McWilliams Gold Claim | Fay Ranches

Photo not taken on property

INTRODUCTION

Located within one hundred miles of Anchorage, Alaska, yet still in the remote Alaskan wilderness, you will find McWilliams Gold Claim. It is a historic gold mining area located in the heart of the Talkeetna Mountains. This offering, “McWilliams Gold Creek,” consists of 881.96± acres with patented mineral rights. The property lies on both sides of Chunilna Creek and John’s Creek, with approximately 7.5 miles of creek frontage.

The property includes forty 20± acre parcels with an additional 80± acre parcel (US Survey 6070). It covers an area of about two square miles at an elevation ranging from approximately 1,000 to 2,300 feet above sea level. The property is located in a large pristine watershed from the surrounding mountain plateau of roughly 1,000 square kilometers with virtually no other private land ownership, offering breathtaking views of Denali on your doorstep. Multiple freshwater springs add to the beauty of the landscape.

In addition to the mining aspect, the site offers breathtaking views of Denali and old-growth forest, which has the characteristics of a rain forest; the dense vegetation consists of cottonwood, white and black spruce, birch, willow, berry bushes, ferns, grass, fireweed, and a wide variety of wildflowers. With no signs or history of wildfires in this area, wildlife is abundant with big game species like moose, caribou, grizzly, and black bear. McWilliams Gold Claim offers a unique experience for those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and invest in a gold claim in Alaska’s wilderness, offering endless outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping.

Access to the area is available via bush planes from Anchorage or Talkeetna. Heavy equipment can be moved to the site using a trail from the Gold Creek siding of the Alaska Railway to the property.

Of the 40 claims, twenty-one of them are believed to be virgin ground. The H.F. McWillaims report estimates that 16,930 cubic yards of gravel have been mined from these claims, with a recovery of 2,386.45 milligrams of gold per cubic yard of gravel mined, 7.5 times more than Bureau of Land Management (BLM) values. Based on historical data, estimates vary from $160 million to $600 million in gold reserves still in the ground.

QUICK FACTS

• 881.96 ± acres of patented claims

• About thirty-four miles north/northeast of Talkeetna, Alaska

• The land spans seven and a half miles of creek frontage on Chunilna and John’s Creeks

• Recoverable fine gold 425± mg per cubic yard

• 16,930 cubic yards of gravel have been mined from these claims with a recovery of 2,386.45 mg of gold per cubic yard of gravel mined

• Wildlife includes moose, caribou, grizzly and black bears

• Helicopter flight time from Talkeetna is ten minutes and from Anchorage 30 minutes in a 180

• Gravel airstrip at the property approximately 3,000-feet – repairs are needed

• Chunilna and John’s Creeks contain salmon, grayling, trout, and Dolly Varden

• McWilliams Gold Claim produces a gold fineness of 0.775-0.777

• Alaska State Legislature has identified RS2477 as a public right of way

WILDLIFE

• Grizzly and Black Bear

• Moose

• Caribou

Photo by NPS not taken on property

Photo by NPS Emily Breuwer not taken on property

Photo not taken on property

Photo not taken on property

FISHING

• Salmon

• Trout

• Grayling

• Dolly Varden

Photos not taken on property

INCOME OPPORTUNITY

• Eco Tourism

• Gold Mine Tourism

• Conservation Mitigation

• Gold Mining

• Heli-Skiing

• Cross-Country Skiing

• Alpine Skiing

• Winter Trekking

MINERAL RIGHTS

All mineral rights appurtenant to the property and owned by the Seller will convey to the Buyer at closing. Mineral rights are not guaranteed. It is suggested that the Buyer conduct a mineral search with a title company.

CONSERVATION | STEWARDSHIP

Each of us at Fay Ranches loves the land and wants to see it remain a productive agricultural ground and a quality fish and wildlife habitat. Through promoting thoughtful land stewardship, Fay Ranches has guided owners toward a legacy of conserving wide-open spaces, enhancing and creating fisheries and wildlife habitats, and implementing sustainable agricultural operations. Fay Ranches is proud to say that since our company began in 1992, our clients’ conservation ethics and land-use practices have significantly enhanced our work landscape.

CLIMATE

The most pleasant months of the year for Talkeetna, Alaska are June, July, and August with high temperatures around 70 degrees, and winter lows (January) around 5 degrees. There are about 26 inches of rain, 110 inches of snow, and 130 sunny days on average per year. With its microclimate (different from Talkeetna), this area has snow accumulations up to ten feet.

Climate data courtesy of http://www.city-data.com/city/Talkeetna-Alaska.html

AREA HISTORY

Most of the history of early mining in the area was obtained from the Mineral Report written for the Bureau of Land Management by David P. Dagenhart, dated December 1, 1978.

Records indicate that claims had been staked on John Creek as early as 1909. The earliest claims covered about five miles along John Creek and four miles down Chunilna Creek below the junction of Chunilna and John Creeks.

There is evidence of early efforts by miners in the form of ditches and small tailings piles along the creek banks. There is no evidence of any large-scale mining operation on any of the claims.

Howard McWilliams started prospecting and staking claims in the area in 1948. Between June 1948 and July 1972, Mr. McWilliams staked 69 claims on Chunilna Creek, John Creek, and Bacon Creek. Mr. McWilliams found time to mine on claims J-2 and J-3 in selected areas. He mined 644 cubic yards of material on claim J-2 under the observation of David Dagenhart, a geologist for the Bureau of Land Management. During 1976 and 1977, Mr. Ed Eicholtz mined and processed approximately 13,000 cubic yards of material on the J-2 and J-3 claims.

In 1980 Robert Young mined approximately 9,000 cubic yards of material on the J-7 claim. He reportedly recovered 600 ounces of gold from this operation.

Howard McWilliams

Passage of car on the RS2477 to property

No records or evidence of sophisticated modern mining methods used on this property exist. The equipment and procedures which have been used are not necessarily the methods that would recover the most gold for the dollar invested.

The last substantial mining activity occurred in the 1980s; since then, it has been a time capsule.

LOCATION

McWilliams Gold Claim lies approximately thirty-four miles north/northeast of Talkeetna, Alaska in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Access via the McWilliams-Gold Creek Trail (RS2477) starts at the Alaska Railroad in the community of Gold Creek. The trail runs along the base of the hills and climbs onto a plateau south of the Susitna River. The route continues to the mining claims on John’s Creek, a tributary of Chunilna Creek. The nearest population center is Talkeetna, Alaska, a town having just over 1,055 full-time residents as of the 2020 census.

GETTING THERE

Fly to Anchorage, Ted Stevens International Airport; from Anchorage either charter a 180 or Super Cub. and fly or drive to Talkeetna and charter a helicopter.

AIRPORT SERVICES

Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport is approximately 100 miles south of Talkeetna, Alaska. Talkeetna has a 3,500-foot by 75-foot asphalt surface runway. Fixed wing and rotorcraft charters are available. Please note that the airstrip is currently not in working condition. All visits to the property must be arranged and scheduled with the Fay Ranches agent.

SUMMARY

McWilliams Gold Claim is located in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough of southeast Alaska, approximately thirty-four miles north/northeast of Talkeetna. It is a rich historic gold mining activity that covers an area of about two square miles and is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,000 to 2,300 feet above sea level. McWilliams Gold Claim consists of 881.96± acres with patented mineral rights. The property lies on both sides of Chunilna Creek and John’s Creek, with approximately seven and a half miles of creek frontage. In addition to mining, the area offers breathtaking views of Denali and old-growth forests, offering endless opportunities for outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping. The area is home to big game species such as grizzly bears, black bears, moose, and caribous.

McWilliams Gold Claim | Talkeetna, Alaska

$25,000,000

Negotiable

This is an exclusive co-listing with Fay Ranches, Inc and Real Broker Alaska. Please contact Troy Dana at (360) 402-5500 | tdana@fayranches.com or Yvan Corbin at (907) 301-0875 | yvan@topshelfrealty. com to schedule a showing. An agent from Fay Ranches or Co-Listing Agency must be present at all showings unless otherwise noted or other arrangements are made. To view other properties, fly fishing properties, and sporting ranches that we have listed, please visit our web page at www.fayranches.com .

PRICE TERMS CONTACT NOTICE

Offer is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change or withdrawal without notice, and approval of purchase by owner. Information regarding land classification, carrying capacities, maps, etc., is intended only as a general guideline and has been provided by the owners and other sources deemed reliable, but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to research the information to their own satisfaction.

DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer: Some of the photographs used in this brochure are for representative purposes only and may not depict the actual property or wildlife found on the property. These images are intended to convey a general sense of the aesthetic and wildlife that could be present in the property being promoted. Potential buyers or interested parties are advised to visit the property, review official documents, and conduct their own investigations to obtain accurate and up-to-date information about the property.