White Pass and Yukon Route Train Tour
I took the long anticipated “White Pass and Yukon Route” train tour today. I chose a whole day package going north all the way to Carcross in train then coming back to Skagway by shuttle bus. I arrived at train station seven o’clock in the morning and learnt that there were only 7 passengers on this tour and we were riding a train of 4 cars and a crew of 4 members. It felt like a private tour. Our guide told us most cruise passengers and travelers chose the half day excursion package only up to the Summit to save time. This train route ran in parallel to the Klondike Highway except the railroad was built deeper into the mountains and closer to the lakes that I could only see from a distance while driving on highway yesterday.
The 65 miles journey passed US-Canada Border at Fraser Summit then continued to British Columbia into Yukon Territory. The scenery and terrain changed as the weather went from drizzling in the morning to sunny in the afternoon. We stopped at Bennett for lunch and got off train at Carcross. This was a relax and fun trip; I had the chance to take a lot of pictures for my photo diary.
I took the long anticipated “White Pass and Yukon Route” train tour today. I chose a whole day package going north all the way to Carcross in train then coming back to Skagway by shuttle bus. I arrived at train station seven o’clock in the morning and learnt that there were only 7 passengers on this tour and we were riding a train of 4 cars and a crew of 4 members. It felt like a private tour. Our guide told us most cruise passengers and travelers chose the half day excursion package only up to the Summit to save time. This train route ran in parallel to the Klondike Highway except the railroad was built deeper into the mountains and closer to the lakes that I could only see from a distance while driving on highway yesterday.
The 65 miles journey passed US-Canada Border at Fraser Summit then continued to British Columbia into Yukon Territory. The scenery and terrain changed as the weather went from drizzling in the morning to sunny in the afternoon. We stopped at Bennett for lunch and got off train at Carcross. This was a relax and fun trip; I had the chance to take a lot of pictures for my photo diary.
"White Pass and Yukon Route" is a railroad service that takes passengers into White Pass and Yukon mountain areas where vehicles can not reach. There are various packages available. I purchase the package of whole day entire route from Skagway to Carcross.
7 o'clock in the morning, passenger waiting area at downtown Skagway is still quite empty.
It turns out, we have an (almost) private tour. This 4-car and 4-member crew train services 7 passengers of us on this tour.
This is the interior of the car. On the right is our trip narrator.
There is a heating system in the front area of each car.
It is cloudy and a bit rain when we start the trip 7:45 in the morning.
passing mountains ...
... cross the creeks ...
It is misty and foggy. Our narrator told us, White Pass was named after William White, the Canadian Minister of Interior who help fund the project of construction; not a name for its white dense fog, as I thought.
Into a tunnel ...
... passing an old bridge.
The bridge looks mysterious in the dense fog.
More Tunnel ... in and ....
... out.
The weather is getting better and better in the mid-morning.
A close look at the emerald color lake that I could only view from a distance a couple days ago when I came down to Skagway.
Beautiful lake under the sunny sky
Arrive Bennett for lunch.
We were told we will have "black bear" stew for lunch today. It tastes good but chewy though....
Bennett is located at the south end of Bennett Lake. The town used to be a gold rush boomtown where gold seekers stayed and built boats to launch down the Lake to Klondike. Gold seeker set tents here to accommodate the sudden growth of the population. The boom only last a couple years. Bennett, now, can only be accessed by train and foot.
We have a guided tour to the old townsite after lunch. This is a model of the gold seeker boat.
I was told there are only railroad workers and hikers stay here in the summer and there is no winter population here.
A glimpse of beautiful Bennett Lake from Bennett
Artifact on the hill
St. Andrew's Church was the place where people met for spiritual and social needs.
Looks like this is an old dock where people launched boats.
Continue our train ride to Carcross
Before entering Carcross
Carcross visitor center - This is the end of our train tour, 4:00pm. We will ride bus back to Skagway. And tomorrow, the train will take passengers who are bused here from Whitehorse back to Skagway.
Across the street from Carcross visitor center, there is a general store and ice cream parlor. This building used to be a hotel in Bennett. It was relocated here a few years ago.
Come back to Skagway, I have a dinner at this famous "Red Onion Saloon". This was a real Saloon in gold rush era .... For a fee, now, visitors can go upstairs to see the rooms ...
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