Skagway, Alaska (6 degrees, mostly sunny, windy)
What makes Skagway such a fascinating place to visit is the opportunity to learn all about the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. To get to the gold it was necessary for the miners to get there from the Skagway area. This was after a long journey by ship (Panama Canal had not been built yet) or by land.
There were two routes from Skagway and the train trip we took was along an area considered the "easier" of the two - the White Pass. Over 100,000 men and women came to Skagway and Dyea hoping to get rich. It sounded so easy. The newspapers were full of stories of gold just lying on the ground waiting for someone to pick it up. However, after arriving here the pospectors soon found out it was located over 500 miles away in the Yukon Territory and somehow you needed to get one ton of gear and food up this very steep pass.
Our three hour train ride went across the river from the path many of the miners traversed to get up to Bennett Lake. From here they would later take boats on the Yukon River to Dawson City in hopes of staking their claim. This is a narrow gauge train which was built to help with this journey, however, it was not completed in time. It did, however, become a integral part to the settling of this town.
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| The river was moving very quickly due to snow melt |
We learned on the trip that the prospectors had to go back and forth up this pass about 40 times bringing all their gear up. Canada had strick regulations and insisted the miners have enough food to last them for a year in addition to all their gear.
The train track was quite an engineering feat at the time and was built in a year, a month, and a day. Over 30,000 men worked in shifts (35 died) to cover 24 hours a day during the summer months. It climbs almost 3000 feet and when they first started there was a lot of snow.
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| From White Pass Wesbiste |
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| Bridal veil falls |
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| Old bridge |
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| Raging river |
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| Mountain goat |
We enjoyed the trip very much. Being able to get it for 50% off was a good deal. It was a great introduction to some of the history of the Gold Rush and some very spectacular scenery.
Just before we did our Alaskan Cruise, I had read a Historical Romance Novel about the Klondike Gold Rush. You know how those stories go, but actually, it ended up being fairly accurate information, and made the stories we heard on the train ride even more real, knowing the struggles that those with dreams of riches actually had to reach that place. Those with the funds to do so, were actually able to hire "guides" to traverse all their items. . .or so it said in the book. :) . . .ha ha. . .no it was really true. . .all the tours we took reaffirmed that info.
ReplyDeleteIf we ever return to Skagway (for the third time,) and do that trip to the TransContinental Divide again, we will take the bus up, and the train back down.
Beautiful, beautiful state. . .I am truly enjoying all your pics, and stories.
Great train ride. We did on into the Klondike and back. I would love to do it again!
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