Alaska: The White Pass Scenic Railway

Skagway, June 2012

"All aboard!...All aboard!"

I excitedly board the train and sat by the window as the train conductor loudly called all the passengers. With its whistle shrieking, the train started moving slowly and I felt the butterflies in my stomach flutter. I knew it would be one memorable journey.

Choo chooooo!

my cruise ship dock in Skagway

welcome to Skagway

Skagway was the third city that I visited after Ketchikan and Juneau during my Alaska cruise. A little story about Skaway, in 1887 Captain William Moore and his son ventured up the Chilkoot Inlet and built a small cabin at the mouth of the Skagway River. Previously unexplored and uninhabited, this piece of land, named Skagway "land of the North Wind" by nearby tribes.

Before arriving in Skagway, I was actually having a hard time to decide which shore excursions to do. I was torn among Ghost & Good Time Girls walking tour, private helicopter tour, horseback riding and train journey. In the end, I chose the scenic railway because I always have a soft spot for trains specially vintage steam trains. 'Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad climbs nearly 3000 feet, providing breathtaking views of waterfalls and glaciers that line this historic and awe inspiring train route.' As soon as I read this introduction on the brochure, I was taken.

inside the train

The 3 hours journey started with passing through dense forest, some waterfalls and streams. The railroads then starting to climb and I was stunned to see the jaw-dropping scenery outside my window.  Rocky mountain, valleys, canyon, forest, streams and snowy mountain peaks; all in one frame. It's hard for me to describe how beautiful it was. I was feeling too vivacious to sit still, so I walked toward the sliding door and standing outside the carriage. I knew it was dangerous, I could easily have toppled and fell into the canyon. But I wanted to breath the fresh unpolluted air besides to get a better view.

can you spot the railway in that mountain?

view from my window

Within a few minutes I was shivering because it started to drizzle with some strong winds. Yes, it was during summer but in Alaska the temperature is still considered low, sometimes even falling below 6 C. And of course I was only wearing a thin jacket over my shirt because the silly me refused to believe the weather forecast.

old railway bridge

passing through the bridge

into the tunnel

stunning scenery

serene

snow walls

pretty cold out here

choo chooooo

one last selfie in Alaska before back to the cruise :D

So that's basically some landscapes that I enjoyed during the White Pass Scenic Railway. Gorgeous, aren't they? Even though it's quite pricey, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who visits Skagway. It's really one priceless travel experience for me. A splurge but worth every single cents :)