Gateway To The Klondike - Skagway Alaska

Skagway, Alaska (72 degrees, blue skies, windy, great weather)

It's Skagway's Gold Rush history which makes this city so fascinating. We have really enjoyed our visit and we immersed ourselves in finding out more about what happened during this time period (1898-1900). Over 11,000 cruise passengers disembark here everyday and overwhelm the main street and shops. However, this is small compared to the 100,000 men and women who arrived during the Gold Rush hoping to get rich. Only about 70 of them actually did. The rest definitely suffered many hardships trying to do the same.

Most of the buildings in Skagway are original along an eight block area on Broadway. There are lots of shops and restaurants and most everyone has arrived for the day by cruise ships.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Ranger Cayla

We signed up for two walking tour at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Both our rangers did an excellent job telling us about the Gold Rush times. Our first tour was downtown and Cayla gave the best interpretive program I've ever watched. She really was so dynamic and included everyone in the talk. She told us how newspapers glamorized the discovery of gold in the Yukon and lured thousands of people who were convinced it would be so easy to strike it rich. Few of them did. In fact, most found after this arderous journey all the claims had been staked and they were out of luck.

First home in Skagway

We stopped at several historical places as she continued to weave the story. These tours are free and can be signed up for in advance with Reserve America for $3/booking. Or if you go early in the morning it may be possible ti get a ticket. We ordered ours in advance.










Our second walking tour did not require a reservation and went out to a ghost town called Dyea. This was once a bustling boom town and Tlingit community during the gold rush. Now it has mostly disappeared and been reclaimed by nature. This is also near the famous Chilkoot Trail. It was an alternate trail used by the prospectors to haul their ton of food and goods over the mountains. Our ranger also did a great job telling us about the town We were astounded to hear of the long pier which the prospectors had to hustle their good down before the tide came in.

All that remain of the pier

Teddy (our jeep) sure enjoys exploring this area

Wild Iris

The drive out and back to Dyea from Skagway is breathtaking.

Skagway and the harbor

On another day we also drove out to the Gold Miners Graveyard. Here we found the scoundrel Soapy Smith's grave. He conned probably one too many people in Skagway. Frank Reid who was thought to have killed him died a few days later and was considered a hero by the town. Note the difference in the size of their tombstones.  

Soapy's gravestone

Frank Reid's grave

Pretty waterfall named after Reid

John thinks there may be gold here..What do you think"

On our last day we attended a Summer Solstice Party at the Jewel Gardens. There was food and music and glass blowing demonstrations. The gardens are in a bit of a disarray but we had a good time with the locals.

Campground Review:  Garden RV Park, 3 star, full hookups, no WiFi, flat gravel pull through sites, no shade, on outskirts of downtown. Owned by the city and could use some attention.  Very friendly manager, Verizon signal was weak but good downtown,

Our visit to Skagway was so much fun and packed full of history. Tomorrow we take a ferry from here to Haines.