2008 Aug 6 Haines & Skagway

Alaska & The Yukon - The Klondike Gold Rush

“Gold! Gold! Gold!” screamed the headlines as many people rushed to strike it rich beacuase of an Aug 16, 1896 discovery of gold near where the Klondike and Yukon Rivers join in northwestern Canada. Today, we arrived at Haines, the first port of call of our cruise Haines, to visit the two cities of the Klondike Gold Rush days – Haines and Skagway! It was a rare sunny day in the southeast Alaskan frontier.
The home of the Chilkat and Chilkoot Tlingits, Haines holds both the culture and beauty that has made Alaska a geographical treasure, not that all touristy … just how the way it is! Haines was founded in 1881 by the Presbyterian Church at the invitation of the local Tlingit Indians. It was established as a mining supply and fishing port. Gold seekers swept up in the Klondike Gold Rush at the end of the 19th century arrived at the port and then walked northward, following the well-beaten Dalton Trail. As the Klondike Gold Rush slowed, people began to notice that the southeast frontier of Alaska was still wild and open. By 1901, the continuing US – Canadian border dispute prompted the American government to establish the first military base in Alaska – Fort Seward, named to honor William Henry Seward who negotiated the deal and acquired Alaska for the U.S. from Russia. From that day, the development of the town and the Fort were intertwined.
Two infantry companies from the U.S. Army using mules for transportation were posted at Fort Seward. During World Wars I and II, the Fort was a training base for Alaska recruits. During World War II, it was a rest and recreation center for troops who served in the North Pacific Theater. At the end of World War II, it was declared surplus property. Since the Fort did not see much military action, it was decommissioned after World War II and sold to five army veterans who set it up as a tourist destination.
After a city tour on board HAL’s shuttle, we departed on the fast ferry to visit Skagway. It took us approximately 40 minutes by the fast ferry via the Lynn Canal – North America’s longest fjord. By road, one would have to travel 350 miles via Haines Highway to Skagway!

Near the port upon arrival at Skagway, we spotted salmon spawning at a creek. It was a spectacular and educational sight seeing the sockeye and silver salmons swimming upstream to spawn … and then die after that!

Skagway was once a major gateway to the Klondike after the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad was built. It was wild, with something for everyone. Confidence artists and thieves – led by Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith – and greedy merchants lightened the unwary’s loads. A modern city then, Skagway had electric lights, telephones, 80 saloons, 3 breweries, many brothels, and other service and supply businesses. Today, Skagway Historic District still retained many historic buildings from its Gold Rush days.

After an afternoon walking through the history of Klondike Gold Rush, we returned to Haines to take a ride to Chilkoot River. We were on a bear hunt! But besides seeing some bear poops and bald eagles diving down to catch the salmons that are swimming upstream to spawn, we saw no bears!

Our cruise departed Haines and continued to cruise down Lynn Canal towards our next port of call – Juneau, the captivating capital of Alaska!