Gold panning not thru cruise excursion?

[globalhoneymooning]

We're currently booked on a ship excursion for the White Pass Rail and then bus to Liarsville in Skagway. I'm looking into the option of renting a car from Avis and driving to the Yukon with Murrays Guide as far as Emerald Lake. I'd still like to pan for gold. Is there any option to drive someplace to pan for gold and not have to book this thru the ship?

 

Also is the route/scenery the same on the train ride as it would be driving the rental car to Emerald Lake?

[Yukon]

You can pan for gold independently at Caribou Crossing if you make the drive to Carcross and Emerald Lake, or at the Klondike Gold Dredge in Skagway (their shuttle vans circle downtown constantly).

 

The scenery is similar from the train and highway, but the train offers a look at history and engineering that the road can't match. I've taken the train a dozen or more times but will be on Chilkoot's 9-hour train/bus trip when I arrive on the Coral Princess in 2 weeks.

[Chance's Mom]

Is the gold panning really worth it? We have thought about doing this, but it sounds a little corny for 2 adults to be doing!:o

[Yukon]

Is the gold panning really worth it? We have thought about doing this' date=' but it sounds a little corny for 2 adults to be doing!:o[/quote']

 

A lot of people think that until they see the gold in the bottom of the pan - then it gets pretty cool :D

[PennyAgain]

I always look for gold in Alaska and have never been sorry for the effort.

[globalhoneymooning]

Yukon,

Since we're travelling with small kids (2 1/2 and 9 months), we want to do the train only 1 way and then do gold panning. I checked Chilkoot tours and didn't see a combo for the train 1 way + gold panning at the Klondike Gold Dredge. Do you know of any tour operator that offers this combo?

 

How long is the ride on the shuttle from downtown to the Klondike Gold Dredge? I know some attractions have to be booked thru a tour/cruise, is this one of them?

 

Thx.

[Yukon]

Yukon,

Since we're travelling with small kids (2 1/2 and 9 months), we want to do the train only 1 way and then do gold panning. I checked Chilkoot tours and didn't see a combo for the train 1 way + gold panning at the Klondike Gold Dredge. Do you know of any tour operator that offers this combo?

 

How long is the ride on the shuttle from downtown to the Klondike Gold Dredge? I know some attractions have to be booked thru a tour/cruise, is this one of them?

 

All the cruiselines offer that combination - ie http://wpyr-ncl.com/golddredgewhitepassscenichighway.php for NCL

You can also, though, just grab a shuttle as it circles town - it's 10 minutes to the dredge from downtown.

[globalhoneymooning]

Thanks Yukon. I was hoping for a non-cruise tour to save a few bucks. :)

 

I appreciate your quick response.

[InternetAgeTraveler]

We did the Chilkoots train to summit and bus return tour a few years ago and on our way back, they dropped off several of our party at the gold dredge.

 

Even if you can't book it through them (I didnt look), but Chilkoot will drop you off anywhere you want on the way back, so they could drop you off there and you could get the shuttle back.