Overview
This exhilarating day includes a catamaran ride, wildlife viewing, and gold panning!
Step back in time and travel to the old mining town of Porcupine where you'll have the opportunity to strike it rich!
This tour includes:• Round trip ground transportation from the cruise ship pier to the ferry dock
• Round trip ferry from Skagway to Haines
• Scenic drive from Haines to Porcupine
• Wildlife viewing
• Tour of Dakota Fred's claim at Porcupine Creek
• Gold panning
• Boxed lunch
Break away from the crowds of Skagway for a unique custom tour to the remote Porcupine gold mines. This is the same gold field that has been featured on the popular TV show Alaska Gold Rush. You'll have a chance to see a modern gold mine in operation and learn the finer points of gold panning as you work your own pan of gold-rich dirt.
The trip begins with a 45-minute catamaran ride along the steep-walled fjords connecting Skagway to Haines. Enjoy the scenery as we look for humpback whales, harbor seals, and a variety of seabirds. Arrive in Haines and drive along the banks of the Chilkat River, through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, and along the historic Dalton Trail to the ghost town of Porcupine.
Arrive at the Porcupine Creek, where Dakota Fred has his claim. This is not a re-enactment set up for tourists or TV cameras. What you will see are real gold miners at work! Meet one of the miners for a personalized tour. You may be luck enough to meet Dakota Fred himself! Watch the modern machinery wrestling gold from the creek bed. After watching the high-tech method, you'll have a chance to try the old-fashioned way. With some dirt in your pan, you'll learn how to swirl the pan until the gold separates from the dirt. There's gold in every pan, and the gold you find is yours to keep!
After the tour, you'll enjoy a picnic lunch before driving back to Haines. There you will board the high-speed catamaran for your journey back to Skagway and the return trip to your ship. With any luck, you'll need lots of help getting all of your freshly-panned gold on board!
• The tour is available from June 1- September 15th.
• There is a minimum of 2 passengers required to run this tour.
Days offered: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
Departures:- , duration: 6.5 hours The departure time will be determined by ShoreTrips. Times vary due to ferry schedule.
