AKAU Adds Family Gold Rush Camp in 2020

A discarded gold dredge just outside Nome. Erin Kirkland/AKontheGO image

Just about every kid knows the story of Nome as it relates to the diphtheria outbreak of 1925 and the Iditarod Sled Dog Race run each year to commemorate the valor of dog teams and mushers. But not many youngsters know that it was the Gold Rush of 1899 that brought most of these people to Nome in the first place.

Young prospectors will have their chance to find gold at AKAU Gold Resort's Family Camp in 2020.

AKAU Gold Resort is absolutely stoked to offer a new kind of experience for two weeks in 2020. Family Gold Rush Camp is a cooperative effort between AKAU and AKontheGO, an Alaska family travel company with more than a decade of knowledge of the Last Frontier and great opportunities for kids and their grownups.

Led by AKontheGO owner and kid-expert Erin Kirkland, Family Gold Rush Camp will operate two separate four-night, five-day adventures based out of AKAU camp. A truly unique Alaska experience, camp will include:

- Gold Mining 101 for kids

- Hiking and backcountry activity skills

- Fishing and a field trip to Alaska Native fish camps

- Kayak or canoe trips

- ATV adventures

- Campfires and outdoor cooking

- Evening programs with music, dance, and storytelling

- Crafting, games, and art

- Reindeer husbandry, including a visit to Nome's only reindeer farm

- Wildlife-spotting

- Day trips to Safety, Teller, and other remote locations

- Beach glass hunting and ocean studies

What could be cooler than an ATV ride across the mountains, looking for historic relics? Family Gold Rush Camp at AKAU Gold Resort is open for 2020 reservations! Erin Kirkland/AKontheGO

And much, much more!

Rain or shine, families taking part in AKAU's Family Gold Rush Camp will have an opportunity to participate in authentic activities at the place where the historic Gold Rush first began.

Family Gold Rush Camp dates are as follows:

June 19 - June 23, 2020 (with an optional extra night in Anchorage)

August 13 - August 17, 2020 (with an optional extra night in Anchorage)

AKAU will provide meals, transportation to and from Nome and on field trips, mining and fishing gear, and any safety equipment required.

Adults: Heading to AKAU to mine gold and want to bring the kids? Absolutely! Our qualified camp leader Erin Kirkland will keep them jumping dawn to dark (yes, even under the Midnight Sun), allowing you time to play as well.

Families: Looking for a truly unique Alaska experience that captures the cultural, historical, recreational, and industrial essence of the Last Frontier? This is it.

Fishermen and women can learn about salmon and their role in Alaska culture. They'll also be able to try their luck hooking a big one at AKAU's Gold Rush Family Camp.

Call AKAU's reservations line at 760-500-1329 for information and pricing, or email us at info@akaugold.com.

Experience Alaska like never before.