Apparently!
Skagway was derived from shԍagéi, a Tlingit idiom which figuratively refers to rough seas in the Taiya Inlet
Oh, sure. Now that you say it, it's obvious.
While researching this fact I also found this picture which shows the tide as high as it was later that evening. Our ship was docked at the Berth in the middle of the photo, the cruise ship farthest to the left in the picture. Just for reference, the railroad where we departed from was just to the right of the cruise ships parked in tandem next to the mountain.
Here’s my photo from the morning, notice how much lower the tide is around the rocks
Pretty good difference.
Don't know why, but I find tides interesting.
You already saw the comfy seats, which by the way could rotate 360 degrees, provided you didn’t bang into your nextdoor neighbor.
I'll never forget that day our knees met.
We had our own private restroom, just for our car.
There's a joke here.... I'm just too tired to think of it.
Here are the snacks before we left the station.
And here's a picture of them after we got back.
All gone!
Venison sausage and cheese.
How was the sausage?
Rhubarb topped with goat cheese.
There seems to be a rhubarb theme here.
Once Fran and I were seated he brought us chilled bottles of water
Nice of him.
Now that we have that out of the way, let take a look at our car with everyone on board.
Where's Fran?
We could go out on the back platform, but the smell of Diesel/gasoline was overwhelming.
Ugh, gross. Hate that smell.
I once took a three day bus ride... or maybe it was two.... don't remember. What I do remember was spending quite a bit of time in the bathroom. Not being sick, although I felt it, but because there was a little tiny slot with fresh air coming in.
The train started to move uphill and our host informed us that we could begin adult beverage service once we exited the city limits.
Huh.
It was built in 2 years between the years 1898 and 1900. Workers were busy round the clock in all seasons with no break.
Holy smoke!
In the Wintertime conditions were difficult
No kidding!
By the time the railroad was finished the gold rush had ended.
D'oh!
Well, that sucks.
The reason that the railroad sounded so appealing back in the day was that to enter the Yukon Territory from the Chilikoot or White Pass Trail, the Canadian government required that each man have a year’s worth of supplies with him.
We're meanies.
When it came down to the actual building, he had no shortage of workers. The lower 45 states were experiencing a recession
Ah.
There were doctors, teachers, musicians, you name it who had come north seeking fortune and gave up that dream to work on the railroad when they realized how difficult it may be to actually pursue that fortune.
Interesting fact.
Today the rail line operates at least four trains daily.
Really! Didn't know there was
that much tourism.
There is a retired railroad caboose along the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad. The nearby terrain is rugged and brushy, but the trail offers plenty of hiking opportunities. The following is included with the cabin: 4 single bunks, 1 double bunk (total capacity is 6 people), tables and benches, oil stove and tank, cooking counter, food cupboard and shelves, cooler, log book, broom and dustpan, outhouse, rake, shovel and bucket. Water is available from a nearby stream.”
Sounds rustic... kinda fun for a night or two.
The scenery was breathtaking
The track ahead where we would be going.
Looks rickety.
Our guide pointed out the train ahead of us as it was heading towards the first tunnel on the Ridge ahead of us.
Oh! I didn't realize that they had multiple trains... traveling at the same time.
I thought there was one train that did four trips daily.
He said that this point is usually not visible as even on some of the best days, as it was often fogged in, but for us we could see the whole thing bright and clear.
Nice!
Just between February and June of 1898, the Mounties collected $174,000 in duties. In today's money, that is about $4.9 million dollars!
Thanks, America!
The Northern Pacific Railroad Company published the Chicago Record's Book for Gold Seekers in 1897 and included the following supply list:
Needs more bacon.
This photo that I downloaded from the same website where I found this list showed men (Stampeders, as they were called) with their gear on the waterfront, waiting to ascend the pass.
Look at all that stuff! Crazy!
This photo made me realize that the trail's being maintained.
Someone's clearing out any rock that falls on the trail.
Not quite sure what these folks were doing here….
Pokémon Go.
There are a series of switchbacks here and our train was "turned around" so to speak. The engine disconnected from the train, drove up to the switchback and then passed us to go up to what was the end of the train and hooked back up there.
Interesting. I had thought that you'd just get pushed back down, instead.
We were now the caboose! No awful gas smell, so we could go out on the outside platform.
Thank goodness!
It was quite humorous my jumping up and lurching to the back of the train. With its side to side motion which is natural on a railroad like that, navigating the way to the back of the train was a bit treacherous.
or he was generous with the refills in my wine glass!
Maybe that added to the “fun” in getting to the back of the train!
Y’all said lots of pictures was good!
We did! Or at least I did.
I took this picture out the back of the train.
Not much room in there. Keep your arms in!
I’m not exactly sure what this is, but it’s pretty.
This one I think says a thousand words and yet leaves you speechless.
Breathtaking!
I’m not exactly sure what these folks were waiting for, but it did seem odd that they were just sitting there in the middle of nowhere waiting for something.
Waiting for the train to go by so they can walk on the track or cross it maybe?
Here’s another attempt of mine to get a shot or two of that cabin that can be rented.
You can really tell that it's a caboose now.
He mentioned that they did not have a hospital in town or even a doctor. They have a nurse practitioner and he thought that she was as good as any doctor that he had visited in the lower 48.
Pretty standard for a northern town. Tough to find doctors who are willing to go.
glad they found a use for it.
We would never have survived!
