Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. (TSX Venture: PEX) reports that the company will commence a second year of gold exploration on its Klondike Kate project comprised of 4 properties held within the Yukon's South Klondike region. Exploration interest was first seen in the region in late 2008 after reports of Underworld Resource's White Gold discovery. Recently, Underworld accepted a takeover offer from Kinross valued at approximately C$118 million for acquisition of its 1.4 million ounce White Gold deposit. With a major gold company now in the South Klondike, coupled with 30 junior exploration companies reporting activity, additional gold discovery is anticipated. Pacific Ridge acquired its South Klondike holdings through a combination of the company's principals having prior exploration experience and historic exploration data in the region as well as contacts with Yukon prospectors. 

Pacific Ridge, encouraged by its 2009 exploration results and overall discovery success reported in the South Klondike plans an initial exploration expenditure of $1.3 million for its Mariposa, Gold Cap, Polar/Stewart and Eureka Dome properties.

Mariposa, comprised of 246 mineral claims, covering 50 square kilometers is located 50 kilometers southeast of White Gold. Pacific Ridge holds an option to earn a 100%, interest subject to a 2% royalty, from the Tintina Syndicate. The Pacific Ridge 2009 exploration program included prospecting, historic data compilation, geologic mapping and initial soils geochemical surveys. Mariposa covers a 14-kilometer length of geological and aeromagnetic signatures bearing similarities to the White Gold and Kaminak's Coffee Creek discovery.

Mariposa has seen a 100-year history of placer gold mining, which in one area, has produced "hackly" nuggets suggesting proximity to potential lode gold sources. The property contains a 7- kilometer (open ended) zone of quartz mica schist rocks hosting sulphide mineralization with grab samples assaying to 3 grams/tonne gold. Yet to be more fully defined this season, geochemical anomalies in soils range from 20 ppb to 1300 ppb gold.

The 2010 exploration program, budgeted at $1.0 million, will include expanding geochemical sampling grids to delineate the ultimate dimensions of gold anomalies. Trenching will then be directed to expose bedrock and the facilitation of sampling. Drilling of selected gold targets is proposed during the later part of the season.

The 56 claim, Gold Cap property covers 12 square kilometers and adjoins the northeast boundary of the Underworld -White Gold property. Gold Cap is 100 percent owned and was staked by Pacific Ridge on the basis of an anomalous gold silt sample reported by the Geological Survey of Canada. The Pacific Ridge 2009 exploration program saw soil sampling within a 2 by 4 kilometer grid, flanking an aeromagnetic anomaly. An open-ended gold, nickel, arsenic anomaly includes gold in soils ranging to 290 ppb gold, indicating stronger values building toward its open-ended northerly trend. The 2010 exploration program, budgeted at $ 100,000, will extend the geochemical survey 3 kilometers to the northwest. Trenching will be contingent on additional geochemical results Polar/ Stewart, consisting of 149 mineral claims, covers 31 square kilometers adjoining Gold Cap to the west and claims held by Underworld to the south. Pacific Ridge holds an option to earn a 100% interest subject to a 2% royalty, from prospector Shawn Ryan. The property was acquired on the basis of favorable geology, an aeromagnetic anomaly and reconnaissance soil sampling yielding gold values reaching 634 ppb gold. The 2010 exploration program, budgeted at $100,000 will include grid controlled geochemical soil sampling followed by trenching where warranted.

Eureka Dome, 100% owned by Pacific Ridge with the 156 Eureka and Moose claims covers 33 square kilometers. Eureka Dome can be partially accessed by road and joins the eastern boundary of claims held under option by Golden Predator.

Notable are placer gold occurrences reported in most creeks draining the property coupled with geochemical anomalies indicating the presence of a high level epithermal style alteration system. Anomalous arsenic (3000 ppb) and mercury (17 ppm) occur within silicified and brecciated rocks. Prior workers reported breccia float samples grading to 14 grams gold, and silt samples running to 900 ppb on immediately adjacent properties. The 2010 exploration program, budgeted at $100,000, will include geochemical sampling within a by 4 kilometer grid covering the anomalous areas of brecciated rocks to then be followed by trenching and sampling.

Elsewhere, Pacific Ridge continues to maintain its interests in the Baker Lake Uranium Project in Nunavut and the Fyre Lake Copper, Gold Project in southeast Yukon as well as the Tumbler Phosphate Project in northeastern British Columbia.

Pacific Ridge's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature has been reviewed by George Norman, P. Geo., Exploration Manger for Pacific Ridge and a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101,

"John S. Brock"

John S. Brock
President and CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information: This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Such statements may be identified in this release by the use of words such as 'plans", "will" and "expects" and "may" as well as the use of the future or conditional tense. Although Pacific Ridge believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

For further information, contact:

Corporate Information
Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.
John S. Brock
President
Tel: (604) 604.641.2759
www.pacificridgeexploration.com

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although Pacific Ridge believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.