Remote Prospecting?

[Geowizard]

Money?

The show stopper isn't the ice or the threat of being eaten by a bear... It's "money"!

Alaska Airlines fly's a Boeing 737 "Combi" into Nome. It's a combination freighter (front half) and passenger jet (rear half). That works well for the intrepid Nome prospector...

A well planned mission includes a prospecting "partner" and TWO new four-wheelers. So, when you and your partner get off at Nome using the passenger exit, your TWO four-wheelers get off through the cargo exit. Otherwise, without wheels, you find yourself standing in the terminal whistling for a TAXI.

Money;

Unless you planned on a skid of plywood, you'll find yourself taking a TAXI to the lumber store. Don't forget to pickup a drill, screws, framing lumber... You probably can see where this is going... You need money...

The Nugget Inn? Pizza and refreshments?

I did it on a minimum budget of $10,000 in shipped in freight, $5,000 in pocket change and a $20,000 line of credit.

The freight included a 3" Proline Combo with pump, hoses, including extension hoses and a spare pump, a Canvas wall tent, two metal detectors, camera, GPS receiver, power inverter, ATT cel phone, camp stove, cookware.

Wait, there's more...

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Transportation;

Louies Cab service... or...You dropped $20K on two four-wheelers including freight to Nome...

Yep.... there's more...

- Geowizard

[Slatco]

So this isn't a hypothetical scenario? You actually went winter dredging on a river in Alaska in a extremely remote location and these posts are a post run down walk through?

[Geowizard]

Slatco,

I went in "The summer"... when it's nice and wet and windy!

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Thinking in retrospect;

Having been there in the best of conditions, it's possible to extend the circumstances...

The best conditions are camping on East beach, three miles from town...

The paved road along and above the beach is a "common walkway" for all sorts of lets say, "needy" people. That's why you need a partner. If you go it "alone", when you hike into town for provisions, you may have a hard time finding your camp.

Extension of that thought...

You have a diggin' 80 miles out of town and you decide to go in to town for provisions...

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

So this isn't a hypothetical scenario? You actually went winter dredging on a river in Alaska in a extremely remote location and these posts are a post run down walk through?

Slatco,

I have a mining operation in the interior of Alaska half way between Anchorage and Nome.

When I arrive in May, the water is frozen over. The creek doesn't freeze solid. The Beaver ponds are also frozen over and the ice is about 6 to 8 inches thick. I set up my washplant at the edge of the pond and and run dragline tailings. I have done this for eight years. I can see the possibility of running in winter.

In my case, it isn't necessary. In the case of the Kougarok River, it may be the only alternative.

- Geowizard

[Leonard]

Here's the Nome Geowizard was mentioning. East Beach a couple of miles from town. This was 2008. It's changed a bunch since then. This was late July 2008.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qYB679h9Nk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WeGVF8P5Sg

Now when things don't go as planned, this is what could happen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG99E8rCt4o&t=29s

Even with all of the problems it was great! I don't think I'd do it again though. You always need a plan B, or C, or D.
Leonard

[Geowizard]

Leonard,

That's right, it's two miles to town... It's three miles if I'm drinkin' Wild Turkey and 4 miles comin' back!

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

A walk thru;

Anyone contemplating a remote mining operation should do a walk thru...

In past discussions on Nome, I have made the statement that you should take with you everything you plan on touching!

With that in mind, every remote mining operation is different but has the same requirement.

Topographic maps;

Topographic maps give detail to elevation contours and distances and directions between points. The details that are important to know are things like Tundra or Rock pile or fallen timber from a recent forest fire. There are natural obstacles that are often unexpected.

As Leonard pointed out in his video;

You need wheels!

Mobility is essential to both prospecting and setting up a mining operation. Road access is preferred, however... Think for a second why a road is there...

Roads were made at great cost and labor to provide mobile access to a mining area. That may have happened a hundred years ago. How many GOLD prospectors do you suppose have been up and down that road? They were and are presently looking for the SAME thing you are... GOLD!

The remaining prospects have NO ROAD. That hasn't kept prospectors OUT for the past couple hundred years! Russian GOLD prospectors searched Alaska long before it became a possession of the US. There weren't any roads!

Off Road;

Transport, in the North is done in the Winter...

During summer months, the ground is SOFT, the ice is melting, WATER is running in all directions. You get STUCK... Getting UN-stuck takes more time than getting stuck. You spend a majority of your mining time getting UN-stuck. During the winter, the surface is frozen. A hard slippery surface has great advantage for pulling a sled with equipment and other materials on skids. You don't need a road.

My fair weather friends;

I have seen many fair weather friends that become immobile, disgruntled and bewildered resigned to a tent with a bottle of whiskey. This is NO BUENO.

Do a complete walk-thru. Ask; What can break? Ask; What do I need to make this happen? Ask; What is my EXIT strategy?

Stick around, there's more...

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Remote Winter mobility;

Dog sled or Snow Machine, your choice...

A recent article was published about an avid adventurer from a Scandinavian country that flew his sled dogs and sled into Alaska for a winter sledding adventure... Dogs require food. Long story made short... The dogs almost starved and only through help from a wealthy good samaritan, did this story have a happy ending.

Modern winter transport requires a snow machine. ($$$)

All of the cost is up-front...

Your choice, new or used? If you buy used, it's probably about run-out and you best not get in a remote winter setting with a broke-down snow machine. If you don't live where-ever you plan for a base camp in civilization, then you have to make arrangement for storage and safe keeping ($$$).

The sled...

Since it doesn't take much imagination to picture a skid of plywood sitting next to a snow machine, the plan needs to include a sled.

All of this requires planning, preparation and ($$$).

Right NOW... January...

- Geowizard