Andrew Norelius was living on a small farm in Insanti, Minnesota with his wife and four children when he heard about the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon. Thinking it would be a good chance to make some money and pay off his land he decided to participate. On February 4th, 1898 Norelius and Charley Johnson caught a train to the west coast and travelled north by ship. They arrived in Dyea, Alaska on March 12 and headed up the Chilkoot Trail shortly after. The two men eventually arrived in Dawson City, Yukon on June 2nd. Norelius travelled to the creeks but there were no vacant claims so he decided to try fishing. The salmon run pushed the price per pound down and after five weeks he had only made $750. In September Norelius and a group of men decided to try prospecting in the Sixty Mile River area. After a couple of months there with no luck they headed back to Dawson City and Norelius went to work at a mine on Bonanza Creek in January 1899. Andrew Norelius was unsuccessful in finding a large quantity of gold and on July 8, 1899 he left Dawson City and headed down the Yukon River to St. Michael where he caught a boat for home, arriving August 26, 1899.