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Hatcher Pass Matanuska Valley |
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GOLD! A magic word that time cannot tarnish; a soft metal with the strength to forge history. Gold was the magnet that drew thousands of adventurers to the last frontier. Though most Alaskans recognize that gold played an important part in Alaska's history, they normally think first of Nome, Fairbanks, or the Iditarod country. But even before a quarter-of-a-million gold seekers began their stampede into those famous areas, gold was discovered just southeast of Anchorage in 1886. From there prospectors spread into the Susitna and Matanuska river basins, testing the creeks in the nearby mountains.
They found hard rock (lode) gold scattered in quartz veins throughout the granite in the Talkeetna Mountains. These veins were created by hydrothermal action that filled fractures in the rock. Erosion loosened flakes of gold, and flowing water eventually washed the gold-bearing gravel into a stream. The rough-textured gold found in the bottom of pans and sluice boxes hinted at something more: a nearby source, or mother lode. |
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Finally, in January of 1951, after mining nearly 6 million dollars' worth of gold, Independence Mine was closed by APC. In 1974, Independence Mine was entered into the National Register of Historic Places. In the late 1970's, 271 acres of land were donated to the Alaska Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation for establishment of Independence Mine State Historical Park.
Robert Lee Hatcher discovered and staked the first lode gold claim in the Willow Creek Valley in September 1906, and others soon followed. |
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Where to Stay SUPERBLY SITUATED above treeline at 3,000 feet in the Talkeetna Mountains, Hatcher Pass Lodge offers overnight guests and day visitors alike the full spectrum of outdoor experience in Alaska.
A private cabin in a gentle glacier-sculpted valley becomes your springboard to a world of exploration amid stunning mountain vistas. Here you can hike to alpine lakes and high tundra meadows to smell wildflowers and pick berries. Hear marmots and ground squirrels announce your presence as eagles and falcons soar above the granite ridges.
Hiking from Hatcher Pass Lodge to the remains of the mill at Independence Mine, Box Lake, and Skyscraper Mountain add to the attraction of this awe inspiring area. |
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Located in Southcentral Alaska and the heart of the Matanuska Valley, Hatcher Pass Bed & Breakfast is near Wasilla and Palmer.
Relax in the peace and beauty of an authentic Alaska log cabin situated at the base of beautiful Hatcher Pass. Each authentic Alaskan log cabin is fully equipped to meet all your needs with a kitchen, private bath, TV/VCR/DVD/Internet, telephone, and more. Why stay in a hotel room that you could see anywhere when you can stay in your own log cabin. Get out of Anchorage and do as Alaskans do, immerse yourself in the wild of Alaska and the comfort of our cabins. |
For more information vistit these sites: |
| www.hatcherpassbb.com | www.hatcherpasslodge.com |
| www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks.com | www.hatcherpassrv.com |