2000 Alaska Trip, Golden Triangle Driving Trip

2000 Alaska Trip, "Golden Triangle" Driving Trip

white pass steam locomotive in skagway alaska

The "Golden Triangle" is a particularly scenic part of Alaska and the Yukon Territories. The drive starts at Skagway, which is a major stopping point for the big cruise ships. The town may have 500 residents in the summer, but as many as 4,000 tourists a day leave the ships to take helicoptor tours of the glaciers, or ride the steam train up the White Pass. We rented our car in Haines, rode the ferry to Skagway, and then spent the night at a B & B in Skagway. After the cruise ships leave, the town is pretty quiet, and the people who work the tourist industry unwind at the local watering hole.

Next morning, we drove up the White Pass. This time, the uncertain Alaska weather closed in on us, and the last few miles up the pass were in the clouds; we couldn't see anything. To make the drive more scary, we came upon a disabled bus right at the top of the pass. It took up the entire lane, and oncoming vehicles couldn't see it, either. Once beyond the clouds at the top of the pass, we got a clear view. We began a remarkable trip through fascinating scenery on the way to White Horse. Glacial lakes, sand dunes, and awesome mountains make this an interesting drive.

White Horse is the "big city" in these parts. We lunched there, and moved on. Our route joined the official Alcan Highway. Our driving finished for the day at Haines Junction, the upper corner of the "triangle". We stayed in a small tourist motel south of town, run by an anglo retiree and his native wife. They were warm and friendly, and took very good care of us. The food was wonderful "home cookin". We were told that bears were wandering all around the motel at night.

The next morning was our drive from Haines Junction to Haines, our temporary "home away from home". This part of the drive proved to be the greatest "treat" of all. The road rises into the mountains that form the barrier between the Alaska/Canada interior and the marine areas (coastline and inside passage). The views of these mountains were spectacular, with a heavy snow layer, even in June. We drove higher into the snow-covered peaks, and just as we were about to be engulfed with snow, we arrived at the top of the pass and the border with Alaska. Suddenly, the snow disappeared, and the mountains became lush green and tree-covered. The Pacific Ocean influence prevented the snow from acumulating on this side in the summer. An amazing drive! The next few days were spent enjoying our friends' hospitality and relaxing in Haines.

These pictures were taken originally with a film camera and scanned.

NOTE that these photographs are Copyright©2000-2020 Robert and Sandra Swanson. I greatly appreciate people viewing the photos, but not stealing them. If someone is interested from a commercial point of view, please contact me.

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Four Cruise Ships in Skagway [several can arrive at the same time, adding thousands of tourists to the streets of this small town] -- Alaska 2000 Vacation

Cruise Ships in Skagway [taken as our Alaska ferry arrived from Haines] -- Alaska 2000 Vacation

Compare the Size of the Alaska Ferry "Columbia" (left) with a Modern Cruise Ship (right) -- Alaska 2000 Vacation

Downtown Skagway [not too crowded] -- Alaska 2000 Vacation

The White Pass Railroad Takes Tourists Up the Pass [the tracks have been laid right alongside the cruise docks, so people don't have to walk very far from the ships] -- Alaska 2000 Vacation