Album: White Pass, Klondike Gold Rush NHP, Alaska

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

In 1897, the first steam-wheelers from San Francisco, Portland and Seattle arrived in Skagway, packed with stampeders. Within months, Skagway became a bustling port town and peaked at a population of 10,000 people many of which were headed to the Yukon gold fields. The goldfields were accessed by two routes, the first extending from the neighboring town of Dyea into Chilkoot Pass, and the second branching from Skagway into White Pass. Although the Chilkoot Trail was shorter and more direct, it was steeper and overcame more arduous terrain. The White Pass route was longer and not as high in elevation as the Chilkoot, but it had its own obstacles. The trail became clogged with mud during the wet fall months, making the trail virtually impassable. Consequently, thousands of people and their pack animals were stuck along the trail and many ran out of supplies. It is estimated that 3,000 horses died along the trail, deeming the White Pass route as the notorious Dead Horse Trail. The following year, a wagon road was cleared and the 20 mile long White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad was operational in 1898 just as the Klondike gold rush was coming to a close. The railroad is a marvel of engineering overcoming steep grades and treacherous turns throughout the pass. Long after the Klondike Gold Rush, the railroad served an integral part of Skagway’s economy. It provided the essential infrastructure servicing the freight and passenger requirements of Yukon’s population and supported the mining industry during the turn of the century. Today, visitors can experience White Pass either by foot or by train with guided tours running from May to September. White Pass can otherwise be observed from the South Klondike Highway which is the primary route from Skagway to the Yukon.