Alaska Day 8: a day in Skagway (July 18)

Skagway is an old coastal town that was the entry point for many "Stampeders" - the rush of gold rush prospectors that passed through the White Pass heading toward the Canadian Klondike.  Betweeen 1896 and 1900  $48 million worth of Klondike Gold was mined - the result of the largest gold rush ever.  Skagway now has a year round population of 850 people.  October 1897's population was 20,000.  In 1900,   it was 3,117 permanent residents.   Today, tourism is the industry.

To get to the Klondike, miners had to travel 550 miles, starting with a climb through the White Pass, where 3000 died.  The trail was very narrow, and very steep.  Below is a picture from that time, when there were so many prospectors traveling through that it was single file through the White Pass.

The patch of snow below is the actual Chilkoot trail that the miners climbed.  And this was into f the wider and flatter portions.  

The White Pass and Yukon Route railroad was built in 26 months thanks to the ingenuity of American Engineering! In 1994, this railroad was designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.   It is a narrow gauge railroad that travels from Skagway, Alaska to Carcross, Yukon.  67.5 miles of track, and an summit at 2,865 feet!     

This made a huge difference for the miners, who were required by Canadian officials to bring a TON of supplies with them down the Yukon River from Bennett Lake.   And there was no where to get supplies - this was wilderness!  A small town grew up aground Bennett lake, but quickly disappeared when the gold ran out (1900).     Below is Lake Bennett, and me!  I was there.

And a view of the actual Chilkoot trail coming up to Lake Bennett.  If I had had time ... I would have climbed it, of course.   But we had to catch the train to get to a bus to get to the ship.  

And looking west, it is so beautiful.  And still wilderness.

In Carcross, (where the train ends) the last bridge into the station is a Turning Bridge!   There are not very many of those in the world.  There is one in Boaton though - the old Northern Avenue bridge.  

Friday is in Juneau, where we will be taking a Whale Watching cruise.  Hope to see humpback and orca whales galore.