Find gold in Alaska! Metal detecting, suction dredging, or highbanking - we provide it all and you keep all the gold you find! Moore Creek Mining LLC is making their mining property available to select people who want to share in an Alaskan adventure. We provide all the equipment. If you have ever wanted to try metal detecting, suction dredging, or highbanking but do not want to invest in all the equipment? Well now you can try it all. Detect one day, dredge the next, and highbank on another. We provide all the gear so you do not have to. Comfortable accommodations, great cooking, fun people, and a genuine mining camp all provide for a unique Alaskan experience.
Moore Creek produced over 60,000 ounces of gold and at one time was the largest producing mine in Southwestern Alaska. It was noted for the many large pieces of gold with quartz attached found during mining operations. Due to the nature of the old mining systems many of these large pieces were lost in the tailing piles. In 2005 a limited "pay-to-mine" operation commenced on the claims. Visitors have found almost 200 ounces of gold nuggets and gold/quartz specimens in the tailing piles with metal detectors, gold dredges, and power sluices since then. There is a very high percentage of gold nuggets and specimens found weighing over 1/2 ounce. The largest specimen found by a visitor weighed 24.79 ounces and is a large section of an extremely rich gold vein.
News Flash - Moore Creek will be featured on the Travel Channel's Best Places to Find Cash and Treasures Show after December. Check your local listings for exact time. Look for the episode on Hope, Alaska. Moore Creek is in the second half of that episode.
Moore Creek is perfect for those who do not have their own mining equipment because we provide everything you need to find gold. A deluxe tent camp is provided along with food and cooking facilities. Food is prepared by the camp cook and is some of the best you'll get anywhere. The sleeping tents are designed for eight persons, but only two people will be housed per tent so you have plenty of room. An oversized cot with mattress is provided but you must bring your own sleeping bag. A hot water shower and washing machine are provided. Several 4" suction dredges and several highbankers are provided along with all the fuel you need to use them. We also have a 6" dredge available for those who want to partner up with someone and try some more serious dredging (first come, first serve). Several metal detectors are available for those that want to try detecting for gold. For those serious detectorists that wish to bring their own detectors we highly recommend the Minelab SD/GP series detectors for Moore Creek. There is battery charging capability at the camp.
Dredging, highbanking, and detector finds one week
Anyone can find gold at Moore Creek using a highbanker or suction dredge. However, metal detecting has been very popular because large nuggets are found at Moore Creek. While we encourage people to try metal detecting, the expertise required does make finding gold nuggets with a metal detector a true challenge. Experienced detectorists have been able to find nuggets almost daily at Moore Creek, but less experienced individuals are hard pressed to find a nugget or two in the entire week. Still, with luck even beginners can make exceptional finds with a detector at Moore Creek, as evidenced by Dean's 6.54 ounce nugget find, his very first nugget ever with a metal detector. And the spectacular find by Jesse of a 24.79 oz monster on what was also a first time nugget hunt. But novices generally have a tough time finding gold nuggets with a metal detector, and so dredging and highbanking presents most people with a surer way of finding some gold. Typical finds running a highbanker or 4" suction dredge are one to two pennyweight (1/20th ounce) per day per person but the results vary with the experience level and number of hours worked. Total results per person from dredging or highbanking have ranged from about 1/4 oz for the week on up to over an ounce in the week. In 2008 heavy equipment will be employed for the first time to help dredgers and highbankers get more gold. We expect 2008 to be our most productive season ever for our visitors.
Suction dredging and metal detecting for gold
Moore Creek Mining LLC is providing an opportunity for those who want to try mining in Alaska but who may not have the equipment, a place to go, and who do not want to worry about permitting issues. The idea is to give you a chance to use different types of mining equipment in a real mining camp with the least effort on your part... except for the labor! And you keep all the gold you find!!
See Cost & Availability for details on how to book a visit to Moore Creek in 2008
Photo Album Aerial Photos Weather & Maps Things to Do What to Bring/Tips
Moore Creek 2006 Report
Another Moore Creek 2006 Report
McGrath Webcam
Top Gold Finds at Moore Creek
Anchorage Daily News Article about Moore Creek 2005 Visitor Writes About Moore Creek USA Today Article about Moore Creek
Get a One Hour Moore Creek DVD
What was life like in the early days in the Moore Creek area? Read the memoirs of Elmer Keturi
Alaska Gold Forum - The online meeting place for Moore Creek visitors
Nuggethunting.com - Another forum with many posts about Moore Creek
Jesse with 25 oz, 2.5 oz, and 1.9 oz finds he made with a metal detector at
Moore Creek
