The Clara Nevada

Book excerpt: The true story of a mysterious shipwreck during the Klondike gold rush. In early February 1898, witnesses reported a giant orange fireball reflected in the glacial waters of Alaska’s Lynn Canal. At the height of Klondike gold fever, the Clara Nevada disappeared into an epic storm, taking passengers and priceless cargo with her. Was the explosion an accident—or a robbery gone wrong? Did Captain C.H. Lewis make off with $165,000—$13.6 million in today’s currency—in raw gold? Or was the sinking simply a case of a sea-weary steamer meeting an untimely end? Alaska historian Steven C. Levi combs the archives to piece together the true account of the Clara Nevada’s final voyage, attempting to solve the riddle of the lost steamer that resurfaced ten years after that tragic night and became known as Alaska’s ghost ship.