If you have done any hiking in rough terrain you are well aware that going down a slope is much more difficult and dangerous than climbing it.

I learned the next day that I was not the only one that had crossed paths with a bear. Dick told us about his harrowing experience from the previous night.

Midway into my first tank of gas I was beginning to see color in my sluicebox. Needless to say, I was excited.

The catch being was that it was about 60 miles from Anchorage near Hope, and a good four or five-mile hike uphill to the claims.

…while we were packing up, my wife called for me to help her with something, so I set the pan containing the gold down, off to the side of the parking area.

Sure enough, after hiking a couple miles uphill and hacking through some brush, we found the place just as he had described it.

As I laid in my Jeep and tried to get some rest, I began to realize how tired I was. I felt like a little kid who walked around Disneyland for 12 hours with his parents.