(Charlie Rood) When the WSGW Alaska Adventure made port in Skagway, most of us rode the famous scenic White Pass and Yukon Route Railway. This route was born in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. The railway climbs from sea level in Skagway to almost 3000 feet at the summit. The tight curves through the mountainous and forested terrain include bridges, tunnels, and cliff hanging turns of 16 degrees. From its start during gold mining, then shifting to shipping ore and concentrates, the railway was active until 1982 when it closed down. The line reopened in 1988 as an excursion scenic railroad. The views from the rail cars through the big windows were breathtaking. You could even venture out onto the small back platform for an outdoor rush of wind in your face! The top picture is early on the ride looking up into the mountains. The bottom picture is about 2500 feet up in the mountains. I know the pictures dont give you proper perspective, but it was a long way up and a long way down!
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 09:55:00 +0000