About

• Features

  The path to the Chilkoot Pass, at 1,097 meters altitude the highest point on the Chilkoot Trail, is the stuff of legend. At the peak of the gold rush, miners would cross the pass 40 or 50 times with all their equipment. It is a challenging climb, characterized by unstable rock walls and abrupt changes in weather conditions, not to mention the Golden Stairs, a series of 1,500 steps that is completely frozen over during the winter months. The Chilkoot Pass route ends at the Warden Cabin, where weary hikers can finally relax and warm up.

• History

  The Chilkoot Pass, long an important trade route for the indigenous Tlingit people, was transformed by the gold rush that swept through the semi-autonomous Yukon territory in the late 19th century into a major thoroughfare for men seeking to make their fortune in the heart of the Yukon. On the section of the trail along the Taiya river you can still see remnants of the gold rush era, such as mining equipment, boilers and telegraph poles. The inexorable decline of the township of Dyea in neighboring Alaska began in the early 20th century, and today there are only ruins left.

• Nature

  The trail starts in a patch of temperate rainforest close to Dyea in the United States. The prevailing winds bring moist air from the ocean, which is cooled as it travels through the Chilkoot Pass and eventually turns to rain by the time it reaches Dyea. After exiting the forest the trail becomes more exposed, and hikers can expect to encounter volatile weather conditions including intense rain, hail, snow, strong winds and fog. The route then passes through mountain ridges before reaching Canada. From this point onward there is far less rainfall, thanks to the rain shadow cast by the Coast Ranges.

• The gold rush of the late 19th century transformed what had for centuries been a trade route used by the indigenous Tlingit people to take dried fish and other seafood products to inland regions in exchange for furs and clothing. Once the first vein of gold was discovered, prospectors hoping to find their fortune started heading in huge numbers to Klondike, in the semi-autonomous Yukon territory in the Canadian interior. Of the many routes through to Klondike, the Chilkoot Pass was seen as the cheapest option from the coast of Alaska. Those seeking to get rich quick were required, by order of the Canadian authorities, to carry a year’s supply of food and clothing with them in order to prevent death due to starvation. The 53-km route travelled by the hardy prospectors while lugging their heavy supplies from America into Canada has survived to this day. It is easy to find and in remarkably good condition—and best of all, you don’t have to carry a year’s worth of food with you any more. The trail starts at Dyea in Alaska, the former boomtown and now ghost town, and follows the river through the forest. Here you can see remnants of the gold rush era such as pieces of mining equipment and boilers. Sheep Camp, located about 20 km in, is followed by the significantly more challenging Chilkoot Pass, which has 45° slopes and rock faces with few footholds. The unpredictable weather conditions only add to the degree of difficulty. Despite this, the trail is a wonderful showcase of the historical legacy of the gold rush era, not to mention the unusual sight of knockdown (pre-fab) canvas boats lying on the snowtopped mountain just southwest of the ridge. The top of the ridge marks the border with Canada and the Warden’s Cabin, where you can relax, get warm and prepare for the rest of the hike. From there, the trail descends toward a series of lakes. On a fine day their glittering surfaces make for a wonderful sight. The trail continues through subarctic forest and heads north over the ridge and into the rain shadow of the Coast Ranges, where the rainfall is much lower than on the American side. Toward the end of the trail you are greeted by another group of picturesque lakes including Lake Long and Lake Lindeman, with Lake Bennett marking your final destination point. This is where the prospectors would get in their boats and head down the Yukon river to Dawson City and the gold mines of their dreams. Note: Check local websites for the latest updates.