Boats, Trains and.........

On July 17, 1897 the Seattle Post Intelligencer broadcast the news of the discovery of gold and the rush to the Klondike began. The White Pass & Yukon Railroad Company began construction on the railroad on May 28, 1898. The White Pass and Yukon Route tell the story of the Klondike Gold Rush. Moored in the small harbor of Skagway, tucked away from the large cruise ships we start out to explore the area by taking the train ride. The White Pass and Yukon Route climbs from sea level in Skagway to almost 3,000 feet at the Summit in just 20 miles and features steep grades. The tight curves of the White Pass called for a narrow gauge railroad. the rails were three feet wide. We enjoyed majestic mountain scenery and heard tales of the hardships endured by the prospectors as each person was required to carry a ton of supplies which necessitated many trips up and down the treacherous trail. Lulled by the movement of the old train on the tracks and the sun streaming in the windows I had a very pleasant nap on a historic old train ride.