Day 8: Skagway, White Pass Trail, and the Yukon

How do you pick the best memory on a trip like this? The truth is you can't; it is once in a lifetime adventure. Everything we've been doing seems epic and awesome...even when it has been raining. And waking up on this day to down pour did not dampen my excitement. I have been looking forward to the train and journey up to the Yukon since our family first began talking about taking a summer vacation.

When gold was discovered in the Yukon in 1896 and the mass migration to the Klondike began. For many Skagway was their port of entry. The small town was the gateway and first stop on their journey. From their they had the option of two routes the Chilkoot Trail which was shorter but more dangerous or the White Pass Trail. Three different tour guides said that which ever a person chose they wished they were on the other route.

 

In 1898 the White Pass railroad began construction and was completed two years later. It became the primary method for reaching the inland of the Yukon, and the gold. The trail continued to run till 1982. In recent years it has been reopened as a historical attraction and the thing to do when in Skagway.

Dressed in our rain gear and ready for adventure we found our group, boarded the train, and were ready for the journey North. The best part was we were in the caboose and were allowed to go outside either platform and take pictures. 

 

I took these next three from the front platform. Crossing that bridge was exciting and terrifying, being able to see all the way down into the valley followed by being plunged into darkness.

 

The views were breath taking. I took hundreds of pictures during this trip. My one complaint is my camera did do the landscapes justice. Each moment brought a new marvel. I believe during the journey we passed through four different ecosystems.

We had one stop in the middle of our journey at Bennett, BC next Bennett Lake. This is now a ghost town but at the high of the gold rush it was a booming town. Bennett was the check point, the Canadian Mounties would not allow any prospector to enter Canada without enough food and supplies to last a year. Anyone wishing to find gold in the Yukon had to haul their goods from Skagway to Bennett Lake. Next they had to construct a raft to carry them to Dawson. 

Most of the Bennett buildings were already gone. There was still a church standing, the train-station turned historical museum, and a few structures for people who still live in the deserted town. There were a few pictures of the town in its hay-day. 

 

 

It was at Bennett that we discovered that our train car had the best name:

After Bennett we had a box lunch on the train. And regardless of how lovely the scenery I found myself nodding off and sleeping through most of the remaining journey to the Yukon. I guess I'll need to visit again.

Our train ride ended in Carcross, Yukon. I've been to the Yukon! It was a quick, less than an hour visit to the town. We looked in two shops. There was a shirt I liked in the first one but I wanted to see the other store before I bought anything. In the second I found a few magnets and patches. As I was leaving Sister came running over to let me know we only had a few minutes. So I ran into the first store, grabbed the shirt, hoped it was my size. Thankfully there was no line. I bought it and we ran over to our waiting bus. We were some of the first to arrived so I took a few more pictures of the town.

It was at the bus that I saw there were more places to explore. I would have liked another hour to walk around. There were a number of places still to see, many seemed to sell locally made art and there was an ice cream shop. But the bus would not wait. One person scheduled to return on our bus didn't show. We did not wait; I don't want to imagine the cost to find an alternative transportation back to the boat.

When were were five, maybe ten minutes down the road (and beyond the chance of turning back) I was moving my bags and realized the plastic store bag holding the shirt, the shirt I just bought, was gone. I looked under my seat, looked in my purse, and then my other bag. Sister looked too. It was gone. In my mind I replayed my moments from when we left the store till we boarded the bus. I remember setting my things down in front of the bus to take one last picture. All I could think was that it must have fallen out of my tote bag. The loss of my shirt did dampen my spirits more than the rain.

At our first picture stop I mentioned it Anne, our drive and tour guide, about the loss. She asked for my name and address, she would see if anyone found it. It was sweet of her to try. I tried to snap myself out of the funk. We got some great photos. Our stops were Bove Island, the Yukon sign, the Alaska sign, a waterfall, and few other picturesque spots (I could have done with three less stops if it meant more time in Carcross).

 

Anne dropped us back in Skagway. We wandered through the streets, had ice cream, found a Del Sol (they sell colour changing stuff). Sister and I each got Alaska shirts. I love mine and it almost makes up for the one I lost. Mum and Dad had a few things they wanted to see so Sister and I finished off our treasure hunt.

In each of the three Alaskan posts of call Sister and I collected freebies from all the jewelry shops. It has been the best scavenger hunt. Our favourite gift is the charm bracelet and charms from Diamond International. You had to visit all their stores, six in total, to complete the bracelet. This is the finished set: a train for Skagway, a forget-me-not the Alaskan state flower, an eagle, a salmon fish, a whale tail, a bear, and the cruise ship.

It was at Diamond International that I had my second God moment. This time we began chatting with the clerk giving us the charms. She asked what I did. I told her I was a pastor. She asked how that happened. I told her most of my story. I included the part when I was in Japan and felt God was telling me I was returning to North America. I had all these questions for Him like how would I find a job if I was living in Japan. God responded,  "Do you trust me?" I said I did and within days I had an offer to work at New Hope. What was really cool, this woman got excited, she said she was a Christian too and that my story had answered her prayer. She didn't go into details but it was a very awesome moment.

Leaving the shop we found Mum and Dad, they had found a friend we had meet on the cruise. We were all chatting and sharing stories of the day. We took this family picture before walking back the the ship. I was telling Mum the story about the shop clerk. I realized what a blessed day this had been when a woman stopped us. It was Anne, our tour guide. She had found my shirt; the bag had made it onto the bus and had rolled under the seats. My Yukon shirt was found! As I had just said, this was a blessed day.