HATCHER PASS,
MATANUSKA VALLEY, ALASKA
By Coleen Mielke
2023
In 1898, gold was discovered in the Willow Creek Mining District, which is on the southwestern corner of the Talkeetna Mountains in the Matanuska Valley. Today, with a good set of binoculars, you can still see the dwindling remnants of those, once robust, gold mines high on the mountainsides. The area is called "Hatcher Pass" and it is world famous for its beauty and gold mining history.
The following description of the terrain heading up into Hatcher Pass was written by the USGS in 1931:
"The automobile road from Wasilla, running NE, ascends the gentle slopes
of the Matanuska Valley and enters the Talkeetna mountains through the
picturesque gorge of the Little Susitna River. About 16 miles from Wasilla,
at the junction of Fishhook Creek and the Little Susitna, is the Fishhook
Inn."
"The road along the west bank of the Little Susitna crosses Reed Creek near its mouth and continues up river 2½ miles farther to the mill at the Gold Mint Mine property. A road starting 1/4 mile above Fishhook Inn, ascends the steep glacial fill on the west slope of the Little Susitna Valley for about a mile in a northerly direction; then one branch continues north up the valley of Reed Creek to Archangel Creek and on to Fern Mine on upper Archangel Creek; the other branch doubles back around the mountainside into the hanging valley of Fishhook Creek and continues up that stream to the Gold Cord Mine."
"From upper Fishhook Valley, a road ascends Hatcher Creek, crosses the divide at an elevation of about 4,000' and descends to upper Willow Creek, then in a westerly direction, skirts the mountainside and enters the valley of Craigie Creek near the Lucky Shot Mine. From Lucky Shot, this road runs NE up Craigie Creek to the camp of the Marion Twin Mining Company on the headwaters of Craigie Creek. From Lucky Shot camp, a road has been built westward down Willow Creek to the Lucky Shot sawmill, a distance of 6 miles. The roads to the upper Little Susitna River and to Reed, Archangel and upper Fishhook Creeks are closed during the winter and spring, by snow. A winter road enters Craigie Creek from Willow Station, on the Alaska Railroad, about 30 miles NW of Wasilla and connects with the Lucky Shot sawmill road." Update note from Coleen: The Fishhook Inn burned down on 9/19/1942.
Each number on the map below corresponds to a location in the key below:
(2) INDEPENDENCE MINE: Located near the head of Fishhook Creek, 1/2 mile south of Gold Cord Mine and across the small gulch from the Skyscraper Mine at altitude 4,700'. First staked in 1907 by the Gold Quartz Mining Company.
(3) GOLD BULLION MINE: Originally staked by William Bartholf in 1907, it is at the 4,500' elevation, near the top of the divide between Craigie Creek and the head of Willow Creek.
(4) MABEL MINE: First staked in 1911, located near the top of the divide west of the junction of Reed Creek and Archangel Creek at an altitude of 3,850'.
(5) ARCH MINE: Located in 1912, on the south side of Archangel Creek.
(6) HIGH GRADE MINE: Located 1/2 mile NE of Gold Cord Mine at the head of Fishhook Creek Valley, at an altitude of 4,100'. Owners were Herman Kloss and Heinrich Snider.
(7) MARION TWIN MINE: Operating pre-1928, it sits at an altitude of 4,500 near the head of Craigie Creek and just below the Schroff-O'Neil Mine.
(8) SCHROFF-O'NEIL MINE: Located at an altitude of 4,900' on the Craigie Creek side of the pass from Upper Fishhook Creek. Owned by Ward Schroff and Frank O'Neil in 1950.
(9) LUCKY SHOT MINE: Located 1/2 mile NW of the Willow Creek and Craigie Creek junction. It was first staked in 1918. There was a small airstrip at this mine in about 1933.
(10) WAR BABY: staked in 1918, lies at an altitude of 1,200' east of Lucky Shot Mine and 185' below it on western slope of Craigie Creek. Active 1918-1927.
(11) LONESOME MINE: Located three miles above the mouth of Archangel Creek on the SE side of the Little Susitna River.
(12) GOLD MINT MINE: Originally owned by the Marion Twin Mine, it was on the SE slopes of the Little Susitna River just passed the Lonesome Mine.
(13) HOLLAND MINE: Located (1922) at the head of Purches Creek, just north of the low divide between Purches Creek and Craigie Creek by Ed Holland.
(14) FERN MINE: Originally known as Fern-Goodell Property, it was on the east spur of the ridge between Archangel Creek and Fairangel Creek in 1917. Originally reachable by automobile, 24 miles from Wasilla. Owned by the Talkeeetna Mining Company.
(15) MARTIN MINE: Located on upper Fishhook Creek on the property of Alaska Free Gold Mining Co., struck gold in 1906. It is on the top and west slope of the ridge north of Hatcher Creek and between Fishhook Creek and Willow Creek. Two veins mined were the Skyscraper and Homestake veins.
(16) MILLER PROSPECT: Located by Oliver Cromwell "O.C." Miller in 1906. Located on the east side of the Little Susitna River, one mile below the mouth of Fishhook Creek.
(17) MOGUL PROSPECT: Located at the 4,000' altitude on a rock bench above Reed Creek Valley, 2½ miles above the mouth of Reed Creek. Staked in 1912.
(18)
(19) HATCHER PROSPECT: This discovery was made in 1913 on the upper basin of Archangel Creek. It was a combination of 3 claims known as the Little Gem Group.
(20) TALKEETNA PROSPECT (formerly known as the Matanuska Gold Mining Co.): Located in 1909 near the headwaters of Fairangel Creek, elevation 4,300'.
(21) SNOWBIRD MINE: Operating by 1921, it was located at an altitude of 4,350', on south side of a hanging valley that is tributary to the head of Reed Creek valley from the west. In 1946, a 5,000' aerial tram was built.
(22) WEBFOOT PROSPECT: Located near lip of a cirque on south side of Archangel Creek, altitude 3,925' and about one mile south of Fern Mine.
(23) LANE PROSPECT: Owned by Jacob Lane, the Prospect consists of 4 claims known as the Glacier Claims. Located at the head of Archangel Creek at an altitude of 5,000'. In 1950 a small aerial tram was installed.
(24) SHOUGH PROSPECT: Located on the west side of the Little Susitna River, two miles north of Fishhook Creek at altitude of 3,400'. Later known as Stiles Mine, owned by A.W. Stiles.
(25) THORPE MINE: Located on the west fork of Grubstake Gulch at an altitude of 3,075'; located by Clyde and Alice Thorpe of Wasilla pre-1930.
(26) KELLY-WILLOW PROSPECT: Located near the headwaters of Willow Creek in 1909. Previously known as the Gold Center Prospect. Present day site of the Independence Gold Mine.
(27) MAMMOTH PROSPECT: Located in Willow Creek valley, north of the pass and between Fishhook Creek and Willow Creek, at altitude 3,800'(450' above Willow Creek).
(28) RAE-WALLACE MINE: Lies on the high ridge between the Little Susitna River and Fishhook Creek at an altitude of 4,000'.
(29) ROSENTHAL PROSPECT: Located on the high ridge that borders Fishhook Creek basin on the east.
(30) SKYSCRAPER MINE: Located just across the gulch from Independence Mine at an elevation of 4,500'. Robert Hatcher and partner J.H.Carnegie recorded five quartz gold claims (North Homestake, South Homestake, Tom Boy, Smuggler Union and Skyscraper Lode) on Skyscraper Mt. In 1909.
Orville G. Herning came to Alaska, in the spring of 1898, as part of an east coast gold exploration team sent by the Klondike and Boston Gold Mining Company. During his first trip to Grubstake Gulch, he met Lester Herndon, Billy Morris, Eddie Brainard, Capt. Andrews and a man called E'Van who were working their newly staked claims. While it is widely accepted that these men were the first to look for gold in this area, Herning's journal mentions 2 Mexican prospectors that had been working the ground at Grubstake Gulch for 3 years already; unfortunately, he does not mention their names. This map (of the earliest prospects) was drawn by O.G. Herning
in 1898.
"The road along the west bank of the Little Susitna crosses Reed Creek near its mouth and continues up river 2½ miles farther to the mill at the Gold Mint Mine property. A road starting 1/4 mile above Fishhook Inn, ascends the steep glacial fill on the west slope of the Little Susitna Valley for about a mile in a northerly direction; then one branch continues north up the valley of Reed Creek to Archangel Creek and on to Fern Mine on upper Archangel Creek; the other branch doubles back around the mountainside into the hanging valley of Fishhook Creek and continues up that stream to the Gold Cord Mine."
"From upper Fishhook Valley, a road ascends Hatcher Creek, crosses the divide at an elevation of about 4,000' and descends to upper Willow Creek, then in a westerly direction, skirts the mountainside and enters the valley of Craigie Creek near the Lucky Shot Mine. From Lucky Shot, this road runs NE up Craigie Creek to the camp of the Marion Twin Mining Company on the headwaters of Craigie Creek. From Lucky Shot camp, a road has been built westward down Willow Creek to the Lucky Shot sawmill, a distance of 6 miles. The roads to the upper Little Susitna River and to Reed, Archangel and upper Fishhook Creeks are closed during the winter and spring, by snow. A winter road enters Craigie Creek from Willow Station, on the Alaska Railroad, about 30 miles NW of Wasilla and connects with the Lucky Shot sawmill road." Update note from Coleen: The Fishhook Inn burned down on 9/19/1942.
Each number on the map below corresponds to a location in the key below:
(1)
GOLD CORD MINE: Located by Byron and Charles Bartholf in 1915, just
above Independence Mine near the head of Fishhook Creek.
(2) INDEPENDENCE MINE: Located near the head of Fishhook Creek, 1/2 mile south of Gold Cord Mine and across the small gulch from the Skyscraper Mine at altitude 4,700'. First staked in 1907 by the Gold Quartz Mining Company.
(3) GOLD BULLION MINE: Originally staked by William Bartholf in 1907, it is at the 4,500' elevation, near the top of the divide between Craigie Creek and the head of Willow Creek.
(4) MABEL MINE: First staked in 1911, located near the top of the divide west of the junction of Reed Creek and Archangel Creek at an altitude of 3,850'.
(5) ARCH MINE: Located in 1912, on the south side of Archangel Creek.
(6) HIGH GRADE MINE: Located 1/2 mile NE of Gold Cord Mine at the head of Fishhook Creek Valley, at an altitude of 4,100'. Owners were Herman Kloss and Heinrich Snider.
(7) MARION TWIN MINE: Operating pre-1928, it sits at an altitude of 4,500 near the head of Craigie Creek and just below the Schroff-O'Neil Mine.
(8) SCHROFF-O'NEIL MINE: Located at an altitude of 4,900' on the Craigie Creek side of the pass from Upper Fishhook Creek. Owned by Ward Schroff and Frank O'Neil in 1950.
(9) LUCKY SHOT MINE: Located 1/2 mile NW of the Willow Creek and Craigie Creek junction. It was first staked in 1918. There was a small airstrip at this mine in about 1933.
(10) WAR BABY: staked in 1918, lies at an altitude of 1,200' east of Lucky Shot Mine and 185' below it on western slope of Craigie Creek. Active 1918-1927.
(11) LONESOME MINE: Located three miles above the mouth of Archangel Creek on the SE side of the Little Susitna River.
(12) GOLD MINT MINE: Originally owned by the Marion Twin Mine, it was on the SE slopes of the Little Susitna River just passed the Lonesome Mine.
(13) HOLLAND MINE: Located (1922) at the head of Purches Creek, just north of the low divide between Purches Creek and Craigie Creek by Ed Holland.
(14) FERN MINE: Originally known as Fern-Goodell Property, it was on the east spur of the ridge between Archangel Creek and Fairangel Creek in 1917. Originally reachable by automobile, 24 miles from Wasilla. Owned by the Talkeeetna Mining Company.
(15) MARTIN MINE: Located on upper Fishhook Creek on the property of Alaska Free Gold Mining Co., struck gold in 1906. It is on the top and west slope of the ridge north of Hatcher Creek and between Fishhook Creek and Willow Creek. Two veins mined were the Skyscraper and Homestake veins.
(16) MILLER PROSPECT: Located by Oliver Cromwell "O.C." Miller in 1906. Located on the east side of the Little Susitna River, one mile below the mouth of Fishhook Creek.
(17) MOGUL PROSPECT: Located at the 4,000' altitude on a rock bench above Reed Creek Valley, 2½ miles above the mouth of Reed Creek. Staked in 1912.
(18)
(19) HATCHER PROSPECT: This discovery was made in 1913 on the upper basin of Archangel Creek. It was a combination of 3 claims known as the Little Gem Group.
(20) TALKEETNA PROSPECT (formerly known as the Matanuska Gold Mining Co.): Located in 1909 near the headwaters of Fairangel Creek, elevation 4,300'.
(21) SNOWBIRD MINE: Operating by 1921, it was located at an altitude of 4,350', on south side of a hanging valley that is tributary to the head of Reed Creek valley from the west. In 1946, a 5,000' aerial tram was built.
(22) WEBFOOT PROSPECT: Located near lip of a cirque on south side of Archangel Creek, altitude 3,925' and about one mile south of Fern Mine.
(23) LANE PROSPECT: Owned by Jacob Lane, the Prospect consists of 4 claims known as the Glacier Claims. Located at the head of Archangel Creek at an altitude of 5,000'. In 1950 a small aerial tram was installed.
(24) SHOUGH PROSPECT: Located on the west side of the Little Susitna River, two miles north of Fishhook Creek at altitude of 3,400'. Later known as Stiles Mine, owned by A.W. Stiles.
(25) THORPE MINE: Located on the west fork of Grubstake Gulch at an altitude of 3,075'; located by Clyde and Alice Thorpe of Wasilla pre-1930.
(26) KELLY-WILLOW PROSPECT: Located near the headwaters of Willow Creek in 1909. Previously known as the Gold Center Prospect. Present day site of the Independence Gold Mine.
(27) MAMMOTH PROSPECT: Located in Willow Creek valley, north of the pass and between Fishhook Creek and Willow Creek, at altitude 3,800'(450' above Willow Creek).
(28) RAE-WALLACE MINE: Lies on the high ridge between the Little Susitna River and Fishhook Creek at an altitude of 4,000'.
(29) ROSENTHAL PROSPECT: Located on the high ridge that borders Fishhook Creek basin on the east.
(30) SKYSCRAPER MINE: Located just across the gulch from Independence Mine at an elevation of 4,500'. Robert Hatcher and partner J.H.Carnegie recorded five quartz gold claims (North Homestake, South Homestake, Tom Boy, Smuggler Union and Skyscraper Lode) on Skyscraper Mt. In 1909.
GRUBSTAKE GULCH
WILLOW CREEK MINING DISTRICT
WILLOW CREEK MINING DISTRICT
Orville G. Herning came to Alaska, in the spring of 1898, as part of an east coast gold exploration team sent by the Klondike and Boston Gold Mining Company. During his first trip to Grubstake Gulch, he met Lester Herndon, Billy Morris, Eddie Brainard, Capt. Andrews and a man called E'Van who were working their newly staked claims. While it is widely accepted that these men were the first to look for gold in this area, Herning's journal mentions 2 Mexican prospectors that had been working the ground at Grubstake Gulch for 3 years already; unfortunately, he does not mention their names. This map (of the earliest prospects) was drawn by O.G. Herning
in 1898.