Chilkoot bus tours or ship tour To the Summit

[BillyMetz]

Has anyone done one of the Chilkoot bus charters to the White Pass? Or the To the Summit tour offered by Princess? I am talking about the tours that are strictly the bus or van not the train either direction. For reasons I mentioned in a previous post about this we are not doing the train. However we are considering the bus/van tour offered by Chilkoot or the To the Summit tour offered by the ship. If anyone has done either please let me know what you thought of it. Is the road winding and/or scary for those with a fear of heights or car sickness? Would not want to do it if a loved one with me got car sick and was miserable because of winding roads. Also would not want to if the same person was uncomfortable with a fear of heights. If those conditions do exist on the trip the member of our group with these issues may just stay down in Skagway while the rest make the couple hour trip.

[anchorage1977]

Has anyone done one of the Chilkoot bus charters to the White Pass? Or the To the Summit tour offered by Princess? I am talking about the tours that are strictly the bus or van not the train either direction. For reasons I mentioned in a previous post about this we are not doing the train. However we are considering the bus/van tour offered by Chilkoot or the To the Summit tour offered by the ship. If anyone has done either please let me know what you thought of it. Is the road winding and/or scary for those with a fear of heights or car sickness? Would not want to do it if a loved one with me got car sick and was miserable because of winding roads. Also would not want to if the same person was uncomfortable with a fear of heights. If those conditions do exist on the trip the member of our group with these issues may just stay down in Skagway while the rest make the couple hour trip.

 

Chilkoot is a reputable company in Skagway - they've been in business for years. Whether you go with them, the ship, an Avis rental car or Dyea Dave the road is the same. It is about a 3,000 climb in around 10 miles. The road is paved, well maintained and has guardrails on all exposed sections. There is only one small bridge to cross which has little height to it. There are a variety of waterfalls to view on the way etc.

 

That said, it is a mountain pass. It is not a gradual incline, but a pretty steep grade with switchbacks. IMO there is more exposure on the train than in a van, but you should know it's a mountain pass. My mom is not thrilled with heights either, but didn't seem to mind this drive when we came up to visit. The rewards on the other side of the pass are spectacular. (The Canadian side does not descend very far and has no exposed sections.)

 

There is a LOT to do in Skagway if you need to break your party up for a few hours. Perhaps that would be a good time for the other party to tour the National Park Museum, watch their movie, take a free guided ranger walk around town and grab a drink at the Red Onion Saloon? That way they'll still learn the history lesson you'll get on the tour, without the scenery.

 

Good luck.

[Suzanne123]

We took the To the Summit excursion with Princess and the road is exactly as described above. They make several stops to take pictures so it does break up the trip if you're worried about a continuous ride in the van. We enjoyed that trip and we also liked the recommended (free) National Park Museum downtown.

[BillyMetz]

Thanks Suzanne123. We are looking at doing the To The Summit with Princess. Can you tell me more about it? What you saw and did along the way? This is the last excursion we are still debating, and your comments will help us finish up our itinerary.

[Suzanne123]

It's been a couple years, but as I recall we went all the way to the Canadian border to get pictures of "Welcome to the Yukon" with stops on the way to see very pretty scenery. On the way back, I'm sure we stopped at a waterfall becuase I have a picture of my husband drinking from it. :) We had only 8 or 10 people on board a minivan and the guide was very nice. One thing I remember was the lone line of 10 or 12 foot poles on either side of one portion of the highway where the guide told us that snow got so deep the snowplows needed guides so they wouldn't fall off the mountain! Lots of mountains and waterfalls.

 

This is a video of the trip from Princess. It doesn't show a lot, but you'll get an idea of the scenery. (Be patient. takes a minute to load.)

http://videopassports.com/princesscruises/widget.php?pid=26&fvid=2703

 

 

We did this tour as an afterthought because we had already done the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari in the morning. The Summit tour wasn't expensive at the time, and I thought it was a nice trip.

[dustyroad]

i have taken the chilkoot tour to the summet and was very satisfied. the driver was very informative and the van was very clean and had large windows to see out of. we made many stops and saw the same things the ship tour saw. the ships tour used a large bus '' packed '' with passengers and they crowed all together to see what the stop was about. i would go with chilkoot for the difference in price and the more personal, smaller group. have a great time.

[Suzanne123]

Maybe it has changed, but my ship's excursion (Princess) To the Summit was not a large bus, but a small van, and we were not "packed" at all.

[dustyroad]

Maybe it has changed, but my ship's excursion (Princess) To the Summit was not a large bus, but a small van, and we were not "packed" at all.

 

perhaps it was a different cruise ship tour i saw then. the bus was a regular size and full of people. or perhaps they have upgraded the tour and made it better now. i still would go with chilkoot. a better deal and tour all the way around IMHO.

[Budget Queen]

It's been a couple years, but as I recall we went all the way to the Canadian border to get pictures of "Welcome to the Yukon" with stops on the way to see very pretty scenery. On the way back, I'm sure we stopped at a waterfall becuase I have a picture of my husband drinking from it. :) We had only 8 or 10 people on board a minivan and the guide was very nice. One thing I remember was the lone line of 10 or 12 foot poles on either side of one portion of the highway where the guide told us that snow got so deep the snowplows needed guides so they wouldn't fall off the mountain! Lots of mountains and waterfalls.

 

This is a video of the trip from Princess. It doesn't show a lot, but you'll get an idea of the scenery. (Be patient. takes a minute to load.)

http://videopassports.com/princesscruises/widget.php?pid=26&fvid=2703

 

 

QUOTE]

 

 

For clairfication the Yukon, is NOT the Canadian border. BC is 20 miles before the Yukon. IF as stated, then this trip went at least 40 miles one way. So a decent ride, rather than the round trip White Pass trips.

[StevenW]

It's been a couple years, but as I recall we went all the way to the Canadian border to get pictures of "Welcome to the Yukon" with stops on the way to see very pretty scenery. On the way back, I'm sure we stopped at a waterfall becuase I have a picture of my husband drinking from it. :) We had only 8 or 10 people on board a minivan and the guide was very nice. One thing I remember was the lone line of 10 or 12 foot poles on either side of one portion of the highway where the guide told us that snow got so deep the snowplows needed guides so they wouldn't fall off the mountain! Lots of mountains and waterfalls.

 

This is a video of the trip from Princess. It doesn't show a lot, but you'll get an idea of the scenery. (Be patient. takes a minute to load.)

http://videopassports.com/princesscruises/widget.php?pid=26&fvid=2703

 

 

QUOTE]

 

 

For clairfication the Yukon, is NOT the Canadian border. BC is 20 miles before the Yukon. IF as stated, then this trip went at least 40 miles one way. So a decent ride, rather than the round trip White Pass trips.

 

Hi Budget Queen. I love your advice. I'm currently planning for my own Alaskan crusie in July.

 

In your opinion, is White Pass Summit+Yukon that much better than just the White Pass Summit trip please?

 

Thanks.

[StevenW]

Anyone have an opinion please on whether White Pass Summit+Yukon is that much better than just the White Pass Summit trip please?

 

Thanks

[Budget Queen]

Anyone have an opinion please on whether White Pass Summit+Yukon is that much better than just the White Pass Summit trip please?

 

Thanks

 

In my opinion, yes, more is better here. :) Getting into and touring the Yukon is a great adventure to consider.

[StevenW]

In my opinion, yes, more is better here. :) Getting into and touring the Yukon is a great adventure to consider.

 

Many thanks for all the great info you contribute on these boards.

[Suzanne123]

-- Just looked at the Princess web site, and the current trip described can't be the same "To the Summit" trip we took. They have it listed as 1.5 hours and our trip was more like 4 hours. I apologize for the confusion.

[Budget Queen]

-- Just looked at the Princess web site, and the current trip described can't be the same "To the Summit" trip we took. They have it listed as 1.5 hours and our trip was more like 4 hours. I apologize for the confusion.

 

This short tour would be round trip by road/bus. The longer, "Summit" tours are combo rail/bus trips, since the train is much slower.