🔧 Tools & upgrades

Priority tags are opinionated for solo days: adjust if you co-op or speedrun contracts.

Start your gold rush run

Alaska Gold Fever — 1896 prospecting sim. Nine claims, tool upgrades, survival, and camp economy.

🛒 Buy on Steam 🆓 Free Prologue

Steam App ID: 1674200 · 17 UI languages on Steam

Pan

Priority S

Best day-one ROI. Rush Mk2 for faster pans at Eagle River and Bonanza bars. Mk3 widens hotspots—buy after cash flow stabilizes.

Best for: Early dust runs

Craft: 24 Wood Sticks + Leather

Mk2 +30% speed
Mk3 +50% area

Pickaxe

Priority S

Core mining tool. Speed first for clearing rubble, durability second for deep shifts. Rock Breaker pays off in granite-heavy mines.

Best for: Hard rock and tunnels

Craft: Iron ingots + Hardwood handle

Speed
Durability
Rock Breaker
Gem Finder

Shovel

Priority A

Pair with sluice routes on river bars. Wide blade clears benches faster; reinforced shaft reduces breakage on frozen ground.

Best for: Overburden and bars

Craft: Iron + Wood

Wide blade
Reinforced shaft

Sluice Box

Priority A

Turns shovel output into steady dust income. Place with good flow and clean tailings often to avoid clogging.

Best for: Volume processing

Craft: Planks + Nails + Mesh

Long riffle
Fine mesh

Crucible / Smelting kit

Priority B

Improves sale value of mixed finds. Upgrade when inventory fills with low-grade dust.

Best for: Refining payouts

Craft: Clay + Iron frame

Insulation
Quick pour

Dynamite

Priority B

Late-game wall breaker. Use sparingly—always clear escape routes and reinforce before detonation.

Best for: McKinley-scale rock

Craft: Chemicals + Cloth + Timber

Stable charge
Shaped charge

Gem Finder

Priority B

Adds sparkle hunts along ridges and tailings. Nice bonus while traveling between claims.

Best for: Side income

Craft: Coils + Glass + Wire

Sensitivity
Battery pack

Cart

Priority A

Cuts downtime between camp and cuts. Brakes matter on Chilkoot approaches.

Best for: Hauling ore and wood

Craft: Wheels + Planks + Iron

Larger bed
Brakes

❓ Tool FAQ

First purchase after the pan?
Pickaxe speed or durability depending on how much hard rock you tackle per day.
When is sluice worth it?
Once you can feed it consistently from shovel work on bars or loose ground.
Do I need dynamite early?
No—reserve it for large veins and endgame walls where supports are already planned.

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