Depart on a unique custom tour to the remote Porcupine gold mines. This is the same gold field that has been featured on TV. Youﾒ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, which connect 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. In 1905, Porcupine was a thriving town of two thousand people, complete with retail stores and a post office. Little evidence remains of the town, but the lure of gold is still strong, and there is still gold to be found in Porcupine Creek. .

Arrive at the Big Nugget Mine, owned by the Schnabel family since the 1960ﾒs. This is not a reenactment, set up for tourists or TV cameras. What you will see are real gold miners at work. The mine processes over nine thousand yards of material per season. The Big Nugget mine is aptly named- the largest nugget found here was a whopping 3ﾼ ounces! .

Enjoy a personalized tour. After watching the high-tech method, youﾒll have a chance to try the old-fashioned way. With some dirt in your pan, youﾒll learn how to swirl the pan until the gold separates from the dirt. Thereﾒs gold in every pan, and the gold you find is yours to keep! .

After the tour, enjoy a picnic lunch before returning to Haines to board your ferry back to Skagway.