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105-688: It runs along a 2.5 mile loop-to-loop track from the Village to the top of the mountain Dollywood borders to the north. It is pulled by two ex- White Pass & Yukon Route 2-8-2 " Mikado " type steam locomotives , each burning five tons of coal each day. It is the oldest attraction in Dollywood , opening at the theme park "Rebel Railroad" in 1961. It is also one of the signature attractions at Dollywood, appearing in almost all advertising. In 1957, North Carolina real-estate developer Grover Robbins opened

210-399: A 2-8-0 , was re-acquired in 2001, rebuilt, and re-entered service in 2008. Also operational, a few times a year, is an original steam-powered rotary snowplow , an essential device in the line's commercial service days. (The rotaries were retired in 1964, along with the remaining steam engines that pushed them, and snow clearing was done by caterpillar tractor .) While it is not needed, as

315-552: A theme park between Boone and Blowing Rock called Tweetsie Railroad with ex- East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad 4-6-0 #12. The park was an instant success. In 1961, he acquired two USATC S118 Class 2-8-2s from the White Pass. The success of Tweetsie prompted him to send one of them, #192, to the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee for a second theme park, called Rebel Railroad. The other, #190,

420-535: A "huddle of tents surrounding a hard core of blacksmith shop, saloon, and a restaurant." The second-largest campground on the American side of the trail. It is located next to small tributary of the Taiya River. Canyon City includes a log cabin with a wood stove and several bunks (although sleeping is not permitted inside park shelters), several shelves for cooking, and a small porch for drying gear. This cabin

525-550: A canvas warming and cooking shelter with mosquito screens, bear-proof food storage locker, an outhouse , and ample tent sites. Finnegan's Point often takes in very few hikers because of its proximity to the trailhead, and most parties pass Finnegan's Point within a few hours. However, for slower parties and those with a late start on the trail, Finnegan's Point is often the campground of choice. The campground receives its name from Pat Finnegan, who enterprised to collect bridge-crossing tolls from stampeders. Finnegan's Point consisted of

630-466: A component of a Klondike Gold Rush International Historic Park. The U.S. portion was eventually established in 1976 as Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park , comprising part of Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle , Washington , various sites throughout Skagway, Alaska, the abandoned town site of Dyea, Alaska, and the U.S. portion of the Chilkoot Trail. The Canadian portion of the trail

735-476: A few small switchers. On June 30, 1964, the line retired its last steam locomotive. The railroad was an early pioneer of intermodal freight traffic, commonly called containerization ; advertising of the time referred to it as the Container Route . The WP&YR owned an early container ship ( Clifford J. Rogers , built in 1955), and in 1956 introduced containers, although these were far smaller than

840-413: A gold-coated steel spike being driven by a descendant of WP&YR contractor Michael James Heney . One organization chartered a steam-pulled train from Carcross to Fraser, with a stopover at Bennett, on Friday, June 24, 2005. When participants seemed unlikely to reach the planned numbers, surplus seats were sold to the public (120 USD or 156 CAD), with bus return to Carcross from Fraser. This represented

945-764: A heritage railway. In July 2018, the railway was purchased by Carnival Corporation & plc . For many years the railroad was a subsidiary of Tri White Corporation, also the parent of Clublink , and operated by the Pacific and Arctic Railway and Navigation Company (in Alaska), the British Columbia Yukon Railway Company (in British Columbia ) and the British Yukon Railway Company, originally known as

1050-465: A modest number of campsites are all available at this campsite. Happy Camp owes its name to the relief prospectors (and hikers) experienced from arriving at the first outpost after the pass. The camp is situated in a true alpine ecosystem and receives heavy use because of its location. Deep Lake is one of only two campgrounds on the trail without permanent or semi-permanent shelter. Deep Lake includes an outside cooking area, bear proof lockers for food, and

1155-457: A new ore dock at Skagway, and assorted work on the rail line to improve alignment. In the fall of 1969, a new tunnel and bridge that bypassed Dead Horse Gulch were built to replace the tall steel cantilever bridge that could not carry the heavier trains. This enormous investment made the company dependent on continued ore traffic to earn the revenue, and left the railway vulnerable to loss of that ore-carrying business. As well, passenger traffic on

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1260-426: A number of natural and historical sites as shown on the map. By following the numbers on the map from south to north, the hiker will go along the same route as the old prospectors. The trip normally takes three to five days and to stay for the night, a number of designated campgrounds are made. The trail is roughly divided into three climatic zones: coastal rainforest, high alpine (above tree limit) and boreal forest. In

1365-541: A petroleum pipeline near the railroad tracks. The operator's mistake caused the pipeline to rupture and spill between 1,000 and 5,000 US gallons (830 and 4,160  imp gal ; 3,800 and 18,900  L ) of heating oil into the Skagway River. Roadmaster Edward Hanousek Jr. and President M. Paul Taylor Jr. were charged with several crimes associated with the accident. Both men maintained their innocence throughout many years of extensive litigation. After remand by

1470-507: A prospector for one year (the Klondike supply list ). Prospectors ferried the gear from campsites along the trail, slowly moving closer to the headwaters of the Yukon. With all the equipment and supplies being transported, alternative methods, especially those with a little supplemental income, sprouted up. Many prospectors purchased pack animals (although that method was more commonly used on

1575-563: A rail link from Skagway to Fort Selkirk, Yukon , 325 miles (523 km) away. Largely financed by British investors organized by Close Brothers merchant bank, a railroad was soon under construction. A 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge was chosen by the railway contract builder Michael James Heney . The narrow roadbed required by narrow gauge greatly reduced costs when the roadbed was blasted in solid rock. Even so, 450 tons of explosives were used to reach White Pass summit. The narrow gauge also permitted tighter radii to be used on curves, making

1680-630: A re-opening of the line as a heritage railway . The White Pass was and is perfectly positioned to sell a railroad ride through the mountains to cruise ship tourists; they do not even have to walk far from their ships. Following a deal between White Pass and the United Transportation Union, representing Alaska employees of the road, the White Pass Route was reopened between Skagway and White Pass in 1988: purely for tourist passenger traffic. The White Pass Route also bid on

1785-456: A regular iron spike. A gold spike was on hand, but the gold was too soft and instead of being driven, was just hammered out of shape. As the gold rush wound down, serious professional mining was taking its place; not so much for gold as for other metals such as copper , silver and lead . The closest port was Skagway, and the only route there was via the White Pass & Yukon Route's river boats and railroad. While ores and concentrates formed

1890-485: A sister park to its Branson, Missouri attraction Silver Dollar City . The ride was renamed again. This time, instead of a minor text change, #192 was given a complete new look. She was painted black instead of Tweetsie green. It was also fitted with balloon stacks to give it a more western look. In 1977, the ride acquired 3 new locomotives from the WP&;YR, #70, #71 and #72. In 1986, Dolly Parton became part owner of

1995-489: A small number of campsites. It is notable, however, for its scenic location, between the indigo hues of Long and Deep Lakes. The largest campground on the Canadian side. It includes separate north and south campsites, a small cluster of buildings for the trail warden and trail crew, a dock and Parks Canada powerboat, a canvas shelter containing a museum of photographs and small library on the outdoors and Klondike history, and

2100-526: A small ridge above Lake Lindeman in a pine forest and overlooking the Bare Loon Lake, the campground is one of the most beautiful on the trail. It includes two outhouses, a helicopter pad, and food lockers. This camp is the end of the trail. Several structures maintained by the White Pass and Yukon Route are clustered around the tracks, as well as a private First Nations residence. The campground

2205-471: A spillover campsite if Sheep Camp is full. There is a sign near the cooking shelter notifying backpackers whether Sheep Camp is at capacity or can still take backpackers. This is the largest of the American campsites. It is located adjacent to a braided Taiya River . Occasionally avalanches, rockslides, or exceptional rains, will flood Sheep Camp. Sheep Camp consists of two canvas shelters, 3 outhouses, and over 20 campsites. A large post-and-beam picnic pavilion

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2310-623: A strange and colorful assortment began arriving at Skagway. The single-largest group was seven D&RGW K-28 class 2-8-2's acquired prior to the lease, in August 1942, 2-8-0's from the Silverton Northern and the Colorado & Southern , all over 40 years old, and a pair of ET&WNC 4-6-0's soon appeared, among others, as well as eleven new War Department Class S118 2-8-2's. WP&Y's original roster of 10 locomotives and 83 cars

2415-438: A web of trails leading among the remains of the old town. The north and south campsites each include a large wooden cabin that serves as a cooking and warming shelter, numerous bear poles, and several picnic tables. The campsite is located on the site of what was Lindeman City during the gold rush: a cemetery of deceased prospectors from the gold rush era remains, as well as numerous foundations, former fire rings, old latrine holes,

2520-417: Is Pleasant Camp. There is an informational trail sign at the original site of Pleasant Camp, a quarter mile before the present Pleasant Camp campground. Pleasant Camp marks the reunion of the trail with Taiya River and serves as a lightly used, small campground. From Pleasant Camp the trail is fairly flat and weaves through forest and over small creeks. The trail next comes to Sheep Camp, the last campground on

2625-462: Is a warming cabin and part-time Parks Canada warden station. Occasionally, if a party is making poor time, the warden or U.S. ranger will offer the warming cabin as an overnight shelter so to not risk the group from being caught in the barren and exposed alpine landscape between the pass and Happy Camp. There are also many artifacts scattered about the Golden Stairs and ridge lines surrounding

2730-400: Is closed during part of the winter every year, the Dollywood maintenance crew usually follows a checklist to maintain the trains and keep them in pristine, working condition. According to Dollywood, the trains are sanded down and repainted every year, the running boards are replaced, brake systems are overhauled and other basic repairs are made where necessary. The train repair crew even contours

2835-447: Is on-site) varies, but usually begins in late May and ends in early September. Peak demand runs from June through August. Avalanche danger lingers into late May, as well as large snow fields that slow progress, whereas September is associated with rain and colder weather. The Chilkoot is also a challenging ultra-run. The fastest known time belongs to ultramarathoner Geoff Roes in 5 hours and 27 minutes. The Chilkoot trail features

2940-427: Is relatively small and includes bear poles, picnic tables, and an outhouse. Bears are the primary safety concern in the park. It is very common for hikers to encounter them. Firearms are not permitted on the Canadian side of Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park. Almost all parties take bear spray and/or bear bangers as repellents, but most importantly both sides of the park mandate smart bear practices. It

3045-542: The Alaska Highway as an all-weather overland route to ensure communication. One of the principal staging points for construction was Whitehorse, which could be supplied by the WP&YR. By that time the railroad was a financially-starved remnant from Klondike gold rush days, with well-worn engines and rolling stock. Despite this, the railroad moved 67,496 short tons (61,231 t) during the first 9 months of 1942, more than double its prewar annual traffic. Even this

3150-848: The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994. The line was born of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897. The most popular route taken by prospectors to the gold fields in Dawson City was a treacherous route from the port in Skagway or Dyea, Alaska , across the mountains to the Canada–US border at the summit of the Chilkoot Pass or the White Pass . There,

3255-589: The Duchess , is now in Carcross. In 1910, the WP&YR operated a branch line to Pueblo, a mining area near Whitehorse. This branch line was abandoned in 1918; a haul-road follows that course today but is mostly barricaded; a Whitehorse Star editorial in the 1980s noted that this route would be an ideal alignment if the Alaska Highway should ever require a bypass reroute around Whitehorse. By June 1914,

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3360-723: The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (45 miles (72 km)). WP&YR acquired some rolling stock from Canadian National 's Newfoundland operations, which shut down in November 1988; the acquisition included 8 side-pivot, drop-side air dump cars for large rocks, and 8 longitudinal hoppers for ballast , still painted in CN orange. These cars were converted from Newfoundland's 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge bogies to White Pass and Yukon Route's 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge bogies. Most trains are hauled by

3465-718: The Great Depression , traffic was sparse on the WP&YR, and for a time trains operated as infrequently as once a week. Alaska became strategically important for the United States during World War II ; there was concern that the Japanese might invade it, as Alaska was the closest part of the United States to Japan. Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor , the decision was made by the US and Canadian governments to construct

3570-640: The National Trails System . Tlingit Indigenous people used the trail as a vital trade route to trade for resources available in the interior. As pressures from American settlers and the Hudson's Bay Company weakened the traditional Tlingit trading system, the Chilkoot Trail slowly became utilized by explorers and prospectors. The name Chilkoot Trail is a partial translation of the trail's Tlingit name, namely Chilkoot Dei•yi , which means Chilkoot- owned Trail . The trail's English name omits

3675-595: The United States , to Bennett, British Columbia , in Canada . It was a major access route from the coast to Yukon goldfields in the late 1890s. The trail became obsolete in 1899 when a railway was built from Dyea's neighbor port Skagway along the parallel White Pass trail. The U.S. portion of the Chilkoot Trail and Dyea Site were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, following creation of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in 1976. In 1987,

3780-657: The ore -haul from the newly reopened Faro mine, but its price was considerably higher than road haulage over the Klondike Highway . The railway still uses vintage parlor cars, the oldest four built in 1881 and predating WP&YR by 17 years, and four new cars built in 2007 follow the same 19th-century design. At least eight cars have wheelchair lifts. A work train reached Whitehorse on September 22, 1988, its intent being to haul two locomotives, parked in Whitehorse for six years, to Skagway to be overhauled and used on

3885-615: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the President settled on a plea agreement on misdemeanor charges of making negligent misrepresentations to the Coast Guard. The Roadmaster was convicted on negligence-related charges. A serious derailment on September 3, 2006 resulted in the death of one section worker. A work train, Engine 114 pulling eight gravel cars, derailed approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Bennett, injuring all four train crew, two Canadian and two American; one died at

3990-416: The American side of the trail as well as the final resting stop before the trek up Chilkoot Pass. It is the largest of the campsites on the American side of the trail. After leaving Sheep Camp and before the U.S. ranger station, the trail passes through a large avalanche chute. The slide has wiped out all previously existing forest and leaves a young brushy and alder-dominated landscape. A short distance after

4095-610: The B.C. portion of the trail was designated Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site . In 1998, the centennial of the gold rush , the National Historic Site in British Columbia joined with the U.S. National Historical Park to form Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park . In 2022, the 16.5 mi (26.6 km) portion of the trail in Alaska was designated Chilkoot National Historic Trail , part of

4200-682: The British Yukon Mining, Trading and Transportation Company (in Yukon), which used the trade name White Pass and Yukon Route. The railroad was sold by Clublink to a joint venture controlled by Survey Point Holdings, with a minority holding by the Carnival Corporation & plc parent company of the Carnival Cruise Line . The railway was designated as an international historic civil engineering landmark by

4305-571: The Canyon City campsite are the Canyon City ruins. Canyon City was a tent city during the gold rush and its ruins—building foundations, a large restaurant stove, a large boiler—are still visible. The ruins are accessible by crossing the Taiya River by suspension footbridge . After Canyon City ruins, the trail diverges away from the river for the first time as the river disappears into a small canyon (Canyon City's namesake) and climbs up valley wall, traversing sub-alpine forest. For many sections of

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4410-581: The Chilkoot Trail into a mainstream transportation route to Canada's interior. The gold rush was primarily focused in the region around Dawson City in Yukon and the Yukon River . Of the several overland routes, the Chilkoot Trail was the most direct, least expensive, and, soon enough, most popular. The other primary route to the headwaters of the Yukon River, however, was also based out of Skagway :

4515-501: The Lake Lindeman campground, the headquarters of Canadian trail operations. The trail climbs a steep bluff after Lindeman and offers an expansive view of the lake and surrounding forest. After Lake Lindeman, the trail passes Bare Loon Lake and the Bare Loon Lake campground. The trail diverges after Bare Loon Lake. One branch continues to Lake Bennett and the tracks of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad. The other branch,

4620-482: The Log Cabin cut-off, connects with the Klondike Highway , but was closed by Parks Canada in 2010. Bennett consists of a campground, a White Pass and Yukon Route depot, several houses (all private property) belonging to White Pass employees or First Nations citizens, and the only gold rush-era building still standing along the trail today, the renovated St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Pilings from bygone piers dot

4725-522: The Port of Skagway, and via road through a few of the stops along its route. The railroad began construction in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush as a means of reaching the gold fields. With its completion in 1900, it became the primary route to the interior of the Yukon, supplanting the Chilkoot Trail and other routes. The route continued operation until 1982, and in 1988 was partially revived as

4830-507: The WP&YR had 11 locomotives, 15 passenger cars and 233 freight cars operating on 110 miles (180 km) of trackage; generating $ 68,368 in passenger revenue and $ 257,981 in freight revenue; still a profitable operation as operating expenses were only $ 100,347. While all other railroads in the Yukon (such as the Klondike Mines Railway at Dawson City) had been abandoned by 1914, the WP&YR continued to operate. During

4935-415: The WP&YR was increasing as cruise ships started to visit Alaska's Inside Passage . There was no road from Skagway to Whitehorse until 1978. Even after the road was built, the White Pass still survived on the ore traffic from the mines. During this time, the green-yellow engine color scheme, with a thunderbird on the front, was replaced with blue, patterned with black and white. (The green-yellow scheme

5040-551: The base of the "Golden Stairs" (the long difficult incline that leads to the pass), are The Scales. The Scales were a weight station where freight would be reweighed before the final trek to the pass. Often, Native packers would demand higher packing rates. The Scales also hosted a small tent city, including six restaurants, two hotels, a saloon, and many freighting offices and warehouses. The imposing Golden Stairs also prompted many would-be prospectors to turn around, often leaving behind their required ton of equipment. Because of this, and

5145-570: The buildings had been demolished or removed. The trail begins in Dyea, a ghost town and campground, 15 minutes from Skagway. From the trailhead, the route winds through coastal rainforest along to the Taiya River . The first campsite is Finnegan's Point. This stretch of the trail is in flat terrain with no substantial obstacles. The trail becomes noticeably cooler after Finnegan's Point owing to cool air sinking down from snow and ice fields in

5250-474: The bulk of the traffic, the railroad also carried passenger traffic, and other freight. There was, for a long time, no easier way into the Yukon Territory, and no other way into or out of Skagway except by sea. Financing and route was in place to extend the rails from Whitehorse to Carmacks , but there was chaos in the river transportation service, resulting in a bottleneck. The White Pass instead used

5355-413: The camps, a U.S. Ranger Station is located north of Sheep Camp to present the history of the pass and inform about weather and trail conditions before crossing the summit. This campground is located adjacent to the Taiya River while the valley is still relatively flat. The mosquitoes are very bad at Finnegan's Point partly due to its location and the abundance of standing water. The campsite itself includes

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5460-450: The cold in the park's offseason. White Pass %26 Yukon Route The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&Y, WP&YR) ( reporting mark WPY ) is a Canadian and U.S. Class III 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska , with Whitehorse , the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other railroad. Equipment, freight and passengers are ferried by ship through

5565-726: The continental railroad network suggested Carmacks as a hub, with a branch line to Whitehorse and beyond to either Skagway or Haines, Alaska. Several former White Pass steam locomotives are currently in operation at tourist attractions in the Southeastern United States . Locomotives 70, 71, and 192 are at the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee . Locomotive 190 is at the Tweetsie Railroad in Boone, North Carolina . In late June 2010,

5670-505: The distance between Skagway and Whitehorse is 107 miles (172 km), and the distance of line between Skagway and Carcross is 67.5 miles (109 km), this means that about 63% of the original line is now used again. Even when the length of the unused portion of the line is excluded, the WP&YR is longer than other notable North American narrow-gauge railroads, such as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (64 miles (103 km)) and

5775-527: The end it is connected to White Pass historical railway leading back to Skagway the modern port of the trail. In the following, the points of the map are highlighted with bold letters. Dyea is a ghost town located at the convergence of the Taiya River and Taiya Inlet on the south side of the Chilkoot Pass within the limits of the Municipality of Skagway Borough, Alaska . Confidence man and crime boss Soapy Smith , famous for his underworld control of

5880-463: The evening of July 8, 1898, Soapy Smith was killed in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf with guards at one of the vigilante's meetings. Samuel Graves witnessed the shooting. The railroad helped block off the escape routes of the gang, aiding in their capture, and the remaining difficulties in Skagway subsided. On July 21, 1898, an excursion train hauled passengers for 4 miles (6.4 km) out of Skagway,

5985-422: The first paid passenger trips out of Carcross since 1982, a feature that started regular service in 2007. White Pass president Gary Danielsen advised a CBC Radio interviewer that service to Whitehorse would require an enormous capital investment to restore the tracks, but the company is willing if there is either a passenger or freight potential to make it cost-effective. A June 2006 report on connecting Alaska to

6090-473: The first train to operate in Alaska. On July 30, 1898, the charter rights and concessions of the three companies were acquired by the White Pass & Yukon Railway Company Limited, a new company organized in London. Construction reached the 2,885-foot (879 m) summit of White Pass, 20 miles (32 km) away from Skagway, by mid-February 1899. The railway reached Bennett, British Columbia , on July 6, 1899. In

6195-673: The gold rush spurred men from across the United States to leave their jobs and families and gain passage up the Inside Passage to Skagway. As it became apparent that many of the prospectors who chose the Chilkoot simply were not going to survive the arduous terrain and harsh weather, Canada's North-West Mounted Police (now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ) declared that prospectors could only enter Canada if they had at least one ton of gear, enough to supply

6300-555: The lakeshore and an assortment of cans and other metal artifacts are scattered throughout the woods. As shown on the route map there are nine designated, maintained campgrounds on the Chilkoot Trail. Camping is allowed in these places only. Hikers must use their own tents or shelters as the cabins at the campgrounds are for warming and cooking only. For cooking a backpacking stove must be brought along, even though wood stoves are available in some places. Open fires are prohibited. Use of campgrounds must be planned in advance. In addition to

6405-530: The last narrow-gauge diesel locomotives built for a North American customer, was delivered to the White Pass. The five diesels sold to Colombia were not used there as they were too heavy, and were re-acquired in 1999; one was nearly lost at sea during a storm as it broke loose on the barge and slowly rolled towards the edge. The railway was the focus of the first episode of the BBC Television series Great Little Railways in 1983. The shutdown, however,

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6510-419: The line from 5 to 15 February 1943 and from 27 January to 14 February 1944. The peak movement occurred on August 4, 1943, when the White Pass moved 38 trains north and south, totaling 3,346 gross short tons (3,035 t) (2,085 net short tons [1,891 t]), and 2,236 locomotive-miles (3,598 km) in 24 hours. Control of the railroad was handed back to its civilian operators late in 1944. In May, 1947,

6615-532: The line's diesel locomotives, painted in green (lower) and yellow (upper). However, one of the line's steam locomotives is still in operation, No. 73 , a 2-8-2 Mikado -type locomotive. Another steam locomotive, No. 40 a 2-8-0 Consolidation type locomotive was on loan from the Georgetown Loop R.R. in Colorado for a period of five years, but was returned after only two years. Former WP&Y 69,

6720-455: The money to purchase most of the riverboats, providing a steady and reliable transportation system between Whitehorse and Dawson City. While the WP&YR never built between Whitehorse and Fort Selkirk, some minor expansion of the railway occurred after 1900. In 1901, the Taku Tram , a 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (4 km) portage railroad was built at Taku City, British Columbia , which

6825-411: The more lush temperate rain forest on the U.S. half before Chilkoot Pass. After the trail passes Deep Lake, the outlet river runs parallel to the trail for a short distance before entering a small canyon. Many boat and boat-related artifacts are visible in this area. The trail continues at a gentle decline until the turquoise-colored Lake Lindeman comes into view and the trail concludes its descent to

6930-492: The neighboring town of Skagway in 1897-98 is believed to have had control of Dyea as well. The port at Dyea had shallow water, while neighboring Skagway had deep water. For a brief period between 1897 and 1899, this trail and town were full of prospectors. Dyea was abandoned when the White Pass and Yukon Route railroad chose the White Pass Trail, which begins in Skagway, over the Chilkoot Trail. By 1905, most of

7035-476: The pass, including a cache of intact (canvas, wood, etc.) prefabricated boats on the southeastern side of the pass. Stone Crib is situated a half mile after the pass. Stone Crib served as the terminus of the Chilkoot Railroad and Transport Company's aerial tramway, a huge rocky counterbalance for the tram. This function is still apparent today with the wooden structure collapsed along the west side of

7140-407: The property, and the park was renamed Dollywood . The train ride itself was renamed to Dollywood Express . After the 2004 operating season, the park removed the balloon stacks, which were proving to be unpopular and gave the locomotives a new coat of paint. Since the removal of the balloon stacks, the locomotive's paint schemes have been constantly changing. Nicknamed the “Beatrice”. When the park

7245-603: The prospectors were not allowed across by Canadian authorities unless they had sufficient gear for the winter, typically one ton of supplies. This usually required several trips across the passes. There was a need for better transportation than pack horses used over the White Pass or human portage over the Chilkoot Pass. This need generated numerous railroad schemes . In 1897, the Canadian government received 32 proposals for Yukon railroads, and most were never realized. In 1897, three separate companies were organized to build

7350-481: The railroad and the City of Skagway entered into an agreement whereby the two would jointly advocate for the restoration of freight service on the line, including the revival of the trackage north of Carcross back to Whitehorse and the possibility of constructing new track north from Whitehorse to Carmacks. The expansion would require federal funds, and, if completed, would serve the region's mining industry. In July 2018,

7455-481: The railroad purchased its last steam locomotives. These were a pair of 2-8-2 Mikado type engines built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia , numbered No. 72 and No. 73 . In 1951, the White Pass and Yukon Corporation Ltd., a new holding company, was incorporated to acquire the three railway companies comprising the WP&YR from the White Pass and Yukon Company, Ltd., which

7560-485: The railway was purchased by Klondike Holdings and Carnival Corporation & plc , in a joint venture. In 1951, engine No. 70 caught a guardrail with its snowplow and rolled over on its side. The locomotive was repaired and now is in operation at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee , working on the Dollywood Express . In 1994, during rock removal operations, a backhoe operator accidentally struck

7665-404: The ranger station is a small museum of gold rush-era artifacts in an old cabin. Soon after leaving the cabin the sub-alpine forest slowly yields to a treeless alpine landscape that allows a grand view of the rapidly narrowing Taiya River valley. As the trail climbs in altitude, its path becomes more improved, often demarcated by yellow markers planted in snowfields. Within sight of the pass, and at

7770-501: The reference to ownership. In addition, the second word of Chilkoot Dei•yi sounds like the name for the village of Dyea . Prior publications state that Dyea was derived from "to pack" [ yaa ] or "carrying place" [ yaa yé ]. However, the presence of the initial \d\ sound in Dyea casts doubt on those latter possibilities, and suggests that the first syllable had been dei (as in dei-yi ). The Klondike Gold Rush (1896–1899) transformed

7875-540: The remote character of the trail, the National Park Service and Parks Canada allow no more than 50 backpackers to begin the trail each day by way of a permit system. In return for these fees, both countries have full-time trail maintenance crews, ranger/warden stations, well-designed campgrounds, and have placed numerous interpretive signs adjacent to notable historical sites and objects. The official hiking season (when rangers are on-duty and trail crew

7980-517: The rival White Pass route. The White Pass route was slightly longer but less rigorous and steep, whereas the Chilkoot was shorter and more difficult. Skagway, because of its deepwater harbor, served as the principal port for both routes (nearby Dyea, the beginning of the Chilkoot Trail, was built on the extensive, shallow Taiya River delta). Prospectors who chose the Chilkoot were ferried to Dyea by small boat or ferry. Soon, both Skagway and Dyea were bustling tent cities as sensationalist headlines of

8085-410: The rival White Pass ), and many others paid Tlingit Indians to haul gear on a per-pound rate from campsite to campsite. Aerial tramway companies soon were hauling tons of gear over the head of the prospectors every day. By the end of the Chilkoot Trail's heyday, there were five distinct tramway operations on different parts of the trail competing for the influx of gear and money in the region. Many of

8190-426: The ruts of Lindeman City's main street, and a plethora of artifacts ranging from broken wine and beer bottles to tin cans. Lake Lindeman hosts a small tent museum containing photographic displays and a small library of books on the Chilkoot, the outdoors, and other Canadian parks . Bare Loon Lake is the second campground without semi-permanent shelter, though it now includes a pavilion-style cooking shelter. Located on

8295-603: The scene and the others had to be airlifted to a hospital. Passenger operations on the blocked section had ended for the season just before the accident. In February 2007, Engine 114 was taken for repair to the Coast Engine and Equipment Company (CEECO) in Tacoma , Washington. Chilkoot Trail The Chilkoot Trail is a 33-mile (53 km) trail through the Coast Mountains that leads from Dyea, Alaska , in

8400-478: The snow's preserving properties, artifacts are prevalent at this altitude, including many remnants of wooden structures. After The Scales is the final push up to the Chilkoot Pass: the fabled Golden Stairs. The Golden Stairs acquired its name from the steps that prospectors painstakingly carved into the snow and ice of the pass and has retained the name ever since. At the pass proper, at the Canada–US border,

8505-464: The summer of 1899, construction started north from Carcross to Whitehorse, 110 miles (177 km) north of Skagway. The construction crews working from Bennett along a difficult lakeshore reached Carcross the next year, and the last spike was driven on July 29, 1900, with service starting on August 1, 1900. By then much of the Gold Rush fever had died down. At the time, the gold spike was actually

8610-464: The summit push into Canada. During the official hiking season the park ranger stationed just south of Sheep Camp gives a quick presentation outlining the route over the pass, the weather forecast, and snow conditions every evening in the pavilion. Rangers recommend 7.5 to 10 hours for a group to travel from Sheep Camp to Happy Camp. Happy Camp is the only campground on the Chilkoot Trail in the alpine . A very small wooden warming cabin, an outhouse, and

8715-399: The surrounding mountains. Numerous streams also cascade down the mountain sides. This stretch of the trail contains the least amount of visible artifacts. The next camp is Canyon City. Many hikers, especially those desiring a more modest pace or those who have had a late start, stop at Canyon City the first night. The shelter located at Canyon City houses many gold rush-era artifacts. Close to

8820-503: The task easier by allowing the railroad to follow the landscape more, rather than having to be blasted through it. Construction started in May 1898, but they encountered obstacles in dealing with the Skagway city government and the town's crime boss , Soapy Smith . The company president, Samuel H. Graves (1852–1911), was elected as chairman of the vigilante organization that was trying to expel Soapy and his gang of confidence men and rogues. On

8925-508: The tourist season is only in the summer months, it is a spectacle in operation, and the White Pass runs the steam plow for railfan groups once or twice each winter, pushed by two diesel locomotives (in 2000 only, it was pushed by two steam locomotives, Nos. 73 and 40). The centennial of the Golden Spike at Carcross was re-enacted on July 29, 2000, complete with two steam engines meeting nose-to-nose (No. 73 and No. 40), and

9030-508: The tourist trains. While in Whitehorse for approximately one week, it hauled the parked rolling stock – flatcars , tankers and a caboose – out of the downtown area's sidings, and the following year, they were hauled further south, many eventually sold. Most of the tracks in downtown Whitehorse have now been torn up, and the line's terminus is six city blocks south of the old train depot at First Avenue and Main Street. A single new track along

9135-495: The trail, old telegraph and tram wires are exposed adjacent to the trail. For the gold rush prospectors, this section of the trail was one of the most difficult. In winter, when the Taiya River was frozen, the gold rush stampeders could easily travel up the ice highway; however, in the summer this segment was described as "the worst piece of trail on the road, fairly muddy with many boulders and with some short, steep ascents and descents in and out of small gulches." The next landmark

9240-575: The trams constituted world-class engineering feats of the era. After the Klondike Gold Rush, the trail became more or less deserted. Prospectors late to the gold rush now made their way to the Yukon on the new White Pass and Yukon Route narrow-gauge railroad , which took them all the way to Whitehorse, Yukon in the Yukon Territory . In 1969, the U.S. and Canadian governments jointly declared their intention to make Chilkoot Trail

9345-405: The truck-sized containers that came into use in the United States in 1956 and could not readily be handed off to other railroads or ship lines. The Faro lead - zinc mine opened in 1969. The railway was upgraded with seven new 1,200  hp (890  kW ) locomotives from ALCO, new freight cars, ore buckets, a straddle carrier at Whitehorse to transfer from the railway's new fleet of trucks,

9450-533: The valley. The trail wends its way by a series of alpine lakes: First Crater Lake, Morrow Lake, and finally Happy Camp. The trail continues to pass another couple of lakes—Long Lake and Deep Lake—before crossing tree line . Adjacent to Deep Lake, and amidst tree line, is another campground. The Canadian half of the Chilkoot Trail, in the rain shadow of the Coast Mountains, is much dryer, and pine forest, first appearing at Deep Lake, readily contrasts to

9555-563: The waterfront enables the operation of the Whitehorse Waterfront Trolley , a tourist line run by a local historical society. After customs and Canadian Labour Union jurisdictional issues were resolved, the WP&YR main line reopened to Fraser in 1989, and to Bennett in 1992. A train reached Carcross station in 1997 to participate in the Ton of Gold centennial celebration. A special passenger run, by invitation only,

9660-410: The wheels if needed to ensure that patrons of the attraction can have a smooth, bump free ride. Along with the regular maintenance performed every year on the locomotives, the train repair crew also overhauls the engine on the locomotives every ten years to ensure the trains operate properly. The locomotives are also winterized at the end of their yearly maintenance to ensure that they are protected from

9765-471: Was built by the CCC and juvenile delinquents in the 60s. Canyon City includes 16 campsites and two outhouses as well as food lockers and bear poles. This is the smallest of the campgrounds on the American side of the trail. It is located next to a sandbar in the Taiya River and consists of a canvas warming and cooking shelter, a small number of campsites, a bear pole and food lockers. Pleasant Camp usually serves as

9870-611: Was christened Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site, one of several sites that comprise the Canadian national park associated with the Klondike. Klondike Gold Rush NHP and Chilkoot Trail NHS together form Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park, a designation introduced at the time of the centennial of the gold rush in 1998. The Chilkoot Trail is a popular recreational trail among residents of Southeast Alaska and Yukon Territory . The trail also attracts many tourists from abroad. To manage demand, and to prevent overuse and maintain

9975-420: Was completed by the trail crew in 2017. The collapsed CCC cabin was rebuilt in 2018 by the trail crew. The only U.S. Ranger Station on the trail is located just a few hundred meters south of Sheep Camp and the ranger during the official season gives a nightly presentation on the history of the pass and current weather and trail conditions. From Sheep Camp many hikers leave early in the morning—as early as 4 a.m.—for

10080-627: Was deemed insufficient, so the U.S. Government leased the railroad for the duration, effective at 12:01 a.m. on 1 October 1942, handing control to the United States Army . What became the 770th Railway Operating Battalion of the Military Railway Service took over train operations in company with the WP&Y's civilian staff. Major John E. Ausland, a former executive with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad ,

10185-657: Was doomed as a commercial railroad. Hopeful of a reopening, the railway ran at a significant loss for several months, carrying only passengers. However, the railway closed down on October 7, 1982. Some of the road's ALCO diesels were sold to a railroad in Colombia , and three (out of four, and one of these was wrecked) of the newer ALCO diesels built by and in storage with ALCO's Canadian licensee MLW ( Montreal Locomotive Works ) were sold to US Gypsum in Plaster City, California . Only one of these modern narrow-gauge diesels,

10290-612: Was in liquidation. The railway was financially restructured. While most other narrow-gauge systems in North America were closing around this time, the WP&YR remained open. In 1959, the first dividend to stockholders was paid: 10 cents per share. The railroad began dieselizing in the mid to late 1950s: one of the few North American narrow-gauge railroads to do so. The railroad bought shovelnose diesels from General Electric , and later road-switchers from American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and Montreal Locomotive Works , as well as

10395-496: Was made from Carcross to Whitehorse on October 10, 1997, and there are plans to eventually re-open the entire line north to Whitehorse if a market exists. So far, the tracks are only certified to Carcross by the Canadian Transportation Agency; on July 29, 2006, White Pass ran a train to Carcross and announced passenger service would begin in May 2007, six trains per week, with motorcoach return trips. Since

10500-548: Was named superintendent, while Lieutenant Stanley Jerome Gaetz was trainmaster . Canadian law forbade foreign government agencies from operating within Canada and its territories, but Japanese forces had occupied some of the Aleutian Islands by this time, and an accommodation was quickly reached to "make an illegal action legal." The MRS scoured the US for usable narrow-gauge locomotives and rolling stock, and soon

10605-439: Was not for long. Tourism to Alaska began to increase, with many cruise ships stopping at Skagway. The scenery of the White Pass route sounded like a great tourist draw; and the rails of the White Pass & Yukon Route were laid right down to the docks, even along them, for the former freight and cruise ship traffic. Cruise operators, remembering the attraction of the little mountain climbing trains to their passengers, pushed for

10710-672: Was operated until 1951. It carried passengers and freight between the SS Tutshi operating on Tagish Lake and the MV Tarahne operating across Atlin Lake to Atlin, British Columbia (While Tutshi was destroyed by a suspicious fire around 1990, Tarahne was restored and hosts special dinners including murder mysteries. Lifeboats built for Tutshi' s restoration were donated to Tarahne ). The Taku Tram could not turn around, and simply backed up on its westbound run. The locomotive used,

10815-464: Was restored in the early 1990s, along with the thunderbird. As of 2005 , however, one engine still had the blue color scheme. The steam engines, however, remained basic black.) In 1982, metal prices plunged, striking with devastating effect on the mines that were the White Pass and Yukon Route's main customers. Many, including the Faro lead-zinc mine, closed down, and, with that traffic gone, the White Pass

10920-548: Was sent to Tweetsie and still operates there. In 1966, Robbins renamed the attraction Gold Rush Junction and a western-style "shootout" was added at the midway point in the ride, allowing the locomotive to stop and "cool its heels". In 1970 the Cleveland Browns football team bought the attraction, but the locomotive and cars retained their colors and text. In 1976, Jack and Pete Herschend bought Gold Rush Junction, renaming it Silver Dollar City Tennessee, making it

11025-530: Was soon eclipsed by the Army's additional 26 engines and 258 cars. The increase in traffic was remarkable: in the last 3 months of 1942, the railroad moved 25,756 short tons (23,365 t). In 1943, the line carried 281,962 short tons (255,792 t), equivalent to ten years' worth of typical prewar traffic: all this despite some of the most severe winter weather recorded since 1910; gales, snowdrifts and temperatures of −30 °F (−34 °C) succeeded in blockading

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