Day 18....The White Pass Railroad.
This train station is a Whitehorse Landmark located at the end of Mainstreet. The 110 mile White Pass&Yukon Route Railroad was completed on July 29, 1900 in Carcross Yukon connecting the deep water port of Skagway Alaska to Whitehorse Yukon. The train route from Skagway follows what was originally a foot path known as White Pass which was one of 2 routes that gold seekers used in the early 1900's to reach Dawson City and other parts of the Yukon during the Gold Rush era.
The WP&YR climbs almost 3000 feet in just 20 miles and features steep grades of up to 3.9%, cliff-hanging turns of 16 degrees, two tunnels and numerous bridges and trestles. The steel cantilever bridge was the tallest of its kind in the world when it was constructed in 1901.
Today, the WP&YR is Alaska's most popular shore excursion carrying over 450,000 passengers during the May to September tourism season operating on the first 67.5 miles.
The train does not reach all the way into the Whitehorse anymore but it does offer a ride all the way into Carcross, Yukon.
It is an amazing train ride that I have had the pleasure of going on twice already.
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