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Every day of the week during the season, the old train of the Tanana Valley Railroad takes visitors through the history of gold mining in the Interior at the El Dorado Gold Mine in Fox.You can join conductor and famous Alaska entertainer Earl Hughes aboard for a short, guided tour through the gold fields of the Interior. Ride the narrow-gauge rails into a permafrost tunnel where Alaska mining history comes alive with a demonstration of early underground mining techniques. The hand-built railroad is modeled after the narrow-gauge train that ran on the Alaska Railroad and then the Tanana Valley Railroad until the early 1930s. At the El Dorado Camp, meet and talk with actual Alaska miners Dexter Clark and his
wife "Yukon Yonda." Learn about present day placer mining with "Yukon"
and Dexter as they explain modern mining methods and demonstrate the sluice box operation.
The Clarks enliven their talk with stories about life in Alaska mining camps.
After a short course in gold panning, visitors get their own bucket filled with pay dirt right out of a sluice box and try their hand at panning for gold. Everyone is guaranteed to find some. (Photo from Lulu Fairbanks Collection, UAF Archives) El Dorado Gold Mine offers hands-on adventure for the whole family, combined with an entertaining education in the history of mining in Alaska, while enjoying famous Alaska hospitality. And if you strike it rich, you get to keep the gold! Daily tours depart from the old train station, at 1.3-Mile Elliott Highway. To reach the Elliott, drive north on the Steese Highway. In Fox, the Steese will veer to the right and the Elliott begins heading north. El Dorado is open May 13 to about the second week in September, depending on the weather. The tours depart at 9:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily except Saturday and Monday, when there are afternoon tours only. Fresh coffee and cookies are provided at the end and guests are invited to weigh their gold. Tickets in 2007 are $34.95 for adults and $22.95 for children 3 to 12. Under 3 there was no charge. In 1999 they were offering a free shuttle service twice a day from places such as Alaskaland and the Visitor Center (reservations required). For more information or reservations, contact the El Dorado Gold Mine, toll free, 1-866-479-6673. |
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