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Skagway, Alaska
Ultimate Yukon and White Pass Adventure
Shore Excursion Review: Ultimate Yukon and White Pass Adventure
Skagway, Alaska
August 16, 2008
By Lisa Plotnick
Ask for advice on shore excursions out of Skagway, Alaska and you will invariably
receive a strong recommendation for a ride on the famed White Pass & Yukon Route
railway. From what I can tell from reading and moderating cruising message boards,
many passengers opt for a round-
Skagway was our second of three ports on our Holland America Line Ryndam cruise to
the Inside Passage, falling on Day 5 of the 7 day round-
The portion of the Klondike Highway on which we drove was magnificent. During our
two-
When reaching the Alaska/Yukon border, our guide took a photo of us in front of the sign noting our entrance into the Yukon. (As we would not be returning via the same road, we had taken the complementary sign welcoming us to Alaska roughly one hour prior, at the Alaska/British Columbia border.)
Upon arriving in Carcross, we stopped briefly at the Carcross Desert, a roughly 1-
Carcross Desert Emerald Lake
It was then mid-
From there, we returned to the bus and rode to downtown Carcross, a small area of several wooden structures, some in the midst of renovation, along two main streets. The town’s claim to fame is its role in the completion of the White Pass & Yukon Railroad Route in 1900—a commemorative stone and plaque now stands at the site at which, in 1900, the final spike was driven. The terminal building of 1910 still stands, and is used today as a gift shop and visitor center. We enjoyed walking around and viewing the monuments to the town’s history and taking in the beautiful mountain backdrop.
From Carcross, we boarded the bus for the hour-
All of the above would have been missed had we taken the round-
Of course, our trip was not yet over, as we still had to return to Skagway. After arriving in Fraser, we boarded the historic White Pass & Yukon Route railway. Many of the message board posts I had read indicated that when traveling south, sit on the right side of the train. Most of the passengers did so. A fear of heights kept me and my niece on the left side of the train—yet, I moved over a bit into the trip and was fine if I looked toward the horizon rather than down. Regardless, you get decent views on both sides, although the side that overlooks the mountain is preferable for taking in the breathtaking scenery. Braver souls can stand on the platform between cars, taking photos and video, as our husbands did.
A view to the right (southbound) A view to the left (southbound)
I loved the train cars. This is not surprising as many liner fans seem to share an
appreciation of train travel. Although our car, Lake Annie, was built in 1985, it
had a vintage feel, as seen in the photograph below. Adding to this charm was the
clackity-
Yet, the best show was outside the windows. The scenery was magnificent—snow capped mountains, waterfalls, greenery and more. As we descended down the mountain and rounded many hairpin turns, we were rewarded with views so beautiful that even this professional writer cannot find the words to properly convey them. I will let the pictures do the talking.
Once returning to Skagway, we had sufficient time to walk around the small town (population 900 in the winter), and shop while our husbands had a beer in the Red Onion Saloon.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you are a first-
Skagway