The town of Skagway came into existence almost overnight when gold was discovered in the Klondike region (Canada.) What kept it from becoming a ghost town like nearby town of Dyea after gold fever died out is the railroad. Originally conceived to transport miners to the minefield, the rush to the fields was done by the time the rail was completed. Even so, the railroad prospered for many years as the workhorse hauling gold and ore down to the ships. Later, it was used to supply the US Army’s Alaska Highway projects. It was actually the completion of the highway into Skagway on the opposite side of the valley that eventually led to the closing of the railway in 1981. Happily, it reinvented itself as a tourist railroad and reopened in 1988.

The town itself is being restored to the turn of the century facade much through the efforts of the National Park Service and the Visitors Bureau. Mom, Neil and I spent the morning wandering through the town, part of the time following a Park Ranger tour as she pointed out the most notable buildings and colorful history. The most photographed building in town is the Arctic Brotherhood Hall which has over 8,800 pieces of driftwood making up the front exterior. Neil commented that at least the town retains its charm even with all the tourist commercialism.

 After lunch including a lovely piece of smoked salmon that Neil had procured from the local market, we boarded the White Pass & Yukon Railroad for our afternoon excursion. The train climbs 2,865 feet through incredible scenery with breathtaking views in all directions to the top of White Pass. The terrain, tunnels and trestles are a true feat of engineering especially considering this was accomplished in 1897.  Please click through the gallery below on the webpage to get a good idea of the beauty we experienced.