Skagway / June 18, 2014

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Cruising into Skagway

Ship Signature Wall

Alongside the Railroad Dock in Skagway is an impressive wall of solid granite that is home to one of the most unique art collections in Alaska. Since 1928, the crews of ships have been "autographing" this wall to commemorate their first voyage to Skagway. Though access to the dock has been severely curtailed since "9/11," passengers on the cruise ships which use the dock and off-season visitors can spend hours reading the signatures, which comprise a virtual "Who's Who" of Alaska passenger ships from the past 80-odd years. To find this information and more, visit Skagway, Alaska - The Ship Signature Wall.

Ship Signature Wall

Alongside the Railroad Dock in Skagway is an impressive wall of solid granite that is home to one of the most unique art collections in Alaska. Since 1928, the crews of ships have been "autographing" this wall to commemorate their first voyage to Skagway. Though access to the dock has been severely curtailed since "9/11," passengers on the cruise ships which use the dock and off-season visitors can spend hours reading the signatures, which comprise a virtual "Who's Who" of Alaska passenger ships from the past 80-odd years. To find this information and more, visit Skagway, Alaska - The Ship Signature Wall.

White Pass and Yukon Railroad

Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. The WP&YR railway was considered an impossible task but it was literally blasted through coastal mountains in only 26 months. For the history of this railroad, visit White Pass & Yukon Route.

White Pass and Yukon Railroad

Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. The WP&YR railway was considered an impossible task but it was literally blasted through coastal mountains in only 26 months. For the history of this railroad, visit White Pass & Yukon Route.

Skagway, Alaska

Skagway, Alaska

Chains have been placed on this granite wall to prevent rocks from hitting the dock. [B]

Lilacs Near the Port in Skagway

Skagway Harbor

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is generally given the credit for starting the rush that would make Skagway's harbor famous around the world, with its headline "Gold! Gold! Gold!" on July 17, 1897. Within hours, ships were sailing from Seattle for the north, particularly for the remote harbors at Skagway and neighbouring Dyea, 1,000 miles north. Although Skagway and Dyea were in competition to be the gateway port to the gold fields and they both had trails through the mountains, only Skagway had a deep-water harbor. Captain William Moore had predicted a gold rush in the interior of the Yukon and/or Alaska, and had tried to prepare for the arrival of prospectors by building a wharf and sawmill and making other improvements to his homestead on the beach at Skagway. In July 1897, almost a year after the discovery of gold in the Klondike, ships jammed with people and supplies began to fill Skagway harbor. For the history of this harbor, visit The Historic Harbor at Skagway.

White Pass and Yukon Railroad

Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. The WP&YR railway was considered an impossible task but it was literally blasted through coastal mountains in only 26 months. For the history of this railroad, visit White Pass & Yukon Route.

White Pass and Yukon Railroad

Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. The WP&YR railway was considered an impossible task but it was literally blasted through coastal mountains in only 26 months. For the history of this railroad, visit White Pass & Yukon Route.

Skagway, Alaska

Skagway, Alaska

White Pass and Yukon Railroad

Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. The WP&YR railway was considered an impossible task but it was literally blasted through coastal mountains in only 26 months. For the history of this railroad, visit White Pass & Yukon Route. We took this train for a six-mile ride and disembarked at "Denver" for a hike into the "wilderness."

On the Way to Sawtooth Mountain Nature Hike

[B]

On the Way to Sawtooth Mountain Nature Hike

Disembarkment Spot for the Sawtooth Mountain Nature Hike