T10N R2W Sec.35 Seward Meridian

Bear Creek occupies a steep, narrow valley for most of its length and is filled in with avalanche and glacial debris containing large boulders. Lower portion of Bear Creek rests upon an alluvial fan consisting of better sorted and washed gravels. Gold is relatively coarse with nuggets up to 10oz reportedly recovered. Gold is less pure than gold obtained from most Kenai Peninsula streams.

Mining began in 1894 on Bear Creek. Early mining was restricted to pick and shovel operations with hydraulic mining becoming more prevalent by 1904. Mechanized operations have been prevailing intermittently since 1975. Total estimated production since 1894 is 5,000 oz of which 1,000 to 1500oz have been produced since 1975.

0.1yd³ sample of surface channel gravels from upper Bear Creek contained 0.0021 oz gold/yd. Upper Bear Creek will be difficult to mine due to the large boulders present. The allu¬vial fan deposits at the mouth of Bear Creek may have significant gold development potential. Lower Bear Creek is believed to have high mineral development potential for small mechanized mining, hand placer methods, and suction dredging.

Mineral Investigations in the Chugach Nation Forest, Alaska (Peninsula Area) by Robert B. Hoekzema and Gary E.Sherman Alaska Field Operations Center, Anchorage, Alaska

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