Skagway was the second stop of our cruise and we loved it! In days gone by, Skagway was the beginning point of the long arduous trek over the mountain pass for many of the Klondikers on their way to Whitehorse and Dawson in their quest for gold. Nowadays, tourism is the main industry and many of the excursions that are offered revolve around the town’s historical beginnings.
Skagway is an odd mix of the old and the new. Many of the
old buildings remain and have been converted into museums. Others have been completely
renovated rather than converted. For instance, the State Park Visitor Centre is
situated in an older building, but has a comfortable modern theatre where you
can see a documentary film of the town’s early history. Good washrooms here
too.
The cruise ships dock about a fifteen to twenty minute walk
from the town centre. Although the town
sidewalks feature boardwalks, the path from the ship to the town is level and
paved. When I was in Skagway many, many years ago, things were a little more
rustic than they appear to be today.
The most popular excursion seems to be the narrow gage
railway that used to connect Skagway with Whitehorse. Today, there are a number
of rail excursions but the train no longer does the full-length trip between
the Yukon and Alaska. I feel fortunate that I did this trip when I was there
before. From the train, passengers do get a good view of the mountains and the
valleys, and there is a good commentary as well. This time, Lyle and I had
decided not to take the train but we heard varying comments about it, ranging
from excellent to a little boring.
Our own day consisted of a trip to the Visitor Centre in the
morning and in the afternoon, a live show at one of the smaller theater
buildings. The show was great, presenting Skagway history in drama, song and dance.
At the end of this post there is a picture of Lyle and I standing with three of
the young women from the show. The performers are dressed in their can can
costumes.
Although Lyle and I didn’t dash around taking in any other
tours, we both enjoyed just walking around the town. Spring was in the air and
in spite of cooler temperatures, the flowers were in bloom. There is a second
picture with this post showing my friend Shirley and I standing in front of a
tree in full blossom. Actually this one was taken in Juneau but in both towns,
Juneau and Skagway, spring came earlier than it did in our home town in Alberta.
I gather that although summer up north is short, the growing season is quite
intense.
If it wasn’t for the distance, I would go back to Skagway in
a flash. I think that accommodation would be relatively easy to find but
probably booking ahead is a good idea. There were a number of hotels and bed
and breakfast homes. There was also a campground close to the water where the
ferry pulls in. I think that one could easily spend a week in Skagway and not
be bored. Maybe one day we will go back and do just that.
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| Sue and Lyle with performers in Skagway |
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| Sue and Shirley in front of tree in full blossom in Juneau |
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