SKAGWAY – train to the top of the world

We have a later than usual wake up this morning after our rather disappointing day yesterday and we have reserved anticipation for our White Pass Summit Scenic Railway Excursion.

During this time pondering today’s events Oh Captain announces that we will be arriving in Skagway soon so it is a mad dash to get showered, dressed and organised.

Up to the Lido Deck for breakfast and we come to a screaming halt as the place is packed with Fakers obviously thinking that once again this is going to be their last meal until we get back to Vancouver!  We line up and get our juices and fruit and miracle of miracles we spy a table and quickly put our goodies on this before returning to the buffet for our hot food and toast etc.

In the 5 minutes we are away one of the Fakers has occupied our table and is sitting there oblivious to our belongings and food.  Madly chomping away he totally ignores us until we say ‘excuse us but this is our table – these are our juices etc and could you please move?’  Mr Rude Faker then says that just because we put our things here doesn’t mean that it is reserved and continues to eat.

Our reply was that obviously he had seen our things, therefore he knew someone was coming back with the rest of their breakfast therefore this is our table and we would like to eat. We then proceed to spread our goodies all over the table and Mr Rude sensing that this is not worth his blood that is soon going to be spilt realises that discretion is the better put of valour and with a few mumbled words, picks up his stuff and moves.  I certainly hope we don’t run into him again or things could get unpleasant!  We have long memories!

After eating our wonderful breakfast of the usual hot food – bacon, sausages, hash browns, mushrooms etc we return to our cabin to survey the scene from our verandah of the ship docking.  

Along the rocky walls there are signs painted on the rocks of all the tourist boats that dock here – the train to White Pass is right outside the ship so we do not have far to walk but we are not due to board the train until 12.40pm so a wander around Skagway is in order for the morning.

Oh Captain announces that we can now disembark and we hear the usual stampede down the hallways.  We wait until we see most of the Fakers leave the ship and there is quiet in the hallways then we venture outside our cabin to the gangway.  We are in Skagway all day so there is no great rush for us.

Heading towards the town which is well within walking distance of the Madam V the scenery around us is breathtaking.

We have decided to walk along the water as it is so pretty and also there are no Fakers as they have decided to take the quickest way into town, obviously to suss out where they can use their free coupons! As we enjoy our relaxing stroll we pass the marina where as you can see every citizen of Skagway has a boat and looming in the not so distant background are the wonderful mountains.

On our walk to town we come across this bit of Skagway ‘art nuveau’.  Now I cannot tell you if this is a ‘working’ piece of art – I was not that adventurous – you will just have to go to Skagway yourself to find out.

Nevertheless it does provide some giggles and some wonderment but unfortunately there is not a plaque telling us the whys and wherefores of this structure.  We certainly hope it is not the only Skagway Town Convenience.

Further on and nearly into town is a little babbling brook which is fed from waters direct from the glaciers.  Obviously the grey sky above does nothing to enhance the colour of the water and I certainly would not to want to take a quick paddle – I imagine the water would be freezing!

It is nice to stand and hear the water shooshing by us on it’s way to the ocean or wherever it is going.  Knowing we have plenty of time we can just enjoy nature without racing off to the next spot.

After a relaxing few minutes we arrive in the Town Centre.  It is really an old fashioned mining town – well, not a working mining town but a replica of times gone past.

There are many shops where we have time to visit, contend with the Fakers and buy the necessary tourist trinkets.  There is even an old time saloon complete with models of barmaids, gamblers and customers.

Walking in and out of the shops and little side streets is very relaxing and after getting our fill of this we decide to head back to the ship to store away our goodies before we board our train.

During this walk we get to see one of the trains in the White Pass Snow Fleet.   The front of the engine has a huge snow plough where the front rotates so there must be a lot of snow up here during Winter.

After delivering our goodies safely to the cabin we have a quick cuppa and a bite of lunch and then it is off for our White Pass Summit Scenic Railway adventure.  As stated previously we do not have far to walk to board the train and after deciding where to sit we await the start of our journey.

There are quite a lot of people on board but we each grab a window seat near the heater as it is going to get quite cold as we near the summit. Our Tour Guide introduces himself over the intercom and tells us some facts about the train and the journey and what we should expect.  As we leave the town he points out the old cemetery where one of the colourful locals by the name of Soapy Smith now resides.

HISTORY LESSON:  Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith II (November 2, 1860 – July 8, 1898) was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He Is perhaps the most famous confidence man of the Old West and was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf. 

It’s a shame that we do not get a chance to visit here as both Kylie and I love walking around old cemeteries.

On our climb to the top the track is really close to the rocky walls in some parts.  It is during one of these sharp bends that one of the engines starts to have a bit of trouble.  We come to a stop and hope that we don’t have to walk back down.

Whilst we are stopped we get a chance to look at the scenery and it is of course fabulous.   We wait and wait and then we resume our journey.  Apparently the troublesome engine is going to be replaced at some stage but we are not worried and continue to enjoy the train and the scenery.

As we are on the side of the carriage near the rock wall we only glimpse the valleys and streams on the other side but our guide tells us that on the way down everyone has to change sides so that we all get to see the scenery.  He also advises us that if we wish we can stand on the platforms at either end of the carriage but due to safety reasons we are not to proceed from one carriage to the next.

As the heat in the carriage is getting a bit too warm Kylie and I decide to take advantage of his offer so we open the doors to a blast of icy air and proceed to get some good photos of the valley below and the snow on the mountains.  

We also manage to see some really old rickety bridges that I am glad we are not using – sure must have been one perilous time for those gold miners.  Those bridges look so fragile that they would collapse if even one carriage got on them let alone a full train laden to the brim with miners.  Lucky for us that these bridges are no longer in use and they have been replaced by more sturdier constructions.

Our guide was right when he said it would be cold outside – it is freezing and every now and again we have to put our hands in our pockets to get the circulation going again.  Our faces are also starting to freeze so we pull our collars up around our noses and hope for the best.

We finally arrive at the White Pass Summit and we are told that under no circumstances are we to get off the train as we have now passed over into Canada. I wonder what would happen if you did, but this little black duck is not about to find out. 

It is at this point that our troublesome carriage who thought he could but couldn’t is discarded and we get a replacement for the descent.  It is actually rather nice here – very calm – still cold – but so quiet.  Plenty of opportunities to take photos without the movement of the train.

All too soon we are advised that we will be on our way to the bottom in a minute of two and that we should now all change sides or we can remain outside on the platform.

We take the option of the platform and manage to get a great Kodak moment of the current North West Mounted Police Hut, which just by looking at the place it is not a post that I would cherish, especially in the dead of Winter!

I cannot imagine Nelson Eddy here leading a brigade of Mounties singing ‘Here come the Mounties to get the man we’re after’ while his troupe of merry men join in the chorus!

Back to our journey – our train is going around one of the many bends in the track so yes, typically tourist but still a great photo. Unfortunately a few more people have decided to come outside so we have to take turns of standing in the prime positions – everyone works well together so there is no temptation to give someone a first hand close up look at the valley below!

The weather is starting to close in – and this means that most of the people take refuge inside – but we persevere and get some great shots.  The rain is starting to fall more steadily so it’s back inside the carriage for us.

Before we arrive in Skagway our guide comes through each carriage and introduces himself and tells us a bit more about the train and the trip.  He has done a great job, has a great sense of humour and he is a nice man to boot so we reward him with a great tip.  It is not long before we are back in Skagway and the rain has really started to come down.

Lucky for us that the ship is only a few steps from the train and the Holland America people have umbrellas for everyone while they wait their turn to get back on board – unfortunately all the Fakers have decided to return at this time – yep it’s close to dinner –  so we patiently wait in our train looking at them all push and shove and get wet then when the crowd dies down – oops sorry Fakers, poor choice of words under the circumstances, we make a run for it.  Once on board we head for the dryness and serenity of our cabin.

We decide not to go back into town, mainly due to the weather so we have a quick dinner and then back to the cabin to order tea on the verandah where we watch the poor dock workers getting everything ready for us to sail.  The rain is really coming down now and we feel sorry for these guys – especially as we sit in our dry surroundings sipping hot spiced tea!

We are finally underway, we have our hot showers and put on our jim jams ready for a good night’s sleep because tomorrow we are scheduled to see the Splendours of Glacier Bay National Park and get up close and personal with some more glaciers.

Let’s hope the weather clears for the absolute pinnacle highlight of this cruise.

Highlight of the day: our White Pass Summit Scenic Railway adventure.