| Gold was first discovered in the Fraser River | | | | former champion was observed to find all six |
| of British Columbia in 1858. By 1861 pioneer | | | | of his gold flakes in less than three and |
| prospectors had moved northeast to the | | | | one-half minutes. |
| Cariboo region, where William "Billy" Barker | | | | |
| found a rich vein at Williams Creek. By 1880, | | | | A few miles east of Barkerville, in the town |
| the town named after him, Barkerville, had | | | | of Wells, Joy Stepan owns and operates Gold |
| grown into the largest city west of Chicago | | | | Safari Tours. She said people still have the |
| and north of San Francisco. | | | | urge to explore for gold, but gold panning is |
| | | | not allowed in parks. So the only place |
| Today, Barkerville is a former ghost town | | | | visitors can legally pan for gold is on |
| transformed into a popular tourist | | | | claims where they are given permission. |
| destination. A popular attraction at | | | | |
| Barkerville is a gold panning and souvenir | | | | Ms. Stepan, known locally as Cariboo Joy, |
| shop where visitors can buy a pan full of | | | | offers gold panning lessons at her RV |
| dirt, rocks and at least a fleck or two of | | | | campground, and allows her guests to pan for |
| genuine gold. The six dollar price per pan | | | | gold on her claim at nearby Lowhee Creek. |
| also includes a lesson on how to pan for | | | | Along with picks and shovels, she rents green |
| gold. Novice panners are warned not to put | | | | plastic gold pans. She says they are easier |
| their fingers into the water, because the oil | | | | to use than traditional steel pans because |
| from their skin can cause the gold to float | | | | they are lighter in weight and do not reflect |
| to the surface and out of the pan, instead of | | | | sunlight back into your eyes. |
| staying on the bottom. | | | | |
| | | | When asked how people know where to look for |
| Once each year the gold panning shop hosts a | | | | gold, Ms. Stepan replied that very |
| gold panning competition, with participants | | | | unconventional methods are sometimes |
| from across Canada, the USA, and even as far | | | | employed. Some people hold a pendulum over a |
| away as Europe taking part. Each is given a | | | | map and then look for gold at places where |
| bucket containing dirt, gravel and six gold | | | | the pendulum swung. Others use a dowsing |
| flakes. Contestants have up to five minutes | | | | wand, a Y-shaped stick cut from a willow |
| to splash and shake their steel pans around | | | | brand. They walk along the ground, holding |
| in wooden, water-filled troughs, trying to | | | | the wand out in front of them. Where the wand |
| find the most gold in the shortest time. One | | | | dips, they believe gold may be found. |