July 3, 2016 North to Alaska Day 27

No rain again last night!!  We packed up and headed back up the dirt road. We stopped in Whitehorse, at the Walmart and Canadian Tire again. After filling up the gas tanks we continued south towards Skagway.  We pass through the town of Carcross.  I was told it was for Caribou Crossing, but we didn't see any caribou, although I did see 4 Dahl Sheep on the hillside.  Once again the border crossings are off-set, creating what I would think would be a no man's land.

In my mind, what I remember of my history of the Yukon Gold Rush, the Chilcoot Pass Trail and Skagway are connected. I guess I thought it started at Skagway.  But it didn't, the railroad started in Skagway, The trail started in the town of Dyea.

By Hegg, E.A (1867-1948) 

This is the photo that I remember, showing the miners going up the pass.  The Mounties were waiting up top to collect the customs and duties on the supplies that Canada required them to bring.  One ton of provisions per person required as many as 30 trips up and back over the pass.  For this reason alone, the railroad was a real blessing when it was completed over White Pass.  Both routes allowed the miners to reach the Yukon River, the route to Klondike Gold.

The clouds were hanging pretty low, wish we could see the tops of the peaks.

We stopped at the Skagway Brewing Company for lunch.  When I went back outside to send our SPOT announcement for the day, up rode Ken!  He figured we'd be there that day, and of course he knew where to look for us at lunch time...  Good news! Ken has decided to stay a second night and catch the Alaska Marine Highway's Ferry to Bellingham WA.  It is nice to know that he won't be riding all that way on his own.  He will arrive on Friday morning and be home by lunch.  (Little did we know that we would also get home on Friday, only just before dinner.)

Looking down Nahku Bay as it winds out to the ocean

Lyon walking through Skagway

Wayne along the Dyea River

We found a site at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. With the low cloud cover we all tarp up the tents, in case.

Critter Count:  4 Dahl Sheep
183 miles