The Boomer Bus: Post 8-20-2014 Skagway

Post 8-20-2014 Skagway, AK

We left Haines today, Sunday, around 12:30 and arrived in Skagway ( originally called Skaguay) around 2:30 or so. Rather than drive all the way back to Haines Junction, especially over the mountain pass that was a royal pain because of heavy, low (on the ground) clouds and the almost total loss of vision trying to drive through it, we elected to ride the ferry.

The ferry is one that regularly makes the trip between Juneau and Skagway every day. Getting the motor home aboard was a bit tricky but we did it. Tight quarters. The crew is well trained for it.

Skagway appears to be nothing more than a tourist town. There are only around 900 people who live here year round and every business we saw while driving through town is obviously tourist oriented. We elected to stay a few days and enjoy what they have to offer which will include a small track (rail) train trip to White Pass which is where the gold prospectors climbed over the mountain in search for gold and on their way to Whitehorse, Dawson City and farther North.

We attended a Vaudville style play called "The Days's of 98 Show" about Skagway's bad guy named Jeffery "Soapy" Smith.He was a total bad seed from the West Coast of California that virtually took over Skagway with his band of thugs/ thieves. He or his men ripped off almost every newcomer passing through until eventually the town's surveyor, Frank Reid, got fed up and formed a vigilante. It culminated into a gunfight between the two and they shot and killed each other. Smith died instantly due to a slug in the heart, Reid died 12 days later due to a groin shot.While it was entertaining it was also a history lesson and quite good.

Frank Reid's Hero Monument "Soapy" Smith buried outside of the graveyard. Only three people attended-driver, pastor and a mysterious lady in black

Another adventure was the train ride up to White's Pass.

On the way to White Pass

Old original trestle---shakey At the Canadian - Alaska border

Part of the original trail from Skagway to Whitehorse was through the White Pass area. It was longer than the route through Dyer but a bit safer. We didn't get to ride the Steam Engine but it was good all the same. This route had it's problems especially with the horses that were used to carry materials for the prospector miners (called "Stampeders"). Over 3,000 horses perished on the White Pass Trail. Some were shot where they fell and some were just left there. Some had their shoes and reins removed for use on the next horse purchased at the port. The area became known as "Dead horse Gulch"

Haines is proud of their railroad, the Snow Blower and the Old Steamer

In a Indian settlement called Duyua, later renamed Dyea, we saw the"Slide" Graveyard where most of the people caught in the avalanche in 1898 were buried. the settlement had deteriorated beyond any recognition so wasn't much to see other than the graveyard.