Alaska Day 4


Snow on the tops of the mountain peaks as seen as we come into port.	The pilot boat, another cruise ship in the distance and SNOW on the mountains.	These pictures are of "Liarsville". Liarsville was a tent encampment at the base of White Pass where the 49'ers started their trek up to the Yukon.	This be the Madam's tent. She is out at the moment.

Snow Shoe Jack and his trusty dog.	Here is the saloon!	This is Logan's. He cut hair and pulled teeth.	There you see "Handsome" standing in front of his hut and you can just catch a glimpse of the Madam there to the right.

I think the Madam likes Handsome.	Snow Shoe Jack tells us about the encampment and the Yukon.	Next the Madam tells us about the women of the Yukon and what they did to make their way in that harsh environment.	Handsome shows us how to pan for gold.

Crusty old guide and Snow Shoe Jack's Dog.	We are now on our way up the pass by buss.	Look close. See the pipe in the right side of the picture? This pipe carries water down from a reservoir to a power house. The power generated is enough to supply Skagway with all it's power and then some.	The mountains are just so beautiful.

Awesome!	Check out the fresh snow. The buss driver told us that it hadn't snowed up here all summer and that this was the first snow of the winter season.	Man, I just can't tell you how it feels to be out in the Freezing Cold and see a sight like this!	It's just all so beautiful.

You MUST see this sometime!!!	Se the green tinge of the lake? The lake is green because of the high nutrient and mineral content of the runoff water from the melting glacier.	Mile-27.7 Fraser B.C. Here is our Train Conductor. In the restored old rail cars is a fuel fired heating stove. Thank God!! We board the train in Canada.	We are headed down to Skagway through White Pass The train car sways side to side as we travel.

We approach the border between the United States and Canada.	Here is the border at White Pass Summit.	Mile-20.4 This is White Pass Summit. Elev. 2,865 Ft. "It's all down hill from here."	Mile-19.3 The Trail of '98. This shows the original trail walked by hundreds up the mountain.

Here a sigh marks the trail.	Beautiful sights.	Beautiful sights.	Mile 18.8 Coming out of a 675 tunnel, around a tight corner we are able to see new bridge and the 3 1950's diesel engines that carry us along the tracks.

Mile-18.6 The new Tunnel and bridge were constructed in 1969 to replace this wonderful old bridge which could not carry the weight of the led ore transported along the line.	This is the old trestle. If I remember correctly, it is the tallest cantilevered bridge in the world. It was constructed in 1901.	Mile-17.5 Dead Horse Gulch. 3000 pack animals, victims of neglect by stampedes and overloading, met their end in the stampede of 1898.	Mile-17.0 This is Inspiration Point where we have a view of Lynn Canal, Mt. Harding and the Chilkat Range.

Fabulous views!	Mile-16.0 Tunnel Mountain.	Looking down from Tunnel Mountain.	See the glacier up there?

Snow covered mountains.	Mile-14.0 Glacier Station. Once a stopping place for thirsty steam engines on the uphill grade.	Railroad crew lived here and maintained the railbed.	Hard to see but there are a bunch of mountain goats up on the side of the mountain.

Mile-11.5 Bridal Veil Falls cascades 6,000 feet from glaciers on Mt. Cleveland and Mt. Clifford.	Another view of Bridal Veil Falls.	Mile-10.4 Black Cross Rock. On August 3, 1898, a blasting accident buried two railroad workers under a 100-ton granite rock. The black Cross marks their resting place.	Nice view.

Mile-8.8 Buchanan Rock. The water cascades down from a lake above us.	Mile-7.3 Bracket Road. Wagon road was advertised as an "easy" through route across White Pass. The toll was high: 2 cents/pound for freight, $1.00 for each horse, and $10.00 a wagon.	Beautiful view!	Breath taking!

Mile-6.9 Rocky Point. Great view down the lower valley to Skagway, with Mt. Harding and Harding Glacier forming a dramatic backdrop.	Mile-5.8 Denver. Crossing the east fork of the Skagway River; Nearby Denver Glacier Trail, a favorite local hike, leads to the base of the glacier.	The donated WP&YR red caboose "cabin" can be rented through the U.S. Forest Service.	Skagway River with Glacier in the background.

Skagway River.	Mile-2.5 Gold Rush Cemetery. Resting place for early Skagway residents. Gold Rush gangster Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith and hero Frank Reid died in a final shoot out.	Their only steam engine is still in operation today.	Mile-2.0 The Shops. The maintenance shops where the railroad repairs and restores its engines and rolling stock.

We see more passenger rail cars as we roll toward Mile-0.0 in down town Skagway.	Carved watermelon at the beginning of the buffet.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.

The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.

The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.

The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.

The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.	The big show in the Celebrity Theatre.