July 30, 2009 Skagway!

We arrived at the Skagway dock around 5:30 this morning.

Skagway is located at the end of the 2nd largest and 2nd deepest fjord in the world. While it is an ideal transportation port for this area, it got its first real growth by being the closest port to Dawson (200 miles) during the gold rush. After the rush was over, it relied on shipping traffic for the lumber, oil and mining industries. As those have diminished in volume, it has become a center for the tourism industry during the summer months. The railroad that used to carry freight and miners now carries tourists on a ride of a bout 20 miles up into the mountains, gaining 2500 feet elevation in the process. The route is along the trail that the gold rushers followed on the way to Dawson and gives one a real good idea of the hardships they faced.

These pictures will tell the story better than my words -- and show why the rushers didn't just go some easier way!

Boat basin and downtown Skagway as seen from the bridge of the Island Princess.

The train we rode as seen from an upper deck of the Island Princess.

Not our car, but just what it looked like -- definitely not "modern"!

View from part way up the mountain. That's Skagway in the bottom center. Those white dots are cruise ships.

Just a view from the track.

Another view from the track.

And another. That's our engine in green and yellow up there. The pink flowers are fire weed.

More mountains and flowers.

Another view of the dominant mountain.

A view of another mountain on the trip.

A couple pictures of the track we rode:

Actually, this bridge is retired. It is, however, on the National Architectural Registry, right there along with the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge. Its cantilevered design was a really advanced concept for its time.

A couple of other aspects of Skagway:

We just think the snow blower is a modern contraption. This 123 ton beauty was built in 1898. Its powerful steam engine's output was used solely to spin the knife-sharp blades of the blower. This blower had to be tough enough to cut through snow banks turned to solid ice by the extremely low temperatures experienced here. The snow blower was pushed along the track by 2 regular steam engines.

Gotta get this on the way. MMG just pointed out that we've left port and I'll be losing the signal soon!

Love you all.

MMG and DDG