[:RU]These were amazing times, endless streams of people, obsessed with the excitement of getting rich quickly, flocked to the Klondike at the end of the 19th century. The Gold Rush theme was one of the most interesting parts of the Alaska cruise for me. Somehow I’ve never been interested in this story before, but traveling gives you the opportunity to touch and feel something new, previously unknown. So, when I returned home, I began to read about the “Gold Rush” phenomenon, which was not limited only to gold bars; for many people, mass psychosis became an opportunity to open an extremely successful business. Out of nowhere, in the harsh climate of Alaska, entire cities were born, roads were built, and even railway routes were laid in the incredibly difficult conditions of the local terrain.
This is how White Pass Railways was born. The most beautiful narrow gauge railway in Alaska with a length of 175 km. Work on the construction of the road began in 1898. The route passed through the difficult White Pass mountain pass, but the opening took place just 2 (two) years later! This is what gold does to people.
I will have several articles about Alaska, but today I want to show you the most striking episode of the trip - the White Pass narrow-gauge railway. An absolute must visit place when you go there on a cruise!
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Departing from Seattle, ships with gold prospectors moored at Deye and Skagway, from where they traveled on foot to the Klondike region of Canada.
On the left is the path from Deye - it is easier at the beginning, a fairly long section can be driven through flat terrain. However, it had an incredibly difficult section - Chilkoot Pass, where thousands of people died. Where the Canadian authorities established very complex requirements for crossing the border - to have a year's (!) supply of food with you.
On the right is the road through the White Pass, it was more difficult, but much shorter. More than 3,000 horses died here, which is why the valley is called Dead Horse Valley.
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On the left is Chilkoot Pass, on the right is White Pass.
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This is how gold miners crossed the Chilkoot Pass:
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And this is how we walked through White Pass:
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The railroad through White Pass was built in just two years. In 1897, three separate companies were formed to build the 325-mile line. Much of the construction was financed by British investors and this section was soon completed. A narrow gauge of 3 ft (914 mm) was chosen; The narrow gauge made it possible to simplify the laying of the line and saved significant money. But even under these conditions, it took 450 tons of explosives to reach the top of White Pass. The narrow gauge required a smaller turning radius, making the task easier and allowing it to follow the terrain rather than clear the road with explosions.
On July 21, 1898, an excursion train carried passengers 4 miles from Skagway, the first train in Alaska. On July 30, 1898, the rights and concessions of the three companies were acquired by the White Pass & Yukon Railway Company Limited, a new company from London. By mid-February 1899, construction had reached highest point- 879.3 m White Pass, at a distance of 32 km from Skagway. On July 6, 1899, the road reached the village of Bennett, and this is the province of British Columbia (Canada).
The last spike was driven into the road on July 29, 1900, and train service began on August 1, 1900. However, by this time the gold rush had begun to decline. The golden crutch, which was supposed to mark the end of construction, was replaced by an ordinary iron one. The gold one was too soft and instead of being hammered it just flattened out.
Now you can travel by train to Canada, to the White Pass and back. Such a trip takes 3.5 hours, during which I practically did not enter the carriage, standing on the open area between the carriages, my mouth open with delight.
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Cruise ships offer the option to buy a ticket for this excursion on board with one advantage - boarding the train is located next to cruise ship. It takes 7-10 minutes to walk from the port to the station, so don’t bother with nonsense and unnecessary overpayment and buy a ticket on the website or at the ticket office at the station.
The train is waiting for those who bought an excursion on board:
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Railway station. You can buy a ticket without any problems on the spot, as well as on the Internet at http://wpyr.com.
Most a budget option— Scagway-White Pass and back — $119. The train runs from May to September, but check the current schedule on the train company's website.
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You can be outside and it’s wonderful! So be sure to dress warmly. It was around 0 at White Pass in June.
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There are also bus excursions, but this is complete bullshit. The bus goes along the opposite side of the canyon and it is presented as “the bus will make stops and you can get out to take photos.” In fact, the train moves slowly, also stopping periodically.
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Interior of retro cars:
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Scagway on the horizon and small cruise ships for 2-4 thousand passengers:
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Suddenly on a stone along the way Mickey Mouse:
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Old bridge, which was in operation until 1969:
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Oncoming train.
It is customary for Americans to greet this way, what does it mean?
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White Pass:
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Flags: Alaska, USA, Canada, British Columbia and some others.
The border between the USA and Canada runs along the pass.
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Braking:
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These shots look absolutely incredible in reality. I have never seen anything like it. The small train gracefully curves around mountains and rocks. These moments alone are worth going on a cruise to Alaska!
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I bought a big album there with archival photographs era of the Gold Rush, I will definitely post them in separate posts.
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These were amazing times, endless streams of people, obsessed with the excitement of getting rich quickly, flocked to the Klondike at the end of the 19th century.
The Gold Rush theme was one of the most interesting parts of the Alaska cruise for me. Somehow I’ve never been interested in this story before, but traveling gives you the opportunity to touch and feel something new, previously unknown. So, when I returned home, I began to read about the “Gold Rush” phenomenon, which was not limited only to gold bars; for many people, mass psychosis became an opportunity to open an extremely successful business. Out of nowhere, in the harsh climate of Alaska, entire cities were born, roads were built, and even railway routes were laid in the incredibly difficult conditions of the local terrain.
This is how White Pass Railways was born. This is the most beautiful narrow-gauge railway with a length of 175 km. Work on the construction of the road began in 1898. The route passed through the difficult White Pass mountain pass, but the opening took place just 2 (two) years later! This is what gold does to people.
This is an absolute must visit place when you go there on a cruise!
Departing from Seattle, ships with gold prospectors moored at Deye and Skagway, from where they traveled on foot to the Klondike region of Canada.
On the left is the path from Deye, it is easier at the beginning, a fairly long section can be driven through flat terrain. However, it had an incredibly difficult section - Chilkoot Pass, where thousands of people died. Where the Canadian authorities set very difficult requirements for crossing the border - to have a year's (!) supply of food with you.
On the right is the road through the White Pass, it was more difficult, but much shorter. More than 3,000 horses died here, which is why the valley is called Dead Horse Valley
On the left is Chilkoot Pass, on the right is White Pass.
This is how gold miners crossed the Chilkoot Pass:
And this is how we walked through White Pass:
The railroad through White Pass was built in just two years. In 1897, three separate companies were formed to build the 325-mile line. Much of the construction was financed by British investors and this section was soon completed. A narrow gauge of 3 ft (914 mm) was chosen; The narrow gauge made it possible to simplify the laying of the line and saved significant money. But even under these conditions, it took 450 tons of explosives to reach the top of White Pass. The narrow gauge required a smaller turning radius, making the task easier and allowing it to follow the terrain rather than clear the road with explosions.
On July 21, 1898, an excursion train carried passengers 4 miles from Skagway, the first train in Alaska. On July 30, 1898, the rights and concessions of the three companies were acquired by the White Pass & Yukon Railway Company Limited, a new company from London. By mid-February 1899, construction reached its highest point - 879.3 m of White Pass, at a distance of 32 km from Skagway. On July 6, 1899, the road reached the village of Bennett, and this is the province of British Columbia (Canada).
The last spike was driven into the road on July 29, 1900, and train service began on August 1, 1900. However, by this time the gold rush had begun to decline. The golden crutch, which was supposed to mark the end of construction, was replaced by an ordinary iron one. The gold one was too soft and instead of being hammered it just flattened out.
Now you can travel by train to Canada, to the White Pass and back. Such a trip takes 3.5 hours, during which I practically did not enter the carriage, standing on the open area between the carriages, my mouth open with delight.
Cruise ships offer the option to buy a ticket for this excursion on board with one advantage - boarding the train is located next to the cruise ship. It takes 7-10 minutes to walk from the port to the station, so don’t bother with nonsense and unnecessary overpayment and buy a ticket on the website or at the ticket office at the station.
The train is waiting for those who bought an excursion on board:
Railway station. You can buy a ticket without any problems on the spot, as well as on the Internet at http://wpyr.com. The most budget option is Scagway-White Pass and back - $119. The train runs from May to September, but check the current schedule on the train company's website.
You can be outside and it’s wonderful! So be sure to dress warmly. It was around 0 at White Pass in June.
There are also bus excursions, but this is complete bullshit. The bus goes along the opposite side of the canyon and it is presented as “the bus will make stops and you can get out to take photos.” In fact, the train moves slowly, also stopping periodically.
Interior of retro cars:
Scagway on the horizon and small cruise ships for 2-4 thousand passengers:
Suddenly on a stone along the way Mickey Mouse
Old bridge, which was in operation until 1969:
Oncoming train. It is customary for Americans to greet this way, what does it mean?
White Pass:
Gold Rush Road, or White Pass and Yukon Route.
White Pass and Yukon Railway (WP&Y, WP&YR) - Canadian-American second class narrow gauge railway between settlements Whitehorse (Yukon, Canada) and Skagway (Alaska, USA). The total length is 175 km.
Work on the construction of the road began in 1898. Its main purpose was to transport passengers to gold rush sites. The route passed through the difficult White Mountain Pass, which greatly hampered its construction, which was completed in 1900.
The railroad closed after the end of the gold rush, but was reopened during another mining boom around Faro, Mayo and Clinton Creek. The final closure of the railway occurred in 1982.
Klondike: terminal station, 1900.
It is an isolated line and does not connect with any other railway. Equipment, cargo and passengers are first transported by sea to Skagway and then transported by rail to their destination. The line is a division of the Tri-White Corporation and is operated by the Pacific and Arctic Railway and Navigation Company (in Alaska), the British Columbia Yukon Railway Company (in British Columbia), and the British Yukon Railway Company, originally known as British Yukon Mining, Trading and Transportation. Company (Yukon), which owns the rights to trademark"White Pass and Yukon Route".
The railroad emerged as a result of the Alaska Gold Rush in 1897. The most popular route for gold miners to the Dawson gold fields was the precarious trail to Canadian border from Skagway or Dyea, via Chilkoot or White Pass. There, miners received permission from Canadian authorities to cross the border, provided that they had a supply of food. For most prospectors, this required several round trips to transport their supplies. A better transportation system than the horses used at White Pass or the men at Chilkoot Pass was needed. This need led to the emergence of the first railway projects. In 1897, the Canadian government received 32 proposals to build railways in the Yukon, but most of them were never implemented.
In 1897, three separate companies were formed to build a 325-mile line between Skagway and Fort Selkirk. Much of the construction was financed by British investors and this section was soon completed. A narrow gauge of 3 ft (914 mm) was chosen; The narrow gauge made it possible to simplify the laying of the line and saved significant money. But even under these conditions, it took 450 tons of explosives to reach the top of White Pass Mountain. The narrow gauge required a smaller turning radius, making the task easier and allowing it to follow the terrain rather than clear the road with explosions.
Construction began in May 1898, but the builders soon had difficulties in negotiations with the city administration and local crime boss Soapy Smith. President Samuel H. Graves (1852-1911) was elected chairman of the vigilance committee, whose purpose was to drive out Smith and his gang. On the evening of July 8, 1898, Soapy Smith was killed in a shootout with guards at a Vigilance Committee meeting. Samuel Graves witnessed the shooting. The railroad helped cut off the gang's escape route, and the remaining road posts in Skagway were closed.
On July 21, 1898, an excursion train carried passengers 4 miles from Skagway, the first train in Alaska. On July 30, 1898, the rights and concessions of the three companies were acquired by the White Pass & Yukon Railway Company Limited, a new company from London. By mid-February 1899, construction reached its highest point - 879.3 m White Pass, at a distance of 32 km from Skagway. On July 6, 1899, the road reached the village of Bennett, British Columbia. In the summer of 1899, construction continued further north, on the Carcross-Whitehorse section. Whitehorse was 110 miles (177 km) north of Skagway. Construction crews working along the difficult stretch of Bennett Lake reached Carcross the following year, and the last spike was driven into the road on July 29, 1900, with train service beginning on August 1, 1900. However, by this time the gold rush had begun to decline.
The golden crutch, which was supposed to mark the end of construction, was replaced by an ordinary iron one. The gold one was too soft and instead of being hammered it just flattened out.
This is a description of the Klondike Road attraction (section) OBJECT_LOCATION_PREFIX, Alaska (United States of America). As well as photos, reviews and a map of the surrounding area. Find out the history, coordinates, where it is and how to get there. Check out other places on our interactive map, get more detailed information. Get to know the world better.
White Pass Railways is not just picturesque, but in some places quite dangerous mountain Railway, but also the opportunity to take a breeze through the places of the legendary “Gold Rush”.
Created 5 years ago by judon from Lubljana Slovenia
