White Pass Railway & Yukon Expedition

[olemissreb]

21 hours ago, cruise*enthusiast said:

How did you get to the train?

We did our excursion thru Dyea Dave and they had someone come pick us up in a van near the cruise ship pier.

[TQuila]

We did this through Chilkoot Charters, rather than through the ship, I think? I suspect the NCL version of the Yukon expedition is on a big bus, we were in a small bus and saw additional scenery and stopped for lunch at a roadside attraction. Lunch was acceptable, and the museum at the stop was interesting, lots of taxidermied animals!

[PATRLR]

10 hours ago, cruise*enthusiast said:

TY for the wealth of information!  Do you happen to recall about how long you spent on the bus?

 

As I recall it was a long excursion, multiple hours on the bus.  With frequent stops it didn't feel like a lot.

[PATRLR]

10 hours ago, Monica887 said:

Do you know how far up the bus went? 

I'd have to look at a map and reread the description to see where we turned around.  It was at one of the points that the description says it will stop at, maybe Carcross?

[PATRLR]

2 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Quick question for the BBQ meal do you eat outside or indoors?

Definitely mostly indoor seating if not all was indoors.  I don't recall if there was an option to eat outdoors.

[Treasure Hunter]

Beautiful photos

[PhillyTravelBug]

I did the 6 hour train ride up into the Yukon in 2019, with the van ride back. It was the best excursion I have ever done. 
 

[Rick&Jeannie]

8 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

The stunning thing about the White Pass railroad is it follows the path taken by the miners going to the Yukon.  If you look outside the train, you can see a narrow footpath some distance below the tracks.  This pathway was worn by the miners as they assended the pass.  Canadian mounties would meet them at the top of the pass to ensure they had sufficient food and material to survive in the Yukon.  IIRC correctly, it was a couple of tons of supplies.  The miners either made multiple trips or paid others to help them carry their provisions to the top.  And, yes, you can still see the path formed by their foot steps.

Here is a shot of the old miner's path:

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

delete

Edited December 15, 2023 by Rick&Jeannie

[Rick&Jeannie]

delete

Edited December 15, 2023 by Rick&Jeannie

[LatinaInTexas]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

Definitely mostly indoor seating if not all was indoors.  I don't recall if there was an option to eat outdoors.

Excellent, I don't like eating outside.

[The Traveling Man]

We have taken the WP&Y trip on three different cruises.  The first time we booked it ourselves so we could ride behind the steam engine.  NCL did not offer that version.  We had to walk into Skagway from the cruise pier so we could board at the downtown station.  The train ran up to the Canadian border, then turned around on a loop for the return trip to Skagway.  This is absolutely the top choice for true blue rail fans who want to experience the steam engine straining to climb the steep grade to the summit.  This train runs with fewer cars than the other trains, so seating is more limited than on the Diesel powered trains.  Those can run with multiple engines so they can pull more cars. 

 

Our next trip was booked through NCL, so we were able to board at the cruise pier right next to our ship.  You may have to walk a few hundred yards to walk to board your train, depending on how many other ships are in port that day and where your ship is docked.  Our train was powered by multiple Diesel units and climbed the hill to a siding just past the summit.  The locomotives were uncoupled from the train and run around to the other end.  You can flip the back of your seat over to be facing forward on the return.  Unlike the steam train, though, which actually turns on a loop of track, this Diesel train to the summit returns without turning the cars.  Your seat will be on the same side both ascending and descending.

 

The last time we were there, we took the Diesel powered train all the way to the end of the line in Canada.  NCL provided shuttle buses to take us into town to board the train at the station.  There is a nice souvenir shop at the station for WP&Y memorabilia.  There will be a stop at the border to check passports.  There also is a stop a few miles into Canada where they set off one of the Diesels.  The terrain is flatter for the rest of the run, so they don't need as much pulling power for that part of the run.  There's an opportunity for a comfort stop there, plus after that stop you get a box lunch to eat on the train.  Once the train gets to the final stop, you have an hour or so to wander the shops, find some delicacies for dessert, or listen to some street music.  The return trip is by bus.  Depending on the arrival and departure times of your cruise, this tour may be flipped, with the bus first taking you into Canada, then boarding the train in Canada for the return trip to Skagway.

 

I enjoyed each of these trips, but my favorite was the steam train.  I'm a bit of a train nut, so my preferences may not be the same as yours.  The longer trip into Canada has it's appeal, too.  You get to see more locations, it includes lunch, there's lots to see and do in Canada, and the return trip on the bus takes a different route so you don't cover the same ground twice.

[cruise*enthusiast]

11 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Here is a shot of the old miner's path:

 

That's incredible!

[olemissreb]

23 hours ago, TQuila said:

We did this through Chilkoot Charters, rather than through the ship, I think? I suspect the NCL version of the Yukon expedition is on a big bus, we were in a small bus and saw additional scenery and stopped for lunch at a roadside attraction. Lunch was acceptable, and the museum at the stop was interesting, lots of taxidermied animals!

Chilkoot Charters....that's who we used too. Not Dyea Dave. And we were on a small maybe 12 person "bus". So much more personal.

[bonvoyagie]

in 2012 I took Chilkoot tours Bennett and Carcross journey. Train up the mountain - we had a car to ourselves - about 12 of us so lots of room to move around. In Carcross we had time to walk around town, stamp our passports, and grab an ice cream cone. From there we went to Emerald Lake. We did not visit Caribou Crossing. Also of note we had a miner's lunch at Bennett (no longer offered). Bennett was an interesting stop and tour (I am not sure they still offer it). The ride along the lake was slow and interesting - also a good time to take a nap after that hearty lunch :). I know that times and tours have changed since then - Now the RR runs the train both directions each day instead of up one day and back the next - skipping the lunch in Bennett probably speeds up the process. Remember that a passport is required on this tour.

[TQuila]

3 hours ago, olemissreb said:

Chilkoot Charters....that's who we used too. Not Dyea Dave. And we were on a small maybe 12 person "bus". So much more personal.

Yes! They were great and had great stories, even though I managed to do some kind of damage to my leg on the way to the tour because I forgot to grab our passports and was running back to get them! All healed up within a few days, but I was limping badly on that tour!

 

I dug up my blog post from that tour, if anyone needs further info & pics...  https://simektravels.wordpress.com/2019/08/09/yukon-ho/

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 12/14/2023 at 8:19 PM, The Traveling Man said:

Unlike the steam train, though, which actually turns on a loop of track, this Diesel train to the summit returns without turning the cars.  Your seat will be on the same side both ascending and descending.

When I did this one years ago, they told us we had to swap seats with the folks across the aisle for the return trip.  I thought this was very fair.  I thought that all trips now used the new loop.

[ChiefMateJRK]

15 hours ago, olemissreb said:

Chilkoot Charters....that's who we used too. Not Dyea Dave. And we were on a small maybe 12 person "bus". So much more personal.

I've never heard of a 12 passenger bus.  Was it just a van?  We took the NCL Shorex to the Yukon boarder in April and it was a very nice small excursion bus, but it probably seated about 20 people (Maybe five rows with two seats on each side).  The driver/guide was excellent and we had snow near the boarder.  Very beautiful.  I don't believe that the train was running the whole route at that time due to snow blockage.

[cruiser2015]

44 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

When I did this one years ago, they told us we had to swap seats with the folks across the aisle for the return trip.  I thought this was very fair.  I thought that all trips now used the new loop.

I don't get it.

The return run shifts everyone to the opposite side.

If you swap seats, everyone gets the same view as the trip up.

??

[ChiefMateJRK]

43 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

I don't get it.

The return run shifts everyone to the opposite side.

If you swap seats, everyone gets the same view as the trip up.

??

I was referring to the original version (before the loop was built) when the engines ran around the train for the trip down and everybody reversed their seatbacks.  As I stated, they politely announced at the beginning of the run that everybody would be asked to swap seats with their neighbors across the aisle so that all could enjoy the favorable views towards the West.  I've taken this excursion three times, and that was how it always worked.

[cruiser2015]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I was referring to the original version (before the loop was built) when the engines ran around the train for the trip down and everybody reversed their seatbacks.  As I stated, they politely announced at the beginning of the run that everybody would be asked to swap seats with their neighbors across the aisle so that all could enjoy the favorable views towards the West.  I've taken this excursion three times, and that was how it always worked.

And now, I get it.

Thanks.

[olemissreb]

5 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I've never heard of a 12 passenger bus.  Was it just a van?  We took the NCL Shorex to the Yukon boarder in April and it was a very nice small excursion bus, but it probably seated about 20 people (Maybe five rows with two seats on each side).  The driver/guide was excellent and we had snow near the boarder.  Very beautiful.  I don't believe that the train was running the whole route at that time due to snow blockage.

It may have been 20 people. I just remember it was so much smaller than the big charyer buses the cruiseline folks were on and our little bus wasn't even full, but almost.

[ChiefMateJRK]

55 minutes ago, olemissreb said:

It may have been 20 people. I just remember it was so much smaller than the big charyer buses the cruiseline folks were on and our little bus wasn't even full, but almost.

I'm guessing it was similar to (or the same as) the one we road in.  It was very comfortable and easy to get on and off.  Unlike those glorified livestock trucks we ride on in the Caribbean tours.  I was hoping St. Thomas would be more like the US, but no such luck.

[laudergayle]

 

@phillygwm wow..the water color looks tropical.  What month did you travel?

[phillygwm]

2 hours ago, laudergayle said:

 

@phillygwm wow..the water color looks tropical.  What month did you travel?

I think you meant @PhillyTravelBug 

 

I did do a similar excursion in September 2016 but just to the White Pass summit, not all the way up to Yukon.  Not sure if they offered it back then; I think I would have preferred the longer trip if it had been.

 

I'm a banker and tend to be, shall we say, frugal.  But I'm going again in August, full YOLO this time 🙂  Chose my sailing so I could helicopter up to the Mendenhall Glacier and go dogsledding.  Last time, I went too late in the season so that excursion wasn't available.  We did the one where the dogs pulled you around on a gravel track, which was not quite the same.