A day in Skagway and Dyea
One of my nieces has just moved to Whitehorse, and yesterday we took her to see Skagway and Dyea. Despite a mediocre weather forecast, it turned out to be quite good, and it no doubt would have been a good day whatever the weather turned out to be.
Our first photo stop was overlooking Rat Lake at Km 136.7 of the South Klondike Highway. While walking back to the car, we spotted the first crocus buds of the season – right after the rains, as expected 🙂
I stopped at Emerald Lake just to get a photo record of how fast the ice is melting. I expect that this will be the earliest that the ice is thin enough that the colours are visible (I’ll update my article, When does the ice leave Emerald Lake?? as soon as the colours start to show well).
Some people were ice fishing on Windy Arm right at the Yukon/BC border.
I forgot to bring Nanook, but Bobbie (my niece) did bring “the boys”, who normally travel with her friend Sheila but are with Bobbie until September. This was shot out on Tutshi Lake.
A dramatic sky over Tutshi Lake.
The new building at the Yukon Suspension Bridge is coming along well. A workman confirmed a rumour I’d heard that it’s a restaurant, and said that they’re aiming at a May 9th opening.
It was ugly going across the pass – heavy snow and very low visibility, and the first cruise ship of the season arrives in 13 days. It’s all fun, though, Bobbie says 🙂
The boys check out the grave of Skagway’s infamous badman, Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith.
The Kone Company was celebrating their 30th aniversary and had a long list of great specials, but with a lineup a block long, we went for lunch at the Sweet Tooth Cafe instead.
Gulls resting at the mouth of the Skagway River. While Cathy and Bobbie went to the grocery store to browse things that aren’t available in Canada, I went for a look around town.
Many seasonal workers have already arrived – these fellows were chilling behind the house used for guides working for Alaska Mountain Guides, who have a rock climbing and zipline course near Skagway.
The White Pass & Yukon Route had 3 newly-built passenger coaches arrive from Seattle by barge on Monday.
Our next stop was Dyea. The pilings are from one of the wharves that were used by stampeders headed for the Chilkoot Trail and the Klondike gold fields.
A couple of curious harbour seals at the mouth of the Taiya River.
One of the unusual-to-us things that Cathy and Bobbie found in the grocery store was succotash, and the boys had us stop at Nahku Bay to check it out 🙂 Sufferin’ succotash, boys!
It had been a long, active day and we were all pretty tired by the time we reached Bove Island at 6:45. Some people thrive in this this country, and I think that this day showed my niece that she’s one of theose people.
About The Author
