We started the day by walking into Skagway and visiting the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. After getting our NPS passports stamped we joined a ranger tour that wandered around town, focusing on the environmental impact of the gold rush.
I occupied myself by earning my Junior Ranger badge while Greg was geocaching.
Like Deadwood, South Dakota, Skagway sprung up practically overnight. Quickly progressing from a tent city to rough wooden structures, the town acquired saloons, mining supply stores, brothels and the other necessities of frontier life. Today it is like a living history museum, with a generous smattering of jewelry stores and souvenir shops. The population swells from around 800 to 2500 during the cruising season, with an additional two to three times the larger number offloading from ships each day.
It was another spectacularly clear day, and actually almost uncomfortably hot (high 80s) in the sun. We decided at the last minute to bypass the Travel With Alan "included" coach tour up the route of the White Pass Trail. Instead, we took the historic White Pass & Yukon Route railroad up to White Pass Summit.
The Klondike gold rush started after gold was accidentally discovered in the Canadian Klondike in 1896. The news reached Seattle in 1897, spurring tens of thousands of prospective prosecutors to travel up the Inside Passage to Skagway. From there, they had a roughly 35 mile brutal trek over the coastal mountains to Lake Bennett in British Columbia. At the lake, prospectors had to built a boat and then float down the Yukon River to the Klondike. The distance from Skagway to the gold fields was about 600 miles.
Fearing a massive famine among the hoards of inexperienced greenhorns flooding into the harsh and remote Yukon, Canada passed a law requiring the prospectors to bring a specific list of items to get them through a year. Essentials included 350 pounds of flour, 150 of bacon and 100 each of sugar and beans. The resulting list totaled about a ton in weight, requiring the prospectors to effectively climb the Chilkoot or White Pass trail 20 to 30 times to shuttle all of their required goods up to Lake Bennett.
It quickly became apparent that a railroad up the mountains would make the entire endeavor more sustainable. The narrow gauge track was completed in July 1900, only 26 months after construction began. Plenty of labor was available, both people who came specifically to work on the railroad, and stampeders (prospectors) who found themselves in Skagway lacking sufficient funds to finance their trip to the Yukon gold fields. Over 35,000 people worked on construction of the railroad. Challenges included blasting two tunnels, laying track along steep glacial canyons, building trestle bridges high over rushing rivers, all with a track grade of 3.9 %. Remarkably, only 35 people died in the process.
The 4 hour train trip was great. Wonderful views while crisscrossing streams and climbing about 3,000 feet.
Inches to spare along the rail bed
Across the valley we could see a train descending along the track we were on.
It was so clear today that from Inspiration Point, about 10 miles (and an elevation change of over 1/2 mile) from Skagway as the crow flies, we could see a cruise ship in Skagway Harbor.
From Inspiration Point, the harbor is the pale spot in the middle. You'd have to zoom to see the cruise ship to the left.
This trestle bridge looks to be weeks from collapse. On closer inspection, one section right of center had already fallen. As we approached, we were relieved to be diverted past it...
... and taken over a newer bridge.
The route ended just after the US - Canadian border. The 5 flags are USA, Alaska, British Columbia, Yukon and Canada.
The train took a victory lap around a loop at the top of the pass and headed back down the same track.
One of the tunnels
Avalanche zones across the valley, where we were headed. Train tracks can be seen near the bottom. Every spring the tracks must be plowed clear by special cars.
Plow car
Part of the original White Pass Trail lies adjacent to the track. Abandoned barrels, tools and other gear can be seen rusting along the trail. It's hard to imagine two lines of people, animal and equipment struggling along the narrow path.
This is our last port until we disembark in 3 days. Lots of scenic cruising ahead. No chance to post again until Sunday.
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