Skagway, Alaska

As we entered Skagway, one could imagine it was 1897 and the town was bustling because gold had been discovered. During the late 1800's, there were almost 10,000 people in this area with about 80 bars. Today, it is a town of 950 people and now comes alive when the cruise lines are at dock. Skagway is known for its scenery, pioneer spirit and vintage railroad. The town has done quite well in keeping its history.

As we went ashore, the beauty of the mountains surrounding the ship was breathtaking.  The sun was peaking through the clouds and there wasn't a breath of wind.  As we talked with the tour guides, we found out that this was very unusual, as it is normally windy and raining.  I was happy to hear this, as the ship was not able to dock in Juneau the day before due to strong winds.

We loaded into a bus with thirty other passengers and headed into Canada to experience the Yukon.  The scenery as we drove on the South Klondike Highway was majestic.  The Klondike Highway parallels the route used by the prospectors in the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush.  Gold was discovered in this region on August 16, 1896.  Between 1896 and 1899, a stampede of approximately 100,000 prospectors rushed to this area.  Only a few became wealthy and others lost everything.

Driving toward the Canadian border, the terrain transformed from the rainforest in Skagway to the towering mountains and beautiful emerald lakes of all sizes.  It seemed as if at every turn on the highway, the views were just as beautiful as the previous ones.  After a couple of hours, we reached the White Pass Summit at 3,290 feet above sea level.

We made several stops.  Everyone enjoyed taking photos at the signs of "Welcome to Alaska" and "Yukon, Larger than Life".  What a great way to capture the moment.

The Caribou Crossing Depot was our destination for a chicken barbecue lunch.  Upon arriving, the depot was swarming with people and buses.  After lunch, we walked around and enjoyed the Wildlife Gallery, the Canadian Bounty Museum, the petting zoo and then there was the dog musher's village.  We got to meet the puppies that were potential candidates for the Iditarod.

As we left the depot, we drove to Carcross, in Canada.  This little town has a population of 400 people.  They rely on tourism to support the local economy.  They created a town that caters tourists.  There are coffee shops, art galleries, a hotel, restaurants and musicians singing.  My favorite place was the information booth where the volunteers stamped your passport with the Canadian stamp.  Gone are the days that your passport gets stamped anymore. As its now scanned.

Returning to Skagway, we walked through the town in admiration of the way that the buildings have been preserved from the period of the Klondike Gold Rush.  The majority of these buildings are only open during the tourist season(May through September).  You can also ride the vintage locomotive, White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, up the Chilkoot trail.  The views to the Canadian Border as you travel up the tracks are amazing.

Arriving at the ship, the sun was beginning to set.  I walked up to the 16th floor of the ship to capture the beautiful backdrop of the clouds, Skagway and the mountains.

Skagway Pier

Yukon