The Yukon: White Pass and Skagway (8.16.24)

The first challenge for the miners of 1898, after they reached the Alaskan port of Skagway, was to climb either the steep White Pass or the even steeper Chilkoot Pass, with up to 2000 pounds of equipment.  On August 16, 2024, Dave and I drove through the beautiful Yukon mountains to Fraser, and then took a train down the same route through White Pass that the miners had trudged up.

We began to appreciate the massive, wild beauty of the Yukon as our bus wound through the mountains from Whitehorse to Fraser.

The most iconic photographs of the gold rush are of miners dragging equipment up Chilkoot Pass.

Most miners had to make many trips, back and forth, to get their equipment to the top.

As our train chugged down White Pass, photographers stood between the train cars to take photos.

Our train passed over high bridges which had been reinforced since the White Pass railroad was built during the gold rush.

We finally reached Skagway.  It is now a quaint tourist town where cruise ships dock.

Three or four cruise ships were at the pier when we visited.

In gold rush times, Skagway was the frontier, with con men, outfitters, and many bars.  Most miners got out of town and up the pass as fast as they could.

We ate lunch at the Skagway Fish Company, one of the best fish restaurants in town.

My fish and chips were out of this world--crisp and crunchy on the outside and moist and fresh inside.  Some of the best fish I have ever eaten has been in Alaska!