A GOLD MINE FOR TOURISM.

• Author: CASERTA, CINDY
• Position: Gold Rush Gold Camp, Alaska

With Fairbanks preparing for its three-year Gold-Rush Centennial celebration next year, gold-related tourism businesses are hoping to mine the tourists by cashing in on increased marketing efforts to draw visitors to the area. Competition is increasing as new attractions open and existing businesses revamp or expand.

Gold Rush Gold Camp

The newest attraction, Gold Rush Gold Camp, is located in Fox, less than two miles from the two largest mining attractions in the Interior-El Dorado Gold Mine and Gold Dredge #8. Owned by Andy Wescott and Mike Roberts, Gold Rush Gold Camp sits on 40 acres of prime property, just north of Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.'s pipeline viewing station and visitors center, the third most popular attraction in the Interior.

"Location and acreage were very important in our consideration. Fox has the most potential for tourism growth and mining is important to this area. We are easily accessible to those visiting the pipeline and other highway travelers," Wescott said.

Wescott and Roberts are not new to gold mining or tourism. Along with mining the Chatanika River drainage for years with Roberts, Wescott built El Dorado Gold Mine as a tourist attraction in 1982. El Dorado received an award from the Alaska Visitors Association for public presentation and customer satisfaction in 1992, Wescott said. After selling El Dorado to the Binkley family in 1994 (the Binkleys are long-time sternwheeler riverboat guides), Wescott consulted for Westours following its purchase of Gold Dredge #8.

"I built El Dorado and consulted for Dredge #8, so I know what I have to do to be competitive. While El Dorado and Dredge #8 cater to large tour companies, there are a larger percentage of independent travelers and small tours. I want to attract them," Wescott said.

Wescott and Roberts promise to have "the most thorough mining tour in the state," with demonstrations of every mining technique from hand mucking to modern placer and hardrock mining. They have purchased Gold Dredge #5, which was owned by Fairbanks Exploration Co., and operated on Upper Cleary Creek in 1929 before moving to Eldorado Creek in 1947 and then to Dome Creek in 1955. They intend to move the dredge this summer from Dome Creek to Gold Rush Gold Camp.

The camp will have a working mine shaft, a small hardrock mill, "clean-ups" in which paydirt is run through a sluice box, a 36-gauge train running the perimeter of the property, a blacksmith shop with antique tools, and a...