After a fairly early get up and pack, we set off into Whitehorse for a look around. Having been following the trail of and learning about the 1898 Gold Rush prospectors from Seattle all the way up to Dawson City, the only piece of their journey Janet hadn't seen was the Chilkoot Pass that they had to climb from Skagway before building boats and sailing up the Yukon to Whitehorse. So first stop was one of my favourite statues to the prospectors, and the saying beneath it "This statue is dedicated to all those who follow their dreams". It was this statue and saying that had given me the strength to carry on two years ago when I was so miserable and lonely I nearly turned around and went home - And I really wanted to see the statue again and show it to Janet.
After a visit to an outdoors store to buy some proper waterproof jackets for both of us, and a quick Starbucks coffee, we then went for lunch at an excellent burrito stand that I knew of, and which was still in business. And the burritos were good, I can assure you. Then we drove around the Yukon River where one of the original sternwheelers is kept, to a narrows called Miles Canyon, which was the final test before reaching Whitehorse. These narrows are now 10 feet higher than originally because of a dam put in recently, so are much slower and less intimidating than they used to be in 1898. In those days, a number of boats were over turned in these treacherous narrows, and many of the prospectors dies when almost within reach of their dreams. An incredible and moving spot to see, and an important part of their journey.
Also spotted some new flowers there, as well as a horizontal Spruce bush - They grow this way to avoid the high winds !! Then it was off to Skagway, as Janet really wanted to see this last, and possibly most amazing and most difficult, part of the prospector's journey towards the goldfields. First we came to CarCross - Originally named "Caribou Crossing" due to the herds of Caribou that used to migrate through here. There we saw the Carcross Desert - A geological anomaly that is one of the smallest true deserts in the world !! And the ever-present wild roses blooming in the sand.
After CarCross we passed the several lakes through which the prospectors would have passed - Once they had climbed the Chilkoot Pass from Skagway, and then built boats to sail up the Yukon River ! Past Bove Island which was almost frozen solid last time I was here. Past the more recent mine workings still visible beside the road. And then across the increasingly alien terrain, up to the train station at Fraser. There we saw the trains bringing the tourists up from Skagway, through some of the most incredible scenery you can imagine. Oddly, I have no recollection of seeing any of this scenery because I drove through it last time in a blizzard, when I could barely see the edges of the road, let alone any scenery. So after we had watch the White Pass trains for a while, we set off again towards Skagway through some of the most incredible and out of this world scenery you can imagine. It is just rock and lakes and more rock and more lakes for mile after mile. Suddenly we climbed a pass and came to the US / Alaskan border, where due to a brief rainstorm and now the sun shining, steam was eerily raising from the road. We then dropped down the steep Chilkoot Pass towards Skagway - The climb over rocks and ice that the prospectors had to make on foot, carrying 2000 lbs of equipment - From bottom to top it took most of them several months to complete - A journey that we now do in about an hour or less. The trains were coming down at the same time, and from time to time we could see them on the other side of the canyons.
Just before the US Customs post were some picturesque water falls where se stopped for a while, then it was through customs and into Skagway. The camp site is right in town near the cruise ship terminal, so once we had set up camp we went into town for a look around. The trains came past while we were setting off, then it was a walk up the high street and a visit to a few of the shops, before having a beer in the Red Onion saloon - A famous brother in the Gold Rush times. And of course, the main street in Skagway, right outside the Red Onion, is where Buck, the sled dog in Call of the Wild, did his master proud when he broke a frozen sled out of the ice in front of the pub, so winning a bet for his master that no dog could ever do this. There is a lot to Skagway - One of my favourite little towns in the area.
After a couple of beers we didn't really feel like cooking, and as we only had one night in Skagway, we went down to a restaurant down near the cruise ship terminal, with windows looking out over the mountains, and had a last Alaskan meal of fresh grilled halibut, and a nice white wine. A perfect end to an incredible day. And only 100 yards back to our beds in the camp site !!
There was an interesting quote on the walkway outside the restaurant - " Most stampeders never became rich, but they counted their trail experiences as life changing. In the end, the journey itself proved far more valuable than gold". How true about life is that ?
Pics of the day are here := https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/0046WhitehorseToSkagway?authkey=Gv1sRgCJOu8Oz-4cDfVQ#
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