Skagway and Lynn Canal, Southeast Alaska
Since its “discovery” Alaska has tended to be a “boom and bust” kind of place – its vast, varied and desirable resources are to blame. Sea otters, gold, oil, timber, fish, and tourism are some of what have been exploited here. Skagway – taken from the Tlingit word “Skagua,” which means a “windy place” – is the site of a couple of booms. Born as one of the jumping-off sites for Canada’s Klondike Gold Rush, thousands of people moved through Skagway seeking their fortunes. Relatively few struck it rich and the boom was over in just a few years. Now Skagway flourishes as a tourist center. Historically significant and still a jumping-off place to enter interior Canada and Alaska, Skagway attracts visitors from all parts and by all means of transport – air (helicopter, sea plane and jet), land (road and rail) and sea (kayak, sailboat and cruise vessel).
Only three roads enter Southeast Alaska – in Skagway, Haines and Hyder. It is otherwise only accessible by boat or plane. This morning as we approached Skagway, the Alaska State ferry Matanuska overtook us and docked by a large cruise ship. The Sea Lion slipped in beside them. It was a dramatic example of contrasts, on many levels. Alaskans use the state ferry system as their “marine highway.” Others use it as a means to experience the state.
Many Sea Lion guests opted to ride the scenic narrow gauge train up to historic White Pass, which peaks at an elevation of 2,888 feet, where springtime has barely arrived. Near treeline, the evergreens here are stunted and twisted. Existence is tenuous and arduous. Brown patches indicate that snow has only recently melted. Summit Lake has just started to crack and thaw. The railroad has been declared an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark – a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
In the afternoon, Sea Lion naturalists Steve and Liz led hikes on nearby trails. Exercise, scenery, birds and wildflowers were sought and found on these excursions. Skagway is interesting ecologically. Although geographically part of Southeast Alaska, it is in a climatic transition zone between the maritime rainforest to the south and the dryer interior continental climatic regime further north. We reached the latitude of 59° 27’ north – the northernmost extent of our voyage. The transition is evident in the mixed vegetation and climate. Paper birch trees (Betula papyrifera, pictured), so typical of Interior Alaska can be seen here and the Sitka spruce of the temperate rainforest gives way to white spruce of the Interior. We also welcomed sunshine and pleasant temperatures during our visit.
Rich in history and interspersed with ecological tangents, the day was not devoid of wildlife. We began and ended with humpback whales in Lynn Canal. A mountain goat was spotted from the train, a red squirrel from the trail and a Steller sea lion and harbor seals from the ship. To top it all off, Dall’s porpoises showed up to entertain us as we cruised south after dinner. Alpenglow highlighted the mountain peaks and we all retired satisfied but eager for more of magnificent Alaska in the days to come.
Since its “discovery” Alaska has tended to be a “boom and bust” kind of place – its vast, varied and desirable resources are to blame. Sea otters, gold, oil, timber, fish, and tourism are some of what have been exploited here. Skagway – taken from the Tlingit word “Skagua,” which means a “windy place” – is the site of a couple of booms. Born as one of the jumping-off sites for Canada’s Klondike Gold Rush, thousands of people moved through Skagway seeking their fortunes. Relatively few struck it rich and the boom was over in just a few years. Now Skagway flourishes as a tourist center. Historically significant and still a jumping-off place to enter interior Canada and Alaska, Skagway attracts visitors from all parts and by all means of transport – air (helicopter, sea plane and jet), land (road and rail) and sea (kayak, sailboat and cruise vessel).
Only three roads enter Southeast Alaska – in Skagway, Haines and Hyder. It is otherwise only accessible by boat or plane. This morning as we approached Skagway, the Alaska State ferry Matanuska overtook us and docked by a large cruise ship. The Sea Lion slipped in beside them. It was a dramatic example of contrasts, on many levels. Alaskans use the state ferry system as their “marine highway.” Others use it as a means to experience the state.
Many Sea Lion guests opted to ride the scenic narrow gauge train up to historic White Pass, which peaks at an elevation of 2,888 feet, where springtime has barely arrived. Near treeline, the evergreens here are stunted and twisted. Existence is tenuous and arduous. Brown patches indicate that snow has only recently melted. Summit Lake has just started to crack and thaw. The railroad has been declared an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark – a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
In the afternoon, Sea Lion naturalists Steve and Liz led hikes on nearby trails. Exercise, scenery, birds and wildflowers were sought and found on these excursions. Skagway is interesting ecologically. Although geographically part of Southeast Alaska, it is in a climatic transition zone between the maritime rainforest to the south and the dryer interior continental climatic regime further north. We reached the latitude of 59° 27’ north – the northernmost extent of our voyage. The transition is evident in the mixed vegetation and climate. Paper birch trees (Betula papyrifera, pictured), so typical of Interior Alaska can be seen here and the Sitka spruce of the temperate rainforest gives way to white spruce of the Interior. We also welcomed sunshine and pleasant temperatures during our visit.
Rich in history and interspersed with ecological tangents, the day was not devoid of wildlife. We began and ended with humpback whales in Lynn Canal. A mountain goat was spotted from the train, a red squirrel from the trail and a Steller sea lion and harbor seals from the ship. To top it all off, Dall’s porpoises showed up to entertain us as we cruised south after dinner. Alpenglow highlighted the mountain peaks and we all retired satisfied but eager for more of magnificent Alaska in the days to come.
