Chilkoot Trail - tips?

[Ruttiger]

So I'm hiking the Chilkoot Trail this July with a couple friends and definitely looking forward to it. After going up north for a couple weeks two years ago I've been itching to get back and do this hike - so much history. We do have our campsites booked and have a tentative plan for our transportation in and out.

My questions is, has anyone here done it? Any tips or things to know that might not be uncovered over the course of normal research on the hike? Memories? Nice places to stop? Photo opportunities? Anything would be welcome.

[Slava]

I've done this hike, and it is easily one of the best things that I've ever done! I have hundreds of photos from the trip as we all shared photos (with the others that I did the hike with). We did the trail in five days, and that pace was adequate to me.

When will you be making that trek? I would be more than happy to share my experiences with you!

[Bobblehead]

A guy from work here did this a few years ago.

He said to give you this link.

http://www.clubtread.com/articledetail.aspx?ID=37

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Slava

I've done this hike, and it is easily one of the best things that I've ever done! I have hundreds of photos from the trip as we all shared photos (with the others that I did the hike with). We did the trail in five days, and that pace was adequate to me.

When will you be making that trek? I would be more than happy to share my experiences with you!

We'll be doing it in mid-July. Starting out on the trail the morning of the 16th and finishing up around mid-day on the 19th, so about 3.5 days. I'd have liked to take one more day but my buddy's schedule is pretty tight so that'll have to do. Though I have a friend that did it in two days last year, and people have jogged it in 12 hours. And yes, I'd love to hear about anything you can pass on.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

A guy from work here did this a few years ago.

He said to give you this link.

http://www.clubtread.com/articledetail.aspx?ID=37

Thanks - that looks like a great page. Off to a meeting but I'll definitely check it out later.

[Slava]

I did the trip in early August and when we went the weather was bad to say the least! Are you staying for a day or two in Skagway and taking the train back? Some of the people I was with cut out early after the pass to head back to Skagway to catch a ferry. The whole trek can be done sooner, but that would be painful and not as enjoyable! (I think that some guys were running it when we were on the trail actually).

There are a lot of really cool things along the way. I liked to see all of the artifacts; around Canyon City there is an old boiler to run a tram and there is an old stove for example...very cool stuff! Of course the machinery at the top of the pass is also cool to look at. Pass day was a long, long day though (at least for us) so we weren't able to look around at everything. Some things there are more boring...100 year old tin cans are interesting for a few minutes, but lost their lustre after a while.

The knotted tree was very cool to me. (It was a sapling twisted to mark the trail and has since grown in that form.). I didn't take a photo of the tree...I remember if vividly though, and still kick myself for not snapping a quick shot!

Make sure that you have waterproof stuff and quick dry items. I wouldn't recommend not bring warm gear...we had snow/sleet/rain for a few days. The sun was a welcome sight after that!

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Slava

I did the trip in early August and when we went the weather was bad to say the least! Are you staying for a day or two in Skagway and taking the train back? Some of the people I was with cut out early after the pass to head back to Skagway to catch a ferry. The whole trek can be done sooner, but that would be painful and not as enjoyable! (I think that some guys were running it when we were on the trail actually).

There are a lot of really cool things along the way. I liked to see all of the artifacts; around Canyon City there is an old boiler to run a tram and there is an old stove for example...very cool stuff! Of course the machinery at the top of the pass is also cool to look at. Pass day was a long, long day though (at least for us) so we weren't able to look around at everything. Some things there are more boring...100 year old tin cans are interesting for a few minutes, but lost their lustre after a while.

The knotted tree was very cool to me. (It was a sapling twisted to mark the trail and has since grown in that form.). I didn't take a photo of the tree...I remember if vividly though, and still kick myself for not snapping a quick shot!

Make sure that you have waterproof stuff and quick dry items. I wouldn't recommend not bring warm gear...we had snow/sleet/rain for a few days. The sun was a welcome sight after that!

We'll be doing it in about 3.5 days, as that's all the time one of my buddy's can take. We'll stay overnight in Skagway the night before setting out on the trail, and as luck would have it, my parents will be up north for a couple of months with the trailer this summer so they'll be picking us up in Carcross after we take the train there from Bennett after the hike (we'll be finishing on a saturday - there's no full train service on the weekend).

I've done a lot of reading on the history of the trail, both pre and post-stampede days, so I'm looking forward to seeing some of the more major artifacts and visible evidence of the gold-rush. Hadn't heard about the knotted tree - very cool. Remember roughly where that is on the trail?

[Slava]

I think that there is a web-guide to the trail the documents virtually everything that you can see. If you keep your eyes open though you won't miss the knotted tree. It is before the pass and I think after Canyon City. Its basically right beside the trail though, and would be easy to see if you look for it. I will try to get a more specific location though and try to find that guide. The guide lists everything in terms of kilometers from the camps.

If you can see the boats at the top of the pass that would be awesome. I was up there in sleet and very windy conditions so there was no will to explore, let alone time! They actually closed the trail behind us because the water had risen by a few feet and everything was flooded about waist-deep. The weather was less than ideal...and I say that as a guy who has spent plenty of time in the mountains in all kinds of weather.

There are also a lot of grizzlies there. When I was on the trail the salmon were running (which is extremely cool in and of itself!). The bears were not interested in us at all because they had a great food source right there. But if you get the chance you could get some incredible photos! In a group behind us a guy got a pic of a national geographic type thing...probably 25 feet away!