearing ore.  Before it was shut down in the early 70’s it had produced over 10 billion $ (at today’s prices) worth of gold.  Unfortunately it was environmentally a huge problem for it used millions of gallons of water and no good place to put it.  Eventually that type of mining became too expensive and the price of gold at the time was fixed by the government so it became a thing of the past.  Of course no trip to a gold mine is complete without doing a little gold panning.  After sloshing the dirt and gravel around we even had some flakes of gold in the bottom of our pans. (surprise, surprise)  Linda and Tammy had the gold flakes put into small glass pendants to wear around their necks.

Dave's $75K nugget

From the Gold Mine we went looking for lunch at the Howling Dog Saloon in Fox.  Unfortunately when we got there it didn't open until 4:00 pm, too late for lunch so we went across the street to the northern most brewery in the US.  The Silver Gulch Brewery also had a very good lunch pizza thankfully.  From there it was off to see Don and Jody Johnson one more time at the Chena Hot Springs Resort.  This place has the extremes, a 135 degree sulfur hot spring and an Ice Museum.  First a tour of the Ice Museum and an appletinni made in a carved ice glass and served at the ice bar.  The Ice Museum is kept at a constant 20 degrees and thankfully they have parkas to borrow.  The museum has some very good ice carvings (though hard to photograph).  It even has a room to rent so you can sleep there.  Why anyone would want to I don't know.

Now that is what I call hanging planters

That is a gas grill on the other side.
Smoke comes out his nostril.

Room that you can book for $600/night

Even an ice fireplace

After the ice museum, Don & Jody, and Dave & Tammy dipped into the 135 degree hot springs.  They said it was quite relaxing.

On the way back we stopped at a favorite overlook of Don’s son Dan.  He drives his dirt bike up to it.  I put the Dodge in 4 wheel drive lo and crawled up the steep slope.  We made it to the top and enjoyed the vast view.  Said our goodbye’s to Don, Jody, and Dan and made it back down the hill and on to the RV.