Today was another day of adventure. It has been clear, sunny and dry with temperatures in the high 70s. We checked out of the Skagway hotel this morning and by 8:00 were beginning our sightseeing ride on the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. This narrow gauge railroad was built in 1898 and today gives passengers a thrilling ride parallel to the walking trail used by the early gold miners. Unfortunately we didn't get very far before the train stopped. The announcement was made that we were having electrical problems with the engine, and all three are needed to get the train back down from the White Pass (at almost 3,000 feet elevation)to Skagway's sea
level. Consequently, the engineer backed up the train until we got to the repair yard. We got new engines and eventually took off on our scenic uphill ride. There were glaciers, waterfalls, steep valleys, mountains, wild flowers, and scenery all around us. We were also surrounded by
stories of the gold rush.
At the end of the ride, we again boarded our bus and drove on the Klondike Highway towards Whitehorse. Before long, we noticed that several vehicles were stopped in the opposite driving lane. That almost always means someone has spotted an animal. So we stopped too, but didn't see anything. Finally the driver and one of the passengers noticed a baby black bear way up in an evergreen tree! Looking carefully, someone else spotted the mother bear in the brush, quite close to the tree. The baby climbed down, and the two sauntered away. But before we drove off, people saw two more baby bears in the tree! We watched them grab at pine cones and eventually make their way to the ground. Then out into the clearing came the mom and all three bears. We were able to get good pictures and just had the best time watching. Not too many minutes later, the driver spotted another black bear in the ditch. He backed up, but by the time we got close, the bear had crossed the highway and gone into the trees, so we didn't get pictures. Regardless, it was very exciting.
We made stops for turquoise-colored lakes, remnants of an early silver mine, the smallest desert in the world and a view of the Yukon River as it flows through Miles Canyon.
Our afternoon tour of the SS Klondike, a riverboat retired in 1955 from working on the Yukon between Whitehorse and Dawson City, was very interesting.
Tonight we are going to be entertained with vaudeville-style music and stories at the Frantic Follies, making this a full, fun day in Canada. - Laurel Johnson, Tour Director
level. Consequently, the engineer backed up the train until we got to the repair yard. We got new engines and eventually took off on our scenic uphill ride. There were glaciers, waterfalls, steep valleys, mountains, wild flowers, and scenery all around us. We were also surrounded by
stories of the gold rush.
At the end of the ride, we again boarded our bus and drove on the Klondike Highway towards Whitehorse. Before long, we noticed that several vehicles were stopped in the opposite driving lane. That almost always means someone has spotted an animal. So we stopped too, but didn't see anything. Finally the driver and one of the passengers noticed a baby black bear way up in an evergreen tree! Looking carefully, someone else spotted the mother bear in the brush, quite close to the tree. The baby climbed down, and the two sauntered away. But before we drove off, people saw two more baby bears in the tree! We watched them grab at pine cones and eventually make their way to the ground. Then out into the clearing came the mom and all three bears. We were able to get good pictures and just had the best time watching. Not too many minutes later, the driver spotted another black bear in the ditch. He backed up, but by the time we got close, the bear had crossed the highway and gone into the trees, so we didn't get pictures. Regardless, it was very exciting.
We made stops for turquoise-colored lakes, remnants of an early silver mine, the smallest desert in the world and a view of the Yukon River as it flows through Miles Canyon.
Our afternoon tour of the SS Klondike, a riverboat retired in 1955 from working on the Yukon between Whitehorse and Dawson City, was very interesting.
Tonight we are going to be entertained with vaudeville-style music and stories at the Frantic Follies, making this a full, fun day in Canada. - Laurel Johnson, Tour Director
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