Sam's Totally Awesome Skagway Adventure

Early start to board the White Pass & Yukon Route train for a 20 mile scenic trip through mountains up over the border to Fraser, British Columbia, Canada. Commentary is provided at regular intervals on the history of the railway's construction and general information about the Klondike gold rush as well as useful tips about upcoming photo ops.

I must confess I missed a fair bit of the information as I spent much of my trip outside taking in the spectacular surrounds despite the chill.We stopped a couple of times to let off groups of eager hikers to wander off into the wilderness.

Shot of the train taken from the South Klondike Highway

View on the way up White Pass Mountain

At our first stop on the Highway 2.5 miles into the ride 

We disembark at stunning Fraser and board the mini van to take us back to the summit so we can start riding at 3292 feet. I take my position near the back of the field so I can dawdle without irritating serious cyclists. 

While it's not a strenuous ride it is rather hair raising, getting up to 25 mph on some pretty steep inclines with buses, trucks and cars overtaking regularly. I might understand a bit better now the passion cyclists have for their sport, although I imagine my excitement and interest would wane immediately at the prospect of riding up the mountain rather than down it.

It is an exhilarating ride and we're told we're breathing the cleanest air in the world. I am hoping this excursion has been a sound investment in repairing some of the damage I may have done to my lungs in previous years. With a $70 p/day cruise drinks package my liver will have to wait for a different holiday to see any remediation. 

We make our way back to Skagway and I have a brief interlude for scoffing halibut cakes and chowder and a spot of shopping.

The beautiful Chilkoot River

Then it's back to the ship to meet up with Zach, my fabulously knowledgeable guide for a hike on part of the Chilkoot Trail and float back down the river. More breathtaking  surrounds await us as Zach shows us how prospective gold miners attempted to achieve the requirement to take 1 ton of supplies with them to trek the 33 mile Chilkoot Trail all the way to Yukon Territory where the gold they were seeking was abundant (before the rail line was built).

This law was instituted to ensure prospectors had a year's supplies to get them through but they could only take about 100 pounds at a time so Zach showed us on a map of the trail how they would trek sections, doing 20 or more runs to get their ton of goods to each stop. For most, all the land had been claimed by the time they made it. Apparently Donald Trump's family got their start here, with his grandfather setting up an Inn to service prospectors.

On the Chilkoot Trail

   

  

More Chilkoot River

We hike for about 2 hours with Zach teaching us about the area, the history of the Trail's use for trading by the Tlingit people before the gold rush and it's beautiful flora and fauna. Then we spend another couple of hours gliding down the Chilkoot River taking it all in.

An eventful and wonderful day spent in Skagway, not a minute wasted. Can't wait to come back.

Me with the lovely Zach