Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Day 4

During the night, we sailed through Lynn Canal, passing Eldred Rock Lighthouse, Haines, and entered Taiya Inlet eventually docking in our first port, Skagway. Skagway is known as the gateway to the gold fields and although the shortest route to the Klondike, the Chilkoot Trail was treacherous. In 1898, the population of Skagway was 20,000 but today there are about 870. The White Pass and Yukon Railroad Depot is a busy hub. The town reflects the flavor of the gold rush era including several saloons. We enjoyed walking around town and seeing an important part of Alaska’s history. We hope to come back some day to hike the famous Chilkoot Trail. Back on the ship, we went to a Hypnotist Show and had a good laugh. We are off to Juneau!