Gold-Rush Town: Skagway, Alaska

Sailing north from Petersburg on the Alaskan Marine Highway, the ferry entered the most spectacular fjord: Lynn Canal. The glaciered mountains rise from both sides of the channel under the bright sunshine. After a full day of sailing, the ferry stopped at Haines, AK, and the ferry arrived in Skagway late in the night. Skagway is the north end of the Inside Passage.

With a population of 900, Skagway has a rich history from the gold-rush. Surrounded by the high peaks, the town was built in the small valley. There is a part of the town that is designated as the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, and those gold-rush era buildings are stabilized and preserved in the downtown. Like Juneau and Ketchikan, Skagway is one of the main cruise ship destinations. During the busy summer months, the small town is as crowded as Disneyland.

During the Klondike gold-rush period, over 30,000 prospectors arrived via steamship boats from the lower 48 as well as overseas to Skagway. The prospectors marched down to Dawson City, Canada, through one of two trails: Whitehorse Pass and Chilkoot in the harsh winter. Both trails were extremely hazardous.

In the Summer of 1900, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway was completed. However, the gold-rush had already subsided at that time.

The White Pass & Yukon Route train rides over the scenic mountains are very popular tourist attractions in our modern times. I was on the train on my recent travels while it was full of Canadians on Victoria Day. The train left downtown Skagway at sea level and was soon surrounded by spring greens, and slowly climbed up the pass while I saw snow on the ground.

The train went through the tunnels, and I looked down the deep canyon. We soon crossed the U.S - Canadian border and entered the Yukon Territory in Canada. It was still winter at White Pass...snow still dominated the ground, and numerous alpine lakes were still frozen.

Arrived in Frazer Lake, and after a very short break, the train headed back to Skagway.

Hiking up the steep trail from the downtown, the forest opened up to the Lynn Canal view. The snow covered Chilkat Mountains were painted as soft magenta at sunset. Those large cruise ships were leaving at the time.

Finally, I was heading to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve via Juneau, AK. Glacier Bay will be my home for this summer.

Petersburg, Alaska

Sailing north from Ketchikan on the Alaskan Marine Highway ferry for 10 hours, I arrived at the Southeast Alaskan town of Petersburg. Unlike Ketchikan or Juneau, the large cruise ships do not stop at Petersburg. Because of this there are no fancy gift shops or restaurants for tourists.

This quiet town's main industry is commercial fishing. Various fishing boats call this place home. They often will tie up at the cannery buildings that are lined up on the waterfront to receive the fish.

This quiet town was originally settled by Norwegian fishermen. The Nordic style buildings still remain throughout the town today as the descendants of the Norse people fish in the nearby icy waters. Petersburg was a very different experience for me than Ketchikan.

When I arrived to Petersburg, the sun was setting behind an island...unlike typical Southeast Alaskan weather, the sky was clear in the evening. The distinctive peak of Devils Thumb on the United States and Canadian border was showing itself. The mountain peaks were glowing in shades of purple!

Petersburg is also surrounded by the Tongass National Forest. This temperate rainforest is highlighted by many bogs.

I spotted the small blue flower: "Forget-Me-Not" along the road.

When I was photographing the flowers, a river otter popped out from a stream! He was obviously surprised and ran away...hiding in a hole under a tree root. Surprised myself, and curious, I waited for him to come out of his home in the tree. After watching me from the hiding spot for a while, the otter quickly jumped out and ran away.

Another beautiful day, I was on a small boat and crossed Frederick Sound. The boat took me into a quite narrow cove. The low tide exposed the beautiful tidal lines on the shore. I loved the patterns of the natural world on the shore and the reflections on the water.

Icebergs drifting from LeConte Glacier. They reflected the aquamarine blue on the ice.

After returning to the port dock, I was busy capturing the beautiful painted Nordic style buildings while the sun bathed the environment. The sunset wasn't as crimson as the first day but it was still a beautiful evening.

My next destination is Skagway, the gold rush town with an interesting history.

Ketchikan, Alaska

My first stop in Southeast Alaska was Ketchikan. This beautiful place is known for native Alaskan totem poles, and its rainy weather. Ketchikan is also the wettest town in the United States and one of the cruise ship ports of call. While I saw these monstrous ships tied to the dock, the town was a full of tourists with shopping bags.

Escaping the crowds, I hiked up Deer Mountain. The trail began in deep old growth forest. It was spring in Southeast Alaska, different hues and shades of green were vivid in my eyes. The thick moss that carpeted the ground was also fresh green! It was the time for Skunk Cabbage blooming. The trumpet like bright yellow flowers were everywhere on the woods floor. These sure had a unique smell.

I loved the mossy rock with streams!

For the next few days, I explored Alaskan Native culture in Ketchikan. I spent a few hours alone at Totem Bight State Historic Park in the rain. Walking among the totem poles and the Cran House surrounded by the dark rain forest, I felt like I was connected with their native spirits. When I was ready to leave the park, a big coach full of colorful clothed tourists from the cruise ships came in. I was so glad to experience the quiet moment in the park.

I had another beautiful hike at Settlers Cove, at the north end of the Tongass Highway. This mossy rain forest is indicative of larges parts of Southeast Alaska...I just love it!

Beautiful waterfalls in the woods.

The wild coastline full of seaweeds!

Sunset behind Betton Island...

It was a low tide in a morning. Numerous sea creatures were exposed on the shore! Hundreds of Sea Stars...so many Sunflower Sea Stars came out!

Ketchikan was an attractive little town with interesting culture and beautiful natural surroundings. My next stop is Petersburg, about 100 miles north of Ketchikan on a ferry.

Alaskan Marine Highway - Bellingham, WA to Juneau, AK

On the afternoon of May 1, Bellingham, Washington it was a beautiful clear day.

I was getting on the ferry to Juneau, Alaska. My “home” for 3 nights is a little corner on the deck, nicely covered by the glass ceiling and windows. I hauled a huge duffle bag and an equally heavy weighted small suitcase filled with photography gear, plus a heavy camera backpack. I set up my sleeping bag on a deck chair by the window. That’s the best view for Alaska’s Inside Passage.

Soon after the ferry departed Bellingham, the snow capped Mt. Baker showed up behind the town to see us off.

The water was very calm. The ferry barely shook.

The day light was already long at the north… the sunset was after 8pm! The northwest sky turned to vivid orange, and sun was slowly setting into the ocean. Another ferry was almost heading to the setting sun. I was holding my camera facing to the blowing wind. Seagulls flew across the ocean when the sunset. Nest morning, I was awakening by bright orange light… It was 5:30 in the morning. The first light painted the eastern sky. I jumped out my sleeping bag and grabbed my camera. I barely made it before fading out.
However, soon after sunrise, the sun hid under the heavy clouds. It was overcast throughout the day and raining the following day. The ferry was slowly cruising via the Canadian Coast, and stopped in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, and then finally arrived to Juneau on May 4.