We left Suzy and the Lynn View Lodge early to catch the 3:30 AM ferry to Skagway, she even got up to make us coffee and tell us goodbye. The views along the Inside Passage to Skagway were fantastic. Temperatures are in the lower 40’s and it feels like it on deck so we stay in the front lounge most of the time, just relaxing and soaking in the scenery. We arrived in Skagway at 6:00 and catch a quick breakfast at the Corner Café and we start the day’s tourist activities before the cruise ships and buses get to town. We joined a National Park ranger for a walking tour of the historic areas of Skagway, and learned the history of the gold rush and the prospectors, nicknamed Sourdoughs because of the bag of sourdough starter they kept with them. It is remarkable what all they used this little bag of sourdough starter for. After the walking tour we drove 15 miles to Skagway’s sister city Dyea, just on the other side of the river. Dyea had a population of over 30,000 during the gold rush and was the staging area for the miners taking the Chicot trail to the gold fields in the Yukon. It is now a ghost town, made up of collapsed structures and archaeological digs. The entire story of the gold rush and the Whitehorse and Chicot trails are a remarkable example of the determination of the gold seekers and the conditions they endured. Debbie and Janice got in some shopping before dinner; the suburban is slowly filling up with their treasures. We ate dinner at the Stowaway Café, our last chance for Alaskan seafood before we start the drive back home. The trip has been better than we could have prayed for, everything has exceeded our expectations and I’m sure we will be planning our next adventure before we get home. We leave Alaska in the morning for the 645 mile drive to Fort Nelson, British Columbia. We all hate to leave but I’m sure we will make the trip again.
Total Miles To Date: 8018
Corner Cafe - A
Stowaway Cafe - A++
