Just Cruises Plus

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad – 2/15/15 Contest

We received 67 responses to our 2/15/15 photo contest and, although everyone knew that the photo was taken in Alaska, just 41 correctly named both the railroad and the location. The winner of the contest is Norm Remer of Southampton, PA, whose name was randomly selected from the 41correct responses.

The town of Skagway, located on the Alaskan Panhandle, has a population of less than 1000 which doubles in size during the summer months to support the huge influx of tourists.  The port is a popular cruise ship stop — understandable, when you walk through the small town and, everywhere you turn, there is a breathtaking view of mountains.

Downtown Skagway

Skagway’s White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad, originally built during the Gold Rush, runs throughout the summer months.  Although usually pulled by diesel locomotives, you could get lucky and ride behind an old time steam locomotive.  There are several trips per day and, although you can purchase tickets while on your ship, we recommend that you purchase them in advance to assure you get the excursion you want.  This is our number one recommendation for Skagway.  The scenery is amazing — hence, the reference to the “Scenic Railroad of the World”.

Advertisement or graffiti? (photo by Jahn Nolan)

The most common tour offered is round trip from “downtown” Skagway to past the summit and return. This tour crosses the Canadian boarder into Yukon Territory, British Columbia. For those who want to combine the railway experience with other adventures, there are several combo-variations offered including; Railway with Kayaking, Railway with Hiking, Railway with a Dog Sled visit and Railway with Biking.

View of the steam locomotive and the dock from the town

We opted for a tour which took us by train to Fort Fraser and then we biked back to the town.  Even with the drizzly weather, the ride to the bottom was exhilarating!  There was little pedaling and lots of braking.

Preparing to bike down the mountain

Our trip to Alaska was in early September.  The temperature was a LOT warmer than we are experiencing here (in Philadelphia).

Tags: Skagway, White Pass, White Pass and Yukon