Panning For Gold at The El Dorado
Dexter Clark, genuine gold miner now turned author and narrator
©Bert Gildart: “My one wish,” said Dexter Clark holding in his hand a number of heavy gold nuggets, “is to one day uncover a vein lined with chunks of gold even larger than these. Isn’t that everyone’s wish? “
Lots of other people are glad that Dexter Clark and his wife Yukon Yanda are still looking for in the meantime they’re providing a highly entertaining and insightful view into the romance and hardships of what lured so many to the Alaska. What made their presentation so engaging is the two had both worked for many years as genuine prospectors.
Dexter and Yukon now work for the El Dorado, a full fledged mining operation once rich with gold that is also run by the Binkley family (see last post). There’s still gold in them hills–not enough to now continue as a full fledged mining operation–but enough so that if you join the tour, you’ll learn about the intricacies of hard-pan mining a maybe even find a little gold yourself.
COUNTRY MUSIC AMBASSADOR
The tour begins with a short train ride from the “terminal” aboard an open air car pulled by an old-time looking engine. Narration is provided by conductor and commentator Earl Hughes. Because we’d arrived early, Hughes provided us with a front-row seat for ideal photography and to answer questions.
Hughes had a nice voice and a winning personality, and those qualities insured he’d be Governor Sarah Palin’s selection to serve as the state’s Ambassador of Country and Western music.
The genre is one I particularly enjoy, and we shared knowledge, talking first about Robert Service and the wonderful rendition famed singer Hank Snow once did of the renowned poet.
PERMAFROST TUNNEL
Soon the train stopped at an old cabin and another interpreter talked about living conditions when the mine had been active. Somewhere along the line, the train entered a short permafrost tunnel which has been designed to demonstrate the kinds of minerals and rock formations which, as the Gold Mine Gazette proclaims, “…tend to prove most productive in placer gold recovery.”
(For larger versions of these photos and for captions, click on each image.)
The train then pulls into Gold Camp where we finally met the real stars of the show, Dexter and Lynette, the latter much better known as Yukon Yonda.
Realizing I was having trouble with her last name, she said, “Make it easy on yourself. It’s like saying ‘over yonder,’ but I shorten it to over yonda.
PANNING FOR GOLD
Our group of several hundred spent well over an hour with the couple, learning about prospecting, panning and place or sluice mining. Then we moved into a small enclosure where Yukon and Dexter provided us with a sack of dirt, from which we were told we should be able to extract gold using a pan.
Essentially, panning takes advantage of density. By swirling the dirt in the pan gold chips settled to the bottom because it is so much more dense (heavier) than what encases it. This portion of the tour may have been the most popular for it provides a tangible return. Yonda told Janie that she may have “mined” over $30 worth of the mineral. Later, Yonda, Dexter and other members of the staff showed us ways in which all the glittering chips could be could be fashioned into memorable keepsakes.
Panning for gold, perhaps the day's most popular activity.
The trip lasted about 2 ½ hours and at the end we found a book Yonda and Dexter had co-authored entitled, On Golden Ground. We bought it and then asked them to autograph it, which they both did. Yonda wrote: To Bert and Janie-Keep on playing in the mud. Dexter wrote: Gold Luck.
Janie and I both laughed, and then waved, shouting, “See you yonda-on the Yukon. With all the people we’ve been meeting-and then re-meeting along the way, it all seems quite possible.
____________________________________________________
