When booking your return from the Chilkoot aboard the White Pass and Yukon route, you can buy a $15 meal in advance. It’s great!
All the hikers gather in a large dining room and there is coffee, stew, bread and apple pie. It’s a feast after five days on the trail.
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The Trail leads into Bennett, BC where people historically built ships to sail towards Whitehorse and the Klondike.
Bennett itself is a ghost town, with only an old church remaining and one private cabin. There’s some satisfaction from seeing a Chilkoot Trail sign that points the other way.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Scenery
One of the last stops on Day 4, coming into Bennett and looking at the scenery.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Scenery, Summer
During the walk from Happy Camp to Lindeman Lake our group came across a black bear.
The bear and a cub were in a blueberry patch. They poked their heads out of the trees and started walking away.
Later that night at Lindeman Lake campground, Parks Canada was holding a question-and-answer session about the trail and life in Old Crow Yukon.
Suddenly the group heard the snapping of branches from behind a tent. It was the bear and cub returning to the camp.
The Parks Canada guides instructed people to walk into a tent and then made noise: First shouting, then clapping, then an airhorn, then a “bear banger” to scare the bear away.
The bear resentfully shuffled back into the woods.
Here’s the bear! (bottom right behind the bushes)
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Summer, Wildlife
One of the different stops along the Chilkoot Trail on the Canadian side is Happy Camp.
It’s a beautiful location to stop for the night. Most campgrounds (with the exception of Lindemann Lake) have wooden platforms for tents.
With the mist and the green mountains many people made jokes about Happy Camp resembling Jurassic Park.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Scenery, Summer
Glaciers and mountain-top snows melt during the summer. When crossing the Chilkoot Trail a person should bring shoes they don’t mind getting wet. (Or try your luck barefoot.)
Don’t forget to pack extra socks.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Scenery, Summer
Here’s another view of snow in August on the Canadian side of the summit.
After the summit crossing it’s a scenic walk to Happy Camp.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Scenery, Summer
(Notice the two hikers in this image….click to enlarge. They are on the snowy section)
The Chilkoot Trail includes a summit crossing from the US to the Canadian side.
The day begins at Sheep Camp and most climbers will take more than 8 hours to arrive to Happy Camp. Those climbing are advised to be walking by 6am due to avalanche risk in some seasons and also to mitigate any delays.
The scenery changes from forest to moss-covered rocks with snow. Planning for the Chilkoot includes carrying some cold-weather gear. At some points the climb is at a 45-degree angle over large angular boulders which resemble the long-settled results of a rock slide.
Climbers are welcomed by the Canadian flag and a Parks Canada cabin at the summit.
This climb was the 3rd day of the itinerary.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Gold Rush, Scenery, Summer
Tagged canada, chilkoot trail, golden stairs, hiking, mountain climb, outdoors
This little toad was barely noticeable among the roots and vegetation.
Posted in Chilkoot Trail, Summer, Wildlife
Walking along the Chilkoot trail you see historic artfacts: pieces of metal, old shoes, horse bones and other detritus.
Seeing these items makes you reflect on the mindset of the pioneers who tried carrying these heavy items across the trail and *gave up* right there. Some artefacts are a monument to failure.
Other artefacts are leftovers from cable-cars, telegraph lines and even tent cities that were installed during the 1898-99 stampede.
Life in Yukon 