Reflections on Scouting out Skagway - July 27

Chinook Trail to Klondike

Downtown Skagway

Woke this am to a mountain within a stone’s throw of my window…day is cloudy and overcast. Will have most of a day to explore. Taking a train ride over White Pass on an old railroad. Skagway was originally a jump off spot for gold miners who were traveling into the Klondike. Lots of history in this area. It is has one main street with about 5 or 6 avenues coming off it. They citizen have tried to recreate the town like it was in 1898. All of the stores have old fronts with many of them having original counters, display cabinets, etc from the turn of the century. Especially interesting was the Ace Hardware store on Broadway. Again, for every regular store there were 5 jewelry stores all selling the same things: diamonds, tanzanite, and Alaskan gold. Ate lunch back on the ship and then caught the train @ 12:30 for a 3 hour ride up and down the narrow gauge tracks. Went over several trestled bridges that spanned rushing waters, cascading waterfalls and bottomless chasms. Beautiful and unforgiving county for those who sought their fortunes over 100 years ago?