Category: History

Exploring along the Tutshi River

I had to drive down to Skagway yesterday to pick up some stuff from the post office before we go on vacation next Monday. The weather report for Skagway showed clear skies and the forecast was for sunshine and 42 degrees, so it looked like a great day to...
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A day in Atlin, BC

Atlin is having a tough time, there’s no question about that. Back in the early and mid ’90s I used to go there fairly regularly, both by myself and guiding groups on both day trips and overnighters. The ability to take large groups to Atlin ended when the Atlin...
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The bucket list – the Aleutian Islands

Every now and then I come across something that triggers “man, I’ve gotta see that!” This morning it’s the Aleutian Islands again, prompted by a couple of photographs at the Museum of the Aleutians Web site. I’ve always been fascinated by the Aleutians war – by the difficulty and...
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Cruising College Fjord and flying home

My 21-day adventure on the Coral Princess is over. I’ve now been home for 27 hours and the ship is already so far gone from my mind that it could have been months ago that I was on her. At some point I’ll write up a full review and...
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Arriving home (almost) by cruise ship and train

It’s a few minutes after 04:00 am, and we’re about 2½ hours away from picking up the NPS rangers at the mouth of Glacier Bay. It’s looking like a decent day, with a cloud ceiling at about 3,000 feet but no rain. I had a ball yesterday. I think...
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Ear Lake – a Whitehorse gem lost

There used to be a little gem of a lake on the outskirts of Whitehorse. Easily accessible, Ear Lake had been a popular destination for almost 100 years – even poet Robert Service used to go there, and in a 1905 poem about the future of Whitehorse, he envisioned...
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Exploring Yukon History: Windy Arm

A couple of days ago, history-hunter Michael Gates called me to ask permission to use a couple of photos I took of a Klondike-era grave in a presentation. That spurred the thought that I should update my photos, as my last visit to the site was in 2003 –...
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Exploring San Francisco in 1 day

Cathy and I were up early yesterday to maximize our single day in San Francisco. We already wish that we had more time here – it truly is a great city, and although neither of us is “city folk”, a few days would have been great. San Francisco was...
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A railway history day at Myra Canyon, BC

One of the highlights of the Okanagan Valley for anyone with an interest in history has to be the Myra Canyon section of the former Kettle Valley Railway. Now a hiking and biking trail, this 12-kilometer section of the rail line has 18 trestles and 2 tunnels, and the...
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A new reason to visit Fairbanks – a car museum!

Fairbanks now has an antique car museum. Not a few old wrecks in a warehouse but a fine collection of classics! The museum has been established by Fountainhead Hotels, and is on the grounds of their Wedgewood Resort. Have a look at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum website for...
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