August 04, 2018
This morning I headed to the old Dyea Townsite. It was not as easy to find as I thought, but eventually got there. I am glad I went to the Information Center in Skagway and got the detailed map of where to walk and what to see.
The first spot that I stopped at was the wharf. I could not believe that this wharf was over 2 miles long before you got into the townsite! Can you imagine, carrying all your luggage thinking you would only have to get off the vessel and walk a couple of blocks? Not here … TWO MILES LONG! WOW! Apparently this wharf was never completed and saw little use in the end.
There was a skeleton of a rowboat that was quite a ways inland. This location is where it was believed to be the water line at high tide. The bigger boats could not go up to here.
There was very little left of the old townsite … a fallen structure of the warehouse where the men needed to get their supplies and start their hike over Kilchoot Pass.
A store false front was still in good condition because of some citizens who were exploring the area when things were starting to disappear, and they put up supports to have this section standing which helped to slow down the deteriation of the wood rotting.
It was interesting to walk where the Main Street use to be. You can also see how the river had changed and eroded away a few sections where the town use to be.
After spending awhile here, I headed over to the cemeteries.
The first cemetery was originally in the old Dyea Townsite, but had been moved because the river had changed its pattern and eventually eroded away close to two thirds of the old cemetery in the town. The remaining graves were moved next to the Slide Cemetery.
I then went over to the Slide Cemetery.
Harry “Flick” Flaharty, said on April 4th, 1898, “Some were found lying, sitting, or standing, others in frightful positions with horrible expressions on their faces, while others looked as though they had just gone to sleep …” This gentleman was talking about the worst disaster of the Klondike Gold Rush … the avalanche that happened of April 03, 1898. Because of this Avalanche, many avoided taking the Chilkoot Route and was the beginning of the end for Dyea.
Many, not all, of the Avalanche victims were brought to Dyea and buried in a cemetery specific to the slide. It truly was a sad site to visit, but an important part of understanding the hardships of that time.
One unusual grave was of an individual who was shot on the trail and also buried in the Slide Cemetery.
I headed back into Skagway and after getting stocked up for the next round of my camping, I headed to the “Days of ’98” theatre show that was about Soapy Smith. I purchased a ticket for $25.00USD and I must say it was an amazing show. They started off with the owner doing the poem by Robert Service ‘The Cremation of Sam McGee’ with such flamboyance.
The play itself was filled with wonderful humor, song, dance and most importantly (from my perspective) a story-line with historical reference about Skagway and Soapy Smith.
This play had been started in the 1930’s and continues to this day. I suggest that to anyone planning to visit Skagway should first go to the State Park services and take the free tours they have of Skagway and of Jeff Smith Parlor along with the 25 minute video that they show. If have time, then do the self-guided walking tour of Skagway. I would end with a must-see of this play as they truly take you back into that time.
After the play, I stopped in at the Red Onion Saloon for a cold one and pizza. As I indicated before, this was an original saloon and part of the "night" life. They do a twenty minute tour of the "upstairs", which I did not partake due to lack of time.
I headed back to the campsite, parked the truck and geared up for a hike on the Chilkoot Trail. What would be a visit without taking a step onto this part of history. It was 5:15pm and I wanted to at least get to the first checkpoint.
This is what I wrote on my way back on the Chilkoot Trail at 8:00pm. …
Right now I am walking on the Chilkoot Trail, after walking in 8km, which is 5 miles to the first Checkpoint Finnegan’s Point. At this Checkpoint, it is where they would have to cross the river in order to continue. It turned out that a business was set up here and was pretty costly. They would allow you across the river on their rickety bridge but for a pricey toll. There was a saloon at this location and a restaurant and blacksmith shop.
All I can say is that the kilometres that I walked in and I am now walking out … I am getting pretty tired. I am just carrying my camera bag, my tripod, bottle of water and a couple small items. The thing that gets me is how they were able to carry huge packs to get to the first Checkpoint where I was and they would have to go back to get more of their supplies and would have to do this repeatedly until all their supplies were at the first Checkpoint. I just can’t imagine going back and forth that many times just to get 5 miles up the trailhead.
That is so hard to imagine that they did this and I think they would have to do about 20 trips with heavy loads. Then they would have to do this all over again to the next Checkpoint.
For me, I am walking on a boardwalk to a swamp that they would have come through, except that it was probably frozen. I found about 4.5 of the miles I hiked was easy going with half mile at the beginning to be a bit more challenging and certainly more challenging when I came back from the Checkpoint.
I can say, I have the utmost respect for all those men and women that made the attempt just to try to go over the Chilkoot Pass. I have extreme respect for all of those individuals that made it completely over. I can’t imagine doing that. Well, my hats off to all of those people that died along the way and also from the Avalanche which was an extreme tragedy to all that they endured and went through just to get to that point.
What a day! What a day!