Chilkoot Trail of the Gold Rush Miners
Thursday, July 30, 2009 is our day in Skagway, Alaska. Traveling near the Chilkoot Trail of the gold rush miners, we went by bus north to Carcross in the Yukon Territory of Canada. As the Klondike Highway crossed the northern portion of the railroad, we saw the old log cabin where the gold miners had a weigh stop to make certain that they had enough provisions to be allowed into the Yukon. (The railroad north of Fraser was washed out this year.) You can see the National Park Service Map here. We stopped at the world’s smallest desert and went on to view Emerald Lake. Then we had lunch at the Caribou Crossing Trading Post. (Don’t be taken in by the fake Dall sheep up on the mountain.) Then on our way back, at Fraser on Route 2 (the South Klondike Highway), we boarded the White Pass Yukon Route train returning south to Skagway.
Heading into the harbor at Skagway, Alaska
How big does a cruise ship get? Too big.
The Malispina Ferry awaits for cars to load.
The Veendam is docked and we wait for our bus.
We took the bus north and the train south through the valley.
Our mode of transfer - Ugh!
A one-ended bridge - supposedly earthquake proof.
The requisite Yukon photo entering the Territory
The roadway follows a really long lake.
We stopped at the world's smallest desert.
Desert Photo by Annie
Visited Emerald Lake
A bird's eye view of the lakes.
We had a Gluten Free Chicken Barbecue lunch
The Caribou Crossing Trading Post Cook
Cole Slaw and Tea or Coffee
Petted the Husky Puppies
Canadian Customs at Fraser
Then we rode the train south from Fraser back to the USA
WPYR runs STEAM on Wednesdays - this is Thursday
A wretched place for farming or gold digging.
White Pass has rocks in every direction!
It has some beauty - at least in the summer.
Snowy mountains, rocks and pools.
All photos taken from a MOVING train!
Moving right along, me on the car's platform.
That's a rickety looking bridge!
I don't think so!
Noooooooo!
Got past that one!
The cruise ships below in Skagway.
Shows the railroad down and the bus road up.
Absolutely hundreds of photos like this!
Another train follows us down!
The cruise ships seen from a lower elevation.
Almost back after a long day.
The White Pass Railroad Locomotives
Annie got the Engineer's tour inside the cab!
Cruise ship heading out at dusk with the moon above.
A close-up as the moon sets behind the mountain.
Haines, Alaska as we pass by in the land of the midnight sun.
NPS Map of the Chilkoot Trail
For more on the Railroad, see my earlier page on White Pass.
Next Page: Glacier Bay National Park.