The Klondike Trail on the Fourth of July

July 4^th-Happy Independence Day

We arrived in Skagway very early in the morning and we disembarked as soon as possible so we could get to town before the crowds from the four ships in port. We walked to the town center and it looked like a ghost town with no one on the streets except for the street crew who were blocking the parade route on Broadway. That was a different scene then we had experienced ever before in Skagway. Usually this small town is wall to wall tourists from the many ships combined with those who have driven in from the outside to shop. Little old Skagway is 7 blocks long, 1/3 mile and 42 jewelry stores crowded!

We picked up the rental car that we had reserved on email, with help from our travel agent daughter, Kari. We started on our journey away from the crowds and 4^th of July festivities planned for the holiday. We first drove out to see Dyea as we concentrate so much of our Gold Rush presentation on the Chilkoot Trail. This trail started in the town of Dyea, which quickly became the largest town in Alaska during the Klondike era. We took a hike to Main Street and found the only remnant of this town of 10,000 during the Gold Rush. We found the last surviving store front that the National Park has propped up to its original position. We were so surprised how this boom town has completely disappeared except for that one wall and how nature has re-claimed this area with a dense forest.

Next, we drove through customs to Canada, entered the Yukon Territory, stopped at a town called Carcross and walked around the White Pass and Yukon train station museum and then the original general store. We also took pictures of Bennett Lake, a prominent location for the stampeders during the Gold Rush. From there we continued our journey northward stopping to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. We decided that we wanted to see a little of the interior of the Yukon so we drove to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. This is a bustling city and we understood its importance to this part of Canada. It was definitely the shopping center for all of the small towns in this huge area. Not a real charming city but a necessary one we are sure for supplying for the people.

We returned to Skagway and visited the Goldrush Cemetery as we wanted to take some pictures of the graves of Soapy Smith and Frank Reid. These two men are legendary characters from the Goldrush influx and we enjoy telling their tale during our Klondike presentations.

It was a little odd that we spent our country’s Independence Day in Canada but it was a great way to escape the crowds. It was fun to finally drive on the Alaska Highway and experience a little of the Yukon together on our own time.