Today we arrived at our most northerly port on this cruise, Skagway. Walking out on deck 11, it is cold with the wind adding to the chill. The vista is quite magnificent, sweeping mountains plenty of snow about, trees only on the lower levels.ย There are 2 other ships in port already, so we expect the place will be busy. After coffee we head for the gym for 30 minutes on the walking machine, then breakfast. We catch a shuttle uptown and wander the shops. The town is small and very tidy, most building look as they would have back in 1889.
We have booked a train passage to Frazer Station in the Yukon Territory, Canada about 90 minutes from Skagway. The White Pass and Yukon Railway (WPYR) is a narrow gauge line most of the rolling stock is what you would consider museum pieces. Our trip is comfortable, the views spectacular. The train grinds is way up the steep passes over old bridges and through tunnels to the high plateau.
At Frazer we are picked up for the short van journey to our mountain bikes for the return trip to Skagway. The weather is now very cold and the wind chill even worse, but it’s not raining or snowing so our guide states ‘it’s a good day for a change’. We rug up with 2 or 3 layers of this and that and off we go.ย We ride along the Alaska Hwy stopping at the odd viewing point and for the US Border stop. As a bike ride, I can best describe it as going down the steepest hill you can imagine but it lasts for 15 miles! From the border on, we re-enter the valley and and it feels warm again, though it’s just the wind chill has gone.
