Alaska Adventure - Day 5 - July 6, 2010

Previously: [Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4]

All my trip photos (so far)


The disappointing weather in Juneau followed us to Skagway while we slept. After our last breakfast at sea, we met the rest of our tour group - The Mighty 7A - in the Vista Lounge. Our tour guide Rosyln ($4 per person per day expected gratuity) guided us to a bus for an unnecessary 2 minute bus ride to downtown Skagway.

The town was booming in 1898 because of the Klondike Gold Rush where gold was separated from the wilderness. The town was also booming in 2010 where gold was separated from tourists. There was a National Historic Park in town so the kids were able to earn their first Junior Ranger badges in Alaska (2nd overall).

After grabbing lunch at the Red Onion Saloon (where the waitresses were both hotter and cheaper than the food) we all aboarded the White Pass-Yukon Railroad and took off for a trip up and over the Great White (North) Pass. It's the beauty way to go. If the weather had cooperated the views would have been something as we climbed almost 3000 feet in just 20 miles to Fraser, Canada. Even with the clouds and fog, however, it will still a worthwhile trip.

In Fraser we met our coach and it's intrepid Commander, Parker Anderson ($4 per person per day expected gratuity) and we lit off a grinnin' to the Yukon, more specifically to the booming metropolis of Whitehorse. Though traveling by bus is not glamorous, it did provide us with opportunities to see and experience many things that we could not have done from the ship. The scenery along the way continued to be so stunning that I constantly could not believe it was real.

One stop we made was at Emerald Lake, the intense green color of which is hard to describe or capture. Another stop was at Carcross, Yukon (population 431, not counting tourists) which was less stunning but had really good ice cream.

In addition to the scenery, we also spotted some wildlife. Shortly after boarding the coach we saw a brown bear. On the way into Whitehorse everyone but me saw a bald eagle except. Since seeing a bald eagle in the wild is on my bucket list, I was quite disappointed.

What can I say about Whitehorse that has not already been said? It is a two Westmark town, and sadly ours was the one that was further away from downtown. Perhaps that is why of the 13 Roths that set out for dinner, only 4 made it to the Italian Restaurant in town. Since both kids were far past tired, the extra long wait for our food was especially enjoyable, and gave me ample time to feel sorry for myself for missing the bald eagle.


Next: [Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8]