Skagway to Whitehorse

Pulled out of Skagway Wednesday morning, Aug 14, 2013, heading for Whitehorse, and we watched the Skagway to Whitehorse Railroad snake alongside our highway for most of the way up the road.  Beautiful drive!

The Pitchfork Falls were the first of many Waterfalls that we came upon along the way.

This shot of the falls showing the 'handle' of the pitchfork.

The sign along the way reads:

White Pass City

Hidden from view by the distant, sloping ridge is the site of the abondoned gold rush settlement of "White Pass City".  It evolved quickly in 1897 as a good place to rest before making the grueling climb to the summit.  A mass of 1,500 to 2,000 eager stampeders briefly congregated here in tents, log cabins and makeshift shanties.  The "city" grew with the influx of teamsters, packers, and railroad workers, busily constructing the White Pass and Yukon Route R.R. The completion of the Railroad marked the swift end of the "Boom To Bust" town. 

This Rugged area also became known as the "Dead Horse Trail" when the Gold Hunters soon found that the horses that they naively were using for packing the "One year's supply of food" that was required before they were allowed to make the trek, were  not meant for that rugged terrain or those conditions.  Many, MANY horses died along this pass, and were just left there.  It wasn't long before they realized that the better choice for packing was mules or donkeys.

Beautiful Rugged passes .....

Horizontal through the center of this pic is the road we just came through on.  We crossed that bridge.

Another Falls to the right of the bridge.

Close up of that "Dead Horse Pass" gorge, where the bridge is.

At the Physical  Alaska/Canada border again.

Farther up the road, we came across a whole series of small ponds for a few miles.

And then we got to the Yukon Border Station, and were stopped and asked many questions, but no problems, so I took pix of the Skagway to White Horse train (which also was subject to customs inspection).

A stop for lunch along the way at one of the Mirror calm lakes!  This was the scene from our kitchen window!

And of COURSE, more beauty unfolding around every bend in the road...

This lake was just before we came through the small town of Carcross.

And we came across THIS beautiful lake right AFTER Carcross.
The color was MAGNIFICENT! It was like looking at a lake of JADE!

And here we are back in the same Campground we stayed at in mid-June - this is the Pioneer Park RV Park.. the lower sites next to the office are all gravel parking lot type sites, but up the hill, where we stayed at before, and now again, are all WOODED and you do not see into your neighbor's windows, and they can't see in yours.  They are staggered and on rises, with trees all around.. Cable (which is not too good this time, as they got hit by a bad storm a few days ago). All for $30.00 per night!  Water and Electric included, and a dump station.  Wifi is GREAT at the Generous rec hall down by the office..

Not sure when I will have wifi again, as we are heading down the Cassiar Highway hoping to see the Bears and Salmon!!  Will probably be staying a night here and there for a while till we get down to Prince Edward..


        Check back to find us farther down the road!