Alaska Day 6 7/1/15

Another day.  Another ferry.  This time it was the Laconte Ferry, the smallest so far. It isn’t used for overnight routes. 

Narrow channels. Glaciers. Snow capped peaks.  A lighthouse. The most stunning scenery so far.

And now I am in Skagway, ready to start hiking the Chilkoot Trail tomorrow. 

Approaching Skagway. 4 cruise ships were in port. Ugh.

I got my permit from the Canadian Parks office.  The trail is limited to 50 hikers starting per day but only 9 are signed up for tomorrow.  I impressed them enough with my experience that I didn’t have to watch their instructional video.  I asked at a gear store how much the bear spray was.  $47. Ouch! I want some for Denali but I can’t fly with it.  They checked in the back and found a can someone had bought, not used but gave back to them.  Score.  I will return it when I finish the trail.  My plan is to hike the trail in 3 days.

I met a family who just finished hiking the Chilkoot Trail.  The kids are 8 and 10. Lucky kids. 

The Chilkoot Trail is a 33 mile historic trail from the 1897 Klondike gold rush. It starts in Dyea, near Skagway, and ends at the headwaters of the Yukon in Canada.  Over 30,000 went this route. Each had to have one year of supplies. That one ton of food was carried in 20 to 40 trips and consisted of 350 pounds of flour, 150 pounds of bacon, and 100 each of beans and sugar. Try eating that for a year.