What should I look for in a gold pan, to go gold panning in Alaska?

The larger the pan the more dirt it will hold. Plastic pans work all right. Be sure and wash them with a good dish soap. If you go with metal, try what my grandfather did. get a small fire going and put the pan in up side down. This burns all the oil off and darkens the metal allowing you to see the gold better. if you go with plastic try the darker colors, black, dark green . also get a plastic strainer or colander . put your dirt in it and shake to eliminate the larger rocks. be sure you put your pan under the strainer first.

I'm not aware of any gold activity around you. You can always try, of course. You want a sandy creek with flowing water, preferably near a mountain. Just after a storm is best. If you can find a way to get to the other side of the Owens Valley in CA you will have much better luck. Anywhere up near Lake Tahoe would be good. The old Gold Rush areas would be better yet. Good luck.

There's a new item out now called... The Nugget bucket... You could use one of those if nothing else has worked for you as you are looking for gold