Goldfields Preview

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1. The First People

The Hän had been living off this land for millennia; and for a much shorter period also alongside gold prospectors. However, it wasn’t until newcomers flooded the region after news of gold's discovery in 1896 that life really began to change for the local First Nation, who are now known as the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.

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2. Unconsidered Impacts

Klondike miners had to be innovative and quickly evolve their mining techniques to make the most of the harsh conditions in the north. The surface gold was quickly mined by the first claim holders, so new techniques such as steaming permafrost to retrieve gold buried underground were utilized.Quickly, companies with more capital and larger machines started to take over the claims from individual hand miners.(Stay tuned- more info on mining techniques and tools later in the tour!)

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3. Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site

Welcome to Dredge No. 4! Were you expecting this huge machine in the middle of this vast landscape?It’s hard to envision that as many as 19 dredges combed these creeks from 1898 until 1966.

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5. Placer Mining Today

As the corporate monopoly of placer mining in the region dissipated along with the dredges, the industry returned mostly to small and medium-sized family-run mines. Today there are about 250 active placer mines in the Yukon, with about 90% being family run.

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6. Discovery Claim National Historic Site

Welcome to Discovery Claim National Historic Site, the spot that started what is considered to be “the last great gold rush.”

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8. Gold Panning

You can't visit the Klondike Goldfields without doing some gold mining of your own! This is one of the few places in the area where anyone can legally pan for gold.

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7. Free Claim #6

Welcome to Free Claim #6!Can you believe that the second largest town in the Yukon once stood right here? It was called Grand Forks, and its population reached 4000 at its height.

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9. 125 Years Later

It's been over 125 years since gold was found here in the Klondike, and its discovery changed the trajectory of this region for both the land and the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin who inhabited it.

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4. Restoration

Dredge No. 4 operated until 1959. Parks Canada acquired the dredge 10 years later, but it wasn't until 1991 that restoration work began.The hull was dug out of the 5.5 metres (18ft) of ice and silt in which it was encased, and the dredge was refloated in a temporary pond.

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That's it! Thanks for taking this tour of the Klondike Goldfields with us.

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