The Nature of GoldIn 1896, a small group of prospectors discovered a stunningly rich pocket of gold at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers, and in the following two years thousands of individuals traveled to the area, hoping to find wealth in a rugged and challenging setting. Ever since that time, the Klondike Gold Rush especially as portrayed in photographs of long lines of gold seekers marching up Chilkoot Pass has had a hold on the popular imagination.